Gandalf/Eagle -> Ring -> Mt. Doom?

[deal_with_it]

Originally Posted by Sardy

Here's a question I've heard posed many times before, but never heard adequately answered. Why didn't Gandalf simply fly the Ring to Mt. Doom and drop the Ring in?

I do understand that there's a good argument that the Ring needed to be undone in the Crack of Doom where it was forged---still, flying there by eagle seems a lot more convenient than sending a Hobbit on a perilous quest by foot.

This leads me to another question: What is the nature of the Eagles and their relationship to man, elf and other Free Peoples? is this a quest they would have willingly accepted?

The eagles would get tired flying that far
the nazgul would get them
would be no storyline