Airplanes are a necessity for most guide businesses in Alaska.  Whether it be getting clients into camp by using a flying service or as many guides do, use them to set-up and check on spike camps, fly-in supplies or for the numerous things needed done on a daily basis.  You really get dependent on them.  Operating in the bush in Alaska with the extreme weather conditions and bad or just short landing strips sooner or later you are going to have an accident.  You may remember my first job as a guide working for Tony Lee in the story “I Can Do This” he had an accident on my first day.  Another case in point is Gary Bishop, our chief pilot at the Dog Salmon River camp, was talking to one of our newly hired pilots about his personal safety record and the guy said with a cocky attitude, “I’ve never had an accident.”  Gary said, “If you work off airport in the bush it’s just a matter of time.”  The very next day the guy had an accident.  AAA was no different than any other guide operation.  On any given day during our season we would have two or three “super cubs” performing a wide variety of different tasks.  We also had flying services flying our clients in or out of base camps so there was a wide range of exposure.