While the family war raged in court, the regulator acted. In 2022, Transport Canada—the federal aviation authority—launched an intensive audit of Buffalo Airways. The findings were brutal.
Inspectors found:
In March 2023, Transport Canada did the unthinkable: they grounded Buffalo Airways. The airline was stripped of its Air Operator Certificate. The DC-3s went silent. The C-46s, which had flown since World War II, were parked forever on the frozen tarmac of Yellowknife Airport.
Joe McBryan, at 78 years old, was no longer a pilot. He was no longer an operator. He was a man watching his life’s work rot in the snow.
For fans of the hit reality TV series Ice Pilots NWT, few names are as iconic as Joe McBryan. Known affectionately as "Buffalo Joe," the straight-talking, no-nonsense founder of Buffalo Airways became a cult hero for his vintage aircraft, his fiery temper, and his deep commitment to keeping World War II-era DC-3s and DC-4s flying in the Canadian Arctic.
But in recent years, the question echoing through aviation forums and social media has shifted from "Is Buffalo Airways still flying?" to a more urgent query: "What happened to Joe McBryan?"
In late 2020 and throughout 2021, rumors swirled that the legendary pilot was gravely ill, hospitalized, or even deceased. Fans were left in the dark, leading to widespread speculation. This article cuts through the noise to deliver the definitive timeline of Joe McBryan’s health crisis, his remarkable recovery, and where he stands today. what happened to joe mcbryan
He is still alive and living in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories.
However, he is no longer the wealthy trucking magnate seen on TV. After the lawsuits, the embezzlement, and the collapse of Polar Enterprises, Joe lost nearly everything. He sold his home and his remaining assets. Today, he reportedly works occasional local driving jobs and keeps a very low profile.
He has largely retreated from public life, giving very few interviews. He has stated that he regrets ever doing Ice Road Truckers and feels the show destroyed his company and his peace of mind.
Just when hope seemed lost, the narrative shifted. In late January 2021, Joe McBryan was taken off the ventilator. He was weak, unable to speak above a whisper, and had lost significant weight, but he was alive.
The most dramatic moment came in February 2021. His son, Mikey McBryan (also a star of Ice Pilots), posted a video to Instagram and Facebook showing Joe walking out of the Royal Alexandra Hospital under his own power. Leaning on a walker and wearing a yellow Buffalo Airways hoodie, Joe looked gaunt but defiant.
In the video, with his characteristic dry wit, Joe said: “I’m not dead yet. It’s going to take more than a bug to stop me.” While the family war raged in court, the regulator acted
He was transferred to a rehabilitation facility to relearn basic motor skills. Months in a bed had atrophied his muscles. For a man who spent his life climbing into DC-3 cockpits, the physical therapy was brutal but successful.
After years of legal battles, court hearings, and failed mediations, the case was eventually settled out of court in late 2020 or early 2021 (the exact terms remain confidential, as is typical in such family disputes). However, the outcome is clear to anyone watching.
Joe McBryan lost control of Buffalo Airways.
Today, Mikey McBryan is the face and operational head of Buffalo Airways. He runs the day-to-day operations, manages the fleet, and has taken the airline in a more modern direction—including a major pivot into firefighting and cargo services. Julie McBryan remains involved in the administrative side.
As for Joe McBryan: He is no longer involved with the company he founded. According to multiple sources and occasional social media updates from family members (particularly his daughter-in-law, who has been critical of Mikey and Julie), Joe lives a relatively quiet life in the Northwest Territories. He is in his late 70s (born 1946) and is reportedly in fragile health.
He does not appear in Buffalo Airways’ promotional materials. He is not on the company website’s leadership page. The man once known as "Buffalo Joe" has been completely separated from the "Buffalo" brand. In March 2023, Transport Canada did the unthinkable:
Mikey and Julie did not just defend themselves; they counter-sued. Their legal filings included affidavits from employees, business associates, and even former medical professionals who alleged that Joe’s behavior had become erratic and dangerous.
Specific claims included:
Most damning was a 2017 capacity assessment (later challenged by Joe’s lawyers) that allegedly suggested Joe showed signs of mild cognitive impairment consistent with early-stage dementia or the effects of multiple heart attacks.
Joe, for his part, denied everything. He produced his own medical reports and affidavits from pilots and mechanics who swore he was still sharp. He insisted this was a simple case of greed: his children wanted to sell the valuable real estate and assets of Buffalo Airways, while he wanted to keep flying vintage planes.
As the 2010s progressed, Joe McBryan began to step back from day-to-day operations. By 2014, when Ice Pilots ended, Joe was in his late 60s. Officially, he wanted to slow down. Unofficially, those close to the airline began noticing changes. Former employees and family members later reported that Joe’s memory and decision-making were not what they used to be.
In 2016, Joe suffered a significant heart attack. While he recovered physically, many insiders claim that the combination of age, the heart attack, and the stress of running a fragile airline in brutal conditions began to take a toll. This set the stage for the explosion that would follow.