We are proud to base our air operation out of the Grand River Municipal Airpark

Introducing the pride of the Grand Haven Whale Watching Air Fleet – Tail Wing

Picture of Tail Wing’s past life as an Air-India passenger plane in the late 50’s courtesy of Jim Halley

One of the most exciting options for watching the wales will be our partially restored DC-3  that we like to call Tail Wing.  Once you board this bird you will only be 5 minutes from take off to your first observations of the whales.  We selected the DC-3 as our primary fixed-wing excursion vehicle because of its economical cost of acquisition, large capacity (can seat 32 passengers in the standard seating arrangement and 18 passengers when configured in the lounge mode).

Our particular DC-3 has a rich history.  It first served as an Air-India passenger plane until the late 50s when it was sold to the Venezuelan Air Force where it was in active use as an air limousine for foreign dignitaries traveling the South American countryside.  Then around 1980, it was sold to an air salvage yard in Arizona.  That is where we found the plane during an auction in 2014.

We fell in love with this beauty the first time we saw it and the restoration has been a labor of love.   Our lead mechanic, Felix Fashewski, is leading a crew of 20 volunteers (thanks to our volunteers) who hope to have this baby ready to fly by the launch of 2019 season on June 20th.  If you have any experience in mechanics, painting, upholstery, furniture design or interior design, please contact Felix about volunteer opportunities by emailing him at: felix@grandhavenwhalewatching.com .

For those interested in a more economical and adventuresome trip, try a ride in our ultra-light (expected to be completed May 20, 2017)

While not an actual picture of our plane, this is an image of the way Francis expects the plane to look when completed.

Felix’s grandson Francis Fashewski is currently enrolled as a sophomore in Ozark Regional Technical School of Aviation and Horticulture.  As part of his semester project, he decided to build a small custom designed small plane that will run on deep fryer grease that we recover from Ray’s Drive-In.  

This plane will allow for a pilot and one passenger.  It is possible to bring two more people along if they are not claustrophobic, under 134 pounds (average) and willing to sit on the pilot’s lap.

The best part about this particular ride is the large windows and exciting takeoffs and landings.  Even if you do not see any whales, this particular flight will be something you will be talking about for a long time.

Are you looking for work as a pilot?  If so, we may be looking for you.

We offer adventure, fun and the ability to make people happy while you fly.  You will also not be subjected to all of the annoying security reviews required of more traditional airline jobs.  This position requires a good knowledge of water-based mammals, the ability to fly at really low speeds and telling funny jokes.  If you are seriously interested in a fun flying job, apply using our new LinkedIn page.