Era Alaska: getting excited for the future.

• Author: Kalytiak, Tracy
• Position: 2010 Alaska's Top 49ERS: Still Growing Strong

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Until recently, Frontier Flying Service, Hageland Aviation Services, Era Aviation and Arctic Circle Air Service existed as separate companies that, depending on each one's specialty, busily whisked passengers or cargo to destinations all over Alaska. Now, thanks to a lightning-quick series of combinations and acquisitions, the four operate under one brand, Era Alaska.

"What we've done in the last three years is the equivalent of me walking up to 29 hanging tires swinging randomly in a row, shooting an arrow through and hitting a bull's-eye," said Era Alaska CEO Robert Hajdukovich.

This feat helped Era Alaska garner 30th place on Alaska Business Monthly's list of the Top 49 Alaskan-owned and -operated revenue earners in the state.

According to figures released by Era Alaska, its revenues in 2008 were $124 million. Last year, revenues were listed as $117 million. The company employs about 775 people.

"The acquisitions and combinations were more a matter of timing and stars aligning than they were of precognitive planning," Hajdukovich said.

MULTIPLE ACQUISITIONS

Robert Hajdukovich originally steered the operations of Frontier Flying Service, a Fairbanks-based air commuter, postal and charter company his father, John Hajdukovich, bought in 1974.

In 2008, Frontier combined with Hageland Aviation Services, forming a holding company known as HoTH Inc. HoTH is an acronym rhyming with "broth" that combines the first letters ofthe last names of John Hajdukovich, Hageland president James Tweto and founder L. Michael Hageland, Hajdukovich said.

HoTH acquired 61-year-old Era Aviation in the spring of 2009. and in October 2009, acquired 100 percent of the common stock of Arctic Circle Air Service.

That latter acquisition brought with it two Shorts 330 "Sherpa" cargo aircraft, which can accommodate payloads up to 5,000 pounds and 1,250 cubic feet of cargo space. They have a range of up to 700 miles, speeds up to 190 mph and can haul small cars, midsize pickups and assorted tracked vehicles.

NEW OPPORTUNITIES

"This brings in a whole new era, a new opportunity to offer service unavailable before because of size restrictions," said Don Singsaas, director of cargo and logistics for Era Alaska. Singsaas had been Arctic Circle Air's director of operations. "They would be able to do one snowmachine at a time, but items 25-30 feet long, big siding material, they weren't able to handle. Not all villages have forklifts to load and unload...