The seed for generating local Ketchikan area interest in commercial rotary wing aviation was planted with the July 19, 1951 visit of Bell 47 (N182B) mounted on inflatable pontoons piloted by Sam Chevalier, who arrived in town with the helicopter for regional U.S. Geological Survey mapping. Two days of exhibition flights were made from the downtown dock taking up a few curious residents. In June 1955, Continental Helicopters came in next with a pair of their Bell 47s for a U.S. Coast Guard Mountain Survey Project contract. The next year Dean Johnson followed with a Hiller 360 for a mining job. These early chopper appearances in Ketchikan left their mark by generating keen interest in the minds of local fixed-wing charter pilots and their clientele. The obvious vertical spot landing and takeoff and hovering advantages afforded by versatile helicopter operations were well demonstrated. It was only a matter of time before Ketchikan would host its first home-based chopper enterprise.

Temsco Helicopters, Inc. began in December 1958, founded by two partners: helicopter pilot Joe Soloy and local fixed-wing flyer Bob Young, who were among a team of ten stockholder investors that included Young's two pilot pals Ken Eichner and Earl Walker. Young got his chopper pilot license soon after the start up. The company name is an acronym from the words: Timber, Exploration, Mining, Survey, and Cargo Operations. Peninsula Point, located five miles north of town, was picked for their heliport base and maintenance shop location. Temsco's preferred choice of aircraft were those manufactured by the Hiller Helicopter Company, based in Palo Alto, California near San Francisco. Their first ship was a brand new $40,000.00 two passenger Model UH-12C (N5326V) on floats, powered by 210 hp 6 cylinder Franklin engine. Soloy and Young picked it up from the factory and it was ferried over 2,000 air miles home via the inland route through British Columbia, Canada. Soon they added a second machine a 12-B model (N5311V), acquired from Arlo Livingston. In early February 1960, a new Model UH-12E (N5364V) with 100 more horsepower was purchased from the factory, which augmented Temsco's fleet to three whirlybirds. First mechanics hired were George Towle, Gary Daubersmith, Wendell Jones, and John Minnich. None of them had helicopter experience until Hiller factory mechanics Bill Hornbaker and Glenn Elliott came onboard.

In the fall of 1962, after Joe Soloy had sold out and left the company, Eichner and Walker got their commercial licenses. Eichner and Walker checked out in choppers in 1965 and joined Young on Temsco's chopper pilot roster. Eichner, Walker, and Young had been using their personal floatplanes in support of the helicopter operations when needed, which allowed Temsco to also offer seaplane charters to customers, giving the growing outfit maximum flexibility in handling logistical challenges dealing with Southeast Alaska's vast rugged air-sea environment. In 1965, Bob Young also decided to leave the company.

Temsco's first large contract job was working for the federal government helping build the White Alice nuclear threat early warning system in Southeast Alaska. From then on came a wide variety of contracts including geological, hydropower, and timber survey work; mining; forestry applications; aerial spraying; Fish and Game management support; the full gamut of all types of construction projects including setting utility power lines and erecting communication towers and sites; and an assortment of contract deployments throughout Alaska and Western Canada. The company's growth and success accelerated at a meteoric rate, earning them an enduring solid reputation as one of the world's greatest leading commercial rotary-wing companies, equipped with a formidable, well maintained fleet of workhorse choppers flown by expert crews. Temsco established bases in Wrangell, Petersburg, Juneau, and Skagway. To capitalize on Alaska's burgeoning tourist industry glacier, tours became available for seasonal travelers and were instantly popular.

An important part of Temsco Helicopters' regular daily missions has always been providing dependable air-sea search and rescue teams during emergencies, working in close coordination with the U.S. Coast Guard and Ketchikan Volunteer Rescue Squad units, local aviation community, and vessel operators whenever called upon. Ken Eichner and his friend Dick Borch spearheaded in founding the Ketchikan Volunteer Rescue Squad in 1950, following the October 1947 crash of a Pan American Airways DC-4 airliner on nearby Annette Island's Mt. Tamgass. Temsco joined forces with Ketchikan air taxis and government rescue parties involved with relief efforts in the nearby Grand Duc Mine avalanche disaster in British Columbia, Canada in the winter of 1965, and were instrumental in rendering assistance following Alaska Air's B-727 crash at Ketchikan Airport on April 15, 1976.

In late 1981, Temsco sold the last of its Hillers (which had all undergone Soloy turbine engine conversion in the 1970s) that they were gradually phasing out in favor of upgrading to a standardized fleet of fast modern Hughes Model 500s, which started with their first 500C in the spring of 1971. Payload capabilities were upped substantially with the addition of heavy-duty Bell big lifters: a UH-1B, Super 204-B, and a pair of 212s. A pair of French ASTAR AS350Bs were added also to try out for glacier flights. At max complement, Temsco Helicopters operated a fleet of 26 Hughes 500s with up to 40 various chopper types during peak summer season.

In early 1985, the company made a bold move to diversify interests by entering the commercial seaplane market by purchasing Ketchikan's Tyee Airlines large fleet of aircraft. The purchased included 11 Beavers, 3 Otters, 4 Cessnas, a BN2 Islander wheel-plane, and two large maintenance hangars located next door at Peninsula Point and over at Ketchikan International Airport to create their new fixed-wing division Temsco Airlines. Expansion continued the following year with the acquisition of competitor Westflight Aviation on October 1, 1986. For a time, Temsco ranked as one of the world's largest commercial seaplane operators of DeHavilland piston engine seaplanes with 8 Beavers and 8 Otters, and was a contracted subcarrier for Alaska Airlines. Temsco Airlines finally ceased operations on October 31, 1991 to return to singular corporate focus on its helicopter operations.

Following Ken Eichner, Sr.'s retirement as Temsco Helicopters, Inc. president, he and his son Dan Eichner subsequently sold all their company stock to Southeast Stevedoring Corporation on December 1, 1989 while keeping one H500 for personal use. Bill Gale became president, with Bob Englebrecht as vice president. Kenneth C. Eichner passed away on January 27, 2007 at age 88. He will always be revered as "Alaska's Mr. Helicopter", and fondly revered as a local icon in the community he made his home since his arrival in April 1938. Today, grandson Eric Eichner continues his family tradition, serving as Temsco Helicopters' chief pilot. He proudly maintains the time-honored tradition of flying the large American flag over Ketchikan every year to launch the city's annual 4th of July parade festivities. Eric's friend Roy Hornbaker keeps the fleet flying as Temsco's director of maintenance. Roy's father Bill Hornbaker was Temsco's Director of Maintenance from 1968-1990.

Aircraft:
Hiller Model 269, UH-12B-C and E variants; Hughes 300, 500C and D; Bell Model 204, 204B1 and 212; A-Star 350-B2 and B3.

Pilots:
Joe Soloy, Bob Young, Ken Eichner, Earl Walker, Martin Jetton, Mike Salazar, Bill Gale, Jerry Taylor, Larry Kemp, Stan Maplesdon, Alan Zinc, Pat Stack, Jack McKernan, Ralph Yetka, George Chipman, Bob Englebrecht, Steve Brown, Michael Bucove, Al Jones, Dan Eichner, and Eric Eichner, among others.

Mechanics:
George Towle, Gary Daubersmith, Wendell Jones, John Minnich, Bill Hornbaker, Glenn Elliott, Warren McRenolds, and Roy Hornbaker, among others.