Super-Maule wrote: I watched the series "Alaska Wing Men" on the National Geographic Channel at a friends house last night. This show is way better than Flying Wild Alaska on the Discovery Channel. Personally I'm really not that interested in watching Ariel dba: Bimbo make out soloing an airplane out to be such a traumatic event. The flying is pretty much limited to Cessna 207 and 208s flying from airport to airport. I found the variety of aircraft and types of flying much more interesting on the Alaska Wing Man series.

Gotta agree. Flying Wild AK was fun at first, seeing old work airplanes and familiar faces, but what a bunch of BS as for the show itself. This year I watched it for the scenery alone, and it was nice seeing some of my old villages.

Much more interesting flying with a semblance of real life on AK Wing Men (and girls), though plenty of inaccurate crap too. And it's a hoot watching Zaz Staheli do her thing with Lee's Sea Air. I've watched that kid fly since she could barely reach the rudder pedals. That entire family is one class act, and some of the finest people I've ever known, bar none. I talked a buddy of mine into heading up and flying for Lee a few weeks ago in Kiana. Come my retirement time down here in Nevada in just a couple more years, Lee's going to be the first person I talk to for a "retirement" job.

Gump

Hello Gump,
I'm sure all these reality shows are sensationalized. But the episode I saw of "Alaska Wing Men" included ski planes, float planes, and a helicopter blasting avalanches. Alaska Wing Men seemed more varied and less hype than Flying Wild Alaska. I can see how you would be interested in the series "Flying Wild Alaska" after working and flying in Western Alaska.

The footage of the helicopter blasting avalanches near Juneau, Alaska was particularly interesting to me. Eurocopter make exceptional helicopers. It just pisses me off that they are made in France.

James

My vote is wing men also.
Lots more off airport stuff.

Love the show and the flying and the planes and the scenery and....

Love the characters too starting with Zaz and Don the instructor ending with the baby-faced twin with a serious case of rotten mouth.

What ever did I do before cable?

OK- I will jump on board. I saw my first two episodes of Alaska Wing Men and really enjoyed them. Watching "Drake" live in his hangar (w/ 180 on skis and 206) in Juneau and telling the utility company to pack sand and just run his wood stove for heat makes me smile. It really makes me question my career path, yes, I have a 401k and medical insurance... blah, blah, but I am not flying hikers up on a glacier w/ a 180 on skis
The whole show seems to focus more on Alaska general avaition and not the Aeriel side show. Worth watching for sure

Comparing the two shows would only be worthwhile if you could only choose one to watch. Luckily, we get two distinct series about flying in Alaska, which means twice the entertainment. Just enjoy it while it lasts.

I was pleasantly surprised that Alaska Wing Men has a longer season this year. 7 episodes thus far, compared to 3 last season.

Jim Tweeto and Jonh Ponts are here today (CYXY) flying up couple caravans. They are not leaving till tomorrow noonish so keeping my fingers crossed that they will show up at our monthly COPA breakfast to be held at Air North's hanger tomorrow!

BCT

My 8yr old grandson wrote to John Ponts and John wrote back inviting him to fly with him.It made me feel good that John made the effort to reply.

Bill

This has been my favorite series...and I dont even have a TV. I just downloaded most of them from Youtube using Realplayer. I searched their website and it appeared that the show was over at 3 seasons. Is this true?

I think for me the ability to see what goes on day to day in Alaska was what intrigued me the most. It would be nice to see more off airport landings but I am not too picky to enjoy the rest. The show is for entertainment not necessarily instruction.

Incidentally, I saw two videos of Alaska Wingmen, they were Don Lee's flying at Talkeetna.

Backcountry Tundra wrote:Jim Tweeto and Jonh Ponts are here today (CYXY) flying up couple caravans. They are not leaving till tomorrow noonish so keeping my fingers crossed that they will show up at our monthly COPA breakfast to be held at Air North's hanger tomorrow!

BCT

If you see them, ask when there will be more TV shows.

Skateboarders!

Grandpa needs to find a way to make that happen for the grommet!

willyb wrote:My 8yr old grandson wrote to John Ponts and John wrote back inviting him to fly with him.It made me feel good that John made the effort to reply.

Bill

tcj wrote:

Backcountry Tundra wrote:Jim Tweeto and Jonh Ponts are here today (CYXY) flying up couple caravans. They are not leaving till tomorrow noonish so keeping my fingers crossed that they will show up at our monthly COPA breakfast to be held at Air North's hanger tomorrow!

BCT

If you see them, ask when there will be more TV shows.

Series is over. They did not want anymore cameras in their face. All done. Bummer, as I too have watched about every episode.

Soy I will certainly do that.

Bill

I have got to throw my thoughts in here. Yes it is unrealistic at best, I know this and have never flown in Alaska or hell anywhere that would constitute the words bush flying. However I do enjoy the show for one reason. Aerial is freaking hot. Something about her smile. Creepy na I don't think so.

I had breakfast with John, Jim & another ERA pilot (both pilots on the photos below, Jim is on another photo that I'll post later)this morning and went to take a look at my bird in the hangar...I have some secrets...but they are secrets! They then flew direct to ANC VFR over Mount Logan and Aktahoe's country!! Jim did say that he was overwhelmed with a fair amount of unknown visitors...from Joe tourist to the National guards landing to ask for an autograph...he is very genuine, low key and boys, very classy. Both Jim and John were top notches, hung around with about 50 local pilots, chatted candidly with everyone and watched a slide show about Yukon aviation history by a local bush pilot, I have nothing but good things to say about them. They flew up two new caravans (new to ERA) from down south... Arial's little sister (who you dont see on the show) was supposed to fly with John on the way back but when she landed in the lower 48, she realized that she had forgotten her passport So on commercial she went back and missed flying a CAVU day over the Kluane/St-Elias...a once in a lifetime opportunity (fully CAVU!)

I enjoyed their show and they did a great service to GA sharing some of their experience. Sometimes the drama seemed overdone by the writers/producers but it had to be to keep the ground bound public interested enough to keep the show on for as long as they did. It sure shortened my last couple winters and I miss it. Good shot of the guys by the Tundra. You lucky dog.

dirtstrip wrote:I enjoyed their show and they did a great service to GA sharing some of their experience. Sometimes the drama seemed overdone by the writers/producers but it had to be to keep the ground bound public interested enough to keep the show on for as long as they did.

Well said. It became a joke around our house with my daughter singing the interstitial music to fake drama when she said something she wanted us to notice, but wasn't really all that ground breaking.

Still, anything that keeps the general public interested in general aviation is a good thing at this point.

Haven't seen wingmen, but I did catch Ayla flashing her bikini at a friend as he finished the iditarod.

Check out what I just found.

http://www.ucuyorum.com/forumdisplay.ph ... ild-alaska

flying wild ain't for folks who fly in alaska thats for sure. i've been to unalakleet a few times, lived in the villages and hoppin' little planes here and there that fly sideways is just pretty much normal. bush flying it is not. remote village flying it is. bush pilots are the guys who land in a spot once every day for a year and never hit the same place twice. guys who have to use water current to turn their planes around cause the brush is to tight to the sand bar, guys who tell their passengers to close their eyes, old time guides flying around, the old polar bear hunters of the 70"s dadgum, guys flying live pigs in the back of super cubs for homesteaders, snowmachines externally on supercub landing gear, thats bush flying there!!

I doubt they get 150k(unless thats for whole clan and not per person) an episode, most of the alaska shows i've heard of or been offered have been in the 12-25K per episode range.