Ice Pilots NWT's Arnie Shreder RIP

[Dave L]

From http://www.facebook.com/#!/icepilotsnwt

"We were very saddened to hear of the passing on May 4th of Buffalo Airways’ former chief pilot Arnie Schreder. Arnie was a key subject in our documentary series, Ice Pilots NWT and one of our viewers’ favourite pilots over three seasons of the show.

“Before we started shooting the series, Arnie was the first to warmly welcome us”, says series producer David Gullason. “He showed us around and in...vited me on a check-out ride for a new pilot on the C46. He was always warm, friendly and generous with everyone.”

Arnie trained hundreds of pilots at Buffalo over the years and took each one under his wing. He understood how scared they were going from flying small, single engine aircraft to giant warplanes. It was under his calm guidance that Buffalo turned out some of the best pilots in the business; many now fly for major airlines around the world.

Arnie retired in 2010 from Buffalo but returned to fly one last job, stunt flying a DC4 for a two-hour documentary that recreated World War Two’s daring dambusters raid. To no one’s surprise, Arnie was able to expertly bomb a specially built dam just as RAF aces did over 60 years ago.

We extend our deep condolences to Arnie’s spouse Janet, daughters Yvette and Kaitlyn and the rest of his family."

[Russ_Byth]

Damn.

This is one of my favourite shows on the tube so I'm aware of what Arnie's family and he, have been going through. I was very concerned when it was announced that he had cancer and then he appeared in one of last year's episodes and and lost so much weight.

He was the voice of calm as the chief pilot of Buffalo Airways as opposed to the shoot-from-the-hip boss, Joe McBryan.

As mentioned above, the dambusters episode was incredible and a fitting memory of Arnie.

He'll be missed.

[Anotherwpgguy]

I was fortunate enough to meet Arnie several times, and to observe his flying once during an annual Pilot Proficiency Check ride which I conducted on the CL-215 water bomber. He was one of those pilots who had complete mastery of the machine as if it were an extension of his fingertips.

It amazed me that he could work for the highly volatile "Buffalo Joe." Arnie had lost count of the number of times Joe had fired him, and then rehired him a day ot two later over some petty argument.

One thing little known about Arnie is that he was a very accomplished Golden Gloves boxer in his younger days. Shortly after arriving in Yellowknife decades ago, two young RCMP officers got into a tangle with Arnie, and he cold-cocked 'em, then locked them in the back of the cruiser. He then picked up the mike and called the dispatcher, indicating where the car was, that he was going home to bed, and that he'd be in the office in the morning to settle everything with the legal system.

A good guy, and an aviator heart, body, and soul.

AWG

[hagopian]

Thanks for the AWG insight.
I like the show.
Guilty pleasure. I admire pilots.
He sounds like an amazing guy.