Bering Air is an American airline headquartered in Nome, Alaska, United States. It operates domestic scheduled passenger and charter airline services, as well as air ambulance and helicopter services. Its main base is Nome Airport, with hubs at Ralph Wien Memorial Airport (Kotzebue) and Unalakleet Airport.
History In early 1975, Jim Rowe and three college friends embarked on a journey from northern Michigan, and traveled across America in a Cessna 195, landing in Mexico's Baja California peninsula, and eventually settling on the beaches of Nome, Alaska. A few years later, in September 1979, Bering Air was established. It commenced operations on October 3, 1979, with a single De Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter. Later, in 1983, with instigation of the increasingly popular bypass mail system, the airline added other small aircraft, including the Piper Navajo, Beech 18, and Piper Seneca. Bering Air, in favor of modern, turbine powered aircraft, later phased out aircraft equipped with radial engines. Thus, the Beechcraft King Air 200, Beechcraft 1900D, Cessna Caravan, and CASA C-212 were introduced. Furthermore, off airport duties were transferred to helicopters, instead of older piston powered aircraft. In 2015, the airline upgraded its fleet with eight Cessna 208EX Grand Caravan aircraft replacing its older Cessna 208B aircraft. Today, the airline is wholly owned by Jim Rowe (President) and Christine Rowe.
In July 2020 Bering Air bought at Ravn Alaska's bankruptcy auction the facilities in Aniak, Kotzebue, Nome and Unalakleet.
Fleet As of February 2025, the Bering Air fleet consists of the following aircraft:
+ Bering Air fleetAircraftTotalPassengersNotes Piper PA-31 Navajo49Cessna Caravan EX179Cessna 408 SkyCourier4 (as of August 2025)0CargoBeechcraft 1900D4(as of August 2025)19"Combi" configuration on scheduled flightsBeechcraft King Air 20049Air ambulance configurationCASA 212-20020CargoMD Helicopter MD 500E33 AS 350B3 2Long Line capable UH-1H Huey 2Robinson R44 Raven II33Also operates two R44s for Twin Peak Adventures.Bell UH-1H Iroquois215Airbus Helicopters H12525
Retired fleet Bering Air has previously operated the following aircraft: + Bering Air retired fleetAircraftReplacementDe Havilland Canada DHC-3 OtterCessna 208B CaravanDe Havilland Canada DHC-2 BeaverCessna 206/207Cessna 208B CaravanCessna Caravan EXBeechcraft 18CASA C-212Piper SenecaMitsubishi MU-2Piper PA-31 Navajo
Community services Bering Air, along with Grant Aviation, Frontier Flying Service, Northern Air Cargo, PenAir, and Ryan Air Services, participates in the Flying Can service, which allows rural Alaskan communities to recycle aluminum cans and now number 1 PET bottles in cooperation with Alaskans for Litter Prevention and Recycling.
Bering Air provides free delivery on scheduled flights for Airport Pizza, a pizzeria at Nome Airport that takes orders from remote locations served by Bering Air.
Destinations Passenger and cargo charter services are flown from Kotzebue and Nome to destinations throughout the United States, and Russia.
Domestic Bering Air offers scheduled passenger service to 29 cities in Western Alaska from hubs in Nome, Kotzebue and Unalakleet.
Ambler (ABL) – Ambler Airport Brevig Mission (KTS) – Brevig Mission Airport Buckland (BKC) – Buckland Airport Cape Lisburne (LUR) – Cape Lisburne LRRS Airport Deering (DRG) – Deering Airport Elim (ELI) – Elim Airport Gambell (GAM) – Gambell Airport Golovin (GLV) – Golovin Airport Kiana (IAN) – Bob Baker Memorial Airport Kivalina (KVL) – Kivalina Airport Kobuk (OBU) – Kobuk Airport Kotzebue (OTZ) – Ralph Wien Memorial Airport Koyuk (KKA) – Koyuk Alfred Adams Airport Noatak (WTK) – Noatak Airport Nome (OME) – Nome Airport Noorvik (ORV) – Robert (Bob) Curtis Memorial Airport Point Hope (PHO) – Point Hope Airport St. Michael (SMK) – St. Michael Airport Savoonga (SVA) – Savoonga Airport Selawik (WLK) – Selawik Airport Shaktoolik (SKK) – Shaktoolik Airport Shishmaref (SHH) – Shishmaref Airport Shungnak (SHG) – Shungnak Airport Stebbins (WBB) – Stebbins Airport Teller (TLA) – Teller Airport Tin City (TNC) – Tin City LRRS Airport Unalakleet (UNK) – Unalakleet Airport Wales (WAA) – Wales Airport White Mountain (WMO) – White Mountain Airport
Former destinations Council (CIL) – Council Airport Diomede (DIO) – Diomede Island Airport (ice runway, winter only) Port Clarence (KPC) – Port Clarence Coast Guard Station
International Bering Air offered charter service from Nome and Anchorage to Anadyr and Provideniya in the Russian Far East. This service is currently suspended.
Accidents and incidents December 10, 1987 – N9979M, an air taxi cargo flight Cessna 207 Skywagon, crashed into mountains due to bad weather conditions, killing the pilot. January 5, 1993 – N900YH, a Mitsubishi MU-2, crashed into the Bering Sea due to fuel starvation, injuring the pilot. December 18, 1995 – N340K, a Beechcraft G18S, crashed into the ground due to an in-flight fire shortly after takeoff from Nome Airport, injuring the pilot. September 8, 1997 – N1123R, a Cessna 208 Caravan, collided with a Cessna 402 while preparing to depart from Buckland Airport. All 17 people on board both planes were evacuated uninjured. March 2, 2003 – N205BA, a Cessna 208 Caravan, crashed into snow-covered sea ice due to a whiteout condition. The pilot was injured and the aircraft was repaired. October 24, 2005 – N1263Y, a Cessna 208 Caravan, crashed into the ground due to pilot error. The two pilots were injured and the aircraft was repaired. September 18, 2009 – N349TA, a CASA C-212 Aviocar, overran runway 05 at Savoonga Airport. The two pilots were evacuated uninjured and the aircraft was repaired. October 21, 2017 – N363JH, an air ambulance Beechcraft B200, made a belly landing at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. All four people on board were evacuated uninjured and the aircraft was repaired. February 6, 2025 – Bering Air Flight 445, a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, crashed onto ice around Norton Sound with 10 people on board. The pilot and the nine passengers perished.
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