McFarlane Aviation Unites Iconic Backcountry Brands

For many backcountry pilots, the pinnacle of rugged, adventurous flying takes place in the Alaskan bush, where the state’s roughly 100,000 glaciers and 39 mountain ranges make for a visually stunning experience but a uniquely challenging one dissimilar to any other encounter in the Lower 48.

Luckily, the adventurers regularly canvassing this terrain can now find their essential backcountry needs all under one umbrella.

On Monday, McFarlane Aviation announced the launch of its new brand, McFarlane Alaska, that consolidates two essential backcountry outfits, Alaskan Bushwheels and Airframes Alaska. Aircraft parts from both product lines will be available from McFarlane Alaska’s retail location in Palmer, Alaska, along with products and solutions obtainable from a broader range of aviation companies managed by Victor Sierra, McFarlane’s parent company. 

“I’m incredibly proud of the company we’ve built and the products that Alaska pilots have trusted for years,” said Sean McLaughlin, CEO of Alaskan Bushwheels and Airframes Alaska, in a news release. “McFarlane Alaska ensures the legacy of these great brands continues. Their commitment to quality and customer support makes them the right team to preserve what we’ve created and bring these products to even more pilots.” 

Products manufactured and distributed by these companies have remained among the most popular for backcountry pilots, both in Alaska or elsewhere, including PA-18 fuselages, aluminum lift struts, wheel and brake kits, PSTOL flaps, and more. 

McFarlane said it plans to preserve what has made these products so essential to backcountry flying by continuing to rely on local manufacturing and expertise but will look to expand access and ramp up additional product development.

“Alaska has one of the most demanding aviation environments anywhere in the world, and the pilots and mechanics operating there deserve parts built to that standard,” said Scott Still, CEO of Victor Sierra. “Alaskan Bushwheel and Airframes Alaska have earned their reputation over decades of real-world use in backcountry conditions. Our job is to honor that and make sure these products are around for the next generation of bush pilots. We want to thank Sean and his team for trusting us to carry these brands into the Victor Sierra family.”