About Alaska Floats and Skis - Meet the Float Plane Trainers
Alaska Floats & Skis base is located on Christiansen Lake (AK8). Pictured is the 3,400 foot paved runway of the Talkeetna Airport (PATK). Mt. McKinley appears in the background.
Denali National Park (over 6 million acres and larger than the State of Massachusetts) is in the background. From left to right are the three largest peaks in the Alaska Range, Foraker, Hunter, and Denali at 20,320 feet.
Don Lee - ATP CFI CFII MEI AGI DPE
Alaskan Bush Pilot - Founder and operator of Alaska Floats and Skis
Don lived in the bush in the early seventies and began flying for lodge support. He then branched into guiding for hunters and fishermen. Over the last 30 years, Don has extensive flight experience all over Alaska, from the Aleutian Chain to the Beaufort Sea. With hundreds of hours flying in the Gates of the Arctic Wildlife Refuge, Shimigain Islands, and Cold Bay, Don operated an on-demand air service for 7 years. In Bristol Bay, he flew fisherman to remote sites and provided lodge support. He flew over 130,000 gallons of fuel to remote gold mines (200 gallons at a time) without a single incident. In Talkeetna, he has provided expedition air support for climbers on Mt. McKinley and has over 3,800 glacier landings. Don has over 4,800 hours on floats alone with a total time over 14,500 hours.
Don's motivation to operate Alaska Floats and Skis is "to share these experiences and pass on safety tips to our float and ski plane applicants." Don's motto is "you will never work a day in your life if you enjoy what you are doing."
Esther Hershberg
Flight Instructor
We are happy to have Esther on as one of our seaplane instructors. She is an excellent pilot and has 100% pass rate on her recommended applicants! She has been flying exterior loads on floats to our remote cabin. She is just as calm with Moose horns tied to the struts as she is with new applicants training them for their single engine seaplane rating.
Esther graduated from the University of Louisville in 2003 with a B.A. in history. After receiving her private pilot�s license during college she went on to pursue a career in aviation at Vincennes University in Indiana. With her commercial certificate in hand, Esther moved to Talkeetna, Alaska where she earned her seaplane rating. Esther has returned to Talkeetna every summer since to share her love of float flying with others.