Ep 1. Nightmare Landing
- TV-14
- April 22, 2011
- 45 min
Set in the frigid, isolated region of Canada's Northwest Territories, Ice Pilots follows the pilots, mechanics, and support staff of Buffalo Airways as they transport vital supplies and passengers in treacherous conditions.
In the first episode, "Nightmare Landing," the team faces a daunting challenge when a DC-4 cargo plane carrying a shipment of chemicals experiences engine trouble shortly after takeoff. With limited options and rapidly dwindling fuel, pilot Scott Blue must execute a risky emergency landing on a makeshift runway in the middle of a frozen lake.
As the team springs into action to prepare the runway and keep the stranded crew and passenger warm, tensions begin to rise as everyone realizes the severity of the situation. Meanwhile, the decision to send a second plane to retrieve the valuable cargo is met with skepticism from some team members who consider it too dangerous.
As the hours tick by and the temperature drops, the Buffalo Airways crew works tirelessly to keep the stranded crew and passenger safe and warm while also dealing with the frustrating reality of a malfunctioning radio system that leaves them cut off from outside help.
Despite the mounting stress, the team never loses sight of their ultimate goal: getting everyone home safely. But as they discover during this harrowing ordeal, in the challenging world of ice flying, every decision carries a cost and every mistake could be deadly.
Ice Pilots season 1 episode 1 offers a thrilling look at the daily challenges faced by the pilots and crew of Buffalo Airways as they navigate unforgiving weather and terrain to keep Canada's Northern communities connected to the rest of the world. With breathtaking aerial footage and a strong cast of characters, this episode is a gripping introduction to a show that explores the human drama and high stakes of ice flying.