thumb|alt=Two men standing facing camera under the wing of a red float plane. Some parcels of cargo are visible in the hatch, and a large tracked snow machine is parked on the left.|[[Noorduyn Norseman float plane in Alaska, 1950]]

Bush flying refers to aircraft operations carried out in the bush. Bush flying involves operations in rough terrain where there are often no prepared landing strips or runways, frequently necessitating that bush planes be equipped with abnormally large tires, skis, skids or any other equipment necessary for unpaved runway operation. It is the only viable way of delivering people and supplies into more difficult to reach, remote locations.

Etymology

This term bush has been used since the 19th century to describe remote wilderness area beyond clearings and settlements hence bush flying denotes flight operations carried out in such remote regions. In Australia, in particular, bush refers to areas that might be called forest or wilderness in other countries.

Purpose

thumb|Preparations for take off in the [[Namib|Namib Desert (2018)]]

thumb|Refuelling an aircraft in the field at Simplon, [[Namibia (2018)]]

Bush flying is the primary and sometimes the only method of access across Northern Canada, Western Canada, Alaska, the Australian Outback while in Alaska, transportation was the main purpose. In early 1919, after Wilson discovered that the U.S. Navy was giving Canada several war-surplus Curtiss HS-2L flying boats, he asked to borrow two. The flight had covered 645 miles, the longest cross-country flight executed in Canada at the time. Mayor Joe Clarke and city council accepted the gift, prompting May to ask to rent the plane. south of Edmonton. He accepted and the next day, Gorman and Derbyshire flew the newspapers along with 2 sacks of advertising circulars, following the rail line to the city, announcing the service to communities along the way. and Bush Pilot - Into the Wild Blue Yonder (2000).

Alaska

Alaska's first bush pilot was Carl Ben Eielson, a North Dakota farm boy of Scandinavian descent who flew during World War I.

Noel Wien made the first successful bush flight to Livengood, Alaska on 19 Aug. 1924. This flight demonstrated that the trip in support of mining operations could be made in under an hour, when the dog sled trail would take several days in winter. Wien made 34 flights that first summer in support of the approximately 250 men located at the camp, providing supplies and services.

A woman by the name of Celia M. Hunter became one of the first to serve as a flight attendant for flights to both Nome, and Kotzebue in the year 1947. These were the first tourist trips to be accomplished by flying in the Alaskan bush.

Aircraft used

Bush flying involves operations in rough terrain, necessitating bush planes to be equipped with tundra tires, floats, or skis. They will normally have conventional "tail-dragger" landing gear as they offer lower drag and weight than tricycle landing gear, and is more suited to rough surfaces.

  • The De Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver designed and built in Canada in 1946 is widely used throughout Canada and Alaska. There is now a new age of bush pilots who see flying as a means of community, competition, and enjoyment. The original parameters of bush flying are now continued by pilots of the current era through things such as STOL competitions and fly-ins. A subsection of bush pilots have used social media to gain a following, by showing their rural bush flying. However, bush flying still serves as an essential way for many people living in places like Western Alaska, where 82% of towns are not connected by roads, to get food, mail, medical care, etc.

Bush flying and social media

An emergent niche of bush pilots have capitalized on their social media channels to showcase their rugged backcountry adventures to a larger global audience. They use platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Youtube, and others, to reach global audiences, often gaining hundreds of thousands of followers.

Xploring Alaska

Jeremy Pepperd is an Alaskan bush pilot, who documents his flying on his Instagram page "Xploringalaska". Jeremy pushes bush flying to the limits in his single engine, SQ12 Supercub. In 2020, he won first place in the Skwetna, Alaska, fly-in and STOL competition. With a landing distance of 85 feet and a takeoff roll of just 89 feet. As of April, 2026, Jeremy has over 290,000 followers on his instagram page and regularly posts videos that garner millions of views. Samantha first gained internet notoriety when she spent over a year circumnavigating the world with her family in a single engine, GA8 AirVan. Samantha and her family attempted this feat with the goal to raise 1 million dollars for SOS Children's Villages. Their chosen path for the circumnavigation went through 45 countries and spanned 45,000 nautical miles. Nowadays, Samantha continues to document her bush flying journey on her Instagram, which as of April, 2026, has over 148,000 followers.

See also

In general

  • Index of aviation articles

Notable bush pilots

  • Royal Flying Doctor Service
  • Ontario Provincial Air Service

References

Notes

Bibliography

  • Alaska Air Museum
  • Backcountry Pilot.Org
  • FAA Fly Alaska Safely
  • Tundra Pilot