'Ice PIlots' - Quest Channel
 

Hi there,

Anyone check out that new series on the satellite TV channel Quest, called 'Ice Pilots'? All about flying classic old vintage working propliners at Buffalo Air (based in Canada's North West Territories). They are flying DC3s, C46 'Commando' (didn't know there were any still flying!) and DC4. A great show and great for morale; reminds us all there is more to flying than just waiting for the hiring-man at JetLiner Inc. to pick your CV out of the pile of 500 similar wannabes.

I think this show is going to be on at 9pm every Thursday. Enjoy!

Flug

I've just finished watching it, this is show is simply amazing!!

Thats true flying right there, I have considered dropping the airline idea and do something like that instead.

Yeah, it was good and it was better than what they had on sky3 :} Especially liked watching the engine shut down drill and also their crisis management with regards to the DC3 going tech just prior to departure.


It takes balls of steel to land on runways of ice.... :ok:

Came across it by chance and very glad I did. Magic stuff.


PS Groundloop : You are obviously not up on your historic aircraft: C46s, C47s and DC4s ARE history AND nostalgia

Bring it on
 

Its on again tonight as well...more lovely aviation histroy :)

I saw a few minutes tonight. Either poor management, poor editing or poor piloting or all three.

PM

I saw the adverts just prior to it starting and then promptly fell asleep. :{ This flying lark is catching up with me.... :uhoh:

Anybody know when it's coming to U. S. TV? It's been on in Canada, but all we 'Murricans can see on the web are trailers for the various episodes.

I've been watching it. All I'll say is that it is seriously scary from a professional point of view.

Watching this begs the question "is there really no modern aircraft that Buffalo could use instead?" Is it simply financially impossible to use modern aircraft or are they not operationally flexible enough?
There have been several attempts at producing a "DC3 replacement", what came closest, Caribou, Skyvan, AN2; any others? Bristol Freighter?
Could anything modern be made as endlessly repairable as a DC3 or has that opportunity been lost to regulations? (If it can be done, I bet it has a pair of PT6s)

Rory57 must admit I was thinking the same thing, glad they haven't really or they would not be still flying, but considering the cost of AVGAS over jet fuel how can these piston aircraft make sense,

Or is it the cost of overhauling a turbo prop engine that stops it, the HS 748 springs to mind as a DC-3 replacement,

Long may the old prop liners live on.

Nick.

The only thing I can think of is that parts are cheaper for these birds than modern aircraft.

Would modern aircraft really survive the hell these things go through? These are built like tanks; modern aircraft quite simply aren't.

If there was ever an argument for over-engineering, this must be it.

ECAM Actions.

Basler Turbo -67
 

Well after a long time of lurking time to dip a toe into the water of posting so to speak, Rory, reference the thought of turbo propping a DC3 try googling the Basler Turbo-67 they already did it ! and funnily enough yup you guessed it PT6's!
Did see the program hard to miss it really after the blanket saturation of the adverts on Quest for it, but great TV all the same, OK some of the maintenance and practices made me wince a bit but hey they are doing the job and still flying so they cant be doing it too badly now can they!
I can only think really that the main reasoning behind still operating that vintage of aircraft is as mentioned in other posts cost of spares and aircraft inherent robustness, being involved in the maintenance world of some elderly aircraft myself although not of that vintage i have to say, very often they can keep on going and remain economically viable to a small niche operator like Buffalo long after conventional wisdom would say otherwise, after all if you are getting a lot of your spares from breakers or your own older parted out aircraft they will usually be cheaper than in service types of today, so looking forward to seeing the next episodes.

DC3 Replacement
 

If you look on their (Buffalo) website there's an 'aircraft wanted' section. You'll see they're looking/in the market for a South African Airforce spec turboprop DC3 conversion rather than a Basler conversion!

Wanted & For Sale | Buffalo Airways

There's an old romantic lurking in the Buffalo hangars. See that one of the C-46s has the Lufthansa Stork on the nose - just as it had on first delivery. Love it :ok:

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b270/cumpas/luft.jpg

I love the livery..its in fantastic condition. :) Do they ever fly it or just canibalise it for spare parts??

Errr, neither, in those colours. The photograph is of Buffalo's aircraft when it was with Lufthansa. All that's left of the paint scheme is the Lufthansa stork.

History. N9891Z (cn 33242) Previously served with Capitol Airways, Lufthansa and Trans Continental Airlines. Re-registered C-FAVO by Northland Air Manitoba in 1987 before moving to Buffalo Airways in 1994.

:hmm: Thought it was in too good a condition. It didnt look very cold on the ramp either... :8

MAGPIENJA.
Just watched what must have been the 2nd programme. Great to watch. I noticed that in the background was a Lockheed Electra in Buffalo colours on one shot, so perhaps they do fly more modern equipment, but the TV prog is focused on the props. Nice to see.:)

Hi JEM60 yes your right, in fact I have downloaded the whole series from the net only watched the first 3 and yes they do use it but he did comment on its fuel use, strange as I thought jet fuel had very little duty.

Nick.