Taquan Air spreads its wings.

• Author: Bonham, Nicole A.
• Position: Alaska

Flying a lazy arc over the Tongass Narrows and blustery Nichols Passage, Taquan Air founder and CEO Jerry Scudero flew the milk-run to Metlakatla recently, guiding his Beaver to a silky landing at the dock where he started the company 20 years ago.

At the controls of one of the state's fastest-growing air services, Scudero savors the odd chance to fly a route, especially one that's headed to his childhood haunt and ancestral home on Annette Island.

"When I was a kid - it wasn't this very same dock, but it was located in the same place - the airplanes used to come in and out, and (Southeast pilot) Ed Todd, he'd come through," Scudero recalled. "One day, I was the only kid down here and he said, 'Come on, kid.' We got in the airplane and he took me up flying...that was my highlight. A turning point."

Now, second only to Anchorage's Era Aviation in terms of passenger count for small, scheduled air-carriers, Taquan Air is spreading its wings as a regional force in Southeast, most recently acquiring the assets of competitor Ketchikan Air, including eight more aircraft, three hangars and several travel agency sites.

That brings the company's totals to 28 planes, mostly on floats, 175 employees and an annual payroll of $4.2 million. In 1995, Taquan carried more than 125,000 passengers. That figure jumped another 2,000 last year.

Scudero and wife Candi have taken the company from a single Cessna 185 amphibian, flying freight and passengers between Metlakatla and Ketchikan, to its current status as a regional giant. Taquan Air now provides scheduled service to more than 30 destinations, including a regional base in Sitka, and daily flights during the summer to British Columbia.

"If you were to ask 19 years ago, I'd have said I was happy with my one airplane," Scudero said. "But I guess you just take the opportunities as they arise. No, I probably wouldn't have thought we'd be where we are today."

This year's move to expand was facilitated by a partnership with the Juneau-based Native corporation of Angoon, Kootznoowoo Inc., which was looking to diversify its interests in Southeast. The alliance solidifies a long-standing relationship between the two parties, said Kootznoowoo CEO Ritchie Campbell.

"Even in the early days, Kootznoowoo was an important customer of Jerry's, as we were involved in the timber industry and Jerry was flying Kootznoowoo people over to the timber lands," he said. "It's not that we just became acquainted with Jerry and Taquan.

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