North America's vast land mass, sparse population, and deserted north were perfectly suited for aircraft operations on skis and pontoons. The bush pilots opened the North, exploring to its farthest reaches, establishing communication between isolated settlements, delivering supplies, medicines, medical assistance and the mail. They were superb pilots and mechanics, dare devils, barnstormers, inventors, and explorers. Operating without compasses, radios, or detailed maps, they built their awesome legends. The rest of the world soon followed their lead into the vast unmapped, untapped, and unexplored regions of the other continents.