Ice Pilots

[Stearmen]

Any one else watching Ice Pilots on National Geographic Channel? It's about Buffalo Airways, a Canadian cargo operation who operate Douglas DC3s, DC4s and Curtiss C-46 Commandos. Love the old round engines! I can almost smell the 60 weight oil burning.

 

[Stearmen]

I posted this in the moving picture section with no replies, maybe it will do better here since they are all WWII planes! Any one else watching Ice Pilots on National Geographic Channel? It's about Buffalo Airways, a Canadian cargo operation who operate Douglas DC3s, C-47s, DC4s and Curtiss C-46 Commandos. Love the old round engines! I can almost smell the 60 weight oil burning.

 

[MPicciotto]

I don't watch TV (except netflix later). So I'll have to see if I can catch it on the internet or via rental in the future. Sounds very cool!

Matt

 

[Stearmen]

Gonzo

I can't believe am the only member watching Ice Pilots! The footage of the C-46 Commando down on the deck is as good as it gets. Great for you ground crew Living History to, lots of maintenance footage, they are old planes after all! I can't imagine working on those planes when it's 40 bellow zero Farenheit. We once started two R-2800s when it was in the mid 50s, and the props felt like they were in concrete, and 60 weight oil comes at you in slow motion streams. Absolutely Gonzo! [video=youtube;FYbxbXZGOI8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYbxbXZGOI8[/video]

 

[Sgt Brown]

Unfortunately, I don't have cable right now but this show looks like another reason to get off my butt. Looks to be like Flying Wild Alaska (Discovery Channel) on steroids!

Tom

 

[Shangas]

I haven't seen Ice Pilots yet. Although I did hear about the old planes.

Why do they use such old airplanes? Surely modern ones would be better? Or is it something about the planes' design that means they're better-suited for the harsh conditions?

 

[Stearmen]

Best Planes Ever

Why do they use such old airplanes? Surely modern ones would be better? Or is it something about the planes' design that means they're better-suited for the harsh conditions?

Yes! The late Bill Lear, yes that Lear, said the only plane that will replace a DC3, is another DC3. Turboprop planes and jets drink fuel at an alarming rate down low, and even though the big radial powered planes can go through fuel at up words of 200 gallons an hour, they still sip it compared to jets. Plus they can get in and out of really small fields.

 

[MPicciotto]

Also the DC-3 is tenaciously reliable under harsh conditions and can often be repaired effectively with nothing more then soda cans and bailing wire. Around the world short haul airlines still use the DC-3. Particularly operating in places where they are the only aircraft in and out of a field so NO Aviation spare parts are available locally. So many were built that the used spare parts market is HUGE for them.

Matt

 

[Phantomfixer]

Stearman,
Awesome, My dream job. The trailer was amazing. If I could convince my wife that Alaska is 70 degrees year round I would be there in a heart beat. She knows better. Those old planes will fly forever.

 

[Stearmen]

New Epasode

Remember, Friday night Ice Pilots, check your local listings!

 

[fobermueller]

Does anybody know what these guys make? It seems they hire pilots right out of flight school and make them interns. Everybody is under 30 except for the chief pilot and A&P. (or so it seems)
There is a school in Ga. who will get you signed off for the DC3 for VFR for 8K. For 16K you get a IFR. This assumes you have your multi rating. They will get you a multi rating for 3K in a Piper Apache
It would make a cool 2nd career although I don't think I could get my wife up there.