CANADA AVIATION NEWS
BETRAYED BY CITY COUNCIL
If city council’s diabolical plan to close Edmonton City Centre Airport is realized, it will be more than a loss only to Alberta's capital city. It will be a national disgrace and a betrayal of trust by Edmontonians who have previously voted to keep the airport operating for at least another half century.
However, Mayor Mandel's destructive and arrogant Mandelian politics are determined to kill Canada's oldest licensed municipal airport. Originally known as Blatchford Field, and later as Edmonton Municipal Airport, the airfield has served Edmonton, northern Alberta and the rest of Canada for nearly 90 years. City Hall has now ignored the request by 90,000 citizens to put the matter on a plebiscite, a further insult to the taxpayers of our city and residents of northern Alberta who are served by the airport.
It is a historic treasure in the heart of the city and home to dozens of aviation-related businesses that employ hundreds of people. It is the airfield that earned Edmonton its moniker as “Gateway to the North, ” as appropriate a name today as it was decades ago.
On June 8, 2009 when the manipulative mayor and his nine cohorts on council voted 10 to 3 to close the airport, they voted to end aviation service and put anyone employed there out of work. In the laughable “debate” that council conducted when minds were already made up, Mandel and his minions gave reasons for closing the airport, but could never explain why it should be done. Some reasons given, if not all, were, in fact, downright misleading.
From early days of bush flying and through Second World War service in the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, from a base for the United States Army Air Force to the good old days of Pacific Western Airlines air bus flights to Calgary, and for charter service, flying instruction, aircraft maintenance and medevac flights today, the airport has been at the heart of Edmonton's character.
Closure of runways and ending the life of an active and viable airport is simply not necessary. Despite claims by those who favour closure, the land is simply not needed for residential or industrial development. Nor does the airport need to be removed so that Edmonton can build higher office towers. Edmontonians did not ask council to close the airport. City Hall's call for development is only for increasing a tax base and for providing financial reward for developers. Ending operations at the City Centre Airport will end life-saving medevac service, passenger flights to northern Canada, and the visit of historic aircraft that fly into the airport on special occasions.
Located at the airport is the Alberta Aviation Museum in Canada's last surviving double-wide, double-long hangar of wartime BCATP stations. It is one of the three largest aviation museums in Canada. Its prominence, and location next to an active runway, have made it possible for warbirds such as the Lancaster from the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum to land beside the museum and taxi right up to it in 2009. That aircraft is one of only two Lancasters left in the world that still fly, of 7,377 built for the war effort, and Edmonton was privileged to have it in the city.
In July 2009, during the 100th anniversary year of powered flight in Canada, city councillors led by the mayor voted to start closure in laughable discussion that they tried to pass off as a debate when they were already decided on the issue. In July 2010, when the Corsair navy fighter aircraft from Vintage Wings of Canada visited the museum during Aviation Heritage Week and paid tribute to the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Navy, city councillors were counting the days until they could start putting an end to activity like that.
Edmontonians have come out by the thousands to show their interest in aviation by visiting such aircraft as the “Lanc,” and to see other special interest aircraft from Canada, England and the United States that have made Edmonton a stop on their tours. At the annual Airfest display, dozens of aircraft land, then park beside the museum as visitors come out in droves in appreciation of the place of aviation in their city. In early October 2010, a DC-3 Dakota aircraft, now some 70 years old, flew into Edmonton last week for display, and like other historic aircraft drew visitors to the airport who cherish our aviation history.
Edmonton is in an enviable position with both an international airport and a viable municipal airport. The two facilities provide opportunity to provide the essential services needed for freight and passengers, maintaining Alberta's capital city as Gateway to the North. Another moniker the city uses is “City of Champions,” but that one doesn't apply to the mayor and the councillors who would insult fellow citizens, destroy the airport, terminate its service, remove it from the fabric of the city, and put an end to a rich aviation heritage.
City council has tried to silence the voice of citizens who want to keep the airport open. But we can make our voice heard by voting for candidates for mayor and council who support the airport. We can refuse to vote for candidates who would close the airport and not re-elect those who have betrayed us.
DIRE EXPERIMENT TACKLES COMMUNICATIONS DURING DISASTERS
When disasters – such as the recent Hurricane Igor in Newfoundland – strike, police, fire, ambulance and, in this case, the Canadian Forces, have to be able to talk to each other.
The clock is ticking and lives are at stake. What hampers first responders more than anything, and delays their ability to coordinate search and rescue efforts, is the lack of communication between agencies. Why? Because there is no universal standard in Canada for the kind of communication devices or frequencies that should be used in an emergency.
Major Bernie Thorne, who heads up the Air Force Experimentation Centre in Ottawa (part of the Canadian Aerospace Warfare Centre at 8 Wing Trenton), recently coordinated the Disaster Interoperability Response Experiment (DIRE) in Ottawa. DIRE took place between October 4 and 8; Ottawa police, fire and paramedics worked side by side to manage a simulated earthquake response using aerostats, or giant tethered balloons, to relay information. Three engineering students from Ottawa, working with Defence Research and Development Canada, built and operated the live streaming video, transmitted from the balloons, that participants used in their decision making.
Major Thorne used the Hurricane Igor clean-up in Newfoundland as an example of what can be done better.
“[The CF] does not have radios to talk to the small towns because [they all] have different radios,” he says. “Everyone, not just the CF, does their best [to communicate]. We get creative, we solve every problem that’s put in front of us but if we weren’t solving our little problems we could be focusing on the big problems a lot more.”
The problem may be big, but one of the solutions could be something small enough to fit into the trunk of your car. The aerostats can be taken to a disaster scene, loaded with video cameras and radios, inflated and launched. Transceivers on the balloons relay voice communication from the ground to locations as far as 60 kilometres away, much further than most “line of sight” devices such as ground-based radios can transmit.
“It truly makes me feel good to be able to push comprehensive interoperability for Canada,” says Maj Thorne. “I’ve been an operator on board the CP-140 Aurora and I’ve worked with almost every agency across Canada on a lot of big disasters for the last two decades. In each of them I wished I could talk with the other agencies. To be here helping push the yardstick ahead […] makes me feel happy to get up in the morning.”
Maj Thorne says there are municipal, provincial and federal working groups trying to achieve a common standard for disaster communications and he hopes their work will lead to a new national standard.
IATA APPLAUDS ICAO AGREEMENT ON AVIATION AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Montreal - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) applauded the 190 contracting states of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on achieving the first global governmental agreement with aspirational goals to stabilize carbon emissions. The achievement was formalized in a resolution of the 37th ICAO Assembly, which concluded its deliberations in Montreal Friday.
“Governments have taken an historic decision. For the first time, we have globally agreed aspirational goals to stabilize emissions. No other industry sector has a similar globally agreed framework for managing its response to climate change in a manner that takes into consideration the needs of both developed and developing states. Moreover, it recognizes the need for governments and industry to work together. This is a good first step that prepares the way for future achievements,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO.
The ICAO Resolution
The ICAO resolution calls for:
Improving fuel efficiency by 2% annually to 2050
Striving to achieve a collective medium-term aspirational goal of capping aviation’s carbon emissions from 2020
A global CO2 standard for aircraft engines with a target date of 2013
The ICAO resolution also calls for the development of a global framework on market based (economic) measures by the 38th Assembly (2013) based on 15 agreed principles.
These principles are designed to:
Minimize market distortions
Safeguard the fair treatment of aviation relative to other sectors
Ensure that aviation’s emissions are accounted for only once and
Recognize both past and future efforts of carriers
Closing the Gap with Industry
In 2007, IATA announced a vision for aviation to achieve carbon-neutral growth on the way to a carbon-free future with a four-pillar strategy based on technology investments, efficient infrastructure, effective operations and positive economic measures. In 2009, IATA’s membership committed to three goals: a 1.5% average annual improvement in fuel efficiency to 2020, capping net emissions with carbon-neutral growth from 2020 and cutting net emissions in half by 2050 compared to 2005.
The global aviation industry united around this approach, putting aviation at the forefront of industrial sectors responding to climate change. “The four-pillar strategy and targets are not just airline commitments. The entire aviation industry—airlines, airports, air navigation service providers and manufacturers—have made a common commitment that UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon commended as a role model for others to follow. Aviation takes its environmental responsibility seriously. With today’s agreement, governments have taken a significant step in support of the industry’s ambitions,” said Bisignani.
Bisignani addressed the gap in the industry’s commitment to a 1.5% average annual improvement in fuel efficiency and the ICAO goal of a 2% annual improvement. “We are confident that achieving a 1.5% average annual improvement in fuel efficiency is possible with efforts of the industry. The 2% ICAO goal means that governments must come to the table with much needed infrastructure improvements such as the Single European Sky or NextGen in the US,” said Bisignani.
Next Steps
The agreement’s principles on market based measures have implications for all governments with, or seeking to implement, environmental schemes or taxes. “In light of this agreement, all states should review any economic measures, planned or implemented, to conform to today’s agreed principles. The only effective long-term solution remains a global approach, which states agreed to work towards under ICAO’s leadership,” said Bisignani.
“We must recognize that a long journey still lies ahead. Industry’s ambitious targets are still ahead of governments. Our commitment to cut emissions in half by 2050 compared to 2005 remains the global benchmark. The entire aviation industry is committed to working under the leadership of ICAO as we move forward to achieve both the aspirations outlined in today’s agreement and the industry’s targets. We will take this strong message to the United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change in Cancun later this year,” said Bisignani.
In addition to this global agreement on environment, the ICAO Assembly marked notable progress with a global declaration on security and a milestone agreement on sharing safety information among IATA, ICAO, the EU and the United States. “I congratulate the ICAO leadership for their hard work and leading role within the UN system. President Roberto Kobeh Gonzáles, Secretary General Raymond Benjamin, and Assembly President Harold Demuren have concluded a landmark Assembly with major achievements on the industry’s top priorities of safety, security and environmental leadership.”
ADVISORY FOR HUNTERS: KNOW WHAT YOU CAN BRING ON THE PLANE
With hunting season underway across the country, the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) is advising hunters to be aware of packing restrictions so they can start their excursions on a positive note.
When screening officers come across bullets, rifles, knives, and similar hunting gear at pre-board screening checkpoints, additional screening procedures must be performed. These measures take time and can create unnecessary delays for both hunters and fellow travellers.
Of all hunting-related items, bullets are the most common prohibited item found in passenger baggage. Last year, screening officers uncovered close to 1,000 bullets (including casings, replicas and real bullets) among passengers’ belongings.
Firearms and ammunition can be placed in checked baggage, but passengers are required to declare these items to their air carrier at the check-in counter. They are not permitted in carry-on luggage.
If you are a hunter preparing for a trip by air, you can help to ensure a smooth screening process by following CATSA’s packing guidelines and being mindful of security regulations when packing your gear.
PACKING CHECKLIST FOR HUNTERS
•Bear sprays and animal repellants (pepper spray) are prohibited in both carry-on and checked luggage.
•Make sure guns are unloaded and are securely locked.
•Pack rifles, shotguns and ammunition separately in checked baggage.
•Store ammunition securely in a marked container, separate from the firearm.
•Securely wrap bows, arrows and knives in checked baggage.
•Declare your firearms and ammunition at the air carrier check-in counter.
You can also visit our Pack Smart page. Being prepared will help you to experience a faster screening process, avoid surrendering items and guarantee that your valuables make it through with you.
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