TransNorthern Aviation History
1995-Operations Begin in Talkeetna, Alaska
TransNorthern began operations in Talkeetna, Alaska in 1995 flying flight tours around and over the summit of Mt. McKinley in a Cessna Caravan. Andrea Armstrong and Alan Larson, both pilots, ran the Talkeetna operation. In September 1995, they were approached by a geophysicist, John Seibert, who represented a geophysical survey company out of Houston Texas. They wanted to test their new airborne gravity survey equipment but couldn’t find anyone in “America” who was willing to cut holes in a million dollar aircraft. Being “Alaskan’s,” of course Andrea and Alan had no problem with modifying aircraft and soon had the Caravan decked out with an airborne geophysics’ laboratory full of the latest hi-tech gadgets. TransNorthern flew the gravity and magnetic surveys in the Cessna Caravan and other aircraft throughout the United States and South America for three years with the last job being in Cambodia. The initial base of operations for the international survey work was out of Andrea’s cabin on the village airstrip in Talkeetna, Alaska and they also had a Houston office at Andrau Airport.
1999 – Anchorage Operations
After TransNorthern moved to Anchorage, Alaska in 1999, operating from their Lake Hood office and hangar, they began running passenger service in a Caravan and Navajo between Kenai and Anchorage, eleven round trips per day. They also flew to lodges and provided on-demand charter service in those aircraft as well as Beech 99’s, Beech 18’s, and a Cessna 402.
1999 - 2001 Medevac Operations
TransNorthern ran Medevac operations in King Air 90’s out of Kotzebue, Alaska transporting patients from local villages and Kotzebue to Anchorage for the Maniilaq Corporation during this time. Eventually, Alan and Andrea noticed that there was a need for an aircraft with a higher payload capacity than the Beech 99 but smaller than what was available out of Anchorage such as the DC-6.
2001 - Super DC-3 Operations Begin
In 2001, a Super DC-3 was acquired to fill the niche and they spent almost a year overcoming endless hurdles to get it on line. They worked relentlessly and succeeded in getting 19-passenger authority and converting this special aircraft from the military R4D8 to the Passenger Super DC-3. They tagged it with the USA Registration - N32TN. Flying mostly cargo with the aircraft, they purchased a second Super DC-3 in 2004 out of Beaufort, South Carolina. This aircraft was Mr. Douglas’s personal demonstrator aircraft in the 1950’s and was the 1st Commercial Super DC-3 ever built. After flying it back to Anchorage, the crew spent about six months working to get it online in order to serve as the Executive passenger DC-3S. The aircraft was refurbished and interior redone. Alan was able to gain FAA approval to install 1st Class Seats from a DC-9 in the main cabin, installed the TransNorthern STC for 19-passenger operations, and obtained various passenger-related STC’s. The aircraft, now N30TN, flew its first ever commercial flight in June, 2004 to the Alaska Sportsman’s Lodge in Igigug, Alaska. A new paint job was completed in the spring of 2005. The original Douglas Red, White and Navy Blue paint scheme was used and today it looks even better than the day it rolled out of the Factory in 1950. N30TN is now in it’s fifth year of service with TransNorthern and is in high demand for flying passengers throughout Alaska to various fishing and hunting lodges, flight tours, and on-demand aircraft charters. TransNorthern believes that no other aircraft is better suited to carry 19 people and their gear to short, sometimes muddy gravel runways in Alaska than the Super DC-3.
Current Operations
TransNorthern currently operates Twin Turbine Metroliners and Beechcraft 99 aircraft as well as four Super DC-3’s - all the aircraft are for passengers, cargo and combination charters - on demand. They also provide weekday FedEx and UPS freight-delivery service to Kodiak, Kenai, and Homer, Alaska.
Office and Passenger lounge: The passenger lounge and freight receiving facility located on the Anchorage Airport has a comfortable passenger lounge & waiting area with phone and wireless internet access to check on your travel plans or just sit back and enjoy good conversation and a cup of coffee or tea.
Future Operations
TransNorthern Aviation's fleet of four Super DC-3's now includes two 19-passenger aircraft and two cargo Supers which they plan to operate in 2010 while continuing their twin turbine flights. They'll keep you posted!
