arctic backcountry private flying service

Used Eric to fly us out and back in for a one week canoeing trip on Kelly river. All went great on the two 30min flights. People seem to regard him very highly and he does have an aura of an accomplished and skillful pilot.

Three of us chartered Eric recently to drop us off/pick us up for an arctic coastal camping trip. Eric has lived and flown in Kotzebue for more than 20 years and knows this area like the back of his hand. He not only has superb flying skills, but is also a great outdoorsman and a keen observer of wildlife. If it's out there, he can spot it. And on top of all that, he is personable and a good storyteller! I have flown with Eric on several occasions in northwest Alaska, and have only had great experiences. He has many excellent suggestions for floating, hiking, sightseeing, or camping trips. You will not be disappointed. He recently started his own flying service, and I heartily recommend this family-owned business.

We are an Alaska bush family, 30 years and counting. We used to have our own airplane and we air-camped all over northwest Alaska. Eventually, we realized it would be cheaper and safer to charter than own. As you can imagine, we're picky about pilots and equipment. Eric Sieh is our first choice. We flew with him many times when he was flying for the National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, on- and off-strep, wheels and floats, summer and winter. We are delighted to be able to charter with him now that he has his own charter service again. As others have commented, he knows the country. He knows the remote landing strips, and what he can do at each strip (i.e. people and weight). He knows where the fish and wildlife are likely to be. We see a comment about weather. Believe me, you WANT pilots who pick their weather. If your bush pilot says the weather is too low, believe him/her. They don't get paid for sitting on the ground, so they are at least as motivated as you are to get you into the country.

We hired Arctic Backcountry Flying Service when my sister and her partner came to visit me in Kotzebue. I still feel she was actually flying all that way to see a muskox, not a sister, so we hired Arctic Backcountry to take us flight seeing. Eric Sieh is a casual "let's wait for the weather" kind of guy so if you are on a tight schedule you need to tell him that. Otherwise, sit back and see the birds, and wildlife for which Eric seems to have an uncanny radar. A few days before our trip, I decided I needed to see Buckland, Alaska, and Eric had no problem rerouting us there, waiting for me to tour the village, then continuing north to the Noatak Natural Preserve. After asking what our goals were (wildlife viewing, especially muskox) he says, "I can probably get you some muskox." After over three hours of flying during which we saw swans, snow geese, caribou, seals, moose, Dahl sheep, and grizzly bear, but no muskox, he finally says, "I got the muskox tied up over here around this corner." (He kept talking about "around the corner - does the tundra HAVE corners? Do mountains?) So we fly a bit more and voila` - muskox!! With babies playing and the wide open tundra - like something off Planet Earth or a National Geographic special on remote animal babies. Turns out he checks on them regularly because one them is collared. He knew where they were the whole time! His prices are the best I found in the area. The family operated business is one I like to support. I'm planning to do it all over again with my husband for our 20th wedding anniversary!