Ice Pilots NWT (2009–2014) User Reviews

How can you go wrong?

[laura-halliday · 9/10 · 4 December 2009]

These pilots fly neat old planes in one of the most hostile (and spectacular) environments on the planet, operating Buffalo Air out of Yellowknife, NWT.

Their planes are chosen for toughness, reliability and cargo capacity. It can't be that cheap to run a DC-3 or a DC-4 nowadays, but the only reference to this was the owner grumbling about one newer plane that turned large quantities of jet fuel in to black smoke.

With these ingredients it would be hard to make a show like this dull. I have seen it described as Ice Road Truckers in planes, but aviation in the north is a completely different animal, and can never be taken for granted.

Well worth watching, if you love 'mature' airplanes

[wsawyer2 · 8/10 · 28 February 2017]

This is clearly a show for aviation enthusiasts, and particularly for that specific subset of those enthusiasts who really like older (rotary engine) aircraft. I am, and I do, so I am positively biased. Honestly, it is probably not the best viewing choice for people who don't understand or appreciate that mindset. The show also offers an example of how many people make their living, and the effort they put forward, the hardships they endure, and the sacrifices that they make, to earn that living. It possibly could serve as a lesson for many young people, although I doubt that those who might benefit from such a lesson are included in the target demographic for the show. :) This series is not a video game, and may not be appealing to them.

Any reality show must rely on a certain level of artificial drama, and Ice Pilots NWT is no exception. At times, the contrived drama is a bit much. But, the reality of the flying, business, social and personal environments nonetheless comes through. I, for one, am delighted that such an airline can continue to function, and not be squeezed out of existence by needless, and oppressive regulation. Frankly, I would consider it money well spent to travel all the way to Yellowknife, just to take a flight on the 'sched'. I love flying on DC-3's anyway.

I agree with other reviewers, that Joe McBryan would not be a boss that I would ever care to work for. Or, for that matter, a pilot with whom I would care to share a cockpit as a right-seater. But, guess what? It is a REALITY SHOW, and I think viewers are seeing a taste of reality - I seriously doubt McBryan put on an affect just for the cameras, while in 'real life' he is a tender, thoughtful, considerate manager, who regularly gives hugs to his employees. Unfortunately, I have seen more than a few instances where regulatory agencies such as the FAA (and TC), not infrequently populated by a number of overzealous bureaucrats, target individuals such as a Joe McBryan because they just can't stand the notion of the kind of independence he displays (rightly or wrongly). Don't misunderstand, I have high regard for many things that the FAA does, particularly their aviation safety education initiatives. But, people like Joe McBryan do rub some regulators the wrong way, and they respond inappropriately (and unfairly at times).

There are only so many unique and broadly interesting situations that such an operation faces that can be turned into dramatic moments for a show such as this, after which repetition inevitably sets in. But, the seasons that were produced are nonetheless well worth watching.

Modernization needed

[olle-hogrell · 8/10 · 23 August 2021]

Amazing and amusing, well worth watching. Still wondering why they keep all these museum items in the air. There are many much better and more fuel effective turbo props and even jets on the market to reasonable prices. A little modernization would not hurt even when it comes to personnel management. Management by fear will hold Buffalo back just as much as outdated planes.

Great TV From The Great White North Eh!

[headfella · 10/10 · 7 March 2010]

So if you're reading this you've probably already checked out all the other web references for this Canadian reality based TV show. I'm not sure who the intended target audience for this program was, but as a retired aviation professional and former Canadian "bush" pilot when I was in my 20s, I'm favourably biased in my opinion of this program. I totally enjoyed each & every episode of season one. I understand a 2nd season is in the works. I'm looking forward to adding those episodes to my existing DVD archive of these broadcasts. If you don't have an aviation interest, then this program isn't for you. But if you've ever wondered what it's like to operate ageing aircraft in the Canadian arctic during winter conditions, then this program is the closest you'll probably ever get to "freezing your ass off" without actually signing on at Buffalo. And -40 degrees Celsius is also -40 degrees Fahrenheit and if there was even a whisper of a breeze, it's what my friend George used to call, "knee snapping, eye gouging, snot flinging cold out there!" You had to be young, you had to be keen, you had to be building hours, you didn't mind the meager wages, coming to work in the dark on 'square tires', going home in the dark dead tired, and you had to love climbing into that freezer of an airplane each and every day because nothing, absolutely nothing could top that exhilarating view from the pointy end of the airplane. It was great to be alive. Kudos to all involved with the production and especially to all Buffalo staff for permitting such an intimate look at their flight ops.

Dangerous captain at the helm methinks

[Pizzaowner · 6/10 · 19 July 2019]

I can't imagine what it must be like to work for an idiot like the boss. Worn-out poorly maintained equipment and a boss that wants $$$$ and NOTHING else....so how can you not wonder how many times, when the cameras are pointing the other way, that jobs get done just good enough to work..never mind safety..... It's obvious that safety and quality are NOT the words that the boss is familiar with but then again....it is e3ntertaining...as long as you don't have to work for a fool like this. The show would like us to see the boss ( Joe ) as a tough hard-working individual who carved a living out of a tough environment and gets it done by grit alone.....unfortunately the reality comes across all too often with quick, poorly thought snap decisions by one person and damn the rest of you....I want it this way so make it happen. Amusing and entertaining but in a very dysfunctional way.

You really have to love vintage aircraft in order to watch this series

[qui_j · 5/10 · 3 November 2016]

This series is like many of the other airline/airport based reality series one sees on TV. What sets it apart is the fact that the airline in question flies vintage aircraft, and operates in one of the more hostile climate regions of the world. The characters all say they are there because this is what appeals to them, but after a while their constant reaffirmation of why they do what they do, becomes annoying. They are not always there for altruistic reasons. Some are seemingly there because it makes them feel all important in their positions. Most seem to live in fear of the company's owner.

There are now more modern aircraft that can do this job in the far Canadian North, and there seems to be little point in maintaining a fleet of old war-birds that constantly break down, impacting the flow of traffic and cargo,and which must impact the viability of any business. While the series does provide entertainment for an aviation buff like myself, researching the company's history on the net was also equally entertaining. It would appear as if they have been grounded numerous times by the Air Transport Board of Canada for safety violations, and crashes they have had, to the point where they no longer appear to be allowed to carry passengers on their flights.

I think what keeps people watching this is to see the old planes in the air, and the constant "can-do" attitude of the characters who try to keep the operation together with fanatical zeal, and a lot of improvisation! While this is admirable in many ways, it certainly is not a method that employs operational processes that would meet the safety regulations in a modern world. It is not representative of a good way to run a successful business.

By series 5, it was clear that the end was in sight! The events became too repetitive, and there seemed to be a need to create fake drama where there was none. It just seemed to become that much less interesting to watch.

All in all, watch it for what it is, old planes, grizzled old pilots and mechanics,young pilots fresh out of flying school who are looking for excitement, and insight into the very harsh way of life that people have to endure, living above the arctic circle!

Too much drama and not enough flying

[terryfilkins · 2/10 · 21 November 2016]

I love aviation and enjoy much of this series. Grew up around airplanes, friends & family are pilots. Most of the people in aviation where I'm from are pretty good people. I guess Joe is up North because nobody in the South will put up with him, he's gotta be the worst boss I've ever seen, no wonder all the pilots and maintenance guys leave as soon as they have enough hours. That guy should have learned by now that you can't treat people like that when the live in a cold, boring, isolated place in the middle of nowhere, if work sucks, there's no reason to stay. I like the show, but can't stand listening to all the drama, peoples personal problems, "buffalo is my family" etc... Seeing the old planes fly & get repaired is interesting. Watching Mike do nothing but cost the company money and screw around... really infuriating, especially when you see good employees busting their hump to get the business to make money, get crapped on by Joe, while his family does whatever they want. What a horrible, hostile, dysfunctional workplace. I'm surprised anyone would apply to work at Buffalo after watching this TV show! it definitely doesn't promote the company. More attention should be on the planes and waaaaay less on all the peoples problems that work there, and get Joe off camera!!! my goodness, I want to fly up there just to punch that guy every time I see him being a grouch on the show!

Very interesting, with a lot of problems

[Blackbird013-1 · 4/10 · 28 October 2016]

First off the purpose of the show is obvious. IRT always made a huge drama about people had to have their goods which left me thinking what about all of the aircraft that are usually used to get goods up north? In that sense, such a show is needed to counteract the fake drama involved with IRT.

Second this show has a certain romance about vintage aircraft, and creates a view of a business model in harsh environments that truly shows genius and common sense. Having pilots work their way up having to know every aspect of the business and the daily work of taking care of the planes before being given responsibility for one makes a lot of sense. That said the contract failures, the fuel shortages, and mechanical failures truly make one wonder whether it's viable to run a company composed only of vintage aircraft without any more suited or appropriate aircraft for diversity.

The fake drama, cursing, stress, and character driven twists that have nothing to do with the company, the planes, or the job were a huge turn off. I mostly avoid reality TV for just this reason, and the show would probably be much more popular and worthy with more historical information, or information in general instead of following "emotional drama" ,self promotion, or "family plot lines".

Overall my rating is based on the fact that it's a bit of fascination wrapped up in a lot of boredom that you have to wade through much like a pilot has many hours of boredom punctuated by moments of adrenaline. (This is in case any within the company read this so they can understand the POV of a viewer). It's amazing how much I had to fast forward through personal life tidbits and mechanized drama to get back to the show about the business, and the planes.

Season two became even harder to sit through, and the biggest shock was with all of those pilots available that two of the youngest pilots were considered to do the passenger flight TOGETHER. Was that just an intentional drama plot or did the least experienced ones really talk someone into sticking their neck out that far just to set a record for youngest pilots?

Dumb is an over statement

[cg613 · 1/10 · 13 March 2014]

Who cares what "Mikey" is doing, and "Mikeys Adventures" if you want a show about some twit that wants to talk the whole time and show him doing things totally unrelated to the company and show then give him his own show. "Mikey" makes this show sickening, from his voice to stupid things he does and says he is annoying and ruins the show.

Also, how can the Canadian Government allow an airline to still fly old junk like these planes? Every 2nd show is a break down or parts search, why not start a show for Canadian North or Bradley First Aid who flies normal decent planes.

Show is a total joke, made worse by "Mikey"

Much ado about very little.

[aerovian · 2/10 · 4 January 2010]

I stuck with turkey for six episodes, waiting for it to take flight and get interesting. After all, it's Canadian, and I always try to give homegrown fare an even break. Unfortunately it seems nothing really worth paying attention is likely to happen in the video annals of Buffalo Airways.

About half of the action revolves around the numerous mechanical failures that will inevitably go hand-in-glove with trying to operate an airline around a fleet of flying dinosaurs (so maybe buy some newer planes, already???) Then, to run out the clock, the producers drop in a bunch of filler footage that attempts to trump very routine and mundane workaday challenges into some sort of high Arctic drama. (The airport is fogged in, so a cargo flight is delayed, so a shopkeeper in a remote settlement gets a tad antsy about his shipment of cabbages and Cheetos. Riveting stuff.) The one time we saw the potential for some real drama -- when an isolated community a couple thousand miles off the power grid suddenly found itself in desperate need of a replacement for a failed diesel-electric genset -- our heroes, unsurprisingly, muffed the job. While the intrepid Buffaloons -- apparently not learned in the ways of the tape measure -- fumbled around on the tarmac for hours trying to insert a too-large generator through a too-small aircraft cargo door, a rival carrier flew to the rescue with another generator unit and saved the community from the cold and dark of the Arctic winter. (Candidly, I'm amazed that a capital-L-Loser incident like that made it to air. The producers must really have been strapped for enough material to fill their contracted number of episodes.) There seems to be an unspoken intimation that we should somehow equate the company's squadron of junk-jockeys with Canada's legendary bush-pilots, whose courage and persistence helped to open up transportation and communication lifelines to the farthest reaches of our huge country seven, eight, nine decades ago. That's more than a bit of a stretch, though, as Buffalo's pilots work short hours in heated cockpits with (surprisingly) modern navigation equipment at their fingertips, and they get to enjoy with warm beds, hot meals, plasma TVs and Nintendo when the wheels are down. And if conditions outside are a tad too nasty for comfy flying, well these guys can just sit around til the sky turns a bit bluer.

The show's name makes it plain enough that this is an attempt to cash in on the success of Ice Road Truckers; however a cloned TV series -- like warmed-over pizza -- is rarely very tasty. The generous helping of unblanked profanity served up in each episode only serves to underscore the fact that this series will probably only have any significant audience rating by appealing to the lowest common denominator. You'll be better served watching reruns of Trailer Park Boys instead, because if nothing else that series was at least original.

(I give this show two stars instead of one only because the narrator sounds good and does his gallant best to create a bit of drama and suspense where none exists.)

And the motto is

[kamilwilga · 1/10 · 23 November 2019]

You work to live not you live to work. And I am so glad someone had the balls to leave this hole because life is too short to be a slave. They literally are slave mongers I swear!!! Look at the conditions these people lived in, like a sweat shop

You want to die

[kamilwilga · 1/10 · 23 November 2019]

Take that airline they fly planes not fit for service

Kudos to the Planes, Pilots and (and most) Mechanics on this show.

[mikerjones · 5/10 · 13 April 2021]

I try to steer clear of "reality" shows because most of them have drama that appears manufactured and dialogue that sounds scripted. I found this show a long time ago on cable and watched only because of the old planes. Watching the mechanics work on them and the pilots fly them in the Northern Territories was a LOT of fun. But then the humans got in the way.

If the scenes with Buffalo Joe and mechanic Charlie are to be believed these two have to be the most simple guys you could ever meet. Not a brain between them. As for the rest of the crowd, there is not a decent manager among them. Even the outside manager they hire (Duane) is an idiot. They don't know how to manage projects; they don't know how to manage people. No wonder they have a hard time keeping good people working for Buffalo,

One thing that tells me it must be fake is that you are there for important drama - e.g. How does the camera crew know that Gord is going to get a call from an outside airline with a job offer? If it plays like they show it, they can't possibly know ahead of time. So what we saw was a recreation - if in fact there was a job offer in the first place and the whole thing wasn't just that Gord wanted off the show. That's the thing. You can't really know.

So just ignore the manufactured drama and enjoy the scenery and the flying. Everything else is a waste of your time.

"Even the smallest mistake can kill you"

[evening1 · 4/10 · 23 January 2023]

Every once in awhile I'll check to see if the Weather Channel has anything worthwhile, and I was excited to notice this series' stop in Greenland, a country that interests me.

We hone in here on flights of a stolid crew that frequents arctic locales, traveling in a bunker-like prop plane dubbed the "water bomber."

Seemingly for no other reason than to face the challenge, the crew is heading toward Narsarsuaq Airport in southern Greenland, which, according to Wikipedia, is one of only two airports on the mini-continent capable of serving large airliners. With little more than a runway on a fjord, there's "no room to abort a landing" once a pilot commits, we're told.

After a four-hour flight from Labrador, the red and white-striped clunker approaches a forbidding landscape of mountain cliffs, glaciers, and icebergs."Beauty," says the pilot as he touches down, inspiring admiration of his sangfroid.

The episode incongruously includes glimpses of Legoland in Denmark and the series' headquarters in Yellowknife, Canada. How much more interesting it would have been to include something of life in Greenland, maybe a stop at a restaurant or a local store. One could come away from this show thinking Greenland totally uninhabited!

The program ends with a visit to six-hours-distant Iceland and its runway, which looks like Disneyland compared to Greenland's. But the credits roll without any more footage of that lovely land. Someone, please get this show a cure for tunnel vision!

These planes

[kamilwilga · 1/10 · 23 November 2019]

Should be in a museum as in US and are only flown in events

No wonder people quit

[kamilwilga · 1/10 · 23 November 2019]

Because they live in sub human conditions and are being treated like fuxking garbage