Preparing for takeoff

COEUR d'ALENE — The maiden voyage of Brooke's Seaplane with No Limits Aviation's Shane Rogers at the helm will take flight Thursday, July 14.

"I am giddy, actually. I am literally giddy," Rogers said Wednesday in his office at the end of the Independence Point dock in downtown Coeur d'Alene. "It was phenomenal flying in here. We flew in last Monday."

He said as many as 300 locals flocked to the dock when the new-to-the-fleet 1954 Beechcraft 18 arrived.

"A lot of emotion, a lot of tears. It was pretty spectacular seeing it," he said. "I am really looking forward to that first flight. It's been a long time coming."

Rogers explained the Beech 18 was used as a corporate plane when they were first made in the 1930s and into the 1950s.

“It’s a lot bigger airplane, a lot more comfortable than the Beaver, historically,” he said, referring to another popular floatplane model that flies over Lake Coeur d'Alene.

The white-and-baby-blue aircraft now at the dock was owned by Jeno Paulucci, a Midwest mogul of frozen and canned foods.

"He built two of these and he utilized that to run people back and forth into Canada. He had a retreat up there," Rogers said. "The airplane had been in Duluth, Minn. for about 50 years."

Brooke's Seaplane was absent from the skies in 2021 as Rogers finalized the acquisition of the company, the leasing of the dock and insurance requirements.

“Aviation insurance as a whole right now is difficult,” Rogers said. "We had an insurance uphill battle last year."

When everything was approved, only a few weeks of optimal weather for flying remained, so the operation stayed grounded for the season.

The uncharacteristically cold and wet spring North Idaho experienced this year played a role in delaying the 2022 season.

“In aviation, nothing ever should be rushed,” Rogers said. "We take our time and make it happen and go from there."

This will be the first time Brooke's Seaplane will be seen in the skies since the July 5, 2020 midair collision over Lake Coeur d'Alene that claimed eight lives, including that of late owner Neil Lunt.

Rogers said he was apprehensive about how the community would perceive the return of the seaplanes after the tragedy. He said instead of pushback, he has received an unbelievable amount of support from the community, of which Brooke's Seaplane has been a part since July 4, 1946.

“We’ve got fifth- and sixth-generation family members coming back,” Rogers said. "We had people here after the flyby on the Fourth in tears, saying, ‘I can’t believe you're back, thank goodness, we missed the sound.' I thought there was going to be more concern than what we’ve seen so far."

He said he and his team have invested more into safety measures, electronics and lights to help prevent a similar incident from happening in the future.

"It’s something that happened that was a tragedy, but out of that tragedy is the phoenix rising, if you will," Rogers said.

As Rogers discussed plans for the season, visitors stopped by to admire the Beech 18. Lia Smazik and her mom, Mary Hasbargen, of Auburn, Wash., come from a family that loves aviation.

"I’ve always had an appreciation for aircraft," said Smazik, who is dating an air ambulance pilot.

She said it's a great thing to have seaplanes return over Lake Coeur d'Alene.

"I know COVID shut a lot of things down," she said. "To have it open again is good for the whole community and to make it feel like the world’s going back to normal again, like it was before."

The Beaver seaplane will again be a familiar sight this summer, as well as a small, single-engine, two-person plane used for training.

“I’m really excited just about being able to get an airplane back here,” Rogers said. “It’s not me, it’s not a Rogers or a Brooke's thing anymore. It’s just part of our community. It’s a staple."