Your Crew

Mountain Flying Service is owned and operated by Paul and Amy Swanstrom.

The St. Elias mountains have changed our lives and I look forward to sharing some of our favorite spots and amazing sights with you.

SE Alaska's Premiere Flight Service!

Welcome to Northern Southeast Alaska with Mountain Flying Service, based in Haines & Skagway Alaska. We specialize in Glacier Bay Flightseeing from Haines & Skagway as well as Charter Flights to and from Skagway, Haines, Gustavus, Juneau, Sitka, and Yakutat. Our year-round services are catered to those that want to experience world class glacier flightseeing tours, amazingly scenic charter flights, and for climbers that want access into the local Chilkat Mountains, Mt Fairweather and the St. Elias Range. We have been flying these mountains and fjords since 1992 with an earlier history of guiding on these rivers since 1987.

With us you will be flown by the highest time, local pilot with the nicest newest aircraft built in 2005. With the largest windows. On every flight I will go the extra mile to show you everything that is worth seeing that day.

I love it. Our flights are designed to be informative, giving you a sense of how the landscape is formed, the wildlife that inhabit the land, and how human history intermingle with it all.

Mountain Flying Service flying the Chilkat Range

I am the pioneering pilot and company to offer more in depth flights, going further cross Glacier Bay National Park and also incorporating a remote landing option.

Our charter flight options include hydraulic-wheel ski plane glacier landings through mid-summer. For the duration of the year, we equip the aircraft with tundra tires for visits to remote back country locations, ideal for remote packing and rafting trips, wildlife photography, and fishing. Pilot Paul Swanstrom maintains all necessary permits with the National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management allowing personal discretion for remote visits. For your comfort, our airplane is equipped with stereo headsets for quiet conversation, enhancing your experience with your personal guide and pilot into the rugged mountain terrain. Our flights are sure to be a life-time experience.

ENJOY THE HIGH-WING VIEW ON YOUR FLIGHT.

For your peace of mind you will be flying in a New Bush Hawk-XP aircraft, maintained to the highest standards. The windows, which are 4-5 times larger than any other bush plane, give our flights an uninterrupted view for seeing mountains, glaciers and wildlife.

EXPERIENCE REMOTE BEACH AND GLACIER LANDINGS.

We feel the best flights are the ones which allow a little extra time for a remote landing and seeing things from the ground. The adventure of setting foot on a glacier or on the pristine beach at the foot of Mount Fairweather is guaranteed to be the highlight of your Alaskan experience.

GLACIER BAY, SKAGWAY, HAINES, GUSTAVUS - WHERE WE FLY.

Our charter flights and flightseeing tours primarily fly out of Haines, Skagway, Juneau, Gustavus, and Sitka Alaska. Though those are our normal ports of landing we can accomodate your needs. Give us a call.

Our Flightseeing Plane

Welcome to the Bush Hawk XP with "windows so big that you can see Russia on a clear day." An optimal plane for flightseeing tours.

The Bush Hawk XP is plane is made in Canada and is the most rugged Bush plane built today. The Bush Hawk-XP is built from the ground up for the kind of flights we do here in Alaska. Features include large panoramic windows for the best viewing, (windows that are 4-5 times bigger than any Cessna) Single piece wings so strong that they do not require lift struts that get in the way of passenger viewing, and allows for ample doors for entry and exit. An ideal flightseeing plane for ideal glaicer tours or remote landings, the perfect plane for Haines, Skagway, and Glacier Bay.

Our Clients Words

"The three of us (Ed, Les and myself) want to thank you for the highlight of our long weekend in Skagway. Our Sunday trip to the coast beyond Mt. Fairweather and the search for wildlife was truly a great adventure. Paul's knowledge and skill were invaluable."

~ Paul Williams

Scotts Valley, CA

"My sister, niece, and I were going to be on board a family cruise outing, and wanted to do something a little different than the usual tourist aviation fare in Skagway. We can't imagine a better choice than Mountain Flying Service. Amy was terrific to work with in setting up the arrangements, and Paul was not only an amazingly skilled pilot, but his knowledge and enthusiasm for his"back yard" just couldn't be better. The day was overcast, but Paul was able to take us places and show us things that took our breath away. The Bush Hawk was a perfect plane for doing this work: I'm a shutterbug, and the HUGE windows, high wing, and lack of wing struts led to some pretty darn cool pictures, if I say so myself. The highlight of our trip without a doubt. "

~ Dave Lesher

Seattle, WA

"I couldn't believe how many times I found myself saying 'wow.' I was stunned by all the beautiful sights and I live less than 15 miles from the area. It was an amazing Glacier Bay tour."

~ Zachary Sheldon

Haines, Alaska

Skagway Tours

Whether you are cruise passenger looking for your perfect shore excursion, or in town for a while and looking for Skagway tours we can accommodate you. For Skagway cruise tours we keep track of the ships docking and departures and maximize our schedule best serve your schedule. For those who will be in Skagway longer than a day we will reserve you time that not only works best for your flightseeing tour but will also provide you with optimal conditions for glacier viewing.

Did you know?

Climate Change: Glaciers are part of the climate. Virtually all of Alaska's glaciers have been shrinking for about the last 250 years, losing more ice through melting or calving than they gain through snowfall. But seemingly small changes in temperature or precipitaion can tip the balance. Glaciers worldwide are under comprehensive long-term study. The Mendenhall Glacier and the Juneau Icefield have hosted the longest continuous research program in North America.