Joy Journeay

Albert Ball passed away earlier this year prior to being recognized as one of the latest members of the Alaska Aviation Legend program, but as an Alaska Bush pilot for decades, he was certainly worthy of the honor.

Before Paul Shanahan had a plane, he used a team of Mackenzie River huskies and a wooden boat to get to and from his homestead at Susitna Station. By the time he was done flying, he had clocked more than 20,000 hours in the air.

Gene Zerkel was born in Indiana and worked a variety of odd jobs before finding his true calling as an aviator -- and eventually, owner of numerous businesses -- in Alaska.

When Walt Audi came to Alaska in 1964 to work on the DEW line, he quickly realized that in the Arctic, only pilots had the ability to come and go as they pleased -- and a life of aviation was born.

Warren Thompson spent years in rural Alaska helping to conduct search and rescue missions and establishing aviation rescue groups. Over that time, he located or helped find 17 people in the Alaska Bush.

Going off of the sheer number of aircraft and the myriad environments in which Noel "Merrill" Wien has flown, he may be among the most diverse, experienced pilots of his time.

The Alaska Air Carriers Association is leading an effort to methodically make flying safer in Alaska, perhaps the most aviation reliant state in the Union. Your input matters, too, and here's how to quickly contribute.

Rex Bishopp was one of the first helicopter operators in Alaska, traversing the Last Frontier from the late 1950's until his retirement in 1995.