Travis Alden Maki

Jun 26, 1975 -

Feb 17, 2023

Captain Travis Alden Maki passed away in Anchorage, Alaska, on Feb. 17, 2023.

He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on June 26, 1975. Subsequently he moved with his parents to Colorado, New Jersey, Texas, and Alaska. He worked with Capt. Jack Mc Carl of Super Eagle Air on Lake Hood in Anchorage, servicing his float plane business and developed his lifelong passion for aviation. He graduated from High School in Willis, Texas, and subsequently went on to earn his Airframe and Powerplant License as an airplane mechanic. He continued schooling, finishing his pilot's license and became a commercial pilot for Comair based at the time in Cincinnati.

As a licensed mechanic and pilot, he was responsible for final inspection and flight testing of new Canada Air Regional Jets, ultimately accepting and flying the new jets for Comair, at the time the nation's largest regional carrier, to join their growing fleet in Cincinnati. He then moved back to Anchorage as a pilot for PenAir, where he developed his reputation for pinpoint flying in all sorts of weather, servicing all of the Alaska Peninsula out to Dutch Harbor, western Alaska villages and the Pribilof Islands. He was then recruited by Blackwater as a military contractor where he spent three years flying missions in support of troop actions in Afghanistan and Pakistan based at Bagram Air Base. He was known for accepting the toughest and most challenging flying assignments over hostile areas, but always kept his well-known sense of humor even in the most difficult of times. Subsequently he served as a contact pilot flying missions in Africa, including Sudan, Somalia, Rwanda, Congo and several other African countries.

He is survived by his two sons, Nathan and Alden Maki and wife Bella Obdure in Nairobi, Kenya; parents, Alan and Ann Maki of Maryville, Tenn.; and brothers and sisters-in-law, Geoff and Jennifer Maki of Park City, Utah, and Ben and Brittany Maki of Goshen, Ky.

There will be a celebration of life for Travis in the Spenard Room at the Lakefront Hotel in Anchorage at 5 p.m. on April 4, 2023. Friends of Travis are invited to share stories and remembrances of his remarkable flying career.