AlaskaZona Adventures was started in 2016 by Eric Rovey. Having been a pilot for 10 years and working as a bush pilot in Alaska for three years solidified Eric's future in aviation and he wants to share that love with others! Eric grew up on a family owned dairy farm in Arizona and has been to every corner of the state many times. Eric started his flying career in a two seat family Citabria in 2009.
Shortly thereafter the family farm was expanding to the west about thirty miles away, so Eric would fly to the remote farms during the time he managed the daily farming operations. The first time Eric was paid to fly was doing Grand Canyon, Lake Powell, and Monument Valley tours.
"My goal was always to get up to Alaska but never knew how to do it until the chance fell in my lap".
Then in 2014 Eric was offered a job giving glacier landing tours in Denali National Park in a Turbo Beaver!
"I landed in Fairbanks on July 1 and two weeks later I was giving tours around Denali, it was the coolest job in the world".
He worked two summers in Denali NP, and then Alaska called him back. This time to the Southeast in Juneau where Eric was flying for a small regional airline. He absolutely loved Juneau... except when it rained for two weeks straight! Throughout the last several years Eric had the idea for AlaskaZona brewing but never had the means or the know how to fulfill the dream. While flying over 2000 hours in Alaska gave him more experience, this meant Eric was away from family and friends back in Arizona. This is when the idea for AlaskaZona was truly born.
We bring the Alaska flying experience to the desert so Arizonans and visitors to our great state can experience a real Alaskan bush plane, and a real Alaskan experienced pilot!
All of this happening right in their own back yard or during a vacation to the greatest place "down south"!
Shortly thereafter the family farm was expanding to the west about thirty miles away, so Eric would fly to the remote farms during the time he managed the daily farming operations. The first time Eric was paid to fly was doing Grand Canyon, Lake Powell, and Monument Valley tours.
"My goal was always to get up to Alaska but never knew how to do it until the chance fell in my lap".
Then in 2014 Eric was offered a job giving glacier landing tours in Denali National Park in a Turbo Beaver!
"I landed in Fairbanks on July 1 and two weeks later I was giving tours around Denali, it was the coolest job in the world".
He worked two summers in Denali NP, and then Alaska called him back. This time to the Southeast in Juneau where Eric was flying for a small regional airline. He absolutely loved Juneau... except when it rained for two weeks straight! Throughout the last several years Eric had the idea for AlaskaZona brewing but never had the means or the know how to fulfill the dream. While flying over 2000 hours in Alaska gave him more experience, this meant Eric was away from family and friends back in Arizona. This is when the idea for AlaskaZona was truly born.
We bring the Alaska flying experience to the desert so Arizonans and visitors to our great state can experience a real Alaskan bush plane, and a real Alaskan experienced pilot!
All of this happening right in their own back yard or during a vacation to the greatest place "down south"!
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Meet Your Pilot!
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Eric Rovey
Growing up in Glendale, AZ I was first introduced to flight as a little kid in my uncle's Cessna 185 and having 19 pilots in my family, flying is in my blood. I got my initial license in 2009 and started flying professionally in 2014. Now I'm living out my dream and sharing my love for flight, beautiful scenery, and great adventures in the great outdoors. Bringing the Alaska Experience to Arizona, it's "Alaska Down South"!! |
