mattyj, because without aviation PNG stops... For a relatively small country there is a lot of flying due to the lack of alternatives. What makes every crash more poignant is the fact that there are practically no PPL cowboys flying around up there - they are all professional pilots who generally know what they are doing and are good pilots because they have to be! I don't know if the place claims more lives proportionate to other places - these days I reckon probably less. Air Niugini is one of the few National Carries that has NEVER had a fatal crash, and that is really saying something! Having said that, they don't have to fly into the 'bush' strips...