A Commitment to Excellence in Aircraft Care

Safety Mission

At Taquan Air, the safety and maintenance of our aircrafts are not just priorities—they are our top mission. As we initiate the important task of refurbishing our planes from the floats up, we adhere to stringent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations and follow all manufacturer guidelines. Our commitment to excellence ensures that every aircraft is thoroughly inspected, and maintained to the highest standards.


A Robust Inspection Program

One of the ways that Taquan Air maintains the highest safety standards, is that we adhere to a strict, approved aircraft inspection program. This program, known as the AAIP (Approved Aircraft Inspection Program), has been carefully crafted by our highly qualified maintenance team. Once this is ready it is submitted to the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration), who granted us their stamp of approval to utilize this program for inspections. This ensures that all our practices align with federal guidelines.

As a part of our inspection program, we conduct phase inspections on our aircrafts, with varying frequencies depending on the model. The Dehavilland Beaver, requires thorough inspections every 50 hours, while the Otter receives inspections every 100 hours. Each phase incorporates a mixture of heavy and light inspections. Our Director of Maintenance, Travis Bekkelund, explains “heavy inspections require detailed examinations, which may involve disassembly along with intricate checks, whereas light inspections are primarily visual, enabling us to monitor component conditions without disassembly.”

Phased Inspections Breakdown

Phase 1: At 50 hours of operation
Phase 2: At 100 hours of operation
Phase 3: At 150 hours of operation
Phase 4: At 200 hours of operation

Once the aircrafts accumulated flight hours hit 200 hours, an aircraft will have undergone a full inspection, encompassing all four phases of inspection. This means that every corner of the plane has been carefully assessed, guaranteeing the utmost safety for our passengers and crew.

The Maintenance Process


When a plane requires inspection or maintenance, we follow a meticulous process to ensure its integrity. To start off the process, the aircraft is first pulled out of the water and into our hangar. From there, our trained mechanics troubleshoot and resolve any problems. Depending on the issue, repairs can range from a quick five-minute fix to more complex challenges that may take up to four months to complete. Regardless of the time involved, we are dedicated to returning the aircraft to service in optimal condition.

Our mechanics play a crucial role in this process. Many of them work 14-day shifts of 10 hours each, and during the peak summer season, they operate a night shift to ensure that planes are always ready for flights the following day.

In Travis’s words, “Our commitment to maintenance and safety ensures that every aircraft we service is not only ready for flight but also adheres to the highest level of safety standards.”

At Taquan Air, we prioritize safety and maintenance above all else. With our rigorous inspection programs, skilled mechanics, and meticulous process, we can ensure that our fleet remains reliable and safe for all who choose to fly with us!

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SAFETY

Taquan Air’s Safety Management System Program

FIRST FAA-ACCEPTED PART 135 AIR TAXI SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (SMS) PROGRAM IN ALASKA

In January 2021, Taquan Air became the first Part 135 Air Taxi Operator in the State of Alaska to receive the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) acceptance of a Safety Management System (SMS) developed in accordance with the standards and requirements set forth in the FAA’s SMS Voluntary Program.

AN ORGANIZATION-WIDE PROGRAM TO MANAGE SAFETY IN LINE WITH INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS

Taquan Air’s SMS is a formal, top down, organization-wide approach to managing safety and ensuring the effectiveness of safety risk controls and was implemented in line with the international standards which led to the FAA’s program.
 
SMS elements include organizational policies which define the accountabilities and responsibilities of our leaders and employees regarding safety; a formal process for identifying, analyzing, assessing and controlling safety risks; assuring the effectiveness of safety controls through collecting, analyzing and assessing information; and, the training and communications necessary to promote the program overall.
 

 ACTIVE SMS APPLICATIONS THROUGHOUT THE FLIGHT, MAINTENANCE AND SUPPORTING PROGRAMS

Through policy, process, training and promotion, the SMS guides and supports key decisions related to preflight, inflight and post-flight actions; aircraft maintenance, equipment and operations; the use of navigation systems with synthetic vision, tracking and moving map capabilities; enhanced communications capabilities and, related initiatives promoting the safety of our guests, our employees and our environment overall.
 

OUR FACILITIES

Ketchikan Waterfront Base

Taquan Air Terminal

Taquan customers enjoy our state-of-the-art, custom-built facility, with a comfortable lobby, water view and floatplane dock with its waterfront patio.

The 16,000 square foot facility is located in Ketchikan’s 6.0 acre Harbor Point Business Park located at 4085 Tongass Avenue. Vehicles access the business park via a separate entrance and exit driveways from Tongass Avenue, with motorcoach loading, unloading and staging areas as well as ample short and long-term parking for customers.

The spacious check-in area, passenger lounge, gift shop and restrooms are specifically designed to handle groups large and small. Other features in this spacious complex include:

Administrative and flight operations offices

  • A large conference room and training facility
  • Space for expansion
  • Ramps and Floats

Extended passenger access ramps

  • Non-skid surfaced floatplane dock
  • Over 600 feet of floatplane dock space
  • Maintenance Hangar

Hangar space for up to six aircraft

  • Fully equipped and staffed maintenance bays
  • Expanded parts department and inventory
  • Office spaces and an employee break room
  • Freight Department

Extensive storage for freight and U.S. Mail

  • Large walk-in cooler and freezer
  • Industrial size floor scale

Aircraft Specs

Taquan Air Otter

Modal

DHC-3 Turbine Otter

Engine

1 x PT6A Turboprop engine, 750 HP

Weights

Take-off weight

3796 kg

8367 lbs

Empty weight
2268 kg
5000 lbs

Dimensions

Wingspan
17.8 m
58 ft

Length

14.99 m

45 ft 10 in

Height

5.05 m
16 ft 6 in
Wing area
114.3 m2
375 sq ft

Performance

Max. speed
214 km/h
133 mph

Cruise speed

209 km/h
130 mph
Ceiling
5333 m
16000 ft
Range
740 km
460 miles

Aircraft Specs

Taquan Air DeHavilland Beaver

Modal

DHC-2 Beaver

Engine

1 x Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp
Junior radial piston engine, 450 HP

Weights

Take-off weight

2540 kg

5600 lbs

Empty weight
1678 kg
3700 lbs

Dimensions

Wingspan
14.63 m
48 ft 0 in

Length

9.98m

32 ft 9 in

Heigh

3.18 m
10 ft 5 in
Wing area
76.2 m2
250 sq ft

Performance

Max. speed
290 km/h
180 mph

Cruise speed

185 km/h
115 mph
Ceiling
3795 m
15750 ft
Range
804 km
500 miles