10 part series on Discovery channel started 1/14/11, Flying Wild Alaska.
I’m loving the Tweto family already. Jim’s wife Ferno is a hoot.
Have not seen it yet…will see my first episode today, but from what I can see it looks like a good one!
As a former Bush Pilot all I can say is Hollywood has made it to Alaska.
Just saw the first episode. Can’t imagine the effort to keep 70 planes flying in that environment. Great show.
While I love to fly, you will not catch me messing with that fog just to get a few pounds of animal meat. Doesn’t pass my risk/reward test. To each his own.
that is the life of a bush pilot in AK.
that’s a good VFR day on the North Slope. Also where he was flying there are no mountains it’s flat as a pancake. You’d have to fly about 30 min due south to hit anything.
I’ve shot the ILS at Deadhorse when it was 200ov with 10 miles under, some as*hole parked a front loader in front of the ILS ant and I intercepted the LOC 3 miles south of center line, Thank god it’s flat out there. I made a left hand turn at 100 agl and landed half way down the runway.
I had some words for the construction guys and the dude working Deadhorse radio. My Pax on the other hand thought it was cool and loved it. little did they know I was needing a change of underwear. I just smiled and said “thanks for flying with us, Be back to pick you up tomorrow”
Just don’t hit the caribou that like to hang out at the airport
That was a bad time to loose the left rudder; although, is there ever a good time? 
+1
I thought the exact same thing.
It was a pretty good show though. I liked it.
I have huge ties to this show- I use to be a bush pilot AND they show N81MR (I have about 30 hours in that -35)
Jason, a couple of questions.
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They are operating 70 aircraft, why don’t they have on site repair facilities? He had to fly to Anchorage to get the rudder bar repair.
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When the 180 was flying to Anchorage through the mountain passes it looked like he had 10 degrees of flaps in when he was talking about the need to make a 180 if he flew down the wrong pass. Smart to fly slow to decrease your turning radius so the flaps made it look real, but not so smart to get yourself in that position in the first place. I find it hard to believe that a pilot with his experience would make that trip without knowing and following the exact route.
Do you think that they are just maiking it a little more dramatic for TV purposes?
I knew the pilot that died in Ward Cove…
Ah, the chase plane, of course, didn’t think of that… 
Stranger was that he was down in the mountains, which he referred to as being 3000 and some odd feet tall. Surely a C180 can climb above 4000 ft.
Hollywood baby. They have to make a show of it.
There’s another similar show on Nat Geo called “Alaska Wing Men”. Next episode airs Saturday at 8:00 PM. It features various bush pilots on their different missions and the hazards they encounter along the way.
I’ve also been watching the Gold Rush series. Hope those guys find the glory hole soon!
First episode was better than last night’s.
Too bad they don’t give a little more information on the aircraft and the pilot’s training/work history.
haha I saw that as well…when I heard that I had to wait to hear it again to verify I wasn’t just making things up!!
Like flyboy said, Hollywood. During that sequence the narrator says "At 3,771’, Rainy Pass is the highest point along the Iditarod Trail. High altitude means thinner air. Thinner air means less lift." Hollywood drama at its best.
But it’s all good. I’ve got the utmost respect for freight dogs and bush pilots and this show will definitely increase awareness of what these pilots go through.
Alaska Wing Men is better. . .
there are two shows?