Lake Country Air and Beaver Air Tours Continuing Seaplane Tours

The business does around 50-60 flights per week and gives visitors and locals the chance to see Duluth from a birds-eye view.

DULUTH, Minn. – Lake Country Air and Beaver Air Tours, located at the end of Park Point, has been giving people a birds-eye view of Duluth since 2008.

“I decided to buy it but had to figure out how to pay for it so I started a business that I could use to pay for the airplane. And then it turned into a full-time job,” former owner and pilot John Justad said.

Justad sold the business back in January, but the tours will still continue.

“It started with an interest in aviation when I was younger. We came across John [Justad] and his operation at Sky Harbor and we were able to purchase a Beaver and a business so it was really exciting for all of us to look at the options as we move forward,” new owner Jesse Starkson said.

Lake Country Air and Beaver Air Tours does around 50 to 60 flights a week to visitors and locals of all ages.

“It’s neat because there’s people that have lived here all their life and take the tour and say ‘oh I didn’t know that was there’,” Justad said.

“With so many other restrictions on family vacations being changed over COVID-19 related items, we’ve seen a huge increase in local guests joining us which is great, because a lot of local guests haven’t seen how beautiful it is in the air around here,” Starkson added.

It gives both guests and pilots the chance to learn and see new parts of Duluth from a unique perspective.

“If somebody points out a little feature or what an old building was used for or something like that, you’re probably going to remember that and pass it along so the local flyers have been really integral in how I’ve been able to learn the area really well,” Justad said.

With new ownership, Lake Country Air and Beaver Air Tours is hoping to continue to grow and show guests the unseen beauty of Duluth.

“This business was built on local tourism, which we do definitely want to support, but we’re excited to branch out into operating more of the charter work, as nobody in the state does that at all. Sky Harbor is the best seaplane base that we could possibly ask for,” Starkson said.

To book a tour or flight, visit their website.