Specialties
The Denali Flightseeing Company™
A flightseeing trip over Denali National Park and Preserve will give you a bird's-eye view of its incredible vastness and awesome beauty. Encounter a mile high gorge, rivers of pre-historic glacier ice, snow capped mountains that extend seemingly forever and North America's tallest mountain, Mt. McKinley, towering above it all. Whether you choose an incredible flightseeing tour into the mountains, add a glacier landing, decide to climb one of Denali's towering peaks, or choose to hike in Denali's back country, we will assist you in finding the right experience.
K2 Aviation invites you to experience the wonders of Alaska and Denali National Park and Preserve, and gain a new appreciation for our state's size and rugged beauty. Our location in Talkeetna provides an excellent starting point for your explorations of Mt. McKinley, the Alaska Range, and Denali National Park, whether you intend to flightsee or climb, using our Air Taxi Services.
History
Established in 1963.
In 1963, Henry Rust, a retired Lt. Col. in the Air Force, began a small floatplane operation, Rust's Flying Service, on the south shore of Lake Hood. In the early days, it was a one person operation with Henry flying and guiding hunters and taking fishermen to remote wilderness areas.
Rust's Flying Service became an industry leader setting the standard for safety, experience and service. In 1996, the Rust family purchased K2 Aviation from Jim Okonek. K2 Aviation, a wheel and ski operation, focused on landing on the glaciers and Denali National Park.
K2 Aviation has more than 28 years experience in flying climbers and sightseers in the Talkeetna area, coupled with Rust's Flying Service's 50 years experience as an air taxi. Kitty and Kimbal Forest founded the business in 1980, operating it for one year. Jim and Julie Okonek owned and operated K2 from 1981 until 1996 when Todd, Suzanne and Colin Rust bought the business. The Rusts expanded the flightseeing side of the business.
Meet the Business Owner: Suzanne, Todd, and Colin R.
K2 Aviation has more than 28 years experience in flying climbers and sightseers in the Talkeetna area, coupled with Rust's Flying Service's nearly 50 years experience as an air taxi. Kitty and Kimbal Forest founded the business in 1980, operating it for one year. Jim and Julie Okonek owned and operated K2 from 1981 until 1996 when Todd, Suzanne and Colin Rust bought the business. The Rusts expanded the flightseeing side of the business by innovating with turbo Otters for glacier landings, offering a quieter operation and reducing the carbon footprint in the pristine area of Denali National Park.
Today, Suzanne Rust manages the Talkeetna based business with its fleet of DeHavilland Otters and Beavers, a Piper Cherokee, and a Navajo Chieftain.