Ice Pilots NWT
Encyclopedia
Ice Pilots NWT is a reality
television documentary
series broadcast on History Television
that portrays Buffalo Airways
, an airline based in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
, Canada. Buffalo flies WWII-era propeller planes year-round in the Canadian North
. It premiered on November 18, 2009. The show was renewed for a second season with filming completed on August 2, 2010. The season premiere was aired on History Television January 12, 2011. Season 3 was greenlit on August 18, 2010 and began airing on October 12, 2011. In the UK, series 2 was shown on Quest
commencing May 2011. Season 1 of Ice Pilots began airing on the National Geographic Channel
in the US on April 22, 2011.
Ice Pilots NWT has been recognized with two Gemini Award
s in 2011
for Best Original Music for a Lifestyle/Practical Information or Reality Program or Series and Best Photography in an Information Program or Series.
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
television documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
series broadcast on History Television
History Television
History Television is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel that presents programming about history and some non-historical programming of military, science and technology interest. It is owned by Shaw Media. Its French language counterpart is Historia.The channel operates two...
that portrays Buffalo Airways
Buffalo Airways
Buffalo Airways is a family-run airline based in Hay River, Northwest Territories, Canada established in 1970 by Joe McBryan, also known as "Buffalo Joe". It operates scheduled passenger, scheduled cargo, charter passenger, charter cargo, firefighting and fuel services...
, an airline based in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
, Canada. Buffalo flies WWII-era propeller planes year-round in the Canadian North
Northern Canada
Northern Canada, colloquially the North, is the vast northernmost region of Canada variously defined by geography and politics. Politically, the term refers to the three territories of Canada: Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut...
. It premiered on November 18, 2009. The show was renewed for a second season with filming completed on August 2, 2010. The season premiere was aired on History Television January 12, 2011. Season 3 was greenlit on August 18, 2010 and began airing on October 12, 2011. In the UK, series 2 was shown on Quest
Quest (TV channel)
Quest is a TV channel in the United Kingdom. Quest provides factual, lifestyle, entertainment programmes and other imported material. The channel is operated by Discovery Networks Western Europe.-History:...
commencing May 2011. Season 1 of Ice Pilots began airing on the National Geographic Channel
National Geographic Channel
National Geographic Channel, also commercially abbreviated and trademarked as Nat Geo, is a subscription television channel that airs non-fiction television programs produced by the National Geographic Society. Like History and the Discovery Channel, the channel features documentaries with factual...
in the US on April 22, 2011.
Ice Pilots NWT has been recognized with two Gemini Award
Gemini Award
The Gemini Awards are annual television broadcasting industry awards in Canada.First awarded in 1986, the Geminis celebrate the achievements of TV members of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. Essentially, it presents awards for the best television productions in Canada. Awards are...
s in 2011
2011 Gemini Awards
The 26th Gemini Awards will be held on September 7, 2011 to honour achievements in Canadian television. The ceremony was broadcast live from the Canadian Broadcasting Centre in Toronto, and aired on CBC Television....
for Best Original Music for a Lifestyle/Practical Information or Reality Program or Series and Best Photography in an Information Program or Series.
Cast
The cast/crew of Ice Pilots consists of the following people:| Person | Role | Seasons | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanic/In-Flight Engineer | Resigns from Buffalo early in season 3 | ||
| Electra Co-Pilot | |||
| Co-Pilot | |||
| Co-Pilot | |||
| Captain | |||
| Captain | |||
| Ramp Hand | Rampie who becomes a flight attendant in season 1 | ||
| Captain | |||
| CL-215 Lead Engineer | |||
| Ramp Hand | |||
| Ramp Hand | |||
| Ramp Hand & Co-Pilot | |||
| Mechanic | |||
| Mechanic/In-Flight Engineer | |||
| Ramp Hand & Co-Pilot | |||
| Courier Manager | Engaged to Devon Brooks, resigns early in season 3 | ||
| Senior Manager | |||
| Cargo Manager | |||
| Ramp Hand & Co-Pilot | Resigns early in season 3 | ||
| President of Buffalo Airways & Captain | |||
| General Manager | Youngest child of Joe McBryan | ||
| Director of Maintenance | Oldest child of Joe McBryan | ||
| Hay River Manager | Middle child of Joe McBryan | ||
| Former Chief Pilot | Retires late in season 2, but returns in season 3 | ||
| Chief Pilot | |||
| Ramp Hand | |||
| Mechanic/In-Flight Engineer | |||
| Mascot & Co-Pilot | |||
| Ramp Hand | Resigns during season 1 to return home | ||
| Co-Pilot | |||
| Ramp Hand & Co-Pilot | |||
Aircraft featured
| Airplane | Seasons |
|---|---|
| Curtiss C-46 Commando | 1 present |
| Douglas DC-3 Douglas DC-3 The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made... |
1 present |
| Douglas DC-4 Douglas DC-4 The Douglas DC-4 is a four-engined propeller-driven airliner developed by the Douglas Aircraft Company. It served during World War II, in the Berlin Airlift and into the 1960s in a military role... |
1 present |
| Lockheed L-188 Electra Lockheed L-188 Electra The Lockheed Model 188 Electra is an American turboprop airliner built by Lockheed. First flying in 1957, it was the first large turboprop airliner produced in the United States. Initial sales were good, but after two fatal crashes which prompted an expensive modification program to fix a design... |
1 present |
| Canadair CL-215 Canadair CL-215 The Canadair CL-215 was the first model in a series of firefighting flying boat amphibious aircraft built by Canadair and later Bombardier. The CL-215 is a twin-engine, high-wing aircraft designed to operate well at low speed and in gust-loading circumstances, as are found over forest fires... |
1 present |
| Beechcraft Baron Beechcraft Baron |-See also:- Further reading :*Harding, Stephen. U.S. Army Aircraft Since 1947. Shrewsbury, UK:Airlife Publishing, 1990. ISBN 1-85310-102-8.*Michell, Simon. Jane's Civil and Military Aircraft Upgrades 1994-95. Coulsdon, UK:Jane's Information Group, 1994. ISBN 0-7106-1208-7.*Taylor, John W. R.... |
1 present |
Episode Listing
| Season | Episodes | Channel | Airdate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13 | History Television | 18 November 2009 – 13 February 2010 |
| 2 | 13 | History Television | 12 January 2011 – 6 April 2011 |
| 3 | 13 | History Television | 12 October 2011 – 4 January 2012 |
External links
- Buffalo Airways website
- Ice Pilots NWT website
- Ice Pilots on Quest in the UK