Buffalo Airways
Buffalo Airways is a family-run airline based in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada, established in 1970. Buffalo Airways was launched by Bob Gauchie and later sold to one of his pilots, Joe McBryan (aka "Buffalo Joe"). It operates charter passenger, charter cargo, firefighting, and fuel services, and formerly operated scheduled passenger service. Its main base is at Yellowknife Airport (CYZF). It has two other bases at Hay River/Merlyn Carter Airport (CYHY) and Red Deer Regional Airport (CYQF). The Red Deer base is the main storage and maintenance facility. The airline is also the subject of the History  television reality series "Ice Pilots NWT". The company slogan is "Your passage to the North." Clothing company, television show, and media. In 2007, Buffalo Airways began producing a clothing line that included T-shirts, hoodies, and hats. With the introduction of the Canwest Global (now Shaw Media) television show "Ice Pilots NWT", Buffalo has expanded its clothing company to feature over 30 products and launched a full-service product website called BuffaloAirWear.com. The show, which is produced by Omnifilm Entertainment and shown on History, features the day-to-day operations at Buffalo Airways. In 2011, Buffalo Airways was involved in  a recreation of the historic Dam Busters raids of World War II, flying the mission, with their own plane and pilots. Buffalo dropped an inert reproduction of the 'Upkeep' bouncing bomb from their Douglas DC-4. The project was documented in the television show "Dambusters Fly Again" in Canada, "Dambusters: Building the Bouncing Bomb" in the UK, and "Nova" season 39 episode "Bombing Hitler's Dams" in the US. A behind-the-scenes look was also filmed in the "Ice Pilots NWT" season 3 episode 2 show "Dambusters". In 2012, "Arctic Air", a Canadian aviation drama, used Buffalo Airways hangar as  a backdrop for scenes in the show. During a tour of Buffalo Airways' hangar, given by Director of Operations, Mikey McBryan, he explained how the TV show used tarps to cover the Buffalo Airways insignia. On 27 July 2012, Bruce Dickinson, lead singer of Iron Maiden, flew up from Edmonton to Yellowknife with Buffalo Airways. On 28 July, Dickinson, who holds an airline transport pilot licence, flew a Douglas DC-3 to Yellowknife and spent a day as a guest star for a season five episode. In August 2019, owner Joe McBryan was made a member of the Order of the  Northwest Territories to honour his work in aviation. Buffalo Air Express. Buffalo operates a courier service as Buffalo Air Express which started in 1982-1983. It offers service throughout the Northwest Territories (NWT) and Northern Alberta. In association with Global Interline Network it can ship around the world from bases in Yellowknife, Edmonton and Hay River. Firefighting. Under contract for the NWT Government, Buffalo Airways operate and maintain aircraft used in the aerial firefighting program. Aircraft include both bird dog and waterbombers. The waterbombers are assisted by smaller aircraft known as "bird dogs" which are used to help spot wildfires  as well as guide waterbombers during operations Current water bomber aircraft include eight amphibious Air Tractor 802 Fireboss and two specially converted Lockheed L-188 Electra. Bird Dog aircraft include the Gulfstream/Rockwell 690, and the Beech King Air. Former aircraft used include the amphibious Canadair CL-215, the Douglas C-54/DC-4, and the Canso PBY-5. Buffalo School of Aviation. Buffalo's aviation school offers an aircraft maintenance engineer program and several other courses. According to Transport Canada listings, it has three aircraft, two are single-engine fixed wing, an Aeronca Champion and a Fleet Canuck, the third a helicopter is a  Robinson R22. The Buffalo website also lists a Bell 206 helicopter and a Beech 90 King Air. Destinations. The airline operated scheduled passenger services between Hay River and Yellowknife from August 1986 until November 2015. However, due to the suspension of the Air Operator Certificate scheduled service was replaced in December 2015, when the company chartered aircraft to make the run. The charter service was cancelled 24 December. As of Spring 2019 Buffalo has not resumed passenger service and currently does not have trained flight attendants making passenger service unlikely in the near future. It carried over 186,000 passengers from  1986 to 2015. Scheduled cargo services transport supplies from Yellowknife to Deline, Fort Good Hope, Norman Wells, and Tulita under contract with the Government of the Northwest Territories. The service also includes an airport shuttle and a medical transfer bus. Buffalo also offers charters on their passenger aircraft across Canada and also offers cargo charters. Fleet. As of August 2019, according to Transport Canada the fleet numbered 57, with two more aircraft registered to the Buffalo School of Aviation. In addition the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration had one aircraft registered to Buffalo Airways USA. !Aircraft||No. of aircraft||Variants||Notes Buffalo Airways Buffalo