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47-487: Taquan Air's heyday was in 1997 when they were the largest floatplane company in the world and the second largest air commuter service in Alaska, carrying 243,000 passengers that year. In a continuing effort to grow, they sought FAR part 121 certification, allowing them to carry more than nine passengers on a flight. They achieved certification and began flights in 1998, but the costs of the new venture and economic factors led to

94-445: A charter basis (including pleasure flights), provide scheduled service, or be operated by residents of the area for private, personal use. Floatplanes have often been derived from land-based aircraft, with fixed floats mounted under the fuselage instead of an undercarriage (featuring wheels). Floatplanes offer several advantages since the fuselage is not in contact with water, which simplifies production by not having to incorporate

141-412: A fairly typical Southeastern Alaskan oceanic climate ( Köppen Cfb , borderline Dfb ), although using the 0 °C or 32 °F coldest-month isotherm it has an extremely wet and ocean-moderated version of a warm-summer humid continental climate ( Köppen Dfb ) similar to that of Haines although substantially wetter. Hyder first appeared on the 1920 U.S. Census as an unincorporated village. It

188-473: A median income of $ 56,250 versus $ 13,750 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $ 11,491. There were 44.4% of families and 54.1% of the population living below the poverty line , including 81.0% under 18, and 50.0% over 64. Stewart, British Columbia , immediately borders Hyder and is accessible by road via International Street. Outside of the town site, NFD-88 heads in a northerly direction winding through

235-752: A record of riding to the contiguous 48 states in six days. Ayres went on to add to the 48-state record by continuing on to Hyder to establish a new 49-state record of 7 days, 0 hours and 20 minutes. Ayres named the new long distance ride the "48 Plus" and it has become popular with members of the long-distance motorcycle riding Iron Butt Association . Hyder was the starting point of the 2014 coast-to-coast Scooter Cannonball Run, which ended in New Orleans, Louisiana. Because of its accessible proximity to Stewart, and its isolation from other communities in Alaska, Hyder has many commonalities with its Canadian neighbor, with both American and Canadian holidays observed, and

282-465: A shared international Chamber of Commerce. It is the only place in Alaska not to use the 907 area code , instead using British Columbia's 250 . Although Hyder is officially in the Alaska Time Zone , residents set their clocks to British Columbia's Pacific Time . Both American and Canadian currency are accepted, except by the U.S. Post Office, which only accepts U.S. dollars. A local tradition

329-420: Is directly attached to the fuselage, this being the strongest part of the aircraft structure, while the smaller floats under the outer wings provide the aircraft with lateral stability. By comparison, dual floats restrict handling, often to waves as little as one foot (0.3 metres) in height. However, twin float designs facilitate mooring and boarding , and – in the case of torpedo bombers – leave

376-617: Is known as being "Hyderized", with two of the town's bars issuing certificates to patrons who consume a shot of 151 proof (75.5% alcohol) Everclear . Southeast Island School District operates the Hyder School. Children who live in Hyder have attended the Bear Valley School in Stewart, but Hyder has school when the community meets the Alaska minimum of 10 children for the state to provide

423-500: Is on the only connecting road out of Hyder and there is no complementary American border patrol presence. The Nisga'a , who lived around the Nass River , called the head of Portland Canal "Skam-A-Kounst," meaning safe place , probably because it served them as a retreat from the harassment of the Haidas on the coast. They traveled in the area seasonally to pick berries. The area around

470-400: Is the southernmost community in the state that can be reached via car (others can be reached only by boat or plane). Hyder is Alaska's easternmost community. Hyder is located at 55°56′29″N 130°3′16″W  /  55.94139°N 130.05444°W  / 55.94139; -130.05444 (55.941442, -130.054504), at the end of the land border between Alaska and British Columbia and at

517-576: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also contributed to the event. The Board issued four recommendations. The first of these four recommendations, A-08-59, was to install weather cameras on the air tour routes within the Misty Fjords National Monument . Recommendation A-08-60 was to establish monthly ground and en route inspections of air tour flights to observe and enforce safe flying practices. Recommendation A-08-61

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564-541: The Tongass National Forest , and enters the outer extent of Stewart's municipal limits continuing as Granduc Road. There are few local roads, and no roads connect Hyder to any other Alaskan communities, except through Canada. The AMHS ferry that once connected Hyder to Ketchikan stopped running in the 1990s, leaving the Taquan Air floatplane that arrives twice a week with U.S. Mail at Hyder Seaplane Base as

611-519: The US Post Office Department told residents that there were many U.S. communities named Portland , it was renamed Hyder , after Frederick Hyder, a Canadian mining engineer who envisioned a bright future for the area. Hyder was the only practical point of access to the silver mines in Canada; the community became the port, supply point, and post office for miners by 1917. Hyder's boom years were

658-583: The White House . Taquan Air participated in a voluntary industry effort in Alaska to improve airline safety called the Medallion Foundation awards. Senator Ted Stevens (R, Alaska) was a decorated World War II pilot who later became floatplane qualified, and who was instrumental in establishing and providing congressional support for the Medallion Foundation. By 2009, Taquan was one of seven airlines out of 37 operating in Alaska to receive all five stars in

705-466: The 1920s and 1930s, most notably in the form of the Schneider Trophy , not least because water takeoffs permitted longer takeoff runs which allowed greater optimization for high speed compared to contemporary airfields. There are two basic configurations for the floats on floatplanes: The main advantage of the single float design is its capability for landings in rough water: a long central float

752-626: The 1920s, when the Riverside Mine on the U.S. side extracted gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, and tungsten. The mine operated from 1924 to 1950. In 1928, the Hyder business district was consumed by fire. By 1956 all significant mining had ceased, except for the Granduc Mine on the Canadian side, which operated until 1984 and 2010 to present. Westmin Resources Ltd operated a gold and silver mine on

799-630: The Canadian side in Premier, British Columbia, but is not currently active. Hyder is accessible by highway from Stewart, which connects with the British Columbia highway system. In the mid-2010s, Hyder residents said that more than 100,000 tourists came to Hyder annually. It is the location of the annual Hyder Seek gathering of long-distance motorcyclists who travel from all over North America each Memorial Day weekend. It became popular with long-distance motorcycle riders in 1998, when author Ron Ayres set

846-594: The Earth's largest remaining temperate rainforest , Tongass National Forest . The name "Taquan" is from the Tlingit language for "village by the sea", and is also associated with the alternate name for Annette Island , Taak'w Aan. The airline was established as Taquan Air Service Incorporated in August 1977, and started out flying an air taxi service between Ketchikan International Airport and Metlakatla on Annette Island . By 1989

893-468: The FAA, Taquan resumed limited cargo service on May 23, scheduled passenger flights on May 31, and on-demand sightseeing tours on June 3, 2019. The Taquan Air fleet consists of one Cessna Caravan , eleven de Havilland DHC-2 Beavers , and three de Havilland DHC-3T Turbo Otters certified under FAR part 135 (Air Taxi Operators and Commercial Operators of Small Aircraft). Taquan Air operates scheduled service to

940-462: The Portland Canal was explored in 1896 by Captain D.D. Gaillard of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers . In 1898, gold and silver lodes were discovered in the region, mainly on the Canadian side, in the upper Salmon River basin. The Stewart brothers, for whom the British Columbia town was named, arrived in 1902. Hyder was established in 1907 as "Portland City", after the canal. In 1914, when

987-420: The average family size was 2.81. In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 18 under 18, 11 from 18 to 24, 16 from 25 to 44, 45 from 45 to 64, and 7 who were 65 or older. The median age was 46 years. There were 44 females and 53 males, of them 34 females were age 18 and over, as were 45 males. The median income for a household in the CDP was $ 11,719, and the median income for a family was $ 30,500. Males had

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1034-560: The belly free to carry a torpedo . Hyder, Alaska Hyder is a census-designated place in Prince of Wales–Hyder Census Area, Alaska , United States. The population was 48 at the 2020 census, down from 87 in 2010. Hyder is accessible by road only from Stewart , British Columbia . It is popular with motorists wishing to visit Alaska without driving the length of the Alaska Highway . Hyder has no direct access to any Alaskan road. It

1081-541: The company on November 1, 1999, and at the end of December 1999 laid off most or 80 of their workers along with stopping flights to 20 communities. The downsizing at Taquan Air dampened the regional economy. The Juneau Empire wrote about the economic effect on Prince of Wales Island (pop. 6000), which is the fourth-largest island in the US , The loss of Taquan flights comes at a bad time for Prince of Wales Island, said Tom Briggs, city administrator for Craig. State ferry service for

1128-484: The company was flying seven airplanes with 45 employees, and by 1997 28 planes with 175 employees. 1997 was the year that Kootznoowoo Inc., an Alaska Native Village Corporation for Angoon , became 50% owner, and the same year that the company appeared on the cover of Alaska Business Monthly. At that point they were flying to 30 destinations, they had hubs in both Ketchikan and Sitka , and by flying to British Columbia , they had become an international air carrier. Taquan

1175-463: The compromises necessary for water tightness, general impact strength and the hydroplaning characteristics needed for the aircraft to leave the water. Attaching floats to a landplane also allows for much larger production volumes to pay for the development and production of the small number of aircraft operated from the water. Additionally, on all but the largest seaplanes, floatplane wings usually offer more clearance over obstacles, such as docks, reducing

1222-483: The cruise line industry that brings close to a million tourists each Summer to Ketchikan with its 7,000 residents. Adventure guide Inside Passage and Coastal Alaska states, "One of the amazing things about floatplanes is just how smooth <takeoffs> are...unless you're looking out the window and see that there isn't a wake from the floats anymore, it's hard to know you're even in the air." The air tour typically takes two to four hours. The tour goes from seashore up into

1269-483: The cruise lines serving Ketchikan. According to the AP, the cruise line that had booked the tourists severed ties with Taquan after the accident for the remainder of 2007. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigated the accident and issued a report on July 31, 2008, finding that the primary cause of the crash was pilot misjudgment, but that inadequate supervision of the flight tour industry in southeast Alaska by

1316-458: The difficulty in loading while on the water. A typical single engine flying boat is unable to bring the hull alongside a dock for loading while most floatplanes are able to do so. Floats inevitably impose extra drag and weight, rendering floatplanes slower and less manoeuvrable during flight, with a slower rate of climb, than aircraft equipped with wheeled landing gear. Nevertheless, air races devoted to floatplanes attracted much attention during

1363-604: The east terminus of the ferry to the Ketchikan International Airport . The company is now flying to 16 destinations. Taquan Air first moved into the spotlight in 1990, when the company's growth and development led to the owner's selection as Alaska Small Business Person of the Year, a selection made by the Alaska office of the U.S. Small Business Administration . In May 1990, the owner was honored in Washington, D.C. at

1410-409: The following destinations in Alaska (as of February 2011): Other destinations in Alaska (not on schedule as of June 2009): Floatplane A floatplane is a type of seaplane with one or more slender floats mounted under the fuselage to provide buoyancy . By contrast, a flying boat uses its fuselage for buoyancy. Either type of seaplane may also have landing gear suitable for land, making

1457-526: The head of the Portland Canal , a 130-mile (210 km) long fjord which forms a portion of the border at the southeastern edge of the Alaska Panhandle . It sits about 2 miles (3.2 km) from Stewart, British Columbia , by road, and 75 miles (121 km) from Ketchikan by air. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the CDP has a total area of 14.8 square miles (38 km ), all land. Hyder has

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1504-541: The island was recently reduced to one day a week to save money. "Without a reasonable transportation base, the island's going to be damaged, the economy's going to be damaged and lifestyle's going to be damaged," Briggs said...Blood samples taken at the clinic must be thrown out if they can't get to the lab in Ketchikan on time...The Craig City Council is asking the governor for assistance in the form of increased ferry service. Flights continued only for government contracts while

1551-519: The mountains and back, during which time the floatplane lands on water in a remote area, and tourists step out on the plane's pontoon. In May 2019, two Taquan flights were involved in fatality accidents one week apart. After the second crash on May 20, the NTSB initiated a separate overall investigation of Taquan Air in addition to the accident investigations; the airline declined to comment. Taquan Air suspended all flights on May 21. Amid increased oversight by

1598-440: The name, and the lease in Ketchikan. Taquan Air gained business with U.S. Postal Service contracts for mail routes serving Hyder , Hydaburg , and Behm Canal . Scheduled passenger flights resumed in 2001, also, the airline was awarded the U.S. Forest Service Air Service Contract in both 2000 and 2003 and continues to hold a U.S. Forest Service contract. In October 2007, Taquan moved into a new terminal and hangar building, close to

1645-466: The new venture in March by dedicating one of the planes as The Spirit of Juneau . AirOne commenced operation on June 1, 1998, and began non-stop service from Ketchikan to Juneau . Another route connected Canadian Airlines ' hub at Prince Rupert Airport in British Columbia with Alaska Airlines ' flights at Ketchikan. But Taquan Air experienced its first fatal crash with a passenger in August 1998. A new CEO

1692-492: The number of flying boats being built. However, many modern civilian aircraft have floatplane variants, most offered as third-party modifications under a supplemental type certificate (STC), although there are several aircraft manufacturers that build floatplanes from scratch. These floatplanes have found their niche as one type of bush plane , for light duty transportation to lakes and other remote areas as well as to small/hilly islands without proper airstrips. They may operate on

1739-567: The only direct public transportation between Hyder and the rest of Alaska. There are few local services in town: Hyder's public utilities are imported from Canada. Electricity is maintained by a subsidiary of BC Hydro, the Tongass Power and Light Company as part of a long-term contract with the town. While most of Alaska is in area code 907 , Hyder shares the Stewart 749 exchange in area code 236 , 636 in area code 250 , and 794 in area code 778 . Alaska State Troopers occasionally patrol

1786-556: The ownership looked for a buyer, which occurred in April 2000 (see below). By 2001, Kootznoowoo had divested all of its operating companies, including both the aviation and the timber businesses, and had become a holding company. The general manager for Taquan between 1997 and 2000 had come on board when Taquan acquired the assets of his family's business, Ketchikan Air. He now created a company Venture Travel, LLC. Venture Travel, LLC acquired assets from Taquan in April 2000, including five planes,

1833-459: The program. Senator Stevens presented awards to Taquan in 2005 and 2008. On July 24, 2007, a Taquan Air tour flight, operating a float-equipped de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver and carrying the pilot and four passengers from a cruise ship, impacted mountainous terrain with no survivors. An estimate is that in 2007, 900,000 cruise-ship tourists visited Ketchikan . At the time of this accident, Taquan had commitments regarding sightseeing with each of

1880-657: The sale of assets and layoffs in 1999. New ownership in 2000 kept the company name alive, and Taquan remains known for their floatplanes. Taquan Air's flight schedule provides for the delivery of US Mail, and includes service to the fourth-largest island in the US, Prince of Wales Island ; and the easternmost town in Alaska, Hyder . An accident in 2007 associated with a raincloud has led to the installation of weather cameras throughout Alaska. Taquan Air, along with other Ketchikan flight services, provides "flightseeing" tours over pristine Misty Fjords National Monument , and bear viewings within

1927-532: The town, but do not have a base there. In 1996, a fire consumed the community building which contained the library, post office and fire hall. The Hyder Volunteer Fire Department was originally formed in 1921. The department was reestablished and registered with the Alaska Department of Public Safety in 2023 after a 25 year absence. There is currently no emergency medical services established yet in Hyder. A Canada Border Services Agency customs post

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1974-412: The vehicle an amphibious aircraft . British usage is to call floatplanes "seaplanes" rather than use the term "seaplane" to refer to both floatplanes and flying boats. Since World War II and the advent of helicopters, advanced aircraft carriers and land-based aircraft, military seaplanes have stopped being used. This, coupled with the increased availability of civilian airstrips, has greatly reduced

2021-407: Was 1 Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 47 households, out of which 9 had children under the age of 18 living with them, 24 were married couples living together, 1 had a female householder with no husband present, and 21 were non-families. 19 of all households were made up of individuals, and 3 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.06 and

2068-427: Was chosen as the central part of its same-named census-designated place (CDP) in 1980. As of the census of 2000, there were 97 people, 47 households, and 25 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 6.5 inhabitants per square mile (2.5/km ). There were 72 housing units at an average density of 4.9 per square mile (1.9/km ). The racial makeup of the CDP was 93 White , and 4 from two or more races. There

2115-666: Was chosen for Kootznoowoo in July, who had to deal with a "precipitous decline" ( Juneau Empire ) in the company's outlook. The new CEO foreshadowed future events with the announcement at the shareholders meeting in October 1998, "there is less capital available for new investments." The costs of FAR 121 certification and a slump in the lumber industry led to the AirOne operation ceasing on February 14, 1999. Taquan Air liquidated assets and closed their Sitka hub. Kootznoowoo Inc., acquired full ownership of

2162-438: Was now the largest floatplane company in the world, and the second largest commuter airline in Alaska, having boarded 243,000 people in 1997. This was when Taquan decided to expand from FAR 135 air taxi operation to FAR 121 airline operation. After spending a year to become FAR 121 certified, and buying a couple of British Aerospace Jetstream 32 's, the new service was branded as AirOne. The mayor of Juneau helped launch

2209-446: Was to develop cue-based training for commercial air tour pilots in responding to changing local weather conditions. A-08-62 first needed the completion of A-08-61, and recommended that pilots be required to take the training. Initial plans were to install 139 weather cameras in Alaska by 2014. Taquan Air is one of several local services to provide air tours of the nearby Misty Fjords National Monument . These flights are associated with

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