LAST EDITED ON 07-20-08 AT 10:23 AM (EST)You are right, Snidget, about them using planes for some of the items. Good link.
To IHSP, welcome to the board. Glad you're watching IRT. They did address this issue about using planes several times during last season. You can see, though, that what Hugh has been hauling ("waste) from the rigs and what Rick hauls (trash), that those wouldn't be things suitable for planes. Further, it appears that everything is "delicate" because of the perma-frost, habitat, etc. and that dropping things from planes just wouldn't work in some situations. Seaplanes can land on the water, and obviously do during the summer season, but they are limited in what they can haul. No one would argue that the C-130 and C-5 wouldn't be able to transport, but no commercial ventures use those military planes. And, finally, just as in that rig move, they are just going from one short-distance to another (fifty miles they said), it would be difficult--and expensive--to build airstrips for that.
The ice roads were there for decades before someone decided to show us what they do...and yes, it IS risky, and yes, those guys do take risks & chances for the money, for the thrill, and for the bragging rights............but they are hardly any different from any other type of "dare-devil" workers like on "Deadliest Catch." Just my opinion.