15 An insider’s outlook Q&A with COPA’s Kevin Psutka
16 At the gate Analysts weigh in 17 45˚42� North
FEATURES
55 Wings on safety Mission possible
56 Marketplace
62 On final National partnerships
from top: Dubai air show report. P.23. the cold, hard facts. P.33.
18 FLAT IS THE NEW BLACK Canada’s avionics market BY roB SeAmAN
23 ZOOM AMID THE GLOOM Dubai air show primes the pump BY Peter PIGott
26 A WINNING ATTITUDE
Harv’s Air trains to new heights BY JAmeS CAreleSS
31 TAKING THE OFFICE ALOFT Business CMS more high-tech than ever BY JAmeS CAreleSS
33 THE COLD, HARD FACTS Inaugural winter ops conference BY PAUl HoWArD
34 APPROACHING WITH WAAS JetPro designs for the future BY JAmeS mArASA
39 CAREERS IN AVIATION 2010
A special Wings supplement: education, training and job prospects in Canada’s aviation sector BY Peter PIGott
JetPro designs WAAS approaches for the future. P.34
Real leaders don’t apologize for working smart.
Watching desperate, chagrined CEOs apologize for operating business aircraft shows there are still leaders in the private and public sectors who remain shortsighted and misinformed about the realities of corporate aviation, or who simply don’t understand the logistics and proven economics of business travel.
When it comes to acquiring business tools to optimize every aspect of operations, real leaders are driven by objectives, not egos. From paper clips to corporate aircraft, each capital purchase must satisfy the same burden of proof. Does it generate a positive ROI? Does it earn more than it costs? Does it increase the value of our offering? Does it improve our customer service? Does it increase the value of our brand?
We understand, because in our industry, we’re leaders too.
Through good times and bad, Citation Team Canada offers organizations of all sizes the business aircraft best suited to their missions – and budgets. We know all the numbers inside out. Call us. We’d love to show you the truth. (And yes, we’ll also tell you if you’re not yet ready.)
| By Andrea Kwasnik
Canada’s NextGen Aviation
The
changing face of training innovation
As we enter 2010, and despite predictions of continued economic turbulence, we still have much to celebrate as we look to the significant progress that the Canadian aviation industry has made in technology and innovation.
One area that will continue to be a focus is innovation in training – keeping pace with advances in technology and our changing demographics. Advances in aircraft systems, new cockpit technologies, the modernization of our air traffic system, and emerging new concepts in flight training such as the multi-crew pilot licence (MPL), just to name a few, are demanding newer, safer and smarter ways of training.
Canada is a world leader in the advancement of safety and technology in training. Just a few months ago, the Air Canada Pilot’s Association hosted its inaugural International Winter Operations conference, attracting more than 200 people from 16 countries to learn about training and coldweather operations.
Training is becoming increasingly accessible, with more and more of it now being accomplished using simulators. Scenariobased training will continue to make us smarter about safe flight decision-making. And the safety value goes well beyond that of flight training. In our last issue, we reported on two innovative simulators designed at Toronto’s DRDC – the Hercules Observer Trainer (HOT) that simulates what a Hercules Loadmaster observer sees from a Herc bubble window while scanning for threats over Afghanistan – and another, called SimON, that provides a virtual Sea King helicopter pilot to train landing signals officers in their duties.
There are encouraging indicators on the horizon for our sector. According to ICAO, the global aviation industry will experience
a growth rate of 5.6 per cent per year until 2024, with emerging markets such as China, the Middle East and India containing the greatest opportunity for growth. It is projected that, by the year 2018, there will be 207,600 new pilots needing ab-initio
The changing global picture will bring about new challenges in the areas of language standards, cultural differences, regulations and, most importantly, training. These changes will also bring about enormous business potential. However, with a shrinking workforce due to retiring baby boomers and flight school closures at home, industry experts question whether we are equipped as a nation to handle the emerging global training needs.
A new study that promises to shed some light on the issue is the 2009 Human Resource Study of the Commercial Pilot in Canada being conducted by CAMC in partnership with ATAC and HAC. The study will look at the supply and demand for pilots, and the capacity of Canada's flight training community to respond to the needs of the industry now and in the future. The final research findings will be available in May.
Scenario-based training will continue to make us smarter about safe flight decision-making.
training, and, by the year 2026, that number will have grown to 352,900.
Before the recession, we saw enormous pressure on our workforce for pilots, air traffic controllers, AMEs and other aviation professionals. As the economic situation improves, shortages will resurface at home and abroad. ICAO’s latest summary on future pilot needs for the next 20 years shows that shortages now exist in the Middle-East, Africa, Asia/Pacific, and Latin America.
TOP DATA BURSTS… in this issue
1. WAAS equipment installation and upgrades typically cost $175,000 to $200,000 (pg. 18). 2. Dubai air show’s onsite order book topped Us$14 billion (pg. 23). 3. Honeywell’s Ovation Series cabin management system uses a gigabyte ethernet backbone (pg. 31). 4. Ice crystals can lead to engine power loss in jet airliners (pg. 33). 5. JetPro has designed gPs and waas approaches at more than 60 canadian airports (pg. 35).
As part of our ongoing support for the Canadian aviation industry, we are publishing a special supplement in this issue, Careers in Aviation 2010, designed to enlighten today’s youth about the career possibilities in the industry. Written by Peter Pigott, the supplement shows different career paths available in the aviation sector, analyzes job prospects and directs students on how to get education and training.
The supplement was delivered to 3,300 high school guidance counsellors across Canada in January. In the coming weeks we are also launching a supporting website, www.careersinaviation.ca. Over the next year, we will continue to build a comprehensive list of all aviation training institutions and programs across Canada. We encourage schools to visit the website and add new information about their programs on a regular basis.
In Pigott’s words, “Canadians have taken to aircraft with a passion second only to their passion for hockey.” It is our hope that we can help foster this passion in a new generation of students who will become Canada’s future aviation professionals. | W
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are made mostly from aluminum and titanium, about half of the 787 is made of lightweight composite materials such as carbon fibre. Boeing says the aircraft will be quieter, produce lower emissions and use 20 per cent less fuel than comparable planes.
INDUSTRY NEWS
BOEING 787 DREAMLINER TAKES TO SKIES
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner took to the skies for the first time on Dec. 15, departing before an estimated crowd of more than 12,000 employees and guests from Paine Field in Everett, Wash. The flight marked the beginning of a flight test program that will see six airplanes flying nearly around the clock and around the globe, with the airplane’s first delivery scheduled for fourth quarter 2010.
The newest member of the Boeing family of commercial jetliners flew for approximately three hours. 787 Chief Pilot Mike Carriker and Capt. Randy Neville tested some of the airplane’s systems and structures, as on-board equipment recorded and transmitted real-time data to a flight-test team at Boeing Field.
The 787 is a radical departure in aircraft design. Where other passenger jets
Powered by two Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines, the first Boeing 787 will be joined in the flight test program in the coming months by five other 787s, including two that will be powered by General Electric GEnx engines. Chicago-based Boeing, which has orders for 840 of the jets, plans to make the first delivery to Japan’s All Nippon Airways late next year.
FLYING COLOURS DELIVERS FIRST GREEN CHALLENGER 850
Flying Colours Corp. recently delivered its first Green Challenger 850 to an international client. The completed aircraft departed the Flying Colours main facility in Peterborough, Ont., destined for Moscow, Russia, where it will be operated and managed by Chartright Air Group. Manufacturing and installation of the executive interior was completed at Flying Colours Peterborough facility; engineering assistance on the project was accomplished by Montreal-based Berletex Aero Design.
Flying Colours currently has three
additional Green Challenger 850 completions in progress plus two further completions scheduled for arrival in 2010. The completions are taking place both at its main facility and at its U.S.-based operation, JetCorp Technical Services.
IWG DELIVERS 2,000TH UNIT TO DASSAULT FALCON
International Water-Guard (IWG) delivered its 2,000th aircraft Water Treatment Unit to Dassault Falcon in December. Said IWG president and CEO David C. Fox, “2,000 units represents a major milestone. It shows the maturity and growth of our business, and demonstrates that we are here for the long haul. We have become the standard for on-board water treatment in the aviation industry.”
The 2,000th unit was shipped to Dassault Procurement Services in Paramus, N.J., for installation on a Falcon 2000LX to be delivered to a customer based in North America.
International Water-Guard’s products protect passengers and crew from onboard water contamination wherever they operate in the world, using ultraviolet light disinfection technology. Products are available for the Falcon 7X, 900 and 2000, and can be found as standard or option on the world’s largest business jets plus most VIP airliners. International Water-Guard is a Canadian aerospace company focusing on aircraft potable water treatment, systems and components.
the sleek Boeing 787 and chase plane lift off from everett’s Paine field on a flight over Washington state.
the first Green Challenger 850 executive interior.
WILSON J. BOYNTON WINS CAMC AWARD
The Canadian Aviation Maintenance Council (CAMC) congratulated its 2009 CAMC Award Winners at its Annual Forum & AGM held in October in Halifax. The awards are CAMC’s opportunity to recognize and thank those in the industry who have been involved with CAMC and its programs, and who have demonstrated a dedication to the aviation and aerospace industry.
The Outstanding Individual Award was presented to Wilson J. Boynton, president of Renaissance Aeronautics Associates Inc. (RAA) in London, Ont., and principal instructor for its training division, Advanced Composites Training (ACT). Boynton was chosen for his contributions towards the development and advancement of CAMC’s initiatives and programs, including his input and expertise in creating and maintaining the excellence of publications and curricula.
Boynton has been involved in the aviation field for 35 years, graduating from Canadore College’s Aircraft Maintenance Technician program in 1978. He started out as a base engineer for Northern Wings Helicopters in Blanc Sablon, Que., and then moved to be a maintenance engineer at Great Lakes Airlines, which later became Air Ontario, based in London, Ont. He worked for Great Lakes Airlines for 15 years before starting his own company. Boynton is a Certified Engineering Technologist, a licensed Canadian Aircraft Maintenance Engineer
and a Certified Composites TechnicianInstructor with the American Composites Manufacturers Association (ACMA).
ALGONqUIN COLLEGE’S DEVON VASIC WINS ACPA AWARD
“What is a well-rounded pilot?” the letter from the Air Canada Pilots Association (ACPA) asks. “He or she isn’t necessarily the smartest in the class or an ace on every aircraft type. A well-rounded pilot makes mistakes but learns from each of them. He demonstrates good cockpit resources management skills.”
Each year, the four ACPA Local Executive Councils (LEC) ask colleges with aviation programs across Canada to submit the name of a deserving candidate for the Dave Edward/Tom Jerrard Award. The cash award is named after ACPA’s two founding members, Dave Edward and Tom Jerrard, both of whom set an example that their colleagues thought all pilots should strive to emulate.
When Bruce Dwyer, the administrator of Ottawa’s Algonquin College Aviation Program, received the request from ACPA’s Toronto LEC, he asked the students to select who among them was the most “wellrounded pilot.” Their choice was Devon Vasic of Kemptville, Ont., which the College and ACPA confirmed. At the award ceremony held at the Ottawa Flying Club on Dec.16, Air Canada Captain Gary Tarves, chair of the Toronto LEC, presented Vasic with the award cheque. This is Algonquin College’s second coup for its aviation program within a year: in the summer of 2009, Cory Raby (also in Vasic’s class) was awarded the prestigious Webster Memorial Trophy for best amateur pilot. A previous winner of the Webster trophy (three times) was Gordon McGregor, the first president of Air Canada.
AVIATION CONNECT CATERS TO ExECUTIVE AIR CHARTER
Aviation Connect is a new consulting company catering to the executive air charter market. Bonnie Calwell, president/owner, states “Our clients make one call to us. We have the expertise to identify which aircraft is most suitable to their personal or business travel criteria. We then connect the client to the charter operator. By proving the advantages of chartering an aircraft, our objective is to save time and money for the client and generate new business for the operators.”
With more than 28 years’ experience in the industry, Calwell has worked in different capacities, including charter pilot/manager, chief flight attendant, marketing/sales, and manager, Flight/Charter Coordinating. Additional services available to both operators and clients include contract flight co-ordination, consulting, event planning, and marketing for reasons such as employee sick leave, maternity leave, vacations, trade shows, etc. For more information, visit www.aviationconnect.ca.
Air Canada Captain Gary tarves, chair of the toronto leC, left, presented Devon vasic (on far right) with a cheque accompanying his ACPA award as most “well-rounded pilot” while his proud dad looked on.
Wilson J. Boynton, left, receives the outstanding Individual Award from robert Donald, executive director of CAmC.
COMMERCIAL
AIR CANADA VOTED TOP AIRLINE IN SURVEY OF BUSINESS TRAVELLERS
Air Canada has been voted the Best Airline in North America, followed by American Airlines in second place and Delta in third, by the readers of Global Traveler magazine in an international survey of business travellers. British Airways was voted best for business class and Emirates the best for first class, while Lufthansa was rated the top transatlantic airline.
The Global Traveler Reader Survey Awards are based on the responses of more than 25,000 readers, frequent premium travellers who average 32 round-trip flights a year, with 96 per cent travelling in first or business class regularly.
Air Canada has renewed its international and North American fleets with new Boeing
777 and Embraer aircraft. It has also completed a major refurbishment program of its existing fleets to offer all customers brand new seats and personal entertainment systems at each seat, fleet wide on North American and international routes.
WESTJET ADDS ROUTES, ExPANDS SERVICE ON 19 OTHERS
WestJet recently unveiled its flight schedule for the summer of 2010, featuring five new routes and expanded service on 19 trans-border and international routes. The summer schedule includes new non-stop service between Vancouver and Kitchener-Waterloo, Vancouver and San Francisco, Edmonton and Kamloops,
Edmonton and San Francisco, and Toronto and Puerto Vallarta.
Five Canadian cities will see seasonal routes become year-round, including: Vancouver to Los Angeles, Puerto Vallarta and Cancun; Edmonton to Cancun; Calgary to Phoenix, Palm Springs and Cancun; Toronto to Atlantic City, Miami, Puerto Plata, Bridgetown, Cayo Coco, Varadero, Turks and Caicos, St. Maarten, St. Lucia and Cancun; Montreal to Las Vegas and Cancun.
Said Dr. Hugh Dunleavy, executive vicepresident, Strategy and Planning, “This schedule also demonstrates our strong commitment to take Canadians where they want to go, when they want to go. Now, our guests will have the opportunity to visit more of their favourite destinations on a year-round basis.”
AIRPORTS FORT MCMURRAY AIRPORT AUTHORITY APPROVED FOR TAKEOFF
The Alberta government is taking another step to support the continued growth in the oil sands and meet the increased demand for air travel with the incorporation of the Fort McMurray Airport Authority. The airport is upgrading from a commission to the province’s fourth authority, joining Edmonton, Calgary and Red Deer. This designation allows the airport to have better access to funding and makes it easier to increase its operations.
The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo and the Fort McMurray Regional
Airport Commission applied to the government to incorporate the Fort McMurray Airport Authority under the Regional Airports Authorities Act. According to Wood Buffalo Mayor Melissa Blake, 671,000 passengers used the airport last year, up more than four times from the total in the mid-’90s.
The authority plans to build another terminal in 2013 across the field from its current location. Scott Clements, who was the commission’s CEO, and will assume the same role with the authority, says the airport is “over-capacitated” and there have been preliminary discussions about buying a new bridge, building more ramp space to make things safer, having more staff working during peak times and adding 185 plug-in parking stalls with power.
OPERATORS
CANADIAN PROPELLER NOW SERVICING TURBINE GOVERNORS
Canadian Propeller has recently added the maintenance of turbine aircraft governors to its service capabilities. Its custom, factory ordered state-of-the-art turbine governor test stand will provide overhauls, repairs and maintenance on Garrett & PT6 engine governors.
Specializing in aircraft propeller and governor maintenance, and servicing all types of aircraft from Cessna 150s to Beech 1900s, Canadian Propeller also provides propeller fleet consulting, management and valuations.
Canadian Propeller now services turbine aircraft governors.
Air Canada has been voted the Best Airline in North America.
SAFETY MANAGEMENT DEBATE
BY DaViD oLsen
In the Sept/Oct 2009 issue of Wings, an article entitled “DTI spreads a Quality Message” was published. The article states that Transport Canada (TC) once “helped” certificate holders to operate safely. That was not the situation at all. Companies are required to operate safely within the terms of their operating certificate, which they do not receive unless they submit various documents and procedures and have an initial inspection by TC. The inspectors were/are there not to “help” the holders operate safely but to ensure that they did so in order to protect the travelling public. In no way was TC acting as a “free of charge quality control auditor,” but was carrying out its statutory duty.
Transport Canada may indeed have been “strapped by tight budgets,” but that is the measure of the stupidity of the politicians who have been appointed as transport ministers. With the fifth largest aviation industry in the world and an everincreasing air transport sector, it is irresponsible of Government to restrict or reduce the ability of TC to ensure the highest possible standards of public safety.
Transport Canada does not publish rules but applies the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs) which were not mentioned once in the article, when in fact they are the crux of the entire system. Safety Management Systems and QA, although related, are two separate issues. Air operators and AMOs are required to have a QA system as part of the operating certificate requirements, and there are specific CARs covering this. It is airports and ATC (i.e., Nav Canada) who are required to have a QA system as part of the SMS CARs, which became effective at the beginning of 2008. DTI stated in Wings that safety management is just QA by another name. Well it isn’t – QA is defined by the American Society for Quality (ASQ) as “the planned and systematic activities implemented in a quality system so that quality requirements for a product or service will be fulfilled.” This is different to definitions and application of safety and safety management. Quality is inherent in the assurance of safety.
I have not met certificate holders who “fear” SMS and QA, but many are strapped for resources, while some think that somehow they can “wing it” without spending time or money. Most people do not go into aviation to make money, but do so because of sheer enthusiasm – it is a virtual vocation.
Transport Canada, who employ DTI, were not quoted in the article and did not comment on the opinions expressed, but it is understood that they are reviewing the matter.
Wings Op/Ed is open to readers who wish to comment on industry issues. Please contact akwasnik@annexweb.com with contributions.
David Olsen's 50 years in aviation have included working with the RAF, ATC in New Zealand, Transport Canada, ICAO, IATA, BA subsidiary IAL, and Raytheon UK. He now runs an aviation consultancy in Canada.
continued from page 10
Established in 1991 by licensed, experienced propeller technicians, Canadian Propeller continues to provide total support to reciprocating governors and propellers.
For further information about Canadian Propeller and its maintenance services, visit www.canadianpropeller.com.
FLExJET CARD OFFERS WINNING OLYMPIC ExPERIENCE
The Flexjet 25 Jet Card program and Jet Set Sports – an official supporter of the 2010 Winter Games – are teaming up to offer a limited-edition package for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
The Flexjet 25 Jet Card – 2010 Gold Edition program includes: exclusive access to an award-winning athlete and a memo-
rable behind-the-scenes look at the Olympic Winter Games; access for two to each of the most sought-after Olympic events (the closing ceremony, the men’s ice hockey gold medal game, the figure skating gala exhibition and the three short-track speed skating gold medal races); three nights’ accommodation at Vancouver’s prestigious Sutton Place Hotel; Olympic-certified ground transportation and an onsite personal concierge; dining at Vancouver’s most highly acclaimed eateries; and travel on the Flexjet 25 program fleet of Bombardier aircraft, which are operated by Jet Solutions and include the Learjet 40 XR, Learjet 45 XR, Learjet 60, Challenger 300 or Challenger 604 business jets.
The Flexjet 25 Jet Card – 2010 Gold Edition, starts at $122,900, with timing of the package set for Feb. 26 through March 1. For more information, call 1-888-2402108 or visit www.flexjet25.com/2010.
MAJOR AIRLINES EMBRACE RENTECH’S SYNTHETIC FUEL
Rentech, Inc. recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with 13 domestic and international passenger and cargo carriers. The MOU is intended to serve as a framework for a future supply agreement for certified jet fuel from Rentech’s proposed synthetic fuels and power facility in Adams County, Miss. (Natchez Project).
The non-binding MOU was signed by Rentech and the following airlines: Air Canada, AirTran Airways, American Airlines, Atlas Air, Delta Air Lines, FedEx Express, JetBlue Airways, Lufthansa German Airlines, Mexicana Airlines, Polar Air Cargo, United Airlines, UPS Airlines and US Airways. It includes terms that are anticipated to serve as the basis of a possible definitive purchase agreement by these carriers for the Natchez Project’s entire synthetic jet fuel production of approximately 250 million gallons per year.
Fuel based on the Fischer-Tropsch process, including Rentech’s RenJet, is the only alternative jet fuel currently certified for use in commercial aviation at up to a 50/50 blend with traditional jet fuel. RenJet has a lower carbon footprint, as well as lower regulated emissions, compared to traditional jet fuel. Visit www.rentechinc. com for more information.
CENTRE APPROVED TO DO MODIFICATIONS FOR DASSAULT
StandardAero has become the first authorized independent service centre in North America trained to perform wing tank (dry bay) modifications on the Dassault Falcon 50, 900 and 2000 aircraft.
The modification requirement, outlined in recent Service Bulletin Advisories issued by Dassault, is mandatory for all Falcon 50, 900 and 2000 operators and it is anticipated that both EASA and the FAA will release Airworthiness Directives (AD) in the first quarter of 2010. The modification incorporates a sealed boundary area between ribs four and five in front of the rear spar, reducing the risk of a fuel spill in the unlikely event of a main landing gear failure.
The modification is estimated to take approximately three weeks and is recommended for completion during a C check or in combination with a winglets installation.
EVENTS CALENDAR
FEBRUARY 2010
Heli Expo 2010
Feb. 20-23
Houston, Texas www.heliexpo.com
MARCH 2010
Aerial Firefighting International Conference and Exhibition
Long Beach, Calif. www.aircraftinteriorsexpo-us.com
For a full list of events, please visit www.wingsmagazine.com and click on events.
the flexjet 25 Jet Card program and Jet Set Sports have teamed up to offer a limited-edition package for the vancouver 2010 olympic Winter Games.
| By Rob Seaman
Not cleared to land . . .
Bizav hits turbulent patch at Toronto’s YYZ
We thought that bizav had established a good foothold at Canada’s largest and busiest airport. Then a surprise hit from the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) sent everyone into a spin. With little warning, effective Nov. 1, 2009, corporate aviation was told that it would only be welcome during certain hours at YYZ. The GTAA made the announcement that during the airport’s restricted hours of operation – 12:30 a.m. to 6 a.m. – “slots” would not be allocated to general aviation.
This is a throwback to years past when the GTAA reduced “slots” for bizjets in favour of the commercial sector. With education and communication, things settled into a good relationship with each side working to the needs of the other. Then, a sudden change!
With the lack of notice, more than one operator was caught off guard. In fact, some were actually mid-flight and unaware that they were not allowed to land at their planned destination (for some, their home base). Flights were diverted to Hamilton; passengers and operators faced late-night chaos; ground transport, FBO service and customs all became challenges. The business jet rationale simply died.
Calls ensued to the national and regional chapters of the CBAA. For its part, the national office admitted that it had in fact, missed meetings with the GTAA at which this change was discussed. The CBAA only received official notice a short time before the implementation date, with little opportunity for discussion or modification.
As many have pointed out, those who use bizav on a regular basis are not without influence. They are leaders within Canada and statistically these same individuals and firms are the highest volume purchasers of commercial airline tickets too. This group embraces aircraft travel at all levels.
GTAA said this was business related and that the limited number of late slots must be saved for commercial and cargo ops (who happen to pay a lot more in landing fees). Some suggested a political agenda was afoot. Regardless, that one segment of the aviation community should be refused equal access with others, when it operates within or better than the required standards, is reprehensible.
The need for new regulations, plans and policies for airports and aircraft across Canada – and, in fact, around the world – is clear.
The original intent of late-night restrictions relates back to aircraft noise as a significant factor to the surrounding community. Such is not the case with modern aircraft and corporate jets. Most meet or exceed the current requirements. In fact, a couple of years ago, the GTAA invited corporate operators to participate with them in the early turnout trial on certain runways. Why? Because modern bizjets had a positive impact on the study. As for late-night restrictions, more landings relates to more money, and money, in the end, is what the airport needs. So with noise rules met, why have restricted hours? Keep ’em flying and make it all work!
The technologies used to mitigate community complaints can pinpoint a specific aircraft coming and going from the airfield. By and large, corporate aviation is usually innocent. And in the big picture, bizav may at most account for just five to seven late-night slots at YYZ.
While the CBAA was caught off guard on this, its management/executives certainly jumped to action. Together, the GTAA, a working group of operators and the CBAA crafted a compromise, and an equitable resolution was found. It allows resident or tenant aircraft access during restricted
One thing illustrated here is that the relationship between the CBAA, the bizav community and the airports needs constant attention. This issue shows the antiquated thinking that prevails in some aspects of aviation management and rulemaking. The need for new regulations, plans and policies for airports and aircraft across Canada – and, in fact, around the world – is clear. Domestically, this has been the ongoing subject of conversation by both the COPA and the CBAA for many years. What is more apparent with each year is that something has to change. Similar issues have popped up in the European Union and throughout the United States. What is clear is that the majority of “Joe Q Public” still does not understand the role of corporate aviation – nor, for that matter, does it care to. And that puts pressure on airports and their operators, who also may not see the value and make decisions that lack clarity and equality. The advocacy role of groups like the CBAA, the COPA, the IBAC, the NBAA and others is of ongoing importance and relevance. To sum it up, we’re all in this together, and together we have strength to make change and keep things working in our best interest – and we cannot let our guard down for one moment. | W
Rob Seaman is a Wings writer and columnist.
hours. Crisis over – for now.
By David Carr |
United Nations cop out
Contradictions at Copenhagen make Air Transport’s case
Glenn Reynolds, a University of Tennessee professor and author, said, “I’ll believe it’s a crisis when the people who say it’s a crisis start acting like it’s a crisis.”
Floating on Copenhagen’s St. Jorgens Lake, not far from the site of last December’s United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP-15, so named because this is the 15th international Conference of Parties to assess progress in dealing with climate change), is a three-storey, illuminated cube representing the space a single metric tonne of CO2 would occupy. The world apparently emits the equivalent of 32 billion cubes a year, which places air transport’s contribution at approximately 670 million cubes, or less than three per cent of all CO2 emissions.
About the need to burn significantly less fossil fuel there can be no argument. Cutting emissions by reducing our dependence on oil is not only solid environmental policy, it is sound economics, especially for an industry recently pummelled by record high oil prices and unlikely to catch its breath from the recession before the price of crude surges upward. But the contradictions at Copenhagen threaten to overwhelm the science of climate change.
At this conference Canada filled its environmental trophy case with four more Fossil of the Day awards; tongue-in-cheek trophies handed out daily by the Climate Action Network to the country that did the most to obstruct that day’s proceedings.
Unfortunately there was not a similar “oblivious to the optics” award (we will call them the Obbies for short). That certainly would have gone to the climate change heavy hitters who descended on Copenhagen in style, on board a fleet of 140 private jets. A public relations blunder on par with the Big Three North American car executives taking corporate jets to Washington to beg Congress for a bailout.
The blunder was compounded by the spectacle of 1,500 stretched limousines (most, including only five hybrids, driven in from Germany and neighbouring Sweden) clogging the streets, despite the fact that Copenhagen is one of the world’s great walking cities and has excellent rail links to the airport.
How do they get away with it? Some by employing a copout known as carbon offset.
Whatever else will be accomplished, the conference illustrated the world’s dependence on aviation.
The carbon offset is a Get Out of Jail Free card for pampered polluters too privileged to reduce their own carbon footprint but rich enough to have it reduced for them.
Example: The Copenhagen conference produced an additional 41,000 tonnes of CO2 – a wall of carbon equal to the two-week output of a developed city the size of Abbotsford, B.C. To neutralize those emissions, the Danish government is investing in 20 new energy-efficient kilns in Dhaka, Bangladesh, taking 100,000 tonnes of CO2 out of one of the world’s most polluted cities.
A nice return on investment, but hardly the point. Unlike earlier conferences, COP15 was supposed to set the framework for combating climate change after the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012. New environmental practices, including greater reliance on teleconferencing, could have been showcased.
Instead, Copenhagen made air transport’s case for it: the corporate jet is an important business tool; there is no substitute for “being there”; and, aviation is an indispensable part of global economic and social development.
In return, air transport, a dirty industry, arrived in Copenhagen with clean hands. Since Kyoto was signed in 1992, commercial aviation has shed more than 70 million tonnes of CO2, a sharp contrast to a 33 per cent overall increase in global emissions over the same period. The International Civil Aviation Organization (another UN agency) is promising to cut emissions in half by 2050, beginning with a seven per cent reduction in 2009, although much of that can be attributed to the recession and the grounding of airplanes. Even so, aviation remains a target for government and climate changers who want to weigh the industry down with layers of taxation intended to curb use and pay for environmental programs in developing nations. The result will be to push the product out of reach of those without the private wealth or access to public resources to buy carbon offsets.
The UN turned Copenhagen into an international playground. Whatever else will be accomplished, the conference illustrated the world’s dependence on aviation. Still, not everybody flew into Copenhagen. Approximately 450 UN representatives, delegates and climate change activists helped reduce the conference’s carbon footprint by climbing on board the Climate Express in Brussels, a special train made up entirely of first-class carriages stocked with free gourmet food and champagne. If Via Rail could do that, it is unlikely that anybody in Canada would fly. | W
David Carr is a Wings writer and columnist.
Q&A
Kevin Psutka discusses issues facing GA in Canada
By Frederick K. Larkin
WINGS recently sat down with Kevin Psutka, COPA’s president and CEO, to discuss the key issues facing general aviation. Access to airports, security restrictions, airspace limitations and the aging pilot population were top of mind during our discussion.
Highlights of the Question and Answer session include the following:
Q | Could you describe COPA’s role within the general aviation (GA) community?
A | First, GA is all aviation activity that is not airlines or military. This includes, for example, medevacs, flight training, police, fire fighting, and, oh yes, personal aviation. Personal aviation, which COPA represents, is that portion of GA where aircraft are flown for personal transportation and recreation. Like a family car, it is a form of transportation for thousands in Canada.
Q | Given that the number of airports in Canada is slowly contracting, what actions might be taken to assure that private aircraft operators retain meaningful access to key airfields over the next 10 years?
A | Regarding security, designate and develop areas of an airport that are physically separate from airline operations and make them subject to reasonable levels of security so that GA can continue at these airports. Regarding fees, recognize the relatively minor impact that GA has on the infrastructure and therefore charge reasonable fees for this incremental use. Regarding access, provide runway approach and departure procedures that safely accommodate GA aircraft for minimal interference with airline operations. Ottawa International is an excellent example of the latter point, where a separate runway provides for complementary operations.
Q | Do you see the level of security tightening further down the road?
A | As long as the world continues on its current path, I am afraid that we will see increasing pressure, be it from irresponsible media hype to create paranoia or from actual terrorist acts or threats, that will result in additional layers of security being imposed. The recently-introduced eAPIS program for entering and exiting the U.S. by small aircraft is just one example of things to come. Our government refused to get involved in negotiations with the U.S. government to reduce the requirements. I believe that this is in part due to a lack of understanding on the part of the security authorities of the contribution of GA to our economy and the negative impact that increasing security will have on our economy.
Q | Given Canada’s demographics, what degree of reduction do you foresee in the pilot population over the next 20 years?
A | I do not have a firm number, but it is reasonable to assume that if nothing is done to encourage people to get into this field, there will be a significant decline from the baby boomers retiring and few young people coming into the system. An additional factor is our changing population. Many immigrants come from countries where GA does not exist and therefore it may not occur to them that aviation is available as a career, a form of transportation or hobby. We all have a role to play in making the public aware of aviation, its importance and its potential so that these new Canadians can appreciate, support and engage in aviation.
If our changing demographics are not enough to deal with, a major contributing factor is airport and flight training school closures that are making it increasingly difficult to get training and then to engage in flying. We have lost a number of flight schools in recent years. Young people need conveniently located training facilities in order to reduce their overall costs, including accommodation and transportation to and from the facility.
Q | What incentives might be employed to encourage the expansion of flight training activities?
A | Decades ago the federal government encouraged people to get into aviation by providing rebates on their training. We need to return to this incentive program. In addition, although there is some minor tax relief for training costs, it should be broadened to make aviation training a more financially achievable option for young people.
Q | What do you think Canada’s GA scene will look like in a decade?
A | That entirely depends on whether or not municipal, provincial and federal governments realize that, in order for aviation in general to be healthy and continue to contribute to Canada’s quality of life, general aviation must be healthy. The pilots and mechanics for the airlines come from GA. From GA airports that are so vital to the air transportation system come many of the passengers and cargo to feed the hubs. Without the lower end, the upper end will suffer. | W
WEB ExCLUSIVE
Here are some more questions that Kevin Psutka answered:
Q | Why is the number of airports in Canada slowly contracting?
Q | Do you anticipate any issues associated with the G20 meetings in Toronto next July?
Q | Canada’s economy is highly dependent upon its aviation industry. Are its policy makers adequately aware of this?
For the full Q&A session, including answers to these questions, please visit www.wingsmagazine.com and click on “web exclusives.”
By Brian Dunn |
Industry analysts weigh in Glimmers of hope for Canadian carriers
What a difference a year makes. Heading into 2009, the general consensus was that we were entering into a serious depression, as opposed to a recession, and some airlines were fighting for their survival. As the industry takes off in 2010, the skies look a little brighter and there is cause for optimism.
“There are glimmers of hope. The psychology is much better today than a year ago,” according to Wings contributor Frederick K. Larkin. Fuel prices have stabilized, although nobody can predict where they’ll be, going forward. And Canadian carriers are benefiting from a stronger loonie versus the greenback because leasing and component costs, and landing fees and fuel costs at major international airports –among other variables – are usually quoted in U.S. dollars.
In addition, interest rates are relatively low and Air Transat, WestJet and Air Canada have all raised money, while monthly stats from the major carriers indicate load factors of around 80 per cent. “People are still travelling,” Larkin says. “And it’s not all corporate travel which has been severely curtailed.”
The dominant factor over the next 12 months is the extent to which traffic recovers in relation to the economic recovery, suggests research analyst Fadi Chamoun at UBS Securities in Toronto.
“There are encouraging signs that the number of seats being added is very low, maybe two per cent in the domestic market. Therefore the supply/demand ratio is becoming more balanced, which should allow airlines to increase their prices as demand improves, thereby improving their bottom line.”
In addition to losing more market share to WestJet, Air Canada needs to address some of its structural costs, Chamoun adds. He says the business travel market is more critical for Air Canada than it is for WestJet and it remains weak, but is slowly recovering.
“But I don’t see any meaningful improvement until 2011.”
The leisure market continues to perform well, stimulated by lower fares and the strong dollar, which will allow airlines to increase their prices gradually, says Chamoun.
“The major carriers are able to offer
“ That’s a huge change from the Montie Brewer era, when Vancouver was considered the airline’s international gateway.”
attractive packages, because they can get great deals on hotels.”
While Air Canada may still be losing market share in Canada, it has several things going for it, according to airline analyst Rick Erickson, president of RP Erickson & Associates of Calgary.
“They’ve bought 21 months of labour peace, they’ve refinanced and they’re making one new international route announcement after another, including Calgary-Tokyo. That’s a huge change from the (former Air Canada CEO) Montie Brewer era, when Vancouver was considered the airline’s international gateway.
“Calin Rovinescu (Brewer’s replacement) recognizes that Calgary is the second most important business market after Toronto, and Air Canada is looking for any new yield opportunities.”
Air Canada is also refurbishing its fleet with Triple 7s, while upgrading both the front and back cabins of its aircraft, Erickson points out.
“I’d hate to be an American carrier trying to compete with Air Canada on international routes as a result.”
With the first phase of its new $50-million terminal expected to be completed by the end of January, City Centre Terminal Corp. (CCTC) is accepting inquiries from other carriers interested in check-in counters and gate space at its Toronto City Centre Airport, recently renamed Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. The first phase will include five bridged aircraft gates, customs and immigration facilities and a mix of retail stores, food services, duty-free shops, among other services. Five more gates will be added during the second phase, which is expected to be completed next fall, at which point other carriers will be offered space at a second passenger lounge.
Some analysts see this as a peace offering from Porter Airlines, which has been locked in a legal battle with Jazz Air since it was evicted from TCCA in 2006 by Porter, or, more specifically, by CCTC, whose CEO is Porter founder Robert Deluce.
Porter has an incentive to accept other carriers in order to collect landing fees and charge for gate space to help pay for its new terminal, suggests Larkin. And Deluce will still be calling the shots, as CCTC owns the terminal.
Another analyst, who requested anonymity, said Porter will want to be seen as fair, as it expands further into the U.S. market, and will still be ahead of any new competition with a three-year lead building up a loyal customer base. | W
Brian Dunn is a Wings writer and columnist.
| By Peter Pigott
Aviation has changed humanity
The Hon. John Baird on flying, Blue Skies, regional airports and more
Peter Pigott interviewed the Honourable John Baird, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities at his Parliamentary office on Dec. 11, 2009. Here is part of their conversation.
Pigott: John, one of your predecessors was the great C.D. Howe, Canada’s first Minister of Transport. He loved flying and risked his life in the famous “Dawn to Dusk Flight” in 1937. How do you feel about flying? Are you a good air traveller?
Baird: Oh, I love flying – doesn’t bother me at all. I once skydived – loved it.
Pigott: As the Centenary of Flight in Canada ends, what are your thoughts on it?
Baird: It’s been a whole year–long celebration. When you think about how much the world has changed, the whole definition of community – the world is a smaller place because of aviation – it has changed humanity. For a country like Canada, it has made it a lot smaller just politically. During the last election campaign a year ago, I was able to fly out and campaign for Gary Lunn, my friend from Vancouver Island – be there and back in a day – something that would have been unthinkable, unimaginable 100 years ago. In many respects, it’s hard to believe – my grandfather was born before the aircraft was invented. It’s quite remarkable how much can change in two generations.
Peter, actually, one of the things I did this summer was a life–long dream. It was to fly in a CF–18 at Cold Lake. Despite going Mach 7, I was able to return no lesser the worse for wear – one of the few that day that didn’t need “the bag.” We went to Mach 7, did twirls and I even got to take the controls for two minutes – it was remarkable. We actually did six loops in a row.
A big chunk of the time at Cold Lake was to be trained on safety procedures. You have to be fitted for G–pants and then there were all the contingencies for the one in a million times that you might have to eject. I came back with such an amazing appreciation for the work that the Air Force does – for 410 Squadron. You can see that these are some of the best trained people in the country.
Pigott: Sounds great, but what about commercial aviation in Canada these days?
Can you comment on it?
Baird: It’s been a tough year – the economy has been very tough. We had to obviously
“ I came back with such an amazing appreciation for the work that the Air Force does - for 410 Squadron.”
step in with Air Canada. We were able to get collateral so it was good for the travelling public and also good for the taxpayer because we secured the loan with assets. Sure it’s been tough for the air carriers but you can see the excitement with Bob Deluce and Porter – that’s probably the craziest business to get into. He‘s so passionate about starting and operating an airline –you see the excitement and energy that he and his entire team have in running Porter.
Pigott: I understand that next week Canada will be finalizing the Canada–EU “Blue Skies” Agreement. What’s that about?
Baird: We negotiated it last year but had to go through their (EU) ratification process. It’s now all been ratified – just need the
signatures which will happen the week of December 14th. This agreement, which is consistent with our “Blue Sky” policy and current Canadian legislation, allows the development of new markets, new services and greater competition. It includes unrestricted direct air services between Canada and EU Member States; flexible pricing arrangements; and improved flexibility for cargo. It’s really exciting and we are committed to opening up more skies – the EU deal will be just incredible for increasing competition which will be great for Canada and also great for the travelling public.
Pigott: What about the aviation industry in Canada –Bombardier for example?
Baird: I did not have full appreciation for what a global leader, a global champion, Bombardier is until I went to China this summer and saw how far their tentacles reach. Their C–Series is very exciting – it’s huge for China – and Ethiopia is now buying them. In China, Bombardier is the face of Canada – the moment you arrive at the airport you get on a Bombardier train. While their international market is down, their domestic market for commuter jets is way up – when you have 39 cities with more than five million people in each ...it’s a great opportunity there for Canada.
Pigott: What is the future for regional airports like Carp, Buttonville and St. Hubert in Montreal – local resources that have potential?
Baird: We’re a big supporter of regional airports, but there’s never enough money to meet their demand. Last week FedDev’s (Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario) first development grant was for London airport. | W
Peter Pigott is a Wings writer and columnist.
the Hon. John Baird flies in the Cf-18 at Cold lake; below, members of the 410 Squadron.
F LAT IS THE NEW BLAC k
CANADA’S ROLE IN THE AVIONICS MARKET BY ROB
SEAMAN
If you or your firm happen to be in the process of getting a new, from-thefactory aircraft, chances are that the cockpit will look dramatically different from your old and trusted machine. Flat is in, as they say, and the cockpit world has gone solidly MFD (Mutli-Function Display). This
technology incorporates all the old and standard flight assets in a new and functional way and, simply put, is stunning. Things are easier to see and find based on your priority of selection and screen distribution. If you want to customize how your display is set, you have a number of options. Add to that the ability to include and incorporate
new advancements, and flying is once again moving the safety and efficiency bar in the right direction – up! The even better news is that if you’re not waiting for that “new aircraft smell” to arrive in your hangar, you can still bring all the benefits and attributes of the new avionics world into your old aircraft.
One of the few bright spots
in the last year or two has unquestionably been the avionics industry and its developments and contributions. While everyone else seemed to be rushing to divest themselves of aircraft orders and existing inventory, the avionics industry was working hard to find ways to manage and maintain the current global fleet and
THE
improve efficiency and operational safety. The result has been new technologies that are affordable and practical as aftermarket upgrades. For those who are sitting on the fence regarding selling or trading up their current aircraft, this is providing an opportunity to retain a current asset while making improvements that have immediate safety and operational value today, and longerterm resale enhancement.
For many years, most of the avionics innovations that we heard of were focused on the
mid-Canada mod Center took an out-of-date Hawker 700 and brought it into the 21st century with Universal efIS, fmS, tAWS as well as rockwell Collins AHrS, tCAS, Proline II radio suite and much more.
transport markets through partner relationships. Allied with Inmarsat, EMS products include terminals, antennae and radomes, and cabin networking systems. EMS launched the first commercially available product approved for use with the SwiftBroadband network in 2007 and has been building on that success since. During the most recent NBAA, the EMS Sky Connect group unveiled their Forté AirMail Communication Service. This new product boasts the most affordable access to e-mail via smartphones in aircraft today. This service uses the Iridium network to provide e-mail access to any WiFi-enabled smartphone or PDA while in flight. The addition of e-mail complements EMS Sky Connect’s existing Forté products for voice and text, providing a complete office suite in the sky. The Forté AirMail suite is priced at $25,995 including WiFi interface, Iridium transceiver, and antenna.
passenger environment, and related to entertainment systems and satcom. That trend does continue to a somewhat lesser extent today, with recent introductions of high-speed and broadband capabilities allowing use of laptops, iPhone/ BlackBerry devices, gaming consoles and other business or entertainment tools. One of the leading lights globally in the high capacity/high speed data transfer and interface field is Ottawa-based EMS SATCOM. Its primary focus is business and military aviation, and air
Another Canadian notable making a name around the world for passenger and cabin flight support is TrueNorth Avionics. Also Ottawa-based, its focus is on corporate aviation products developed to offer a combination of performance with built-in growth capability. Its key product is called Chorus – an easy to use handset that features an intuitive graphical interface, menu-driven commands and a big, bright colour display. Exclusive customizations include a choice of splash screens, ring tones and handset materials (including custom hardwoods to match an aircraft’s interior). The Simphon Chorus system can expand to meet future needs thereby avoiding obsolescence. The Chorus system also acts as the router for any WiFi-enabled phone, laptop or device allowing the users to access the Internet and e-mails, or share devices such as printers that may be installed in the aircraft.
A compact, single-LRU system, Simphon Chorus is easy to install, and the transceiver can be mounted inside or outside the aircraft’s pressure vessel. Setup is easy, too, thanks to a built-in Personality Module that ensures Simphon Chorus can be configured to work just the way the user wants. One recent accomplishment for TrueNorth came in conjunction with Mid-Canada Mod Center (MC2) and Rockwell Collins (RC). Working together, the three firms integrated a Rockwell Collins SAT-6100B SATCOM and HST 2110B high-speed data terminal with the TrueNorth Simphon Chorus Executive-Class Airborne Telephone in a Challenger 604. The project was completed under an LSTC; however, MC2 is in the process of developing it into a Canadian STC and then will have it imported and approved by the FAA once issued. As MC2 noted, the project involved simply plugging everything in and the entire system, comprising equipment from three different manufacturers, worked immediately, something rarely seen in this business. MC2 also used TrueNorth in its cabin upgrade to the Province of Ontario’s King Air multi-use aircraft and reported similar ease and success.
Moving from the cabin to the cockpit environment, the front end is where today’s main focus of avionics innovations really lies. As it has been said, it is like going from steam drive to the jet age in one simple movement. Norm Matheis, regional marketing manager – Canada for Universal Avionics, reports that while his firm saw good activity in Canada in the last quarter of 2009 for its new Cockpit Voice and Flight Data Recorder (CVFDR) line, it plans to work with OEMs and dealers in 2010 to increase that business. The big focus in 2010 in Canada for Universal will be on WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) FMS retrofit opportunities. According to Matheis, the benefits and safety case for that are strong. WAAS is without question an essential part of any planned or proposed avionics upgrade.
If you’re adding Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) to your aircraft, Universal Avionics has a full range of products including its efI Synthetic vision, lP/lPv monitor, efI with tAWS and UNS-1fw and -1ew.
The primary objective in establishing WAAS is to increase safety for aviation. Current GPS systems are neither accurate nor reliable enough to be accepted as a sole means of navigation. By improving the accuracy, availability and integrity of GPS, WAAS increases the navigation capability for all classes of aircraft in all phases of flight. WAAS provides corrected GPS signal data that reduce errors which may be caused by temperature, baro
mis-set effects, ionospheric conditions, solar activity, atmospheric conditions, etc. WAAS provides greater GPS system position accuracy – from 100 metres to seven metres, according to FAA estimates. This also means that it may be used as a primary means of navigation and will allow users to plan GPS approaches to both their destination as well as an alternate. WAAS provides Category I precision approach accuracy of 16 metres laterally
NAV CANADA is the owner and operator of Canada’s civil air navigation system.
Our mission is to facilitate the safe movement of aircraft efficiently and cost effectively – and our record speaks for itself. Our safety performance is one of the best in the world. Our commitment to system efficiency has helped reduce customer fuel costs, which also benefits the environment. None of this would be possible without the dedication and commitment of employees, like Chris, who keep the skies safe and aircraft moving. To learn more about us, visit www.navcanada.ca.
and four metres vertically for ILS-like performance without ground-based landing aids, detects smaller errors faster than the basic GPS signal, and notifies users faster – within 6.2 seconds.
Another notable is that WAAS may provide integrity information that is equal to or better than Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring (RAIM). It also eliminates the enroute and terminal RAIM predication requirement when
within the WAAS coverage area. As for availability, the WAAS signal is expected to be received and usable 99.999 per cent of the time. Users experience ILS-like minimums without the use of ground-based navaids. Remember too that the ILS infrastructure is expensive to maintain, not available at every airport, and is subject to outages. One big benefit of adding WAAS to an aircraft is that unlike other precision approach alternatives, WAAS does not require special operational approvals or training. If you can fly GPS, you can fly WAAS. Use of WAAS will also allow approaches at smaller municipal airports during night operational hours when no altimeter setting is available. While not in widespread use here in Canada yet, WAAS is readily available throughout the U.S. As Dave Hume, Rockwell Collins regional sales manager, notes, here on the home front we are catching up and accordingly many operators are taking
advantage of planned upgrades and OEM trade incentives to include WAAS in their next shop call. In terms of cost, a survey of the industry reports that a typical installation and upgrade – depending upon the existing FMS and GPS and their upgradeability – should cost anywhere from $175,000 to $200,000. As Hume notes, while not inexpensive, the benefits outweigh the costs and, as noted before, not only enhance performance and safety today, but will add to resale value later.
is in the process of replacing obsolete ground-based navigation approach capability, such as Localizer BackCourses, with RNAV (GNSS) procedures with LNAV/VNAV and LPV minima, wherever possible.
According to Cochrane, the development of LPV procedures in Canada has been hampered by the availability of the current design criteria (FAA 8260.54A) and by the lack of accurate airport survey data required for design. It is ex-
tHe froNt eND IS WHere toDAY’S mAIN foCUS of AvIoNICS
As to the question of when we may expect more WAAS friendly skies here at home –in a recent Universal Avionics customer news flyer, Jeff Cochrane, manager of CNS Service Design, Nav Canada, wrote that the nation’s civil air navigation services provider
pected, he reports, that the latest criteria will be approved for use in Canada this year. Coupled with this, he says that Nav Canada is investigating further potential improvements to airport access enabled by WAAS. An ionospheric study into the potential for application of
decision altitudes as low as 200 feet above the touchdown zone on LPV approaches in Canada is underway. Results are expected early in 2010 and, if positive, will lead to lower minima on select LPV procedures.
The good news is that if an operator really wants to
upgrade or enhance its current aircraft, the timing could not be better. The technology is ready and the manufacturers are offering incentives to help make buying easier. And by all accounts, the airspace in Canada will be catching up to the rest of the world soon. So the question is – do you want to live with outdated technology or are you ready to be one of the cool kids and get yourself out of the dark ages? | W
the emS Sky Connect group recently unveiled its forté Airmail Communication Service; it uses the Iridium network to provide e-mail access to any Wifienabled smartphone or PDA while in flight.
With emirates operating the A380 between Dubai and toronto, the giant airliner took centre stage.
ZOOM AMID THE GLOOM
DUBAI AIR SHOW PRIMES THE PUMP
BY PETER PIGOTT
At first glance, the effects of the global financial slowdown were difficult to see at the 2009 Dubai Air Show. Larger than the Farnborough International Air Show and catching up with Paris, the biennial air show, which ran from Nov. 15 to 19 and featured 890 exhibitors from 47 countries, is in its 11th year in the United Arab Emirates. Despite the current economic woes in aviation, on the final day, the show’s onsite order book topped a credible US$14 billion. But within the hospitality chalets and the hotel parties (the only places where alcohol was served) the message was the same: aerospace executives are looking to the Gulf to ease them out of recession once the economy recovers. Said one aviation analyst, “It is the one civil and military aerospace market that is holding up, driven by passenger traffic, oil prices and regional tension.”
“Many smaller companies have opted not to participate this year, and some others that came reduced the size of their display booths or are renting fewer places,” lamented Alison Weller of F&E Aerospace, the show’s organizer. “The past year has been a difficult time for the aerospace industry worldwide.” Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, president of the Dubai Department of Civil Aviation, hoped that the Dubai Air Show would prime the pump of the aviation industry worldwide. “The air show comes at an important time for the aerospace industry as the world begins to see a revival in fortunes,” he said.
“During the past two years, the business has experienced unprecedented turbulence.”
An observer viewing the array of aircraft outside the exhibition halls would have been hard-pressed to think that the aviation industry had been in free fall. National aerobatic teams like the “Patrouille De France” and the “Frecce Tricolori” of Italy tried to outdo each other in manoeuvres and smoke. The banners of most of the aviation world – Dassault, Boeing, Gulfstream, Sikorsky and Finmeccania – graced the hospitality chalets on the flight line. Bombardier had its Learjet 60 XR Signature Series Red aircraft, Challenger 605 jet, Challenger 850 aircraft and ultra-long-range Global Express XRS jet on display. With Emirates operating the A380 between Dubai and Toronto, the giant airliner had centre stage, dwarfing even the cavernous Russian Il-76D freighters – no mean feat.
Demonstrating the importance of military sales, a French air force Rafale and Royal Air Force Typhoon performed daily overhead, as did a sinister-looking EADS Tiger gun ship. Surprisingly, the United States brought in a squadron of the world’s most advanced fighter, the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor, something it had denied the Paris air show. Several Middle Eastern air forces are in the process of replacing their fighter aircraft and such an exuberant display of American air power not only promoted U.S. interests in the Gulf region but might also have convinced Arab governments not to buy from rival Dassault. But
there was no mistaking Washington’s intent at the air show. “This is a gathering of nations from this region and the world that come together to look at airplanes, talk about airpower and to gel some of their decision-making,” said Lt. Gen. Mike Hostage, the commander of U.S. Air Forces Central Command. “I had a chance to meet my counterparts in the gulf, air chiefs and ministers of defence and answer questions about U.S. airpower.”
Although the United States, the European Union and Russia dominated the four exhibition halls, the display booths of China, India, Pakistan, Jordan and Canada held their own. It was the second time at Dubai for the Canadian Com-
Bombardier announced the expansion of its Mobile Response Team (MRT) into the region at the show
mercial Corporation (CCC), the government of Canada’s international contracting and procurement agency, which shared the Canadian pavilion with the Department of National Defence’s (DND) International Flight Training Group. Tom DeWolf, acting vice-president, Defence, thought the event beneficial on a number of levels. An increasing number of Canadian firms had exhibited and attended, many of whom were CCC clients looking for new business in a strategically
important region. “It was valuable to network with them and with their potential sales prospects,” explained DeWolf. “Defence procurement in the region is obviously still very strong,” DeWolf said, “as evidenced by the increasingly bigger event and by the specific opportunities identified for further development.” The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) was also very much in evidence, as the event gave CCC the opportunity to meet with the new Canadian ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Ken Lewis and the new consul general in Dubai, Kris Panday. It was Bombardier’s first time at the Dubai Air Show. “It is a good opportunity to display aircraft from our three product families: Learjet, Challenger and Global,” said Annie Cossette, Bombardier media relations. “Traditionally, the Middle East is a strong market for ultra-long-range aircraft such as the Global Express XRS, but there is growing interest for smaller aircraft such as our Learjet and Challenger jets. There is a strong demand for business aircraft from Saudi Arabia and UAE, but also a growing one from Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon.” As the Middle East was a key market for Bombardier and so many Bombardier aircraft are now based in the area, the company announced the expansion of its Mobile Response Team (MRT) into the region at the show. Bombardier has a policy of not revealing orders but Cossette did say that the Dubai Air Show had been a success and it had been a good
opportunity to start dialogues with potential customers.
The largest Canadian presence in Dubai, and the whole Middle East, CAE was permanently based there. Begun in St. Hubert, Que., in 1947, and now a world leader in simulation, CAE ‘s annual revenues exceed $1.6 billion, with the Canadian company employing more than 6,500 people in 20 countries. The enthusiastic Chris Stellwag, CAE marketing communications director, offered a tour of the CAE-Emirates Flight Training Center (EFTC) near the airport. Jointly operated with the Emirates Group and CAE, it trains airlines and business jet operators in the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and Asia. The 14-bay centre currently
houses 11 full-flight simulators: two Airbus A320/ACJs, an Airbus A330/340, a Boeing 777, two Boeing 737 NG/BBJs, a Gulfstream IV, a Gulfstream V/550, a Hawker 800/800XP, a Hawker 800XPi (Pro Line 21), and a Bell 412 helicopter simulator. At the Dubai Air Show, EFTC announced the signing of contracts with Jet Aviation, MSC Aviation, and Transaero for pilot training at the Dubai centre for Boeing, Gulfstream, and Hawker aircraft platforms.
For first-time exhibitors from Canada, the testing of the waters at the show and the marketplace proved indispensable. “It was our first time at the show,” explained Josef Azam, sales director for Montreal-based Silentium,
“and we were trying to get a sense of the market and what the potential opportunities might be in the Middle East. Overall, the show was good and we made some strong new relationships.”
The very affable president of Skyplan, Adrian Bone, also said that this was his company’s first time exhibiting. Skyplan specializes in outsourced dispatch, flight planning, international trip support and fuel, and although there were numerous service providers in the area, Bone said that there was no distinct dispatch service in the Middle East. “Skyplan opened Skyplan FZC in Sharjah in November 2008, modelled after our Calgary facility. Our proprietary flight planning software, ‘CyberTrac
One,’ can be accessed globally via the Internet or established via a licensing agreement for on-site use.”
Had the air show been useful? “The show itself has provided numerous new prospects for our company in both the corporate aviation arena and with the local airlines” he said. “We currently provide flight planning support to Arianna Airlines in Afghanistan, support services to Kingfisher Airlines of India and flight planning for many of the service providers in the area.”
Tom Brown, Skyplan’s senior sales manager, added, “We go to four air shows in the U.S. and we have done more business in one day here than we do at a full show there. Really, it has been beyond our
Despite the current economic woes in aviation, on the final day, the show’s on-site order book topped a credible US$14 billion.
Bombardier’s learjet 60 Xr Signature Series red aircraft was on display along with its Challenger 605, Challenger 850 and ultra-long-range Global express XrS.
expectations and has been outrageously fantastic for a new guy on the block.” Skyplan was currently in the planning stages of opening a representative office in Dubai to address the local market.
Highland Integrated Surveillance Systems (HISS) is a Canadian company with offices in Portland, Ore., and the UAE. It specializes in the design, integration, installation and support of military and paramilitary airborne surveillance mission systems. Although HISS has been participating in the Dubai Air Show since 2005, this was the first time they were part of the Canada Showcase exhibit. “Approximately 80 per cent of the company revenue stems from activities performed in
the Middle East,” said Mark Pickering, vice-president, Operations. “So the Dubai Air Show, like the larger biannual IDEX show, offers unique opportunities to meet with many regional defence, aerospace, and other government agency representatives.” Several valuable new relationships were cemented, he added. Potential new business opportunities were identified and discussed, and meetings with key customers and vendors were held.
“The Dubai Air Show offers significant opportunities for small companies like HISS,” said company president Roger Smibert. “Relationships are key to success here, and we are proud to be a Canadian company in such an exciting and demanding region, where the
need is so great and our expertise so appreciated.”
On the other hand, Esterline CMC Electronics has participated in the Dubai Air Show for many years. It was announced at the Air Show that the Ottawa-based company has been selected by the Chilean air force for the complete cockpit avionics systems upgrade of its C-130 fleet. As prime contractor, it will be responsible for delivery of the complete equipment suite, including the supply of turnkey installation kits as well as all in-country activities, including touch labour, training and support. “We are very honoured to work with the Chilean Air Force on this comprehensive modernization program,” said Greg Yeldon, president,
Esterline CMC Electronics. He added, “Our Cockpit 9000 suite has been engineered using the most advanced and state-of-the-art components available today.” The Chilean Air Force’s General Rojas said, “We have been very impressed with CMC’s flexibility in adapting its Cockpit 9000 to our specific needs while being able to schedule a very rapid installation turnaround.”
The last day of the show was eclipsed by Dubai’s own financial problems that mirror aviation’s: for all the glitz and firepower in evidence, the recession is still very evident. F&E Aerospace, the air show’s organizers, hoped that maybe by the next show to be held in 2011, the problems will have ended. Amen to that. | W
for first-time exhibitors from Canada, the testing of the waters at the show and the marketplace proved indispensable.
the Dubai air show is in its 11th year in the United Arab emirates.
National aerobatic teams “Patrouille De france” and the “frecce tricolori” performed at the show.
the biennial air show featured 890 exhibitors from 47 countries.
A WINNING ATTITUDE
HARV’S AIR TRAINS TO NEW HEIGHTS
BY JAMES CARELESS
In 1972, Steinbach, Manitoba’s Harvey Penner was a trained flight instructor in need of a full-time job. But he had no trouble getting part-time work in his hometown:
“People would always ask him things like, ‘Can you help me get my night rating? Can you help me get my flying licence?’” says son Adam Penner. “He found himself helping out so often that he decided to open a school of his own. So my dad bought a Grumman Yankee and opened Harv’s Air Pilot Training. Since we have over 300 good flying days a year, thanks to our weather, Steinbach was a natural location.”
Thirty-seven years later, Harv’s Air Pilot Training is a renowned flight school with bases in Steinbach and nearby St. Andrews (outside of Winnipeg). Harvey still works for the company, as
do his sons Adam (operations manager), Greg (accountant) and Luke (Class 1 flight instructor). What started with one plane has grown to a fleet of 30, manned by 26 instructors, four AMEs, and 20 or so support staff. Add hangars, offices, classrooms, student residences, and a private airport, and you have a sense of how Harv’s has grown.
A Private Airport?
That’s right, Harv’s Air Pilot Training has its own airport in Steinbach. Family members live nearby in their homes, and Harvey’s kids grew up riding their tricycles on the tarmac. “I’m the only one of the brothers with kids of my own – ages six and eight – and they ride their trikes here just like I used to,” Adam Penner says.
“We’re big believers in students knowing how to do more than just standard level flight. The more you know about aerobatic flying, the better you are as an overall pilot.”
The reason Harv’s Air has its own airport is because Harvey Penner built it. It’s not exactly Pearson International: The Steinbach base has a 3,000-foot-long, 100-foot-wide main grass strip – with the middle 30-foot strip paved to reduce wear and tear – and a second 1,900-foot-long cross-wind grass strip. “Grass is no problem to work with; in fact, it is often more forgiving for students to land on,” says Penner. “We also have a GPS approach which we installed a few years ago, which we are very proud of.”
Because this is a private airport, Harv’s Air has complete control of its airspace. There’s no waiting for other planes from other companies to take off and land, nor any need for students to “move out of the way.”
“We can do what we want, when we want and how we want,” Penner says. “Our students do not have to pay landing or terminal fees. The only downside is that, because we own the airport, we have to cut the grass and plow the runway!”
“Steinbach South Airport” is home to the company’s main facility. It contains a main classroom, six briefing rooms, boardroom, common room and Precision Flight Control simulators (Single Elite Flight Training Devices). The site also has a 100by 100-foot hangar, where Harv’s Air fleet is maintained. The company’s other base is at St. Andrews Airport outside Winnipeg. This facility is owned and operated by the Rural Municipality of St. Andrews, so students do have to wait their turn for PH
the Harv’s Air fleet is made up of a Cessna Diamond Star equipped with a Garmin G-1000 (pictured here), 15 Cessna 152s, six Cessna 172s, two Citabria 7-eCAs (for aerobatics), a Piper Warrior, a taylor Craft (for ski training), a Pitts S2B Biplane for aerobatics training, a twin Beech 95, a twin Piper Seneca, and a Piper Navajo.
takeoffs and landings. However, there are no landing or terminal fees here either, at least not for Harv’s Air students. Like the Steinbach base, Harv’s Air St. Andrews has offices, classrooms, Precision Flight Control simulators (Single and Dual Elite Flight Training Devices; ATC-810 Navajo Simulator), residences and two hangars.
Between these two locations, the company teaches about 500 students a year. “Half are from Canada, the other half from overseas,” Adam Penner says. “Many stay in our residences, which are either dorm rooms, houses or furnished mobile homes. Others drive to class: Since we are in a rural area, we rent cars to our students.”
Harv’s Air force
The Harv’s Air fleet – which is shared between the Steinbach and St. Andrews bases – is substantial and offers students a broad range of aircraft to learn on. It is made up of a Cessna Diamond Star (equipped with a Garmin G-1000), 15 Cessna 152s, six Cessna 172s, two Citabria 7-ECAs (for aerobatics), a Piper Warrior, a Taylor Craft (for ski training), a Pitts S2B Biplane for aerobatics training, a Twin Beech 95, a Twin Piper Seneca, and a Piper Navajo. Add the fact that Harv’s provides training at all levels of flight – from recreational and private to commercial, night, multi-engine, and aerobatics and flight instruction – and this is truly a well-rounded training experience.
“The 1983-vintage Pitts S2B allows us to provide students with real aerobatics training,” says Adam Penner. “We’re big believers in students knowing how to do more than just standard level flight. The more you know about aerobatic flying, the better you are as an overall pilot. Besides, the Pitts is my father’s ‘toy’; at least that’s what he called it when we bought the Pitts in 1997!” Worth noting: Pete McLeod, the youngest and first Canadian pilot to compete in the 2009 Red Bull Air Race World Championship, got his pilot’s licence at Harv’s Air in Steinbach. “We got him started, but he went way beyond us – quite literally!” says Penner.
Online ground school
Mindful of the fact that students can’t always study where and when they want to, Harv’s Air has established an “online ground school.” Located at www.pilottraining.ca, the school provides ground training for private, commercial and instrument pilots. Although these courses have a fee, the site will send you a demo training course for free so that you can see what the program is like. “We want students to be able to do ground school whenever and wherever they can,” Penner says. “We can’t do flight training this way, but at least we can
Another Win for Harv’s Air
T HE P RESTIGIOUS DCAM F LIGHT I NSTRUCTOR S AFETY AWARD
each year, the David charles abramson Memorial (DcaM) Flight instructor safety award honours an exemplary flight instructor who has demonstrated exceptional leadership in aviation safety. The 2009 recipient of this prestigious award was Harvey Penner. said Jane abramson, co-founder of the award,
“This year we celebrate our award in recognizing an individual whose passion and gifts to the younger generation of pilots have created a unique legacy and heritage for the future of aviation in our country and who has established a facility capable of maintaining that heritage.” More information about this prestigious award can be found at www.dcamaward.com.
What follows is Harvey Penner’s acceptance speech at the AtAC Annual General meeting and tradeshow held in Quebec City in November:
Hello everyone and thank you. Thank you to the abramsons (Jane and Rikki) for choosing me to receive the David charles abramson Memorial award. it is truly an honor. and thank you to aTac for arranging the time for the award. also to all the sponsors and the prizes that they donated, thank you.
Many of us in the aviation industry work away doing our thing and even our family and friends hardly know what we do or what is involved in what we do. everyone here knows what we do and what it takes to do it well. To receive this recognition from people in the industry is especially gratifying.
The person who deserves the most credit for me being here today is my wife, Bettie. she has joined me here in Quebec city. They say that parenting is another name for sacrifice. well, owning and operating a business or being a flight instructor also involves a lot of sacrifice. Very few business owners can work eight hours a day, five days a week and be successful. To be involved in flight training takes time. a lot of time. when i think back to the last 38 years, one word that would often come up would be the word “exception.” i can fit in this flight; i will do your flight test on my day off; we will get that paperwork done for you.
Doing this puts a strain on your personal life. Late for dinner; i won’t be done in time for us both to get to that meeting; go on ahead with out me i will catch up with you later. Throughout all this, Bettie has stood by me and supported me and has helped build our business, a business that we have built together.
also to my three sons, adam, greg, and Luke. all three of them work in our business and this has made it enjoyable. i don’t think i would have continued this long without my family’s involvement.
i want to mention two other things. i am sure many of you are frequently asked what your flying experience is. a new pilot will be especially impressed when you tell them. They say “wow, is that ever a lot, i wonder if i can ever get there?” of course they can, and many will. My point is that the experience matters, but maybe not that much. The most important flight all of us have is the next one. it must be as safe or safer than all the flights of the past.
The last point is to encourage our flight instructors. as managers and owners, i know that we play a huge role in this. we all know that many will teach flying for only a short time and that’s fine, but let’s encourage them to be their absolute best, whether it’s only for a year or a lifetime. and there are persons out there who will do it for a longer time, perhaps even as a lifelong career. our industry needs good people who have the experience, years of experience. Let’s do what we can to keep some of these senior people in the flight training world.
in closing, i would like to thank everyone involved for this recognition. it means a lot. Let’s leave this convention more enthused and more positive about what we do. we are fortunate to be in the aviation industry. The best industry in the world.
Happy Landings.
l to r: Award recipient Harvey Penner, DCAm Award co-founders Jane and rikki Abramson, and Wayne Gouveia, vP Commercial General Aviation, AtAC.
ensure that, when they are with us, our students can focus on flying.”
Harv’s Air makes extensive use of video for both teaching and marketing. Their philosophy is that reading a book only goes so far. With that in mind, Adam and his instructors filmed a number of air exercises from the airplane. “Seeing the exercises taught from several angles in flight helps the student understand what it is supposed to look like. The goal is to better prepare the student for flying to save him cost and time,” Penner notes. The teaching videos are tied together with online learning management software and delivered online. Streaming the video online allows for instant distribution and fast updates.
A commitment to excellence
Harv’s Air Pilot Training takes excellence very, very seriously. This is why Harvey Penner makes no bones in telling prospective students how tough flight school can be. “Flying is different than anything a person has done in the past,” he writes in “Flight Training
“ The most important flight all of us have is the next one.”
Standards,” a page posted on www.harvsair.com. “You may be a very intelligent person with a lot of education but this does not guarantee that you have good hands-on skill. You may have good hands-on skill but may have a hard time academically.” He then warns that, “Obtaining a Canadian commercial licence requires that you meet a standard. It is a standard recognized everywhere in the world. It is not a matter of flying a certain number of hours and you will have the licence. You must earn it.” Finally, “If you think reaching the standard was hard work, your evaluation and training with a future employer will be harder,” Harvey Penner concludes. “My dad’s point is not to discourage people from flying, but to let them know what to realistically expect, and what we expect from them,” Adam Penner says. “As a school, we take our role very seriously. We can tell early on if a person has what it takes to be a pilot, and if they don’t, we will ask them, nicely, to withdraw from the course. We’re not one of those places who will keep taking money from students irrespective of their potential. And if people want to go elsewhere and get a second opinion, that’s just fine.” As well, “When a student arrives at our school with many hours logged but no licence, we generally will contact the previous school to find out what has caused this,” writes Harvey Penner in his online posting. “We discuss this information with the student and will agree to fly several evaluation flights. If our findings are the same as from the previous school we will not continue flight training.”
The future of Harv’s Air
For the Penner family, aviation is in its blood. “I was flying sitting on my dad’s lap since I was six months old, as he talked my mother through flight training,” says Adam Penner. “I grew up thinking it was normal to have airplanes in the backyard. My son and daughter think that too.”
Will Adam’s kids become the third generation of Penners to run Harv’s Air? It is too early to tell. But as the second generation of brothers gets more into the business, and as more children are born and grow up, it is hard not to believe that this flight school will have Penners at the helm for years to come. “We all love flying in this family; it is what we do and care about,” Adam Penner says. “Given the growth of the company, and the fact that we get to go to work at our own private airport, what’s not to like about working here? What career could be better?” | W
Pete mcleod, the youngest and first Canadian pilot to compete in the 2009 red Bull Air race World Championship, got his pilot’s licence at Harv’s Air in Steinbach.
Harvey Penner circa 1973.
Harv’s Air is a family affair – Harvey works alongside his sons Adam (operations manager, pictured here), Greg (accountant) and luke (Class 1 flight instructor).
TAkING THE OFFICE ALOFT
BUSINESS CMS MORE HIGH-TECH THAN EVER
BY JAMES CARELESS
There was a time when cabin management systems (CMS) in business aircraft were utilitarian and unremarkable. Using electro-mechanical relays and switches, CMS controlled the cabin temperature and lighting, and that was about it.
That was then; this is now. Today, a typical business aviation CMS supports in-cabin audio and video, plus satellite-connected voice, text, fax, TV, radio and Internet traffic, in the cabin and cockpit. And that’s not all: “Flight Display Systems [a business aviation CMS integrator] receives many requests for things such as Blu-ray players, iPod docking stations to allow for audio and video integration, and worldwide Moving Map displays,” says Nick Gray, the company’s international marketing manager.
“Today’s business aircraft CMS is akin to a high-end home entertainment system in the sky,” says Paul Lafata, Honeywell’s
CMS business leader. “Customers want HD displays in various locations, Blu-ray players, satellite radio and television, Surround Sound – everything they can get in their living room or sports car.”
Businesspeople who spend a lot of time in the sky want to bring their offices aloft. As a result, their CMS systems have to support the full range of voice and data applications they rely on, plus real-time videoconferencing. “Today’s businessperson wants to be able to hold virtual meetings wherever they are,” says Lafata. “So we have to integrate installation of monitors and two-way communications to support high bandwidth videoconferencing and interactive multimedia.”
How it works
Today’s business aviation CMS is IP-based. In other words, the various features are all connected by wire and wireless Ethernet to a cabin interface unit. These features include HD monitors, DVD and
Blu-ray players, audio amplifiers, speakers, 3-D HD moving maps, video cameras and microphones, fax machines, iPod/iPhone/BlackBerry docks, telephones, lights, heating and A/C units, custom user control interfaces, and remote controls. The cabin interface unit, or CIU, can be mounted virtually anywhere, which adds to ease of installation. The system is accessible for programming or diagnostics by qualified technicians, but kept safely out of the passengers’ reach.
By using this approach, CMS installers can keep cabin disruption to a minimum. New devices are simply installed where required, with Ethernet cabling being run through existing conduits (wherever possible). “We don’t want our customers to have to tear the aircraft apart every time they add something new,” says Paul Lafata. “Granted, adding monitor mounts and HD monitor lifts can require extra modifications to the cabin, but we do our best to minimize this wherever we can.”
Challenges
Business aviation CMS vendors face a few key challenges in making their customers happy. The first challenge is space; even with today’s IP-based equipment and miniaturized electronics, CMS installers still have to contend with the limited space available in aircraft. There’s only so much room to run wires and install equipment, particularly in older aircraft that were built before the Internet and HDTV existed.
Power is another issue: all of this entertainment and computer equipment requires electricity to function. To support this, an aircraft must either have some available power to spare from its existing systems or incorporate some new form of power generation system that, in turn, will eat up precious fuel when running.
CMS-supported technology must always take a back seat to avionics. There must never be an opportunity for this technology to interfere with the aircraft’s control systems. This is where wireless systems can be a cause for concern.
“Finally, CMS must also support equipment upgrades,” says Lafata. “Things change, and customers want to keep up. We have to ensure that any CMS we install is both future-proof and scalable, in that it can support additional devices being added over time.”
Looking ahead
As consumer and business technology continues to advance, so too will the capabilities and demands on business aviation CMS. This is why companies such as Flight Display Systems are looking ahead. In the near future, “We hope to add new features such as Video-on-Demand and iPhone integration,” says Nick Gray.
In fact, the only limits to CMS evolution will be those associated with aircraft themselves; namely the space for such equipment to be fit, the cabling to connect it and the power to keep it running. Beyond this, only time will tell how much earthbound technology can be added to aircraft cabins! | W
A look at what CMS vendors are offering
flight Display Systems
at nBaa 2009, Flight Display systems unveiled its new select cMs with select cMs, passengers can access HDTV video, audio, window shades, lighting, temperature, and many more cabin amenities – all by using a simple touchscreen interface. one nice point: The select cMs is a retrofit cMs (it can be added to older aircraft) that comes with an HDTV backbone capable of transmitting Blu-ray movies to the cabin’s TV screens.
“select cMs was designed with a focus on retrofit projects,” says nick gray. “our target market is the aircraft with a cabin interior that needs upgrades in technology, carpet and seats. we use the latest technology to give passengers multiple channels of high definition video and life-like audio.” Details can be found at www.flightdisplay.com.
Honeywell Aerospace Products
Honeywell is currently featuring two cabin Management systems: the new ovation select series and the ovation c series.
The ovation select series is an all-digital business jet cabin management solution. it is an extremely flexible and lightweight system, designed for easy installation in either the factory or the hangar. The ovation select series provides complete digital distribution of command and control data, entertainment audio and video sources, computer, power and network data using a gigabyte ethernet backbone. This is the same kind of ethernet backbone used in modern offices, offering lots of headroom for expansion down the road.
Meanwhile, Honeywell continues to support and expand its ovation c-series cMs. The new c-series cup Holder allows passengers to charge and use their iPod from any equipped cup holder on the aircraft. Meanwhile, the c-series select 200c Passenger control Unit allows a passenger to control lighting, temperature and entertainment from the comfort of his or her seat. Visit www51.honeywell.com/aero for more information.
Panasonic Avionics Corporation
Panasonic has traditionally focused on commercial aviation cMs However, the company is now making its global communications suite (gcs) available to business aircraft. The gcs supports Panasonic’s exconnect (with two-way broadband solution at data rates up to 50 megabytes per second); exPhone (which, via aeroMobile, supports two-way voice, text and gPRs wireless traffic); and the Panasonic airborne Television network. according to the company, the gcs suite has enough bandwidth to support virtually any service business passengers require, including simultaneous voice, internet, VPn, live television and video conferencing. More information can be found at www.panasonic.aero.
rockwell Collins
Rockwell collins’ Venue digital audio/HDTV cMs builds upon existing aircraft cMs in service today. it is based upon a high-speed, ieee 1394a, data network operating at 400 megabytes per second. according to the company, this cMs is configured in a simple ring topology to ease installation and reduce system weight (i.e., long, bulky cable runs). Rockwell collins’ Venue cMs supports a full range of entertainment and information technology devices, and can be controlled using a number of highly elegant user interfaces and remote controls. For details, visit www.rockwellcollins.com.
With flight Display Systems Select CmS, passengers can access HDtv video, audio, window shades, lighting, temperature, and many more cabin amenities – all by using a simple touchscreen interface.
THE COLD, HARD FACTS
some of what they heard:
BY PAUL HOWARD
Canadian pilots take for granted that they will fly some, if not most of their careers in winter conditions. For them, learning to operate safely in winter literally comes with the territory. But with the ever-increasing range of aircraft, more and more operators based in warmer climates are flying into winter conditions, without years of experience dealing with the challenges that cold weather brings for equipment, operations and maintenance. They could benefit from the lessons learned from the cold, hard facts of life in Canadian aviation. This was the genesis of the first-ever International Winter Operations Conference, hosted Oct. 7 and 8 in Toronto by the Air Canada Pilots Association (ACPA) and the Canadian Society of Air Safety Investigators (CSASI).
“We have 3,000 pilots with experience operating in the
Canadian winter environment,” said Captain Barry Wiszniowski, chair of ACPA’s Technical and Safety Division and cochair of the conference. “This is an area of expertise we wanted to share with the industry and foreign carriers coming into Canada, because operating in icing conditions is anything but normal for many of them. Some have never seen ice before. For us, winter operations are normal operating procedures.”
The theme of the first “Winterops” conference was “Safety Is No Secret.” It drew together experts from manufacturers, operators, airports, maintenance, services and regulators, all bringing their specialized knowledge and lessons learned in the field. The aviation industry clearly has an appetite for information on safe winter operations. More than 200 people from 16 countries around the world came to learn. Here’s
Former NASA astronaut Commander Robert “Hoot” Gibson’s opening address catalogued the lessons the space agency learned – but did not heed – about operating the space shuttle in cold temperatures, culminating in the loss of two shuttles and massive changes that set the shuttle program back for years. Jeanne Mason of Boeing’s Propulsion Systems Division explained the growth in understanding of how ice crystals can lead to engine power loss and gave insights
that can help pilots recognize the weather conditions that can lead to such events. Barbara Dunn, president of the Canadian Society of Air Safety Investigators, described the lessons learned during evacuations of passengers
into severe weather conditions and steps that can be taken to better prepare them and flight crews to handle this challenge. With their special expertise and experience, the presenters each provided the benefit of their learning in their particular field of winter operations. By all accounts, the lessons were well received. “We learned a lot about techniques and technological advances that will make operations safer, as well as some of the traps we can avoid,” Captain Wiszniowski said. “I travelled privately at my own expense from Germany,” said Gary Tarizzo. “I thought the conference was very informative and worth the effort to attend. I learned a great deal.” “Through this conference, we’re also getting together as a community,” Captain Wiszniowski said. “For example, we discovered that air traffic controllers didn’t know that, as part of our standard operational procedures in icing conditions, pilots have to do an engine run-up
Barbara Dunn, president of the Canadian Society of Air Safety Investigators, stands with Captain Barry Wiszniowski, chair of ACPA’s technical and Safety Division and co-chair of the conference.
APPROACHING WITH WAA S
JETPRO DESIGNS FOR THE FUTURE BY JAMES
After one hundred years of powered flight in Canada, the disparity that remains in navigation avionics is intriguing. On the roads today, as vehicles are guided turn by turn to the nearest coffee shop by dash-mounted GPS units, it is a wonder that aircraft are
still flying non-precision approaches based on VORs and NDBs, armed with a mere approach plate and stopwatch to determine their distance from the runway threshold. It is with some irony that, upon landing, pilots may phone in their arrival report with a mobile smartphone packing more navigational chutzpah than the
MARASA
instruments used in flight.
That being said, most pilots would opt to shoot a precision approach (traditionally an ILS) over any non-precision alternative. A precision approach simply offers superior situational awareness during the most critical phase of flight due to the vertical dimension of guidance it provides to the
decision height. Not surprisingly, enhanced situational awareness comes paired with added safety as a 2003 article in Flight Safety Digest reported that commercial operators were five times more likely to suffer an accident during a non-precision approach than during a Category-I ILS. Traditionally, VOR radials
APPROACHING
and NDB tracks have comprised the majority of instrument approach procedures in Canada. However, due to the geographical placement of the groundbased navaids, the approach is often designed in favour of one runway, meaning that if the winds align with a noninstrument runway, a circling procedure may be required.
Ed McDonald, a 16,000hour veteran of the military and civilian airlines believes that the latest GPS technology is offering a viable alternative to the non-precision/circling
telesat Canada provides WAAS service from its Anik f1r satellite, while Nav Canada maintains the nation’s four monitoring stations.
says McDonald, then a pilot with Canadian Airlines. Seven years ago, armed with the insight of the possibilities that GPS held for aviation, McDonald founded JetPro, an Alberta-based engineering firm that designs GPS approaches throughout Canada. Today, McDonald is pioneering a new kind of approach design made possible by Transport Canada’s October, 2005 approval of the “Wide-Area Augmentation System” commonly known as WAAS.
Developed by the FAA to enhance the integrity of the standard GPS signal, WAAS employs two Geo-stationary satellites and a network of ground-based monitoring stations deployed throughout North America. WAAS effectively corrects the errors inherent in GPS due to timing, satellite orbit and refraction through the ionosphere. The corrections are then sent to the Geo-stationary satellites, which relay the information to WAAS receivers. The receiver then decodes the information and applies the correction to each GPS satellite being used in the navigation solution. Telesat Canada provides WAAS service from its Anik F1R satellite, while Nav Canada, which has worked jointly with the FAA in bringing WAAS to Canada, maintains the nation’s four monitoring stations.
he presents the advantages of WAAS to municipalities and airport operators around the country, much of his audience is surprised to hear that Transport Canada is not implementing the approaches for its airport. In fact, Transport Canada has not designed an instrument approach procedure since 1996, when Nav Canada acquired control of the nation’s air navigation system. All subsequent instrument approaches have been designed by Nav Canada or commercial designers such as JetPro, with Nav Canada maintaining the sole legal responsibility for publication of the completed design packages. To date, JetPro alone has designed GPS and WAAS approaches at over 60 Canadian airports and 120 runways, comprising roughly two-thirds of all WAAS approaches currently implemented or in the queue for publication.
In addition to its welldocumented safety benefits, McDonald believes that the social and economic benefits of WAAS stand to be tremendous. “Ultimately,” as he says, “economics is the primary driver of innovation.”
approach. “Can you imagine a worse set of circumstances to be flying in?” he asks. “You have the gear and the flaps down, flying at slow speed very close to the ground in poor visibility...”
Accident statistics pose no challenge. A study of UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) approach and landing accidents (ALA) reveals that from 1980-1996, 75 per cent of ALAs occurred while a precision approach aid was not available or not being used.
“I began to see the application that GPS could have in 1994,”
As a result, GPS accuracy improves to plus or minus one metre horizontally and vertically. This enhanced precision allows for the possibility of lower approach minimums and the addition of an exciting new element to the realm of GPS approaches: a glide slope. Technically referred to as “Localizer Performance with Vertical Guidance” (LPV), WAAS has enabled ILS-like approach capability without the requirement to install or maintain ground-based navaids.
As WAAS remains a relatively new concept, McDonald admits he is often met with confusion when he explains the business of JetPro. When
Prior to the introduction of WAAS, McDonald claims that several municipalities would have leapt at the chance to develop precision approaches at the airports serving their communities. Lower approach minimums means better airport access and could, at times, mean the difference between a medevac aircraft carrying a critically ill patient completing its mission or diverting to an alternate airport. Unfortunately, the $1.5M price tag on ILS equipment has been prohibitive for many smaller airports. However, as WAAS eliminates the need for ground-based equipment and its associated installation and maintenance costs, McDonald suggests that precision approaches may now be available to airport operators who could not have otherwise afforded an ILS.
Three years ago, when Lloyd Epp, director of flight operations at Saskatchewan-based West Wind Aviation, came across WAAS, he immediately
saw the potential impact it could have on his operation.
“We had spent enough time sitting on the ground with a 400-foot ceiling that we were confident the monetary cost to implement WAAS was going to have a pretty quick payback.”
As one of Western Canada’s
largest charter operators, West Wind regularly ferries workers in and out of the burgeoning uranium mines of Northern Saskatchewan. Immediately prior to introducing GPS approaches, Epp explains that approach minimums at Cigar Lake, one of the prominent
airports serving the region, used to sit at roughly 600 feet.
After a circling NDB approach, aircraft would often “break out” at a 90-degree angle to the runway. When the possibility of straight-in GPS approaches presented itself, Epp says they welcomed the progression and
were quick to take advantage of them.
“When (JetPro) got involved, they designed straight-in GPS approaches to both runways. That brought the interim minimums down to roughly 400 feet.”
On Oct. 22, 2009, the new WAAS approaches at Cigar Lake were published, lowering approach minimums once again, and marking a giant step forward in the evolution of the airport. On day one, with ceilings hovering between 250 and 300 feet, West Wind’s ATR42s, armed with WAAS-enabled GPS receivers, taxied out, eager to make full use of them.
“The first day the (WAAS) approaches were available,” says Epp, “our chief pilot was going out to Cigar Lake to do a line-indoctrination and fly the approaches for the first time... had it not been for WAAS, he would have had to wait on the ground.”
Epp is adamant that given the type of work that West
JetPro's ed mcDonald gets into his company jet.
Wind does, the impact of the new approaches will be huge. “The day WAAS approaches became available at Cigar Lake,” he says “a significant amount of safety was added to the process.” Unlike a scheduled airline which may cancel flights due to weather, West Wind needs to make every flight happen or workers are left in the camps away from their families, shortening their time at home, and extending overtime hours which can add substantially to labour costs. “If we have thirty flights to do in a week” says Epp “and we can’t do one because of weather, it still needs to happen eventually.”
Upon hearing the news of West Wind’s first date with WAAS, Ed McDonald was ecstatic. “In five to 10 years,” he says, “airplanes will be flying RNAV direct from A to B, and linking up with a straight-in WAAS approach.”
With en route GPS tracks now commonplace in commercial aviation, are approaches
destined to follow suit? While the ILS is not yet expected to be phased out completely, it isn’t far-fetched to anticipate continued expansion and application of WAAS technology if stories such as Epp’s begin
to echo through the industry. Further evolution of GPS could mean that VORs and NDBs are reduced to relics of a bygone age as operators awaken to the added safety and cost-effectiveness that a modern GPS/WAAS
operation can provide. If McDonald’s vision is accurate, that day may come sooner rather than later.
“WAAS is here,” says McDonald. “It’s no longer coming, it’s here.” | W
for West Wind Aviation, WAAS approaches have meant better access to airports serving the uranium mines of Northern Saskatchewan.
The cold, hard facts continued from page 33
on the runway before takeoff. Through the education process, with contributions from everyone involved in winter operations, we can eliminate or reduce risks all around.”
“It’s this kind of partnership, working together to improve aviation safety, that will raise standards right across our industry, for the benefit of everyone working in it, as well as our customers,” said ACPA president Captain Paul Strachan. But there’s still much yet to learn. “We don’t fully understand the characteristics of a deicing fluid failure. We need to share the lessons we’ve learned about wing and airframe contamination and what level of contamination could lead to a serious event. We need to emphasize the effect of an unstable approach and the extent of noncompliance with standard operating procedures that may put you in harm’s way,”
For that reason, Winterops will reconvene in Canada in two year's time, giving the industry time to improve its technology and refine its practices
the table. “We don’t talk about it a lot, but the entire Canadian aviation industry has become very good at moving passengers and cargo safely and ef
environments on earth,” Captain Strachan said. “Our climate has forced us to become experts on winter operations. We want to share that expertise
former NASA astronaut Commander robert “Hoot” Gibson’s opening address catalogued the lessons the space agency has learned about operating the space shuttle in cold temperatures.
CAREERS IN AVIATION 2010
Careers in aviation 2010 A
aviation sector |
By Peter Pigott
From the barnstormers who in the 190s gave Canadians their first sight of aircraft, to the bush pilots who opened up the North in the 1930s, and from the thousands of pilots who were trained in Canada during the Second World War to the engineers who designed the Avro Arrow, Canadians have taken to aircraft with a passion second only to their passion for hockey.
Perhaps it is Canada’s vast distances or inhospitable climate that has made ground transport impossible, but, as we conclude the celebrations of One Hundred Years of Flight in Canada, no one
can doubt that aviation has been central to Canada’s development.
In this, the second century of flight in Canada, and despite downsizing, airline bankruptcies and recession, hundreds of Canadians – young men and women – from all across the country still yearn to slip, as John Gillespie Magee wrote, “the surly bonds of Earth and top the wind swept heights with easy grace.” It is for them that Wings magazine has put together this guide on Aviation and Education to define the professions, show where to get the necessary education and training, and analyze the job prospects.
For a complete list of all aviation training institutions across Canada, please visit www.careersinaviation.ca
The major professions in commercial aviation are covered: Flight Operations Pilot, Maintenance Technician, Flight Attendant and Air Transport Ramp Attendant. Also, given the variety of jobs in aviation today, training institutions for more specialized professions such as Flight Dispatcher, Airport Manager and Aerospace Engineer are mentioned in this guide.
FlIghT OpERATIONS pIlOT
While the typical work month consists of approximately 80 hours of flying, pilots spend many additional hours on such ground duties as preparing flight plans, readying the aircraft for departure, and completing post-flight reports. A day’s work may vary from a long-range international flight to a sequence of shorter domestic flights. Reserve duty, in which the pilot is “on call,” may also be assigned. Air Canada pilots operate out of one of four crew bases: Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg or Vancouver. Base preferences are awarded in seniority, so pilots must be willing to relocate as assigned. Pilots typically begin their careers as First Officers on domestic aircraft or as Relief Pilots on long-range, international flights.
Job requirements:
These vary from employer to employer, but to fly for Air Canada, for example, pilots must meet these basic requirements:
1,000 hours of fixed-wing flying time
Completion of schooling to the university entrance level
Ability to pass the Air Canada and Transport Canada medical and visual acuity requirements for a Category 1 medical certificate
Canadian Commercial Pilot licence, current Instrument Rating and Multi-Engine endorsement
Canadian citizenship or landed immigrant status
Pilot applications far exceed job vacancies, so preference is given to candidates with qualifications beyond the basic requirements. Examples of desirable additional qualifications include, but are not limited to:
Canadian Airline Transport Pilot licence
University degree or college diploma
Aviation college diploma
Military or commercial flight experience
Jet and/or glass cockpit experience
Additional language(s)
pilot
SAlARIES, TRENdS ANd JOb pROSpECTS
the province of British columbia was used as an example. the following tables provide basic information on the workforce trends for this occupation (pilot) based on the 2006 census. the study known as “Bc Work Futures1” indicated:
Workforce characteristics This occupation Comparison in size to other occupations employed in B.c. (size of occupation) 3,055 above average
Full-time salary (full year)
working full time (full year)
of employees who are women
Future Job Growth
estimated employment in 2010 4,880 projected new jobs (2010 to 2015) 550 projected openings due to retirements (2010 to 2015) 750
above average
Below average
1. Jointly produced by Service Canada: B.C./Yukon Region, and the B.C. Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development.
FlIghT SChOOlS
The origin of flight schools is as old as aviation itself. The Wright brothers opened their school in 1905 to teach prospective customers how to operate their Flyers. Most of the major airports in Canada can trace their origins to flight schools that were started by returning Royal Flying Corps pilots who set up “shop” in a cow pasture outside town and taught students how to pilot a Curtiss “Jenny.” During the Second World War, flight schools provided vital instructors and aircraft for the Commonwealth Air Training Plan. Whether at Montreal’s Trudeau Airport or Mortimer’s Point off RR3 in the Ontario bush, whether they operate a single Cessna or a fleet of helicopters, flight schools continue to be the backbone of Canada’s aviation education establishment. Courses taught at these schools –from ground school to multi-engine IFR “refresher” courses – are invariably taught by enthusiastic, highly experienced resident experts. Thirteen flight schools from across the country were chosen at random to tell of themselves:
For a complete list of all flight schools across Canada, please visit www.careersinaviation.ca
Glacier air
In Squamish, B.C., Glacier Air provides a range of services to the aviation industry – from charters to tours to on-site flight training, including Instructor Rating, PPL and CPL. Open year-round, seven days a
week and flying when weather permits, the company is locally owned and operated. www.glacierair.com
Calgary Flight training Centre
Located in High River, Alta., Calgary Flight Training Centre offers stress-free training at a quiet airport south of Calgary. Under Daniel Nash, the Chief Flight Instructor, CFTC flies the latest fleet operated by professional instructors. www.calgaryflight.com
Mitchinson Flying service
Mitchinson Flying Service offers the SIAST/SAC (Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology/Saskatchewan Aviation Council) Commercial Pilot Diploma Program. Its very experienced pilots and AMEs provide top-notch personal flight training on a fleet of Cessna aircraft to private, commercial, multiengine instrument and instructor candidates from all over Saskatchewan. www.mitchinsonflyingservice.com
Winnipeg aviation
Winnipeg Aviation uses a diversified fleet to provide recreational through commercial training, as well as multi-engine IFR. It is the only school on the prairies that offers a seaplane rating. www.winnipegaviation.com
Huron Flight Centre
Is it possible to grasp the dream? Huron Flight Centre at the Chris Hadfield International Airport, Sarnia, Ont., invites
pIlOT lICENCE (based on Cessna 172)
you to do just that. Its three-semester (optional fourth) Professional Aviation Program is designed to prepare students for entry-level positions in both the Canadian and international aviation industries. From CPL to Float Endorsement to Flight Dispatcher, the Huron Flight Centre does it all.
www.huronflightcentre.com
toronto airways
Training pilots since 1963, Toronto Airways Ltd. (TAL) owns and operates Toronto’s Buttonville Municipal Airport. In partnership with Seneca College and sister school Canadian Flight Academy in Oshawa, TAL conducts flight training with 5 aircraft including Cessna 150s and 17 s, and twin-engine Seminoles. TAL operates a generic single and multi-engine simulator and both a C17 and King Air C90A simulator with sixaxis motion.
www.training.torontoairways.com
sudbury aviation
Sudbury Aviation has been dedicated to providing quality and safety in flight training since 1956. The company’s unique approach provides all of the training on Cessna 17 float planes in the summer and
skiplanes in the winter, providing students with both a land and sea rating as part of their licence.
www.sudburyaviation.on.ca
Central north Flying Club
Located in beautiful northern Ontario, Central North Flying Club prides itself on training pilots that are well suited for flying into small gravel strips or larger airport environments. Many of its trainees are hired on by Northern operators due to the experience gained from training at Central North Flying Club. michael.rocha@sympatico.ca
ottawa aviation services
Ottawa Aviation Services (OAS) provides aviation professionals and enthusiasts with flight training based on the values of the golden age of aviation: “back to basics” stick and rudder, practical training, and high-level customer service in a safetyoriented environment. www.ottawaaviationservices.com
Dorval aviation
Dorval Aviation is the only flight training centre located at Montreal Trudeau International Airport. It offers complete training programs for private and commercial pilot
licences along with night, multi-engine, instrument, seaplane and instructor ratings. www.dorvalaviation.com
Helicraft
In 1969, Helicraft became the first piloting school in Quebec uniquely dedicated to helicopters. It has three departments: a flying school, a commercial flight company and a Bell Helicopter service centre. This allows Helicraft and its affiliates
to hire its own newly qualified pilots. www.helicraft.qc.ca
Greenwood Flight Centre
Located in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia, Greenwood Flight Centre offers training from Recreational Pilot Permit to multi-engine IFR, including Integrated Programs. Its fleet consists of Cessna 17s and a Piper Seneca. www.flygfc.com
aeroCourse aviation training Courses
In a 1997 ruling, commuter and major airlines with more than six planes that carry more than 0 people were required to have a Flight Dispatcher. AeroCourse offers a Flight Dispatcher course to assist in writing the Transport Canada Flight Operations exams. For more than 15 years, from IFR and ATPL/IATRA courses to Flight Dispatcher, AeroCourse has been giving courses in most major centres across Canada. It also custom-delivers courses to groups in remote locations or with specialized needs.
www.aerocourse.com
A CArEEr IN THE CANADIAN FOrCES Are You Ready for Takeoff?
pilots in the canadian Forces fly on a range of aircraft in a variety of roles, including: search and rescue, Fighter, transport, tactical Helicopter and maritime patrol.
visit www.forces.ca to learn more about a rewarding aviation career with the canadian Forces.
largest flight training center in the GTA offering all levels of aviation education! Advanced fleet of modern aircraft - from single to multi engine - including glass cockpits! Modern facilities and classrooms! The only advanced training simulation centre in the GTA that includes a
plus both a C172 and a King Air C90A with 6 axis motion! IFR renewals for single and multi-IFR ratings on simulators. Airline Transition courses available.
Toronto Buttonville
and multi-engine
MAINTENANCE TEChNICIAN
When aviation first began, pilots like J.A.D. McCurdy and Glenn Curtiss were their own maintenance technicians – they designed, built and flew the aircraft themselves. Once aircraft were mass produced during the First World War, aircraft engineers came into their own. Schools were opened where candidates with demonstrated technical expertise were apprenticed. Back then, the simplicity of early engines and air frames meant that the educational requirement for an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME) was completion of high school. But today, preference is given to candidates who, in addition, have completed a technical course at a recognized institution, such as a Transport Canada approved school or a university degree.
A variety of skilled trades are involved in the maintenance of aircraft, especially those aircraft used in an airline.
Aircraft Line Maintenance – Technicians diagnose and correct troubles on the aircraft, carry out minor and major aircraft checks and effect repairs. In order to be eligible for promotion above the level of Technician in this classification, a certificate of competence is required.
Aircraft Engine Overhaul Maintenance – Technicians maintain aircraft engines, including dismantling, inspecting, assembling and testing.
Aircraft Avionics involve the maintenance of electronic systems on the aircraft such as communications, navigation, autopilot and flight recording.
Aircraft Sheet Metal and Plumbing Technicians maintain aircraft structural components and parts.
Aircraft Electrical and Electronic Accessories – Technicians are
Maintenance Technician
SAlARIES, TRENdS ANd JOb pROSpECTS
the province of British columbia is used as an example.
Workforce characteristics This occupation Comparison in size to other occupations
employed (size of occupation) 3,070 Below average
Full-time salary (full year) $49,500 above average
% working full time (full year) 78% above average
% of employees who are women 4% Below average
Future Job Growth
projected new jobs (2006 to 2011) 110 projected openings due to retirements (2006 to 2011) 140
College of the north atlantic (Cna) Responsible for the assessment of damage, control of corrosion, repairs, modifications and replacement of aircraft structures, the Aircraft Structural Repair Technician is essential to aircraft maintenance. CNA students in
this program are trained in the maintenance, repair and fabrication of aircraft structural components. Besides training with wood, fabric and sheet metal, this program includes extensive training in modern composite. www.cna.nl.ca
ova scotia Community College CC)
Pleasant Street at the Dartmouth Gate building, the Aviation Institute is a modern 3,000-square-foot training facility where students build their skills using the latest technology and have the opportunity to apthem to real aircraft. Programs offered Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AvionAircraft Maintenance Engineer (Mechanical), Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (Structures) and Flight Dispatcher. www.nscc.ca
Moncton Flight College
focus on training aviators, not pilots,” says Mike Dorion, principal of Moncton Flight College (MFC). “A pilot by his own definition, someone who an aircraft. An aviator is someone both flies the aircraft and manages the flight.” Moncton Flight College (MFC) is one of the largest flight schools Canada with a four-year degree (offered in partnership with Mount Allison University), two-year diploma and Pilot training programs. It operates two campuses, one in Dieppe, and the second with partner CanLink Aviation at the Fredericton, N.B., site. www.mfc.nb.ca
Online IFR Procedures course
Learn core IFR information through our new online IFR procedures course that complements AeroCourse IFR seminars. The 4-6 hour online course covers the Canada Air Pilot approach plates and the more complicated procedures of IFR flight, allowing you to gain the most from the in-class learning.
The online course is included in the IFR seminars but it can also be taken separately as a refresher or to boost your knowledge of some of the more complex IFR topics.
The AeroCourse IFR seminar is a three-day course, designed to lead students in a logical progression through the steps and knowledge necessary to carry out an IFR flight.
UNIVERSITIES wITh AVIATION-RElATEd dISCIplINES
as aviation has evolved significantly over the past 100 years, so have its educational requirements. Aviation and aerospace industries now demand a new breed of specialists who have a comprehensive academic background, and well-developed analytical, critical thinking and decision-making skills. It is not just flight training that is a requirement for many modern aviation and aerospace careers. A university degree is regarded by the industry as a valuable asset for a pilot or an airport or airline manager and is rapidly becoming a requirement for any professional in aviation.
The Canadian aviation industry has produced notable aircraft designs such as the Avro Arrow and Jetliner and continues to do so with Bombardier’s CRJ family. So it should come as no surprise that its universities lead the way in applied research into aeronautical engineering (aircraft flight systems, propulsion, aerodynamics, computational fluid dynamics and structural mechanics) and space systems engineering (spacecraft dynamics and control, space robotics and mechatronics, and micro-satellite technology).
University of victoria
Part of the Diploma in Business Administration, the Aviation Option program provides an understanding of operations management in the aviation industry with specific emphasis on Airport Business Development and Finance, Airfield Operations and Maintenance, Terminal Building Operations, Airport Security, Environmental Issues, and Community Relations. www.engr.uvic.ca
University of the Fraser valley
The university programs are offered jointly with either the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) and Trinity Western University (TWU) offering a choice of one, two and four-year aviation education programs. Aviation and flight subjects are taught by Coastal Pacific instructors and academic courses from instructors at the
college campuses. Graduates of the fouryear program receive a Bachelor of Business Administration (Aviation) or Bachelor of General Studies degree from UFV. Whichever program is completed, graduates will hold a commercial pilot licence and multi-engine instrument rating. www.ufv.ca
Mount royal University (Bisset school of
Business)
In the business of aviation training for 0 years, Mount Royal has a well-deserved reputation for excellence. At the Mount Royal Hangar, Springbank International Airport west of Calgary, students graduate from the two-year program with a CPL, supplemented by a multi-engine instrument rating. Simulator training is done on a Frasca 1G Flight Training Device with the Raptor Visual Upgrade. www.mtroyal.ca
University of Waterloo
Its Bachelor of Environmental Studies and Bachelor of Science programs have been designed to provide a strong base for careers in the aviation and aerospace industries,
providing students with a solid and comprehensive grounding in aviation-relevant subjects such as geomatics, climatology, cartography and remote sensing. www.uwaterloo.ca
University of toronto institute for aerospace studies (Utias)
UTIAS is a graduate studies and research institute that forms part of the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering at the University of Toronto. The academic program in aerospace science and engineering includes undergraduate and graduate studies. At the undergraduate level, students apply to the Engineering Science program. At the graduate level, the school offers research-intensive programs leading to MSc and PhD degrees, and a professionally-oriented program leading to the MEng degree. www.utias.utoronto.ca
University of Western ontario
The University of Western Ontario is the first Canadian university to offer an aviation management program and the only university to offer a four-year
university degree in Aviation Management. The Commercial Aviation Management (CAM) program incorporates flying along with business. Students within the CAM program earn both a Bachelor of Management and Organizational Studies (BMOS) degree and a Transport Canada approved Integrated Commercial Pilots Licence (ICPL) if on the airside wing of the program. www.uwo.ca
Carleton University
Carleton University established the first Bachelor of Aerospace Engineering degree program in Canada. The program involves a unique combination of courses, laboratories and projects that concentrate on aerospace sciences and design. The four streams of study in the aerospace engineering program focus on aerodynamics, propulsion, and vehicle performance; aerospace structures, systems and vehicle
design; aerospace electronics; and space systems design. www.carleton.ca
Concordia University, Montreal
The Aviation Management Institute (AMI) offers courses in leadership development and aviation management to partners in the aviation industry. AMI has partnerships with universities and international aviation organizations and has developed e-learning programs for both the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and Airports Council International (ACI). www.concordia.ca
McGill University institute of air and space Law (iasL)
In 19, the world community established the UN International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in Montreal. Recognizing the critical role that legal education would play in facilitating the integration of legal standards globally, in 1951, McGill University opened its Institute of Air and Space Law to provide graduate legal education. Today it offers three academic programs: the Doctor of Law (D.C.L.), the Master of Laws (LL.M.), and the Graduate Certificate in Air and Space Law. www.mcgill.ca/iasl
