Airplane photographer award| Alaskafoto- environmental portrait & portrait photographers of Alaska
Orin Seybert, founder of PenAir left and Matt Atkinson, AACA president right, at the presentation of the Master Pilot Award from the Federal Aviation Administration at the Alaska Air Carriers Association’s Convention banquet Feb.23, at the Capt. Cook Hotel in Anchorage, AK. Photo by Rob Stapleton/Alaskafoto

Seybert and Penair Story-

Orin Seybert was awarded the Master Pilot Award at the Alaska Air Carriers Association in front of dozens of his family members and Alaska aviation industry owners and pilots by the Federal Aviation Administration. Seybert also awarded the AACA Pilot of the Year Award

Orin Seybert founded Peninsula Airways in 1955. He was 19 years old, living in Pilot Point, Alaska and owned a 1946 two-seat Taylorcraft. In 1956, a four-seat Piper Tri-Pacer was purchased, and the company was officially named Peninsula Airways. Today, the airline is one of the largest regional airlines in Alaska and one of the largest leasers of the Saab 340 aircraft in the United States.

With its headquarters in Anchorage, Alaska, PenAir currently employs over 500 employees system-wide. In 2012, PenAir branched out to the East Coast serving routes from Boston to Presque Isle, Maine, Bar Harbor, Maine and Plattsburgh, New York. With nearly 45 flights per week, they employ over 55 individuals throughout the Northern East Coast region.