Pike's Landing in College in Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska — Northwest (North America)
Wien Alaska Airlines Fairchild-71 1941 Spring Operations at Pike's Landing
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., August 17, 2024
1. Wien Alaska Airlines Fairchild-71 1941 Spring Operations at Pike's Landing Marker
Image captured from 16mm film of the 1941 annual spring float test of the Wien Fairchild 71 at Pike's Landing. According to Noel Wien's son Richard, the plane was towed from Weeks Field to Pike's Landing for the test run. He also said that Pike's Landing Seaplane Base was favored for larger freight loads being handled by floatplanes at that time.
Pike's Landing is registered Seaplane Base No. 50215.C. The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reported during the 1968 calendar year there was an estimated 1,500 operations that were conducted from this base. This seaplane base is still listed as active today.
[Bottom left caption reads]
Pike's Landing Airport Club Advertisement September 1951
The landing was also the home of the Airport Club which was built by Lloyd Pike in 1948. In those days, this location was beyond the outskirts of town. The Airport Club served up food and beverages for the adventuresome wayfarers that came by automobile, plane, and boat in the summer season. It soon became the place for summer group social activities as the site and its amenities grew in the ensuing years.
[Bottom right caption reads]
Fairbanks News-Miner Advertisement for Wien Alaska Airlines Inc., July 1938
This is the first mention of Wien Alaska Airlines using pontoon floats on their Fairchild 71. The floats would be removed in the fall and reinstalled every spring for the summer flying season.
Erected by Pike's Waterfront Lodge.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Communications • Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical month for this entry is July 1938.
Location. 64° 49.93′ N, 147° 50.727′ W. Marker is in College, Alaska, in Fairbanks North Star Borough. It is in Pike's Landing. It is on Hoselton Road 0.2 miles north of Airport Way,
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in the Alaska Railroad Corridor, in the Athabascan Region, and in Interior Alaska. It is also on the American Pacific Coast. Globally, it is in North America, the Pacific Rim, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Russian Empire.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Story of Noel Wien and Cessna Aircraft in Alaska (here, next to this marker); The Story of Cliff Everts, His Flying Machines and Our DC-6 (here, next to this marker); Carnation Evaporated Milk (within shouting distance of this marker); Edward M. Keyes (within shouting distance of this marker); Charles Hendrickson (within shouting distance of this marker); William Salmon & August Conradt (within shouting distance of this marker); Whiskers (within shouting distance of this marker); Alphonso L'Kievicz (within shouting distance
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., August 17, 2024
2. Noel Wien and his Cessna 140 Memorial
Also see . . .
1. Wien Fairchild 71 at Weeks Field, Fairbanks on YouTube. (Submitted on September 16, 2024, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)
2. The Story Of US Carrier Wien Air Alaska (Simple Flying, 2022). (Submitted on September 16, 2024, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., August 17, 2024
3. Wien Alaska Airlines Fairchild-71 1941 Spring Operations at Pike's Landing Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on September 23, 2024. It was originally submitted on September 16, 2024, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 206 times since then and 29 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 16, 2024, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.
