One of the coolest things about airplanes is their ability to travel anywhere you need to go. The sky at any given time has between 8,000 and 20,000 planes mid-flight at any given moment.  It changes throughout the year and based on day or night, but that is still a lot of planes. Most of them may be commercial airlines that promise to get you there quickly. Others may be personal jets, helicopters, and others that are all on a mission of some type. In Alaska, the number of private planes is very high, because planes can go where no other mode of transportation can go.

Why So Many Planes in Alaska?

A large portion of Alaska is accessible by air or by sea. There are 400 public access airports and some offer short flights from one borough to another for a minimal fee. It is the fastest way to travel in an area that is rough and rugged. Even the capitol Juneau is not accessible by vehicles other than air or sea. In places like Barrow, you will discover that the only possible way to travel to it is air. Without airplanes, the approximately 4,500 people who call it home would be completely shut off from the rest of the world.

Beyond that, many people do not live inside a set borough. They live an off-the-grid lifestyle. When they get snowed in for months at a time, they need plenty of supplies to get them through.  The easiest way to transport items is through the air as soon as the ice has melted away. In some areas of Alaska, there are more airplanes than there are residents.

However, Alaska isn’t the only area that you can find private planes heading off to exotic destinations or residences that are considered, off-the-grid. There are many places right here in the USA that it is also beneficial to have a plane.

Off-The-Grid USA

In the U.S. most areas are accessible by road, but it is not always convenient. There are many people who thrive away from modern conveniences. The exception is places like Supai Village, Arizona where mail is still delivered by mule because vehicles cannot easily travel into the area. Angle Inlet, Minnesota is only accessible by boat. You have to travel into Canada and then make a southern turn to reach this little town of about 60 people. In Montana, towns like Winnett have roads and vehicles, but the nearest large city is hundreds of miles away. The closest airport is 96 miles away by land. It is in Yellowstone County. People who live Off Grid Montana may depend on air travel during major storms and medical emergencies or quick helicopter flights to bring supplies.

Planes Save Time and Increase Ease of Life for Many

There are places all over the world that have very few people because of the fact that they are further off the grid than most people want to be. For these people, an airplane is a life raft that enables them to thrive. As more and more people choose to leave the city behind, the importance of air travel will only continue to increase.