5 More Things You Should Know About Taking a Small Plane in Alaska

If you enjoyed my previous post on five things you should know about traveling by small plane in Alaska, here are five more nuggets of information you should know before you board a small plane in Alaska.

Check their safety record

Jumping in a small plane can be the adventure of a lifetime, and Alaska is full of professional pilots and small airlines that have incredible safety records.

But the small plane industry doesn’t have quite the same level of strict oversight you’ll find in larger commercial aircraft, and unfortunately not every single pilot or airline is as conscientious as they could be.

I don’t want to scare you away from getting in a small plane, but I do want you to check the safety record of any airline you’re considering flying with. Two of the key places to check for accident reports are the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration.

Here’s one more thing you can do to ensure you’re fully informed: Go to the local newspaper for the community where your small airline is based, and do a search for the airline’s name to see if there’ve been any accident reports.

And of course, you can always ask the airline about their safety record. If they don’t answer candidly and willingly, I’d think twice about getting on board.

You might get to sit in the copilot seat

Most small planes have open cockpits. Because there’s no barrier between you and the pilot, aviation buffs can snag a seat in the aisle and enjoy getting to watch what the pilot is doing.

But if you’re really lucky, you might get to sit in the co-pilot’s seat and see everything that’s going on, not to mention the best views through the windshield and side windows.

Make all the engine noises you want — the pilot won’t be able to hear you unless your headset comes with a mic on it. Just keep your hands off the controls!

Not every seat has a view

Even if you’re not lucky enough to sit right in the cockpit, most of the small planes you’ll find in Alaska only have one column of seats on each side. To put it another way, each seat is both an aisle and a window seat, and most of them offer great window views through the side of the plane.

But every so often, depending on how a plane is configured, you might get a seat that doesn’t have its own window. The only way of being sure what you’re getting is to talk to the airline when you book your ticket.

Most small plane seats aren’t reservable in advance, and everybody boards at once — but the staff can at least let you know what your options are, and do their best to take your preferences into account.

While a “windowless window seat” might be a real downer for someone who was looking forward to the view, the lack of visibility might actually be comforting if you find yourself concerned about being in a small plane.

Some turbulence is normal

Passenger jets fly through turbulent air all the time. You just don’t notice most of it because, well, the plane is really big and stable.

In small planes, however, you’ll feel pretty much every bump and wiggle. That’s just a normal part of the experience. If you find it scary, you’re definitely not alone — but try not to get so wrapped up in the fear that you miss the incredible views on your once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Hitting an airborne “pothole” every once in a while is perfectly normal.

Some of Alaska’s best planes belong in a museum

There’s no doubt that jumping into a modern aircraft with no signs of wear can give you a warm, fuzzy feeling of safety. But did you know that some of Alaska’s best, and safest, small planes are old enough to belong in a museum?

I’m thinking particularly of the deHavilland Beaver, a legendarily rugged workhorse of a plane that hasn’t been in commercial production since 1967. If you fly in one, it’ll be roughly 50 to 70 years old.

But don’t let that dissuade you. These aircraft are still in service because they really are the best you can get for flying in Alaska’s challenging and variable conditions. In fact, they’re so tough and functionally built that you can even refill the engine oil from inside the cockpit — as you’re flying. If that’s not comforting, I don’t know what is.