DISCOVERY CHANNEL SOARS THROUGH THE WILDERNESS IN NEW SERIES FLYING WILD ALASKA
Series Premieres Friday, January 14 at 9 PM ET/PT
November 29, 2010
(Silver Spring, Md.) -- Meet the unconventional family that rules Alaska's most dangerous skies in the new 10-part series FLYING WILD ALASKA, premiering on Discovery Channel Fridays at 9 PM ET/PT, beginning January 14, 2011. Operating their family-run airline, Era Alaska, the Tweto family battles unforgiving Alaska weather and terrain to transport life's necessities to one of the most remote and extreme regions of America.
With no freeway system for hundreds of miles, Era Alaska is the lifeline for the isolated rural inhabitants of the Bering Sea coastline, but where the roads end, life for the quirky Twetos begins. Wildly determined Jim runs his company with passion and looks to his tiny but fierce wife, Ferno, for support. She's cargo runner, dispatcher and mom to their two gregarious adult daughters, Ayla and Ariel, who also play a vital role in the operation. Year round, Jim and his family are motivated by the fact that the livelihoods of thousands of people depend on their business and employees every day.
JD Roth, executive producer and founder and CEO of 3 Ball Productions says, "Frankly, you just don't come across a family like the Twetos every day -- so adventurous, committed to their work and to the people who depend on them for their very existence." He continues, "3 Ball has always focused on telling unique stories about passionate people who have a desire to make a difference and transform lives, so we're thrilled to be working with Discovery to introduce America to the incredible Tweto family."
Battling -40F degree winters and hurricane-like winds for months on end, the intrepid pilots of Era Alaska are among the best in the world. Ranging from a professional skateboarder in search of ultimate freedom to a local Alaskan native who has grown up around this business his whole life, they combat big storms in small planes -- a scenario only suited for the most experienced, especially with such precious cargo. From champion snow dogs bound for the Iditarod, to medicine for sick children, to groceries for miners working on the North Slope, Era Alaska transports a wide range of goods.
"FLYING WILD ALASKA is far from your typical Alaska show," says Christo Doyle, executive producer for Discovery Channel. "We don't take just you into the wild world of flying in remote Western Alaska; instead, through the eyes of the Tweto family and their free-spirited bush pilots, we also reveal how the last frontier in the United States survives."
Era Alaska was founded in the small city of Unalakleet with just one small plane and a service area of a few hundred miles. Today, the company has nearly 75 planes and destinations throughout the large state. Valued at millions, the airline handles everything from large, cross state commuter flights to tiny off-airport "bush" flights. Despite his company's achievements, Jim refuses to relax for even an instant, because he knows that his community's well-being depends on him.
FLYING WILD ALASKA is produced for Discovery Channel by 3 Ball Productions, where JD Roth and Todd A. Nelson are executive producers, and DJ Nurre is co-executive producer. For Discovery Channel, Christo Doyle is executive producer.
About Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel is dedicated to creating the highest quality non-fiction content that informs and entertains its consumers about the world in all its wonder, diversity and amazement. The network, which is distributed to 100.4 million U.S. homes, can be seen in over 180 countries, offering a signature mix of compelling, high-end production values and vivid cinematography across genres including, science and technology, exploration, adventure, history and in-depth, behind-the-scenes glimpses at the people, places and organizations that shape and share our world. For more information, please visit www.discovery.com.
About Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is the world's number one nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in over 170 countries. Discovery empowers people to explore their world and satisfy their curiosity through 100-plus worldwide networks, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Science Channel, Planet Green, Investigation Discovery and HD Theater, as well as leading consumer and educational products and services, and a diversified portfolio of digital media services including HowStuffWorks.com. For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.