K2 Aviation's Most Frequenlty Asked Questions

Do I get a window seat?
Yes, all of our planes are set up so that every passenger gets a window seat and a headset that is connected to an intercom system. Your pilot will provide information about the areas you will be flying over.

What should I wear/bring?
We suggest that you layer clothing for your comfort.  We recommend that you bring a light jacket as well as, sunglasses and plenty of film/batteries/memory cards. Make sure you check the battery life of your cameras before arriving for your tour. Please always wear closed toe shoes.  

When is the best time to go?
There is no right answer to this question since the tour changes throughout the season as the snow melts and exposes more rock.  Weather can interfere with some flight tours.  Our best advice is that if you are staying in Talkeetna more than one day schedule your flight tour for the first day and bump to the next day if the weather improves.

What is the best seat in the plane?
Everybody has the best seat in the plane. We provide window seats for each passenger. The pilots fly each tour route so that everyone is able to enjoy the spectacular scenery and take photographs.

Can I sit in the co-pilot seat?
You can request that seat but you cannot reserve it. The pilot makes the ultimate decision based on the weight and balance of the airplane.

What is your safety record?
K2 Aviation has an excellent safety record and is owned by the Rust family who have owned and operated Rust’s Flying Service since 1963. Both companies are highly respected in the aviation industry of Alaska.

Will I get airsick?
It does happen. If you are prone to motion sickness, you should take whatever measures you normally take to combat it. K2 Aviation does not provide Dramamine. In the event you do get sick, we do have sick sacks in the airplanes and the pilot will make you aware of their location.

What is the weather going to be?
There is no way to know that in advance. We do not have typical weather patterns in Talkeetna. We are located so close the Alaska Range our weather changes constantly. We check the weather several times a day to make sure we can safely operate your trip. The best way to approach the weather is to schedule your trip the first available time you have while in Talkeetna. This way, if we are experiencing any weather delays you will typically have some extra time to work with. Flexibility is a must for flightseeing; we want to provide you with the best possible experience. Waiting to see if it is a nice day before you make a reservation will work sometimes, but we do have days that we cannot accommodate short notice reservations.

Do you have shuttle service to your location?
K2 Aviation provides complimentary shuttle service from any local Talkeetna establishment. The shuttle will pick you up approximately 30 minutes prior to your departure time. Please schedule your shuttle in advance with our office and we will be happy to accommodate you.  

Do you fly on weekends?
Yes. During the summer, we are open 7 days a week and even on holidays such as Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day. Our office hours are approx. 7:00 am to 9:00 pm.
During the winter, we are open Monday -Friday 8:30 am – 4:00 pm. We are available to fly on the weekends with advance notice.

Do you have helicopters?
No, we operate airplanes.

Do you offer flights out of Denali Park?
K2 Aviation does not provide our basic flight tours out of Denali National Park.  If you are interested in transportation out of Denali, please call our office for a special rate.

What type of airplanes do you operate and what is the seating capacity?
K2 Aviation operates several different types of aircraft which include the Cessna 185 (4 passengers), DeHaviland Beaver (6-7passengers), DeHavilland Turbine Otter (10passengers), Piper Chieftain Twin engine (9 passengers), and the Cherokee Six (5 passengers).

Are you open year around?
Yes, we offer our three main flight tours, McKinley Experience, McKinley Flyer and the Denali Grand Tour. We are not able to provide glacier landings in the winter.

What credit cards do you take?
Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express.

What experience do the pilots have?
The average pilot at K2 Aviation has well over 5000 hrs of flight time.

Are we able to view wildlife on the tour?
Sometimes wildlife is visible from the airplane but this is not our main focus on the tour.  We generally are flying to high to get a good look at any specific animal.  Wildlife viewing tours are available by special request; please contact our office for a rate.

What if my tour is canceled due to weather?
If the weather is poor and we have to cancel your trip, we will offer you a few options that may include pushing your tour back in the day, or we can try to reschedule for another day. If you do not have the flexibility to do so we will provide a full refund of any payments.  If you purchased your tour through a tour company, the refund will be processed through the company.  Sometimes the credit will take up to six weeks to appear on you’re your statement.

How do I get to your office?
K2 Aviation is located in the town of Talkeetna at the Talkeetna State Airport.  We are about 2 ½ hours North of Anchorage and about 2 ½ hours South of Denali National Park. The Talkeetna exit is located at mile marker 99 on the Glenn Parks Highway #3.  There is a map on the web site.

Is there anyplace to eat at the airport?
There are no restaurants at the airport. K2 Aviation offers complimentary coffee. We also have soda, juice and small snack foods for purchase. If you are on foot, there are restaurants located a short walk into town.

Are your trips handicap accessible?
We can accommodate most people as long as we know in advance the nature of their disability. Our vans do not have wheelchair lifts.

How tall is McKinley?
20,320 ft.

Is the mountain called McKinley or Denali?
It is most commonly referred to as Mt. McKinley but some locals refer to the mountain as Denali.

Why fly with K2 Aviation?
This is a great question to ask when choosing a flight tour.  K2 Aviation has a long history of flying Alaska.  The Rust family who owns and operates K2 Aviation has been flying Alaska's backcountry since 1963.  K2 Aviation is a National Park Service approved concessionaire with an excellent safety record.  We have an extremely experienced staff and we love what we do.

What happens to my deposit if the weather is not good?
This is your vacation - so don't worry.  We will do our best to inform you about the weather.  If the weather prevents flight seeing, we will give you options which include canceling and receiving a full refund or rescheduling. 

Should I add a glacier landing? 
YES!  You will be hard pressed to find an expense that will top landing on the slopes beneath North America's tallest mountain.  You will be awestruck.  We don't recall ever having anyone come back disappointed! 

If I have been to the Mendenhall Glacier should I consider doing this trip?
YES!  YES!  These two experiences are entirely different.  In Denali, landing on the Ruth Glacier at 5600 feet above sea level amongst the towering peaks of the Alaska Range is a hard experience to top.