Bush plane

Bush plane


Hallo Bay Beach


Bush plane landing at camp


Hallo Bay International airstrip


Bear on beach airstrip

Hallo Bay Bear Camp
907-235-2237
hallobay@acsalaska.net

Air Taxi From Homer To Hallo Bay


Upon Booking your Hallo Bay Tour, our office will make a tentative flight reservation
on your behalf with a FAA certified bush plane air service operating within the camp
flight schedule. When we receive your confirming trip payment, we will then re-confirm your bush plane flight.

Rate

The fare per person from Homer to Hallo Bay is $225.00, and the return flight from
Hallo Bay to Homer is $225.00 per person. $450.00 total round trip per person.

Check In

It is very important that you check in with our office the day before your scheduled
flight to Hallo Bay.  This tells us that you made it to Homer and allows our pilot to
provide you with additional information you may require prior to your flight.

Flight Information

Cessna 206 bush plane aircraft are used for the 135-mile flight from Homer to Hallo
Bay. These are wheeled aircraft that depart Homer Airport on a beautiful and scenic
flight, which terminates with a beach landing 200 feet from our facilities where Camp personnel will be awaiting your arrival.

Weight Information

Be aware that there are weight limitations on charter aircraft and you, your camera equipment and luggage will be weighed prior to flight departure. The normal weight allowance is 200# per person including luggage.  Or if you are traveling as a couple,
the combined weight can be up to 400#.

It is a good idea to make prior arrangements in Homer to store any excess luggage.
It is also wise to inquire of specific requirements regarding the weight allowances
and handling of excess luggage or freight items well in advance. Do not wait until
the day you fly to address excess weight issues.

Bush Planes

This season, we will be chartering bush planes from two local companies,
Smokey Bay Air and Palmer Air.

Arrival at Hallo Bay Camp

With the luggage and camera gear that you bring, just remember when you land
at our camp, you will need to be able to carry all of your luggage and gear from the
beach up the small incline of a hill to the camp in one trip. The staff at Hallo Bay are
not allowed to help the guests carry any of their gear.

Packing for Your Flight

Alaska bush planes are not commercial airlines.  When we fly with the commercial
airlines many of us attempt to utilize the two largest bags possible within the two
bag checked luggage limit airlines allow. The worst case scenario with commercial
airlines is that they may charge you for oversize or over weight bags and even
excess baggage, but your bags will still be able to go with you. This will not be
the case with Alaska bush planes.

Alaska bush planes do not have the flexibility of taking unplanned additional
weight, baggage or passengers. When traveling by bush planes one must
understand that bush planes are designed to land on primitive landing strips,
thus weight and seat limitations of the aircraft are strictly enforced by safety
conscious pilots who will not vary from this.

If you do not plan with us in advance for dealing with any excess weights
(over 200# body & luggage per person) and believe that the bush plane operator
will just have to deal with it when you arrive, you are in for a unpleasant surprise.  
In reality what will happen is that either you or some of your luggage will not go on
the scheduled flight. Since your bush plane flight is a scheduled charter flight, an additional flight to handle excess baggage or an over the weight limit condition
sometimes may not be available for several days.  If an aircraft/flight is available,
you will be faced with paying the cost for the entire flight and you must consider
you will face the same difficulty on your return.
 
Luggage in small bush planes is stored for transport in two areas of the aircraft,
in the belly pod and in a small cargo area.  Soft duffel bags are best suited for
most of your luggage when you travel in Alaska. A good shoulder strap on your
duffle bag makes carrying your bags to and from the camp much easier as well.  
Our recommended size for all duffle bags is no larger than 30" long by 15" in
diameter.  Cameras should have a proper case which will protect them.

Passengers will be allowed to carry a small bag or camera which they may keep near them and easily accessible. Small being considered something in the size of a fanny
pack, anything larger will need to go into the pod or under the cargo netting.

What Not To Bring
__Do not bring any type of Bear spray, pepper spray or Bear mace (any guest caught bringing these items will have their trip terminated immediately).
__Absolutely no firearms of any kind.

Information for Half Day Bear Trip Guests

The price of the aircraft is included in the Half Day Bear Tour price. There is no additional air cost for the Half Day Bear Tour.

The Half Day Bear Tour groups, with our naturalist guide, do not get flown to our base wilderness camp in Katmai but are flown to a different bear viewing area approximately
5 miles from the camp. The reason for this is that the Half Day Bear Tours land near the areas where the bears are concentrated at any given time to best insure visitors the opportunity to observe them in the very limited time offered by the Half Day Bear Tours. There are, however, no buildings, platforms or walkways in this entire area so please
be prepared to experience a wilderness area.

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