Talkeetna has a long history of being home to some of the best pilots in Alaska and Udo’s team at Sheldon Air Service absolutely carry on this fine tradition…. I’d recommend Sheldon for any adventure flying or sightseeing!- R.M.
Small by design. Quiet by choice. True Talkeetna.
Talkeetna is charming, quaint, and calm—and we fly the same way. Our hangar feels like the town: unhurried, friendly, personal. You’re welcomed like an old friend, briefed simply by a local, and flown with experienced pilots that put safety first. The pace is steady and safety-first, so you have peace of mind and room to breathe.
In the air, the experience is tailored and interactive—ask questions, follow a curiosity, linger on a view when conditions allow. On the ground, there’s time to talk story and share the Sheldon legacy—the why behind what we do.
If you’re drawn to seeing a real working hangar, witnessing the ins and outs of the daily routine of an Alaskan bush pilot and a team who care about every detail, this is your Talkeetna experience.
We keep it small, we keep it real.
Here are some of our popular offerings
Iditarod Flight Tours
Charter flights to follow the Iditarod from start to finish.
One of the questions we are often asked is “How can I best see the Iditarod?” Iditarod tour flights are the best way to see this great event. Sheldon Air Service offers full Iditarod race following air support, from the ceremonial start in Anchorage, to the first checkpoints at Puntilla Lake and Rainy Pass, all the way to Nome.
An Iditarod flight is the adventure of a lifetime, the best way to fully appreciate the last great race is to utilize a ski-equipped bush plane. Sheldon Air Service can customize your tour as the race plays out – putting you right where you need to be to witness first hand the strategic and often dramatic moves the race leaders make as they duel to the finish line in Nome.
Denali Is Our Home
Talkeetna might be where we lay our head at night but Denali is just as much home to us. The two are inseparable. It could easily be said we spend as much time there, as in our own backyard, and only being a short flight away it pretty much is our backyard as well. Part of what makes Denali so magical for us is the people it allows us to meet. We have made many lasting friendships and have many grand memories thanks to that mountain.
We’re Talkeetna’s only operator offering dedicated bear-viewing flights to Chinitna Bay in Lake Clark National Park—an unrushed, small-group day on the coast where you can watch wild brown bears clamming or fishing, with calm planning, personal hosting, and a pilot who lingers when the moment’s right.
From our quaint Talkeetna hangar, we keep it small, simple. Flightseeing the way this town feels—unhurried, personal, and tailored to you. Routes are adjusted to weather with careful approach, making glacier landing a life changing experience. Meet our local team, ask questions, share a cup of coffee or good laugh; we host as thoughtfully as we fly, start to finish.
Bush plane charters and backcountry support with a true Alaskan pace—personal and knowledgeable timelines. We plan realistic windows around weather, handle gear carefully, and tailor each run to your objective: remote lodges and properties, hunter drop-offs and big-game transport (in season), climber/skier staging and pickups, point-to-point air taxi across the Range.
Experience Sheldon Air Services
Custom Flight Services, Private Charters, and Denali National Park Glacier Tour and Landings.
Sheldon Air Service provides private flights from Anchorage to Talkeetna and beyond. Please contact us for more information! We are open year round and ready to help you get to your destination. Contact us for more information.
★★★★★
What our clients have to say about us
Everyone at SAS was friendly and accommodating, a great team to work with. The planes are maintained with safety in mind, and Udo flies with an obvious intention of keeping you safe and as comfortable as possible while providing passengers on both sides of the aircraft spectacular views of a finicky mountain. I look forward to another flight around Denali someday, and I won’t fly with anyone else.
– Mike L • Google Reviews
Dave is a great pilot and they treat you like friends instead of clients. Great family business. Mountaineers should know they are the most budget friendly option because of the lowest overage fees. They got us to the glacier and they got us off despite bad weather. Great experience flying with these guys. A great alternative to the larger air services in Talkeetna
– Nate K • Tripadvisor
Absolutely phenomenal Flight service company. Used them for a fly in sheep hunt and the entire process from scheduling to flying was easy. Great customer service, friendly faces and over a great experience and will be using them again in the future.
– Geoffrey H • Google Reviews
This was an amazing experience! This is a locally owned business by a kind man and an even more kinder woman. I felt safe the entire time. The views were amazing and our pilot and his wife were knowledgeable about the areas we flew over, answered all of our questions and gave us an overall enjoyable experience. They definitely gave us both the professionalism of a business and the warm kindness of you would get from your own family. Book a flight with Sheldon’s!
– Daniel C • Tripadvisor
We had a fantastic time with the staff on the ground. Very friendly. Chris was our pilot. He was very good providing information on the sights we were flying around. The weather didn't allow us to land on the Glacier but everything else was breath taking. Thank you Sheldon Air Service
– Jim M • Google Reviews
We arrived on a cloudy day for our ride to a glacier, which they could not do. So, they gave us a dramatically reduced price and we took a 90 minute sightseeing flight with Jock. Pilot was very knowledgeable about the terrain and the geology, and the views were absolutely stunning. After seeing the glaciers from our cruise ship, it was really something to see them from above. A once-in-a-lifetime experience!!!!
– Mike G • Tripadvisor