If you’ve ever sat in the right seat of a bush plane, staring out at the endless expanse of tundra and braided rivers below, you know there’s nothing quite like it. But if you haven’t, well, you’re in for the ride of a lifetime here at Rainbow King Lodge.

We get asked a lot of questions when we are down on the beach warming up the engine. “How old is this bird?” “Why don’t you fly something newer?”

The answer is simple: nothing beats a de Havilland Beaver in the bush. And I mean nothing.

Born for the Water

To understand why we fly these planes, you have to go back to 1947. The folks at de Havilland Canada didn’t just guess what we needed; they asked veteran bush pilots what they wanted in a “flying truck.” The pilots said: give us power, give us huge doors to load oil drums (or trophy moose), and make it take off from a puddle.

The result was the DHC-2 Beaver.

Now, here’s a little trivia for you: The Beaver was born to be on floats. In fact, when they were building the very first prototype in Toronto, they built it on floats right there in the factory. The only problem? The factory was landlocked. They had to swap the floats for wheels just to get it off the ground for its maiden flight in August 1947.

But make no mistake, as soon as they could get it to the water, that’s where it stayed. By 1948, Beavers were splashing down all over the North, opening up territory that was previously impossible to reach. It changed the map of Alaska forever.

The Daily Commute at Rainbow King

Fast forward nearly 80 years, and not much has changed in the cockpit. At Rainbow King Lodge, our two vintage Beavers (and their big brother, the Turbine Otter) are still the backbone of our operation.

We don’t keep them around for nostalgia. We fly them because they are the ultimate tool for the job.

Here at the lodge, we have access to over 110 square miles of privately leased streams and rivers. Most of these spots don’t have runways, and you certainly can’t drive there. That’s where the Beaver shines.

Here is what your morning looks like with us:

• The Load Up: After a hot breakfast, you walk out to the beach. The radial engine is already purring—a deep, distinct rumble that any pilot will tell you is the sound of reliability.
• The “Commute”: We taxi out, drop the flaps, and hit the throttle. The Beaver gets “on the step” (up on top of the water) in seconds and leaps into the air.
• The Access: We aren’t flying to big commercial airports. We are dropping you into small, winding creeks and hidden lakes that the jet boats can’t reach. The Beaver’s specialized wing design allows us to fly slow and land short, getting you safely into the pristine waters where the trophy Rainbows and Salmon are hiding.

Your Seat is Waiting

There is a saying up here: “In Alaska, the Beaver isn’t just an airplane; it’s a member of the family.”

When you fly with us, you aren’t just going fishing. You are stepping into a piece of living history. You’re seeing Alaska the way it was meant to be seen—low and slow, with your nose pressed against the glass, looking for that next shadow in the water.

So, pack your waders and bring your camera. The engine is warm, the water is glassy, and the fish are waiting.

Blue skies and tight lines,

The Flight Crew
Rainbow King Lodge

Our aircraft have been refurbished, are carefully maintained by an onsite mechanic, and are some of the best bush planes flying in Alaska today. Detailed annual inspections each winter and daily inspections during the season provide safe airworthy aircraft for the safety and comfort of our guests.