Each year pilots from around the state show off their piloting chops in the Valdez fly-in short takeoff and landing competition. For these pilots flying isn’t just means of transportation, it’s a way of life.
These skills aren’t just used for bragging rights, they’re essential for flying in Alaska–whether they’re landing on a remote beach or taking off of a glacier. Meet four talented pilots with one big thing in common, their love of flying their super cub plane.
Video by: Hanna Craig, Kaysie Ellingson and Eric Keto
Kaysie Ellingson got her start as a video producer while attending the University of Southern California for her Master’s Degree in journalism. What started out as a pursuit to become an international reporter for papers became a desire to produce documentaries.While at USC she took on many video projects ranging from various freelancing gigs to starting a web series, ClefCity, where viewers could catch interviews with popular (not mainstream) musicians. But it was her work at IMPACT, the university’s video newsmagazine, that had the heaviest hand in propelling her into video production. She graduated in May 2014 and having never been to Alaska, moved up in the winter of 2015 to work at Alaska Public Media as a video producer.One random bit of information is that prior to graduate school Ellingson worked as a Peace Corps volunteer teaching English in Kazakhstan. Some of her fondest memories involve drinking fermented horse milk, testing out how many people can actually fit into a car and of course entertaining her students with her horrible Kazakh speaking skills. She hopes to return someday soon. In the meantime she is enjoying the similar climate of Alaska.Kellingson (at) alaskapublic (dot) org | 907.550.8419 | About Kaysie
