Iditarod Volunteer Flight Crew: a Force to Be Reckoned With

The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is more than a field of mushers and canine athletes conquering the nearly 1,000-mile trail. The race depends on hardworking volunteers – supporters, veterinarians, trailbreakers and communities – to keep things running.

One such team is the Iditarod Air Force. The roughly 30-pilot crew with 750 combined years of experience flies from checkpoint to checkpoint, supporting sled teams, race officials and more from start to finish.

Their job begins weeks before the start and continues throughout the race, providing much-needed food, hay bales and lumber to 19 checkpoints between Anchorage and Nome.

– Chas St. George, the Iditarod Trail Committee