Passenger safety is our top priority at Alaska Seaplanes. We work hard on our company safety culture to provide customers with the safest trip possible. Our safety culture is reflected through our management team, pilots, mechanics, ramp crew, and all staff from the corporate office to the outstations. Alaska Seaplanes is one of the first Part 135 Operators in the State of Alaska to voluntarily enroll in the SMS program with the FAA. 

State-of-the-Art Equipment

Our aircraft are all equipped with state of the art equipment. We utilize a Chelton Capstone system in our IFR equipped aircraft which provides pilots with enhanced situational awareness and navigation capabilities. This system incorporates synthetic vision as well as a moving map. Our other aircraft also utilize advanced flat screen displays to provide additional reference to the pilots.

Real-Time Aircraft Tracking

Alaska Seaplanes aircraft are equipped with ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast) equipment which allow our equipped aircraft to “see” other ADS-B equipped aircraft, and for them to see us. This provides better traffic awareness and separation which increases our safety margin. Our dispatchers also have a real-time view of where each aircraft is any any given time, providing accurate real time location, speed, direction and more.

Rigorous Training

Each year our pilots, mechanics, and other staff receive recurrent training and testing to ensure that they are performing to the highest quality standards set forth by the Federal Aviation Administration and our safety team. Additional training in a simulator also provides our pilots with training in a variety of weather scenarios.

Robust Communication, Even in the Bush

Our float-equipped aircraft utilize the InReach SE communications device. This device provides additional communication between pilots and dispatchers in remote areas where radio contact may be limited. The system is an Iridium Satellite-based communication program by Garmin.

Thorough Maintenance

Each aircraft undergoes regularly scheduled maintenance in our new maintenance facility in Juneau. Our highly-trained mechanics ensure that each aircraft is serviced regularly and is in peak operating condition for our pilots and passengers.

Organized Around Safety

Alaska Seaplanes has a full-time Director of Safety and a Safety Committee made up of employees from each department. The committee meets regularly to ensure that any safety issues are addressed in a timely manner. The committee also works to provide additional insight to the management team on our daily front line operations.  All employees are encouraged to submit Safety Reports when they encounter items that need to be addressed so we can respond accordingly and make our work environment safe for our employees and customers.