Flying Wild Alaska

Review

Common Sense Media says

Alaska family pilots unfriendly skies in warm reality show.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

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Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parent need to know that this adventurous reality series provides an exciting look at a small family business situated in a region of the United States that most people have never experienced. Beautiful shots of the Alaskan tundra, mountains, and rivers inspire a respect for the wilderness and environment. Unlike many other reality shows, this one focuses on the positive relationships of the featured family and steers clear of relationship drama. Aside from some occasional language ("crap," "sucks," and a rare, bleeped "f--k"), the series is an unproblematic and potentially exciting choice for family viewing.

  • Positive messages4
    Teamwork and cooperation are the only way that anyone survives in this northern, isolated part of Alaska. The family and their employees all pull together to overcome difficult situations including fuel shortages, broken planes, and dangerous flying conditions.
  • Positive role models4
    Family patriarch and company head Jim Tweto is calm, collected, and a master at dealing with difficult situations, all of which seem to be needed qualities in his line of work and geographic region. He and his wife Ferno are a good team and a couple who genuinely seem to enjoy each other's company after decades of marriage. The work crew provides a great example of responsible action and a strong work ethic.
  • Violence1
    Airplane crashes, including Jim Tweto's accident where he broke his neck, are discussed on the show, as well as the possibility of death. Also, the Twetos' airplane company flies in a lot of big game hunters, so there is mention of killing animals for meat.
  • Sex0
    Not applicable.
  • Language3
    Language includes "pissed," "crap," and sucks." Rare, and fully beeped "f--k," as in the word "clusterf--k" when characters are frustrated.
  • Consumerism1
    Planes, identifited by type and name, are presented as coveted objects.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking0
    Not applicable.
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What's the story?

The Tweto family runs an airline company, Era Alaska, out of the tiny town of Unakleet, Alaska, where they deliver packages and travelers to the deepest reaches of the state. The lack of freeway system in this area of Alaska means that the Twetos' airline is responsible for keeping essential goods delivered to rural residents along the Bering Sea. The family members -- Jim, the patriarch and business owner, Ferno, his wife and business partner, and the two spunky daughters, Ariel and Ayla -- all work together to keep the business running smoothly and the family strong and happy.

Is it any good?

 

This exciting reality series keeps the complications coming for the Tweto family. From broken down airplanes to fuel shortages and scary back country landings, FLYING WILD ALASKA offers fast-paced entertainment that's appropriate, and interesting, for a range of ages. There's also a lot of educational information to be gleaned from the show. The art of marshalling (guiding planes onto the runway and into parking spots) is touched upon, as are the complications of running a small business in an extremely remote location. There's plenty to learn about fuel contamination, the rate of small plane crashes, and the skills involved in flying small aircraft in Alaska. That's not to say that the show is dry -- all of the information is presented in a way that feels less like a school lesson and more like straight entertainment.

The main stars of the show, even when competing with the stunning Alaskan wilderness and the tough little planes that fly through it, are the Tweto family. Not only do they obviously love and respect each other, they actually seem to genuinely enjoy each other's company -- a definite positive for families looking for some entertainment to enjoy together.

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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about reality television. Do you think that this show is filmed to make events look more dangerous than they actually are? Why or why not? What techniques do reality shows use to keep viewers interested?

  • What are the challenges of living in a place as rural as the communities in northern Alaska? Would you want to live in someplace like this?

  • How do the pilots deal with stressful situations? How would you handle running into a dangerous fog bank? What skills do pilots need to succeed in rural Alaska?

  • The Tweto family works and lives together. Would you want to work and live with your family? What do you think would be difficult about it? What do you think might be fun?

This review was written by Elka Karl
Parent of 7 year old
January 22, 2011
AGE
7
 
unique alaskan family
no matter the things that go wrong everyone keeps moving ahead in a positive way
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Helped me decide (20) | Had useful details (20) | Read my mind (22)
Flag as inappropriate 
Kid, 12 years old
December 14, 2011
AGE
7
 
amazing
its a relly good show!!
Was this review useful?
Helped me decide (9) | Had useful details (10) | Read my mind (12)
Flag as inappropriate 
See all user reviews
This review was written by Elka Karl
TV rating:NR
Network:Discovery Channel
Cast:Ariel Tweto, Ayla Tweto, Ferno Tweto, Jim Tweto
Genre:Reality TV
This review was written by Elka Karl
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

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