Alaska's Toughest Pilots

Airplanes are the lifeblood of Alaska, transporting critical supplies and rescuing the lost and injured in areas where roads don't reach. But violent weather and extreme terrain make these the most dangerous skies in the country, and bush pilots often go beyond the call of duty to get the job done.

Gold mining is alive and well in Alaska, and Dave and Debbie King pilot a helicopter to move a massive drill the miners need to strike gold. A 14-month-old baby suffers from pneumonia in an area without adequate pediatric care, so it takes a Learjet to make a trip to Anchorage.

A chopper pilot picks up a team of scientists, but with a heavy load of fossils and bad weather approaching, the scientists may have to make the choice of their research getting a lift or themselves getting a ride.

The Iron Dog is known as the longest, toughest, most extreme snowmobile race in the world. Racers brave wildly dangerous terrain, bitterly cold temperatures, and speeds well over a hundred miles an hour in this two-thousand-mile endurance race. To make their journey possible, the snowmobile racers on the ground rely on their Alaska Wing Men to be their flying "pit-crew."

Zaz, a fourth generation pilot, flies support for a snowmobile race in the bitter cold above the Arctic Circle. And Dustin of Coastal Helicopters risks a dangerous drop-off while transporting a group of world-famous heli-skiers into the remote mountains they love. Finally, the legendary Don Lee helps a young romantic execute a top-secret mission.

During the Sitka herring run, fishermen compete for a limited amount of herring, potentially worth millions. Captains hoping to get an edge hire bush pilots to help spot the fish from above. This is extreme flying: more than a dozen planes circling in a tight area must contend with the elements, avoid collisions and battle to set their boats on the best school of fish.