Ice Pilots of NWT Series on History Channel this Fall!

[co-joe]

When the prop wouldn't feather I totally cringed, or the no use doing a MAP briefing since we won't have enough power with one windmilling anyway. Also liked the story about the guy falling off a wing and breaking his arm, hope he got WCB. Remember, you have the right to refuse unsafe work practices... ppppffrfft! YEah Right...if you like being on EI.

[ehbuddy]

Is it just me or does it seem rather risky to be standing on the wingtip of a DC 4 at night when its minus 37 outside trying to sweep off the frost???

Its all very exciting to see all of this vintage iron flying but it also looks like an operation that T.C. should visiting more often.

[kilocharliemike]

That guy Alex Wagner at the beginning of the show was my first PPL instructor in CYHU, exactly the type of flying I would have pictured him doing...

[C-GGGQ]

"A recipe for disaster"

Well with a statement like that I can't wait..........


Oh wait here's a better one:

"Rookie pilots"

Oh now I am verklempt..


rookie pilots - a recipe for disaster - talk amongst yourselves

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vd8og3fl4RA

Is there gonna be a senior? Junior? Mikey?

Yes there actually is a Mikey

[peakbagger]

Too big to fly a DC-3?! I wonder what he did his flight training in?

[ScudRunner]

Watched it last night and enjoyed it very much good work, its a TV show remember and it has to be dumbed down or throw a bit of drama in for the regular folks.

Really? First show and 3 aircraft, 3 engine problems and a delay with no back-up A/C. I know this stuff happens from time to time but this made it look like it happens everyday.

Well I'm sure it ain't like an episode of 24, if you filmed a show per day it would be pretty boring a lot of guys turning wrenches and rampies bombing freight around with planes coming and going.

what are they going to run 10 episodes? it probably took them 8 months to shoot that.

[Ogee]

Why do I get the horrible feeling this is going to turn into American Chopper Airlines?

I'd say its because you are the reincarnation of Nostradamus. Good call.

[Ogee]

I'll bet a year of my wages that if he handed you the keys to the operation the doors would be closed for good within a year.

They'd be closed within 24 hours if I had to run a business which required professional men and women to work as indentured servants on the idiotic premise that that period of servitude somehow made them better qualified to operate aging shitboxes at the edge of disaster when the rest of the world, including the companies next door, had long since evolved into the 21st century.

[Ogee]

So I just watched the first episode of Ice Pilots.

If any other engineers saw it, what do you think caused the #2 engine to have problems?

It was the one that a recent magneto replaced, they flew it and then it started to run rough and shake. They did a shutdown procedure on it, and it wouldnt feather.

They didn't say what the problem was, so of course Im just dieing to know. I have my guess, but I would have loved to have heard exactly what happened!

I saw at the end of the show an engine being loaded or unloaded into a plane, replacement or whatever for the bad one? Its my guess anyway.

I think it could have been some debris or FOD in the oil, that took out the last prop governor and the new one they put on. Either by blocking orfices or something. The engine could have or maybe did make a ton of metal, and I would like to see the insides haha.

Anywho, we'll hopefully find out next episode!

I'd say that was a scripted event Rosco. I know one of the guys on the film crew and while I heard other stories, I never heard anything of a real shutdown and a prop that wouldn't feather. Not that the real thing might not have happened at some time with this being a reconstruction for TV of that event.

Some pretty nice photography and some great digital animation in it though.

[MZUNGO]

They'd be closed within 24 hours if I had to run a business which required professional men and women to work as indentured servants on the idiotic premise that that period of servitude somehow made them better qualified to operate aging shitboxes at the edge of disaster when the rest of the world, including the companies next door, had long since evolved into the 21st century.

thats poetry right there

[altiplano]

Here's the stream on history tv if you didn't catch it on tv.

http://www.history.ca/video/default.aspx

[sigmet77]

Thanks altiplano, just watched it. Pretty good show, I'll definately watch it again.

[Dust Devil]

ya gotta keep in mind that in "reality tv" there are still scripts involved and directors often add "dramatic flare"

[gabo]

This might give a few answers as to whaat went wrong with the C-46. The great thing about this show is you can follow along on TC's website, know exactly when engine failures are going to happen and have the cause of it before it gets all hollywooded up.

FYI, this show started shooting in november of 2008 so next week it will be easy to follow along!!!!


Record #1

Cadors Number: 2008C4205Reporting Region: Prairie & Northern
Occurrence Information

Occurrence Type:Incident Occurrence Date:2008-11-28 Occurrence Time:2206 Z Day Or Night:day-time Fatalities:0 Injuries:0
Canadian Aerodrome ID:CYZF Aerodrome Name:Yellowknife Occurrence Location:Yellowknife (CYZF) Province:Northwest Territories Country:CANADA World Area:North America
Reported By:NAV CANADA AOR Number:102219-V1 TSB Class Of Investigation: TSB Occurrence No: Aircraft Information

Flight #:BFL 328 Aircraft Category:Aeroplane Country of Registration:CANADA Make:CURTISS WRIGHT Model:C46D Year Built:1945 Amateur Built:No Engine Make:PRATT & WHITNEY-USA Engine Model:R-2800-51M3 Engine Type:Reciprocating Gear Type:Land Phase of Flight:Cruise Damage:No Damage Owner:BUFFALO AIRWAYS LTD Operator:BUFFALO AIRWAYS LTD. (5319) Operator Type:Commercial Event Information
Declared emergency/priority
Engine malfunction - other
Detail Information

User Name:Ridley, Rod Date:2008-12-02 Further Action Required:Yes O.P.I.:Maintenance & Manufacturing Narrative:BFL 328, a C-46 Commando operated by Buffalo Airways, was Inbound to Yellowknife when the crew reported an engine problem. They did not declare an emergency but requested priority. The aircraft landed safely.

User Name:Ridley, Rod Date:2008-12-05 Further Action Required:No O.P.I.:System Safety Narrative:UPDATE Maintenance and Manufacturing reported that the company maintenance investigation determined that the RH points in the RH engine magneto required replacing. They were replaced, ground runs were carried out and the aircraft returned to service. The magneto had 520.5 TSO. Please note that for the most part, CADORS reports contain preliminary, unconfirmed data which can be subject to change.

[Ogee]

I believe there's going to be a segment on ferrying something called Ducks, or something like that, from Newf across the Azores and into Turkey. I take it that's a CL-215. Should be interesting.

I think this took almost a year to film.

It is interesting, but it sure has American Choppers wirtten all over it. I like how they have those old pigs sort of slide under the camera ship in the air to air photo work.

[cyxe]

They did a great job of balancing flair with reality I thought. Not that I know anything about their reality.

Check out the videos introducing each of the members of the company, especially his son, Mikey McBryan the "GM". Hillarious.

http://www.icepilots.com/crew.php

Dust Devil: perfect avatar

[gabo]

OOOOO, that episode should be interesting, i wonder if they will show when one of the ducks gear up'ed on the runway in turkey. That would be awesome if cameras got the look on Joe's face when he heard the news.

[flyinthebug]

Im with the vast majority and really enjoyed the show. I was based in YEV for awhile and enjoyed seeing Joe`s boys in action. Quite a diverse fleet, and i`ll be watching next week forsure! As has been said, the drama is for TV.. It should be a sucessful series. It gets my vote.

Fly safe all.

PS.. Does anyone know if the Operations Manager "Mikey" flys or not? Im curious if he is all business OR does he jump in the saddle when the notion strikes?.

[cyxe]

PS.. Does anyone know if the Operations Manager "Mikey" flys or not? Im curious if he is all business OR does he jump in the saddle when the notion strikes?.

He doesn't fly..."I'm accident prone....scared of heights...." watch his video - pretty funny.
http://www.icepilots.com/crew.php

[rotateandfly]

This is frustrating!
I can't watch it on the History Television website because im out of the country and can't seem to find it ANYWHERE else!
Anyone know where I can watch the full episode?

[Rotten Apple #1]

I liked it.

[Dust Devil]

Dust Devil: perfect avatar

thanks. I stole it however from another guy on the riderfans forum

[Rubberbiscuit]

Really enjoyed it. Will keep watching for sure, despite all the flashbacks it gives me from my own C46 days!

[Meatservo]

I don't like much, but I liked that show. It wasn't dramatized any more than I tend to dramatize my own adventures. For the most part, I feel they told it like it is. The only exception is the cartoon depiction of the C46 wing falling off, but you've gotta expect TV people are going to put some of that crap in there.

I enjoyed it. I have always wished someone would make a TV show about flying in the north. A show about Twin Otters would be awesome, too.

[Rowdy]

I'm not usually a critic and all for given'er up north.. but there were a few too many cheesy moments and reflections on life..and not enough actual flying.

I also noticed that they stuffed someone (without any ground training) in the right seat of the -4 for some training on a rev flight. Hmm... Also.. where was the co-ey for joe on the trip to hay river at night? Was he not around or just hiding from Joe and the camera?
Lastly.. if you have an engine shutdown or anything go wrong. DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. requesting priority means dick all.

Mikey still makes me laugh tho. I still owe ya thanks for the case of oil a couple years back.