De Havilland Beaver
Flight Loads and Weight Restrictions
Transport Canada strictly regulates flight loads. We ask that you limit your personal belongings, including food and beverage to 135 lbs per person for the outposts and 100 lbs per person for the Lodge. Your gear will be weighed prior to being loaded on the aircraft. Careful planning will ensure that extra flights will not be required.
How To Bring More Gear At No Extra Cost: Contact us in advance to arrange for pop, beer or water to be flown into your outpost during midweek checks prior to your arrival at no extra charge and will not count on your weight limits. This service is also offered for the lodge. Without pre-planning, extra flights required or requested for excess baggage may still be done, but at an additional cost.
Scheduling Your Flight
Please schedule your arrival time at float plane base for 6 a.m. unless other time is pre-arranged for outposts. Departures are often scheduled for 7:00 a.m. to 10 a.m. Cat Island Lodge guests should contact us to confirm flight times.
Luxury Fly-in Outposts – American Plan Lodges- Private Air Service
After more than 40,000 successful landings, we take care of your safety first. Occasionally, we experience weather delays beyond our control so some flgiht delays can be expected from time to time.
Our pilots are all highly trained, our airplanes all well maintained by strict Transport Canada Regulations and we are proud of our Air Service safety record.
We provide the best in outpost accommodations, and world class trout, walleye, northern pike, Smallmouth Bass and perch fishing that can be found!
Our Lead Pilot – Over 17,000 hours of flight time!
Excellent Adventures prides itself in having safe, reliable and courteous pilots with loads of flying experience in this area. The aircraft/float planes we utilize are a De Havilland Beaver and Cessna 185.
Owner/pilot Faron Buckler comes from a family that has been involved in the aviation industry for close to 50 years.
Flying since old enough to get his license at 17, he’s logged over 17,000 hours of flight time in this northern country. Being involved also in the tourism business for the past 45 years he’s well aware of what it takes to make your flight and stay as enjoyable as possible.
We hope you can join us this summer and let us show you how well we take care of our passengers and guests.
Cochenour/ Red Lake Air Service
Excellent Adventures Float Plane and Charter Air Service operates from Cochenour, Ontario just minutes away from the Red Lake Airport.
It offers a dependable and safe air service to and from your remote Canadian fly in outpost or our beautiful American Plan Cat Island Lodge.
Our float plane air service provides sight seeing tours and day trips to remote lakes – an experience that all fishermen love.
Our Aircraft
Excellent Adventures operates float equipped aircraft:
The De Havilland Beaver with a payload of 1200 lbs and licensed to carry a maximum of 6 guests.
The Cessna 185 with a payload of 700 lbs is licensed to carry a maximun of 3 guests.
All our aircraft are well maintained at tthe best maintenance shop in the area and adhere to all Ministry of Transportation Regulations.
Sight Seeing Tours:
Hop aboard one of our float equipped aircraft and check out the beautiful lakes and vast forest that the Canadian shield has to offer. What a chance to look for some of that wildlife that abounds in the Red Lake area. A great photo opportunity awaits you. Don’t come to our area and miss this tour.
Basic sightseeing tour Package: Requires a minimum of 4 persons for an amazing 20 minute flight!
Daily departures from our float plane base. Modified and custom tours are available. Be sure to plan to take this tour when you come to our area
One Day Fly-In Fishing Trips
Trips depart from our float-plane base daily.
Imagine climbing aboard your own private float plane and go on a fly in fishing day trip where you’re the only people on the lake!
Our day trips leave in the morning, taking you to your remote lake and drop you off with our fully equipped boats and motors. Helpful, friendly, experienced Fishing Guides are also available!
We also offer trips for the day to our full service lodge where you can fish for the day and enjoy a great meal to finish your day.
Spend the day fishing this secluded lake for walleye, northern, smallmouth bass or trout. To sustain the fisheries we offer catch and release or bring a limit back but no trophies out on all our day lakes.
Pack a lunch or plan on having a shore lunch! We’ll pick you up late in the afternoon and bring you back to our base.
What a way to see our spectacular area and enjoy a relaxing day of fishing. Total cost of the day-trip fly-in fishing package includes air fare, fully equipped boats, motors and all gas. Trips depart from our float-plane base daily.
Our Fly-in Outpost and Camp Site Trips
Your Excellent Adventure Remote Outpost fishing trip includes round-trip transportation from our base in Cochenour/Red lake with our own well maintained aircraft. Fully equipped cottage, boats, motors, gas, nets, cushions, boat seats, paddles, and a map of the lake. We offer 3 to 7 day packages to all of our destinations. Fly in Tent-Camp Sites and longer stays are available. Anyone wishing to arrive or depart other than on designated days, may arrange to do so.
Cat Island American Plan:
Your Cat Island Lodge – American Plan package – includes round-trip float plane transportation with our own well maintained aircraft from the Excellent Adventure base located in Cochenour/ Red Lake, Ontario. Please schedule you arrival time at our float plane base for between 2 to 4 pm. Departures from Cat Island Lodge are scheduled for early morning unless otherwise planned with flight operations.
