On The Wing

Lying to the north of the Vanuatu archipelago in the South Pacific, the Banks Islands are literally cut off from the world. The 9,000 inhabitants of the Banks have only Doctor Mark Turbull and his orange cuckoo to rely on. He is the only one who can land on the unlikely and dangerous airstrips of these tiny volcanic islands to visit a patient or even operate on people on the bare ground.

We set out to meet Sebastien, a former airline pilot. We head for Canada and its vast expanses. Aboard his Jet Stream 32 and a seaplane, he introduces us to the magnificent, deserted and isolated landscapes of Northern Quebec. Fasten your seatbelts for imminent take-off!

Deep in the New Zealand Alps, Guy and Fiona Redfern are the flying farmers at the end of the world. Plane and helicopter are essential in raising the 5,000 sheep, 2,000 cows and dozens of horses on this farm, the most isolated in the country. In addition to being a tool for their work, their plane is also a means of escaping their isolation to meet friends and perform some aerial stunts.

François-Xavier Mayer, known as "Fifou", never tires of flying over the fantastic landscapes of his native land, Madagascar. It sometimes takes several days to travel from one city to another by car. Whether supplying his hotel, studying the migration of whales, or carrying humanitarian aid, he counts on his faithful flying companion, a yellow bush plane that everyone in Madagascar knows.

At the helm of his small single-engine aircraft, Ian Lemaiyan, a Kenyan biologist and bush pilot, flies over the savannah to protect the rhinos. From reserve to reserve, the Maasai pilot introduces us to a series of unique wildlife preservation programs. Seen from the sky, Kenya's open spaces appear now as they were once known to those who once came here on safari.

For 9 years, Mark Palm has been helping residents of the Sepik River villages, one of the most remote areas of Papua New Guinea, free of charge. Snake bites, crocodile attacks, malaria crisis's, difficult childbirths. Onboard his seaplane plane, he transports the wounded, brings medicine, and organizes vaccination campaigns for the 200 000 Papuans who live along the river.