Katahdin Air Service was founded in 1947 by Eugene "Chink" Legassee, who started the operation with a single three-seat Piper PA-12 Cub. From a seaplane base on Ambejejus Lake—nine miles north of Millinocket on the Golden Road—Chink began flying fishermen, hunters, and woodsmen into the remote ponds and rivers of Maine's North Woods. It was humble, practical work: getting people where the roads couldn't take them.
In the decades that followed, Katahdin Air grew into a cornerstone of life in the Katahdin and Allagash regions. The service became the way in and the way out for sporting camp patrons, canoeists launching backcountry expeditions, Appalachian Trail hikers needing resupply or rescue, and families heading to remote camps that had been in their blood for generations. Licensed in both the US and Canada, Katahdin Air earned a reputation as one of the most trusted bush flying operations in New England.
For over 40 years, James Strang was the pilot, operator, and heart of Katahdin Air Service. Jim flew floatplanes through the North Maine Woods in every season and every condition—threading between ridgelines, dropping onto narrow ponds, and landing on lakes still half-covered in ice. He logged more than 20,000 flight hours without a single incident or accident, a record that speaks to a deep understanding of both the aircraft and the landscape.
Jim's passengers ranged from executives to first-time fishermen, from families with young children to seasoned woodsmen who'd been flying with him for decades. He treated every one of them the same—with respect, professionalism, and a dash of humor. Whether it was a scenic flight over Baxter State Park, a charter to a remote sporting camp, or a late-season pickup of hikers stranded by weather, Jim made people feel like they were in the best hands in Maine.
On August 28, 2023, Jim made his last commercial flight—picking up a group of fishermen from a weekend outing at Henderson Camp. Shortly after, the Maine Aeronautics Association presented him with the 2023 Gadabout Gaddis Cup Award, a biennial honor given to individuals who contribute significantly to the well-being of Maine's aviation community. The award is named for Roscoe "Gadabout" Gaddis, the legendary "Flying Fisherman" of early television—a fitting namesake for a pilot who spent four decades flying sportsmen into the Maine wilderness.
Katahdin Air's seaplane base on Ambejejus Lake remains one of the great starting points for adventure in northern Maine. The base sits at the doorstep of Baxter State Park, with Mount Katahdin rising to the west and thousands of square miles of wilderness stretching in every direction.
From here, Katahdin Air offers scenic flights over Katahdin and the West Branch of the Penobscot River, charter service to remote sporting camps, fly-in canoe and kayak trips, Appalachian Trail access flights, and fall foliage tours that showcase the North Woods at their most spectacular. The base also serves visiting pilots at nearby Millinocket Airport (KMLT), with fuel, courtesy vehicles, and the kind of hospitality that makes people come back year after year.
As the team likes to say: "We will treat you like family."
Following his retirement from commercial flying, Jim Strang became director of operations for Katahdin Air. Chief Pilot Andy Hart and Assistant Chief Pilot Carson Courchaine continue the flying service today, along with Ashley Johnson at dispatch.
Katahdin Air is part of Waters Aero Marine, along with it's sister company Penobscot Island Air, based in Owls Head. The two companies share a commitment to the kind of aviation that defined Maine for generations—small planes, skilled pilots, and service to communities that depend on flying as a way of life.