Northwind Aviation, LLC

09/06/2024

Another Exciting Announcement! Northwind Aviation in conjunction with our Anchorage based company Alaska Air Taxi has completed the purchase of a PA-31 Panther Navajo! We searched for nearly a year for just the right twin engine aircraft to add to our fleet and patience paid off! This aircraft has all the right modifications:
Upgraded 350 H.P. turbo-charged engines
Ultra quiet 4 blade Q-tip props
Vortex generators with upgross useful load kit
Additional rear heater
Full glass Garmin/Aspen panel
Extended range fuel
Crew and Cargo door
200 MPH Cruise
7+1 pax Executive Interior
This pristine aircraft will fly year-round from Anchorage to Kodiak, Homer, Seward, Valdez, Fairbanks, King Salmon, and just about any other airport our customers need. We still have a bunch of FAA paperwork to complete before we can fly passengers, but we'll let you know!

07/31/2024

Brooks Falls is loaded with Bears! We’re doing 3-5 flights per day to Katmai National Park. Give us a call….. you gotta go! 907-435-4011

07/29/2024

Keep smiling through the weather holds! The destinations are worth the wait.

Thanks for the photos and joining us

06/07/2024

The season is here! Have you flown with us? Please share a photo below, we'd love to see your Northwind Aviation adventures.

03/16/2024

Congratulations to all McNeil River bear watching lottery winners! You are about to experience one of the most unique and incredible wildlife safaris in Alaska. The Department of Fish and Game does a fantastic job all summer hosting the winners and providing a safe and fun multi-day adventure. Destination Alaska and Northwind Aviation can take you there. We will have three floatplanes fueled and ready to go throughout the summer. Only $100 deposit to hold your seat. Give Alison a call at our office 907-435-4011
https://www.northwindak.com/bearviewing/mcneil-river-access

03/12/2024

Come see the cute and cuddley as well as the mighty protectors! The deep roar and jaw popping of the momma bear will rattle you to your core. Northwind Aviation and Destination Alaska are doing multiple flights per day to Brooks Falls. Come see the action for yourself. Call today to book your seats! 907-435-4011. Operators are standing by.

02/12/2024

We are getting excited for summer 2024! Check out our latest video!

Welcome to Northwind Aviation!Northwind Aviation has been a family-owned company since the beginning. Based in Homer Alaska, it was founded founded by Jose d...

01/12/2024

We are growing! The number of requests for small group fly out fishing, outpost dinners, jet ski tours, private Bear Watching, and Anchorage to Homer, Seward, and Kodiak charter flights have pushed us to expand our fleet again! I just returned from a trip to Seattle to purchase another Cessna 206 for our fleet. Here it is! After extensive searching, we finally found one that meets our high standard and we are super excited!

The stats are:
Late model U206G
Factory Float Kit
IO-550N (310 H.P.)
350 TSFRM
2650 AFTT
Robertson STOL kit
S-TEC 60 Auto pilot
Long Range Fuel
3800 lb gross weight increase (being installed)

The Cessna 206 has long been considered the workhorse of the North and is as capable as it is reliable. We are thrilled to offer our customers the fastest, safest, and most comfortable aircraft in the business. Hop onboard! Lets go see Alaska!

12/19/2023

2023 Giveaway Drawing!
-
Huge Congrats to our 2023 winners! Your prize will be emailed to you shortly.
-
Look forward to seeing you all in 2024! Some wild new adventures and a new website coming soon!

11/23/2023

Thank you to all of our customers past - present - future. We are forever grateful for the life we have been given in Alaska. From the Jackson family to your family - Happy Thanksgiving!

11/11/2023

EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT!!! Throughout the year our family looks at new ways we can improve our service to folks coming to Alaska. The common thread for our customers is that the majority of them begin and end their vacations in Anchorage. So, when we were presented with the opportunity to purchase a hangar, dock, and office building on Lake Hood, it made perfect sense. Last week, Destination Alaska / Northwind Aviation purchased this facility and the business assets of Alaska Air Taxi LLC. Along with chartered V.I.P. flights from Anchorage to Homer, we will be offering shuttle service from local hotels and International Airport (across the street) to our office for the flight down to Homer. The previous owner has agreed to consult with us on other flights throughout Alaska including village deliveries, lodge support, freight drops, and other services needed north and west of Anchorage. The Jackson family and Destination Alaska team are excited about this new location and potential for seamless flight service for our guests. Let us know if we can help!

10/01/2023

Got clams? Learn from the best Razor clam diggers in the business! Join us in 2024 for spring bear viewing! What separates our trips from others? Ask about Turbo Bear viewing and experience the difference!

09/26/2023

Flying glassy, glassy water!

09/26/2023

A beautiful fall Sunday afternoon flight into alpine country. After church, we grabbed some Subway sandwiches and flew up to Upper Hazell lake. Hiked about three miles up and back, towards the glacier. Black bears were munching on blueberries above us. Family fun… Alaska style!

08/30/2023

Exploring the coast of Alaska by jet ski has proven to be one of the most exciting additions to our adventure catalog. Dozens of customers have raved about this experience. From the flight out, the ski tour, the meal onboard the M/V Peregrine, and finishing up with a floatplane ride home, we have orchestrated an adventure of a lifetime. We even see whales! Check out this video. Several guests have planned to come back next year and bring their friends! Let’s go!

08/02/2023

5 seats available tomorrow (8/3) for Lake Clark National Park! Transport by Turbo Beaver on 35” Bushwheels to the beach in Chinitna Bay and then up to Silver Salmon Creek! Call our office for details 907-235-7482

07/23/2023

Another day at the office here at Destination Alaska and Northwind Aviation. Capt Joe D. picked up a great group of guys from a two week camping trip at Twin Lakes in the heart of Lake Clark National Park. The turbo Otter makes these jobs effortless.

06/18/2023

Wow….. one of the most beautiful days yet this season! Remember….. if you want lodging, rental cars, bear viewing, jet skiing, Argo tours, Flightsee’s, or Halibut/salmon fishing, Northwind Aviation and Destination Alaska have it all! Www.destinationakcharters.com

05/22/2023

Home sweet home! Pilots Joe and Jason got the job done yesterday and brought in our new Garrett turbine Otter from Juneau. This is an incredible airplane and we are excited to have this in our fleet. Special thanks to the great folks down at Wings Airways for working hard to help us get this airplane ready for the season. Also, thanks Alison (Reservations and Bear Guide) for the great picts.

04/08/2023

New Adventure and Video (sound up)!

Close your eyes and imagine touring the coastline of Kachemak Bay, Alaska on your private personal watercraft. Sea otters laying on their backs eating clams and crabs, whales spouting off in the distance, Eagles soaring overhead, and a dozen mighty sea lions resting comfortably on a small island. These are just a few of the possibilities that you'll have as we guide you along this amazing journey. Our new 4 stroke Sea doo GTX limited machines meet the highest standard for eco-friendly emissions, quietness, fuel efficiency and reliability. You'll check in at our Lakeshore Drive office where you'll be outfitted with the best drysuits, boots, Helly Hanson Expedition jackets and safety gear. Yep! Warm and dry is top priority and we spared no expense. Our route of travel will take us from the Homer Harbor at 9:30 a.m. across to Yukon Island, past Seldovia, Port Graham, Nanwalek, Flat Island, Dogfish Bay and into Port Chatham where the M/V Peregrine will be anchored in heart of the mountains awaiting your arrival. This 3 hour ride is sure to work up an appetite. Good news! Our onboard chef will have an awesome barbeque lunch cooked up and ready to go. Take off your gear and grab a chair. Relax in unparalleled beauty while you snack on a fresh veggie tray and dine on grilled hamburgers, salad, potato chips and dessert. Around 2 p.m. our mighty de Havilland Super Otter floatplane will land in the cove and take you on a glacier flightsee that will knock your socks off. Land back at our Beluga Lake office at 3:00 p.m. This is a trip that puts a smile on everyone's face and will make memories you will not soon forget!
Go to https://destinationalaskacharters.com/packages/262859 for details or call 907-235-9191 to sign up!

04/05/2023

Here are our V.I.P shuttles in action. These Cadillac Escalades are powerful, smooth, quiet, and extra roomy. We’ve been privileged to transport CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, famous actors, politicians, and lots of regular hard working folks on our boats, airplanes, and shuttles. We believe everyone deserves the V.I.P. treatment when they choose Destination Alaska for their vacations. Whether you are going from the airport to your hotel, or need a ride to Seward or Anchorage, we have our guests riding in Destination Alaska style!

03/21/2023

Getting warmed up for the summer! NWA pilots were out last week beach hopping and knocking old man winter off N603DA. This is one of our V.I.P. transport planes. Want to fly direct from a bear viewing beach to Anchorage, Seward, Kodiak, or Homer? This is the ride for you! Smooth and fast!

03/10/2023

Welcome to our office on the world famous Homer Spit! This location is where all your questions are answered and you can reserve the adventure of a lifetime (probably shouldn’t wait til you arrive. We’re booking up fast). We also have a wide selection of Destination Alaska North Face jackets and Branded Bills hats. Stop by this summer and get your picture taken with our 6 ft tall bear or tell us your Alaska fish story. The fireplace is going and the coffee is always on!

03/04/2023

Gotta love an “all things outdoors” family business…..three generations of Expedition leaders here at Northwind Aviation and Destination Alaska! Our new Helly Hanson expedition gear came in ensuring that our guides and guests will stay warm and dry while out on our fly out jet ski tours and fishing trips. We have your size…. Come on up!

03/01/2023

Last evening, I was sitting in my chair eating some salmon with a fire in the fireplace. My mind wandered to warm summer days and how amazing it is to watch kayaks glide silently through the water in our favorite pristine cove near the McCarty glacier. The sun is reflecting off the water, sea otters are cracking open clam shells, whales are spouting off in the distance, and eagles are flying overhead. AND today, my phone rang, and it was the truck driver calling to tell me he was delivering our brand-new Old Town kayaks. Wow... these things are beautiful. NEW for this summer, Destination Alaska and Northwind Aviation are offering a fly out guided glacier kayaking trip that will simply blow your mind. You have to try this!

02/14/2023

Homer is a popular place! Over the past several summers, we found it very difficult to secure ground transportation for our guests during their visit. Most local taxis are really busy and the wait for a shuttle sometimes exceeds 45 minutes. The team at Destination Alaska V.I.P. Services put their creative energy to work and found the solution. We purchased three new Cadillac Escalade ESV vehicles. What a ride! We have done hundreds of trips including traveling from Homer to Anchorage and/or Seward, and even local shuttles from the airport to the lake office, or out to the harbor. These Cadillacs are privately reserved for our guests and the guests that are staying at one of the amazing lodges across the Bay. Need a ride? We have airplanes, boats, jet skis, Argos, and Cadillacs!

02/04/2023

What do you do all winter in Alaska? - We fix airplanes! Our flying season is roughly 110 days per year so making sure each plane is nearly perfect becomes a priority. Safety and dispatch reliability are #1 so we go from nose to tail and inspect each bracket, nut, bolt, cable, and screw for airworthiness. Yesterday, we put N603DA on 35" Alaska Bushwheels for beach bear viewing this summer. N906JS will fly alongside this beaver taking our guests into remote areas of Katmai and Lake Clark National Parks. Come On....... Let's Go See Alaska By Air!

02/01/2023

"Turbo Bear Viewing" = SPEND MORE TIME WITH THE BEARS! We know that spending the day watching Coastal Brown Bears in Alaska's National Parks is an unforgettable bucket list experience. We also realize that every minute of your Alaska vacation is precious. Knowing this fact, we made a substantial investment in a fleet of high-performance Turboprop aircraft. Besides the smooth whirl of the engine and propeller, reliability, increased capacity and climb rate....... we have incredible speed allowing you to SPEND MORE TIME WITH THE BEARS!

01/11/2023

Part of our Ultimate Alaska Adventure, here's a beautiful photo from last summer over at the Dinglestadt Glacier. By boat, it's nearly 100 miles and 3 1/2 hours but by Turbo Otter, it's only 25-minutes. On the day we transport our guests from Homer out to the M/V Peregrine, we do an afternoon hike up to this glacier. It's about a mile from the shoreline and we are able to walk right up to the glacier and touch the ice. Often times giant blue ice caves form. After the hike, we relax for a bit at the Peregrine and then head out on a dinner cruise for the evening. Navigating through Kachemak Bay State Park behind Nuka Island, we'll see multiple waterfalls, black bears on the beach, whales, eagles, and sea otters. Everyone gets to relax on the back deck and enjoy a chef prepared meal. Wilderness + Comfort + Adventure = Destination Alaska

12/29/2022

As you might have guessed, our family spends a lot of time in season and during the off-season exploring Alaska’s great outdoors. And while we’re wandering around out in the backcountry, we engage in discussions about what other “new” adventures we can offer to our guests. We have Air (Northwind Aviation) and Sea (Destination Alaska Charters) covered…..how about something by land? Here it is! A full day tour by Argo 8 x 8 Conquest 950. These are 8 wheel drive tracked vehicles and fully amphibious. Argo’s motto is “Go Anywhere” and we can tell you by experience, they do! We purchased 5 of these extraordinary machines. Are you ready to drive one? Check out this video and let us know your thoughts. Better yet….sign up and come see for yourself! Www.destinationalaskacharters.com/Argos

ARGO XTV
Lower Peninsula Power Sports