Flightseeing in Alaska

May 03, 2009

One of the best ways to see a lot of Alaska in a short time is flightseeing, in a variety of small aircraft ranging from nostalgic DC-3s to Cessna 185s to float planes.

For those whose flying experience is thus far limited to large jetliners carrying several hundred people, there's something special about climbing aboard aircraft carrying as few as four passengers to see Mt. McKinley, Prince William Sound, icefields, glaciers, fjords and wildlife on and off shore.

Pilots with extensive experience in the tour area often double as tour guides, pointing out areas of environmental and historic significance. Going anywhere in Alaska by small aircraft, on business or for pleasure, offers a great view of the Great Land.

The opportunities are boundless, but remember that all flight plans are subject to weather conditions suitable for flying. Alaska pilots are particularly sensitive to the need to avoid troublesome weather, from wind storms to whiteout. Some companies offer trip alternatives, such as river running, in the event of bad weather.

Flightseeing is easily combined with trips to remote fishing lodges or backpacking departure points in wilderness parks. Popular flightseeing tours include Mt. McKinley, with breathtaking flights around the highest mountain in North America. One firm offers tours in nostalgic DC-3s, complete with 1940s beverage service, vintage magazines and big band music. Others, knowing the patterns of sea and land mammal populations, specialize in wildlife tours, a bonus for avid photographers.

With advanced planning, wilderness tours with experienced pilots can be booked just about anywhere in Alaska. Prices start at about $100 per person for scheduled one-hour tours and rise accordingly for specialized charters. Travelers who want to see specific areas or features of the state, from grizzly bears and whales to calving glaciers, will find a variety of flight services, aircraft and packages to choose from. Charter fares vary, depending on size of aircraft and distance of the tour. In the Talkeetna area alone, several commercial pilots specialize in tours of Mt. McKinley. In Southeast Alaska, there are a number of flight services with floatplanes.

Private pilots planning their own flightseeing tours should check with the FAA and local commercial operators on wind, weather and other matters related to safe flights. Pilots of floatplanes, for example, must have a good knowledge of currents, tides, winds and river systems in the area they are flying into.

All aircraft and pilots are subject to strict regulation by the Federal Aviation Administration, but ask questions about how long the flight service has been operating in the area and about the individual experience of pilots.

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