Blog

2012 AACA Mechanic of the Year

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 20:02:00 GMT

Dallas Haman wears many hats, most of them have a K2 Aviation logo, but he also has a coat. (In actuality he probably has a few coats, this is Alaska.) This particular coat identifies him as a member of Talkeetna's local Build-A-Plane (BAP) chapter. We'll cover more about BAP in another blog post, this one is all about Dallas, our K2 Station Director of Maintenance.

From humble beginnings as a small child born at an early age, he worked for Beegles Aircraft Services in Colorado before making the big move to Alaska. In 2004 he joined the K2 Aviation maintenance team that keeps our fleet in tip-top flying condition. After all, no matter how great our pilots are (and they are), how friendly the customer service is (and it is), and how clear the mountain that day (always keeping our fingers crossed for great weather), without Dallas (and the rest of the crew in the hangar) the flights wouldn't get very far.

In addition to his full-time job and running a Bed and Breakfast with his wife, he also has a vital leadership role with the Talkeetna BAP program. According to Rebecca Fisher, Director of Talkeetna Build-A-Plane, Dallas was enthusiastic and supportive from the beginning. As the program grew, Dallas committed more and more of his time and energy volunteering and gradually took on more responsibilities. His good nature, natural teaching skills, and love of aviation inspires the kids in the program to not only do what is expected of them, but to go above and beyond. There is a genuine mutual respect between the youth and Dallas that is obvious when you step into the hangar on a BAP evening. The kids are learning not only how to completely rebuild a Cherokee Six, they are learning so much more from a very patient, calm, and skilled individual.

In February, Dallas was honored with the 2012 Mechanic of the Year Award by the Alaska Air Carriers Association. As the award states, "in recognition of [his] inspirational and enthusiastic commitment to mentoring youth through leadership of the Talkeetna Build-A-Plane program." We're all proud of Dallas, and though he was the one honored with the award, we consider ourselves the ones who are truly honored for having such a great guy and skilled mechanic in our K2 Aviation family.

Keep up the great work, Dallas!

Some of the Talkeetna Build-A-Plane kids and instructors pictured with Dallas and his award, center.

Dawson Dolly comes to Talkeetna Town

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 09:51:00 GMT

The town of Talkeetna was in for a treat when Dawson Dolly came to Talkeetna for a book signing this past week. The alter ego of Cindy Godbey, this dame is one of Alaska's many treasures. Go ahead, just ask her about her gold nuggets! Not to be outdone, our own luscious lady - Mt. McKinley was out in all her glory for Dawson Dolly to get a Denali Grand Tour with K2 Aviation. Keep your eyes out for her book, Hoots and Toots and be sure to catch her show if you find yourself in Skagway this summer. Her place in cyberspace is www.dawsondolly.com

Nancy of Sunshine Lake Bed and Breakfast with Dawson Dolly and K2 Aviation's very own Elaine Martin.

K2 Aviation Chief Pilot - Randy Kilbourn and Cindy Godbey, after a gorgeous Denali Grand Tour. Just look at those big smiles!

Check Out An Iditarod Check Point

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 06:49:00 GMT

February is coming to a close and that means that things are getting more exciting in Alaska. March brings many wonderful happenings to the Frozen Great Land, more sunlight, (slightly) warmer temperatures, and the Iditarod. Dog mushing is the official state sport and boy do we know how to celebrate it. From qualifying races throughout the winter, the Yukon Quest, and friends getting together just to run dogs, it all culminates in one of the most renowned races in the world. This great race, often referred to as "The Last Great Race", follows along a similar route that had been used for transporting freight throughout the territory prior to aircraft and automobiles. From the ceremonial start during the Fur Rendezvous Festival in downtown Anchorage, to the restart in Willow, and the finish line in Nome, there is no shortage of excitement.

It's not too late to join in on all of this action, K2 Aviation's sister company, Rust's Flying Service has flights during the first few days of the Iditarod to some of the Official Check Points. Depart from Lake Hood in Anchorage in the morning and spend the day cheering on the mushers and their teams of canine athletes. Dress warmly and don't forget your camera, you'll have plenty of exciting stories to tell when you get back home. Call Rust's Flying Service at 1-800-544-2299 to find out more about this great opportunity. And if you want to know more about this race, check out the official website, www.iditarod.com

We hope to see you on the trail!

Attention All Mountain Climbers

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 18:30:00 GMT

This Otter is dreaming about taking climbers to the glacier. Book now to save $150 off the round-trip flight from Talkeetna to the Kahiltna Glacier and get a free K2 Aviation hat as well! This deal is for drop-offs between April 15th and May 30th of this year with pick-ups by June 15th. Hurry, this offer ends February 15th!

Thanks for looking.

Your Friends at K2 Aviation,

Deborah and Stephanie

Summer vs Winter

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 18:38:00 GMT

In Alaska, two seasons that stand in stark contrast to each other have the power to take your breath away. From the lush greens of our midnight-sun filled summer days to the brilliant night sky full of stars and dancing aurora of winter, there is one constant. Denali. This mountain (also known as Mt. McKinley), and all it's neighboring peaks of the Alaska Range dominate the skyline to the north of Talkeetna and continue to stun all who gaze upon it with its shear beauty.

It's true that many of our visitors prefer the warmer summer months and that we offer more flights during those long days but here at K2 Aviation, we don't hibernate. While our winter flights don't offer that rapid change from summer to winter that you can experience in those first fifteen minutes or so of a flight from Talkeetna toward the mountains in June or July, they do give you a sight you can only see this time of year. Soaring over miles of frozen rivers and rugged terrain blanketed in feet of pure white snow, it will boggle your mind at how expansive, pristine, and undisturbed this corner of the world is.

Sure, it's always winter in the Alaska Range and luckily we can show you that year round, but don't dismiss the idea of coming up for a visit in the winter months. There are still plenty of things to do and memories to make. And for those of us who don't head south for the winter, we'd love to show you why this is our favorite time of year. Need some ideas? Snowshoeing, skiing, sledding, skating, dog mushing, star gazing, relaxing, the list goes on and on. K2 Aviation can help you with some of these activities. Did you know we rent snowshoes? Call our office and visit the Talkeetna Chamber of Commerce website www.talkeetnachamber.org for more local events.

Don't forget - Valentine's Day is coming up soon and what could be more romantic than a weekend in Talkeetna that includes a flight around a mountain as big as your love for each other?

Moose Visit K2

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 18:43:00 GMT

This morning as I was busily processing summer reservations, I glanced out the window and a moose looked back at me. He was calmly strolling down the Talkeetna State Airport taxiway, just checking out his flight options, apparently. I got the impression he was looking for a flight in first class with plenty of leg room and overhead storage space. He turned in to the K2 employee parking lot and browsed some willows by our plow truck before heading across the street to thicker forests. As it's pretty busy with everyone calling for our super "20% off 2011 summer bookings made by January 31st" deal, I could only dash out and grab a couple of hasty photos as he was on his way into the trees. I'll post more photos if he wanders back...

Field Trip to K2 Aviation

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 18:49:00 GMT

Susitna Valley Jr./Sr. High School in Talkeenta is offering pilot-training ground school as an elective course for students this year. The pilot-training ground school class went on a field trip to the Talkeetna State Airport to gain some real world experiences that showed them a variety of career opportunities that will be available in the future.

The class visited K2 Aviation and learned about the career of a dispatcher, also known as a flight follower. K2 Aviation’s dispatchers are top-notch; they are constantly scheduling nine different aircrafts on three different flight types throughout the Alaska Range. The Susitna Valley High School students had a great time visiting K2 Aviation and learned a lot about this often-overlooked position of a dispatcher.

Pizza Party on the Glacier

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 19:56:00 GMT

This summer K2 Aviation had their employee pizza party on the Ruth Glacier! Despite the amount of rain Alaska had this summer, K2 Aviation found an evening of sunshine!

http://www.youtube.com/get_player

100 Hour Inspection

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 19:14:00 GMT

K2 Aviation takes its responsibilities for safety and aircraft maintenance extremely seriously. In addition to federally mandated annual maintenance inspections for all nine aircrafts in our fleet, our highly-trained maintenance staff also performs inspections after every 100 hours of flight time.

The 100 hour inspection requires the mechanics to examine every operating system of the aircraft to ensure that it meets or exceeds the aircraft manufacturer’s specifications for safe and comfortable flight.

Here is the K2 Aviation maintenance staff performing a 100 hour inspection on our Piper Cherokee, and of course our Cherokee made it through the inspection with a perfect report!

The Long Journey of a de Havilland Beaver

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 19:25:00 GMT

K2 Aviation operates several different aircrafts, one of the being the de Havilland Beaver. The K2 Aviation Beavers were manufactured in the 1950s by the Canadian company de Havilland. It was the first airplane ever built specifically for bush flying, which means it is great for our purposes of flying to the glacier and to remote landing strips.

Its large winged design gives it excellent “short take-off and landing” capabilities, and also gives it a unique appearance. The nose of the plane is a massive 9-cylinder radial engine, whose design dates back to World War II; the flat nose even resembles a pug. The plane is very comfortable to fly in and has windows that give every passenger a remarkable view. Our de Havilland Beavers even served in the U.S. Army when they first left the factory. It’s hard to believe that the Army green airplane seen in front of the Golden Gate Bridge in 1959 is the same one K2 Aviation is flying today!

~ Chase

Glacier Proposal

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 20:09:00 GMT

It was the summer of 2009, and Shaylee Watkins was heading to Anchorage, Alaska for her summer job working for Princess Tours. Unknown to her, it was there she would meet her future husband, Brian Perry.

When Shaylee and Brian first met, the two connected immediately when they discovered they were both from the same state of Utah. What was more surprising to the two was that they have been growing up side by side in cities that were 10 minutes apart, never meeting one another until they arrived in Alaska, over 3,000 miles away from home.

We never actually dated the five months we were here last summer, but remained best friends the whole time," said Shaylee. The two didn't start dating until they returned to Utah in the fall where they shared their first kiss and have been dating ever since.

This summer Shaylee returned to work for Princess Tours while Brian stayed in Utah in his new career as a production engineer. Brian was able to take some vacation time and flew to Alaska to visit her. Being the romantic he is, Shaylee had a feeling that during Brian's visit, he might propose to her since it was here in Alaska when they first formally met.

Brian did in fact propose during his trip, although, Shaylee never expected it to occur where it did.

On the afternoon of June 7th, Shaylee and Brian took a flightseeing tour with K2 Aviation. Having enjoyed their K2 Aviation flightseeing tour last year for work with Princess Tours, the two decided to fly again since the last flight was incredibly breathtaking.

"I truly feel so blessed to have had such an amazing experience. It enhanced everything so much to be up in the air staring at huge mountains right next to me and crystal blue glacier pools below. It's so beautiful up there; it takes you away from everything else and you just focus on the majesty of it all," Shaylee said.

K2 Aviation's pilot Jeff Babcock landed the de Havilland Otter on Ruth Glacier. Amazed by Alaska's spectacular scenery, Shaylee ran excitedly around Ruth Glacier to capture its surrounding beauty of the granite peaks. Meanwhile, Brian was talking to the pilot and then called Shaylee over to the K2 Aviation plane to have their picture taken.

Once Jeff announced that he was recording, Brian, a little nervous, got down on one knee into the soft white snow of Ruth Glacier. The moment Shaylee had been anticipating for the last few days had arrived. Surrounded by the snow covered towering mountains of the Alaska Range, Brian Perry asked Miss Shaylee Watkins to marry him, and she of course, said YES!

Brian and Shaylee: The Proposal

I'm so glad that Brian and I get to look back at it years from now; it will most definitely be a big highlight of all the things we've done together. I'll definitely always remember K2 Aviation, Suzanne Rust, and of course Pilot Jeff. Without them, it would have never happened the way it did!"

Thank you, Shaylee and Brian, for letting K2 Aviation be part of your memories! Congratulations on your engagement!

And like how all fairytales end, they lived happily ever after.

There is a new Addition to the K2 Family

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 19:35:00 GMT

Please welcome “Sportcraft Intrepid” Table Tennis Table, aka “Ping Pong Table” to the K2 Aviation family! Ping Pong Table was born early July of 2010 in the Geeting Hangar in the Talkeetna Airport, weighing a hefty 136.4 lbs. at delivery.

Stretching 5ft x 9ft, Ping Pong Table has quickly become part of the family. Pilots Chuck Luper (on the left) and Chris Hopman (on the right) have already included our new family member in a friendly game of table tennis.

Climbers, please enjoy an exciting game of table tennis in the Geeting Hangar while you are waiting to depart for your climb!

~ Mandy

Have You Ever Seen A Flying Moose?

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 20:11:00 GMT

The Talkeetna Artists Guild, the Talkeetna Historical Society, and the Talkeetna Chamber of Commerce organize and host the “Moose on Parade” every year. Although the Moose Dropping Festival did not take place this year, “Moose on Parade” did. K2 Aviation is proud to keep up the tradition of featuring a K2 Aviation float in Talkeetna’s summer parade down Main Street.

People and organizations from all over town decorate moose that will be displayed around town and auctioned off to raise money for the Talkeetna Historical, the Talkeetna Artists Guild, and the Talkeetna Chamber of Commerce. “Moose on Parade” is modeled after the “Wild Salmon on Parade” in Anchorage and the “Cows on Parade” in Chicago. Many parade-goers told us that our “flying moose” (in the back of the truck) was the best of all the moose they’d seen that day!

~ Mandy & Chase

K2 Aviation Receives Gold Award in Best Flightseeing Tour!

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 20:12:00 GMT

On June 25^th, K2 Aviation was the recipient of the Gold Award in the category of Best Flightseeing Tour in the 2010 Best of Alaska Awards. The Best of Alaska Awards are organized every year by the Anchorage Daily News and are nominated by local Alaskans.

This shows that not only is K2 Aviation a favorite with visitors from out-of-state, local Alaskans also recognize the superior product we provide! This is not the first time K2 Aviation has been recognized. In 2008, K2 Aviation won the Platinum Best of Alaska Award, and in 2009, we won the Gold Best of Alaska Award.

~ Chase

Is It Snowing in July?

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 20:12:00 GMT

One of the most frequently asked questions from our K2 Aviation customers is,

“What kind of tree is in the front yard of your office?”

This massive, beautiful tree is known as the Populus Trichocarpa, commonly known as the Black Cottonwood. This tree is the largest hardwood tree in western North America and can grown anywhere from 60-120 feet high. If you visit the K2 Aviation office during the summer, you often find white fluffy clusters scattered around the lawn. Our Black Cottonwood tree is constantly shedding seeds in the form of fluffy catkins, which appear like unharvested cotton.

When it’s flying through the air, the cottony clusters of seeds can make Talkeetna appear like it’s facing a snowstorm in July! Our K2 Aviation pilots have even reported seeing it flying through the air at altitudes as high as 1,000 feet!

~ Chase & Mandy