Kenmore Airhas teamed up with the conservation group Wild Orcato transform one of its iconic 10-passenger seaplanes into a flying ambassador for the Northwest's endangered population of Southern Resident Killer Whales.
Michael Hays and Anna Gullickson of wild Orca launched an Indiegogo campaign to raise the funds necessary to paint the seaplane and provide educational booklets on its flights.
The 1954 deHavilland Otter will fly between Seattle and Kenmore Air's network of destinations across Washington and British Columbia.
Kenmore Air's entire fleet of aircraft will carry educational materials about the struggling population of orcas, and a guide to practical changes needed for recovery.
On Saturday, the first passenger flight from Kenmore Air's Lake Washington terminal carried children from Kenmore's 'Friends of Youth' organization. The children had the opportunity to learn about killer whales, as well as view Seattle from the air.
The orca paint scheme will be on the plane for 6-10 years.
