GET TO KNOW YOUR PILOT
Clark
Clark joined Taquan Air in March 2022 after serving over 7 years as a FAA Principal Operations Inspector (POI) overseeing Part 135 operators in Alaska…
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Mr. Miller is an Airline Transport Pilot with over 11,000 flight hours who also served as a Chief Pilot and Check Airman for 5 air taxi operators in Alaska before joining the FAA and Taquan Air. In addition to serving as the Director of Operations, Mr. Miller’s leadership role at Taquan includes serving as a pilot ground and flight trainer and Check Airman. He is also a Designated Pilot Examiner with the authority to examine pilots and issue airman certificates up through Airline Transport Pilot. Clark ultimately decided to make the move to Alaska from Idaho in 2001 and has made a few places home between then and now–but always gravitated back to the Last Frontier. Being an avid outdoorsmen, Clark enjoys getting out in the beauty of Alaska alongside his beautiful wife and kids.
Dave
Dave is a seasoned pilot with 20 years of experience. Born in Fort Lewis, Washington, he discovered his passion for aviation in high school and earned his pilot’s license in just 45 miles south from Fort Lewis, in Seattle…
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Eight of Dave’s twenty years in the air have been spent flying here in Ketchikan with Taquan Air. Dave is adamant that he has the best office view anywhere in the world, from his “office” on his favorite plane, the DHC-2 Beaver.
In his free time, Dave is an avid traveler, and has been to 49 of the 50 United States. In Alaska, Dave enjoys the outdoors, often hiking, beach combing, and camping whenever he gets the time.
Sean
Sean heralds from Santa Ana, California. As a kid working on a farm, Sean would often see crop dusters and would tell his cousin, “When I am older, I want to be a crop duster”…
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However silly the wish may sound, once he was older, Sean got his pilots license at KSPB in San Luis Obispo. This has led to 15 years of flying experience, two of them here at Taquan Air, flying his favorite plane in the world, the DHC-2 Beaver.
Believe it or not, Sean would be the first to tell you he is afraid of heights! Despite this fear, Sean loves to be in the air, experiencing the beautiful views that surround him wherever he is flying.
Outside of flying, Sean loves the outdoors. He is a former ultra-runner, with over 30,000 miles of running experience, and an avid fisherman and hunter on his days off.
Joe
Joe was born and raised in California, where he quickly realized he wanted to be just like his dad, who was a World War II pilot. The path to flying was not a direct line, but Joe’s path to Alaska started right after high school, beginning his Alaskan Adventures as a commercial fisherman…
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The Pacific Northwest was also where Joe eventually did get his Pilot’s License, in Seattle. Lots of flying later, Joe still enjoys the freedom he gets from being up in the air.
In his three years at Taquan Air, Joe often spends his time up in the air, flying for fun even on his days off – his favorite plane being his very own PA-18 Super Cub. When he’s not in the air, Joe enjoys reading, exercising, and spending time with his family.
Max
Flying is a family thing when it comes to Max. The Ludwigsen last name holds a lot of weight in Southeast Alaska, with the family living in southeast since the 1930’s, and multiple members of the family being pilots through the years…
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Max’s grandfather, Herman, is nothing short of a local aviation legend. Herman took part in a plethora of search and rescue missions, animal transports, and oil site inspections in his 30,000-plus hours of flight time, before being honored with the “Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award” by the FAA in 2020.
It is only right that Max has now been a pilot for six years, getting his license right out of high school. Four of those six years have been spent here at Taquan Air, where Max enjoys the view from his “office” in the DHC-3 Otter… specifically on sunny days.
When Max isn’t flying here, he flies medivac routes, honoring his grandfather’s legacy by helping local communities from the air.
The rare time when Max isn’t in the air is spent with his wife, son, and dog – enjoying the outdoors and everything Ketchikan has to offer.
Ed
Born and raised right here in Ketchikan, Alaska, Ed is flying the same skies that he first looked up to as a child! After moving away from Ketchikan in his teenage years, the first thing Ed did after graduating high school, was hop on a plane and go right back to his hometown…
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Upon re-arrival to Ketchikan, he quickly obtained his pilot’s license at Ketchikan Air Service, right across the channel near Ketchikan International Airport. Forty-plus years of flying later, Ed’s name is known by just about every pilot in town! While he has went to plenty of different places and flown many planes in those years, Ed’s favorite plane remains the de Havilland Beaver, with his favorite place to fly being Southeast Alaska. He enjoys the different sights and weather he still experiences from the front seat in the plane. When he isn’t in the air, Ed enjoys his time experiencing new places in the United States in his RV with his lovely wife, and golfing in much sunnier locations than Ketchikan.
Mark
Mark is one of the most veteran pilots you’ll ever come by, with 45 years of experience up in the air. Since the time he was eight years old in Chicago, Illinois, Mark knew he wanted to be a pilot. In 1980, Mark earned his Pilot’s license, and hasn’t looked back, spending most of his time in the air…
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Mark flew for Taquan Air in 2003 for one season, before returning in July 2023 for good. The twenty years in between saw Mark flying throughout southeast Alaska, flying one of his favorite planes, the DHC-3 Otter.
A lover of the outdoors, Mark often used to use his plane to go camping. Southeast Alaska is the perfect place for him, providing plenty of spots to camp, and places to fly to. Mark hopes for no days off, as flying is bar-none his most beloved hobby.
Scott
Born and raised and Hamilton, Ohio, Scott first realized he wanted to be a pilot when he was in middle school, when he would spend days at his family’s Fly-in-Fishing camp in Ontario. A few years later, in Middleton, Ohio, Scott earned his pilot’s license. Ever since 1999, you can find Scott enjoying his favorite view, up in the air…
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While this may be Scott’s first year with Taquan Air, it is not his first year in Alaska. He spent 15 years in the northern interior of Alaska as an Alaska Wildlife Trooper. During his time as a trooper, he flew fixed-wing and helicopters on wildlife enforcement and search & rescue missions.
Outside of his time in the air, Scott enjoys all aspects of the outdoors, especially the water. This fall, he took his own 47’ sailboat down to the Mexican Riviera, enjoying the sunshine and warm winter. On his days off in Alaska, Scott enjoys any sort of outdoor adventure, whether it’s fishing, hunting, hiking, or even zip-lining, Scott loves to live an adventurous life.
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