Viking Announces Unity Aviation Canada as Factory Endorsed Service Centre for Twin Otter Aircraft in the Americas

Provided by Viking Air Limited

Calgary, Alberta, September 30th, 2019: Viking Air Limited of Victoria, British Columbia welcomes Unity Aviation Canada Limited of Airdrie, Alberta to the Series 400 Twin Otter support network as a Factory Endorsed Service Centre (“FESC”) for the Americas. Under Viking’s FESC Program, Unity Aviation will be providing authorized maintenance services, refurbishment, and warranty-related work on legacy de Havilland and Viking Series 400 Twin Otter aircraft.

Courtesy of Viking Air Ltd.

The selection of Unity Aviation Canada for Viking’s worldwide customer support network was a natural fit due to their shared commitment and extensive experience of providing Twin Otter operators in the Americas with first-rate service and uninterrupted support. Gregory Davis, Viking’s vice president Customer Service and Product Support, said, “Viking’s FESC program was created to ensure the availability and provision of high-quality services that meets the satisfaction of our customers. Unity Aviation’s focus on delivering quality service from their maintenance facility in Alberta, as well as the services they provide at customer bases throughout North, Central and South America, will be an asset to all Twin Otter operators in the region. We are excited to work with such a well-respected organization who shares our commitment to customer satisfaction.”

The FESC program, administered through Viking’s Customer Service & Product Support Division, develops strategic relationships with specialized industry professionals to provide factory recognized service and warranty repairs for both Viking Series 400 Twin Otters and the legacy de Havilland Twin Otter fleet.

Jetlines Provides Financing Update

Provided by Canada Jetlines Ltd./Globe Newswire

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 30, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Canada Jetlines Ltd. (JET: TSX-V; JETMF: OTCQB) (the “Company” or “Jetlines”) is providing an update on its financing progress. The Company has made significant advancements towards launching commercial airline operations which have been detailed in prior news releases. Commercial agreements have been concluded with airports, suppliers, service providers and other key stakeholders. Jetlines has also made progress in the licensing process through the submission of operations manuals and licensing documents to Transport Canada and the Canadian Transportation Agency. However, the completion of the financing required to launch airline operations remains critical to Jetlines continued advancement and launch.

With regards to financing efforts, Jetlines is currently discussing the opportunity with a number of institutions whose investments would be sufficient to launch operations. At this time, Jetlines’ partners at SmartLynx Airlines SIA and InHarv ULCC Growth Fund (“InHarv”) remain committed to seeing Jetlines through the financing process. Jetlines intent is to convert investor interest into financing commitments, but it cannot provide any assurances that this will occur. Jetlines will provide further updates to the market with respect to its financing efforts through future news releases.

Swoop announces Shane Workman as new Head of Flight Operations

Provided by Swoop/CNW

Workman brings more than 25 years of aviation experience to the growing ultra-low-fare carrier

CALGARY, Sept. 30, 2019 /CNW/ – Today, Swoop, Canada’s ultra-low-fare airline and subsidiary of WestJet Airlines Inc., announced its new Head of Flight Operations, Shane Workman. Workman commences his new position today, September 30, and will oversee all flight operations for Swoop.

“I am thrilled to welcome Shane as our Head of Flight Operations. His extensive experience will be a great asset to our growing team,” said Steven Greenway, President, Swoop. “Swoop is committed to being a pioneer in the evolving Canadian airline industry and the addition of Shane to our executive team helps ensure our flight operations continue to be safe and efficient.”

Workman brings more than 25 years of experience in the aviation industry with more than 13,200 hours of flight time. He has worked for a number of airlines including Enerjet, Jazz Air, and most recently, Sunwing, where he acted as Chief Pilot and Senior Director of Flight Operations.

Workman’s previous four years at Sunwing included overseeing pilot recruitment, training, standards, regulatory compliance, implementing fuel/cost efficiency programs and much more.

“Joining the team at Swoop is a true privilege,” said Workman. “Swoop doesn’t just provide low-cost air travel in Canada; they connect friends and families. That is a business model I fully support and am thrilled to be part of it.”

Along with his many years of airline experience, he also worked briefly as an independent auditor for Canadian carriers and implemented and maintained safe and efficient flight operations departments. Workman has extensive experience in the standardization of operating and company procedures, implementation of Safety Management and Quality Assurance Systems and deployment of operations training for flight crews.

For more details on Swoop, visit FlySwoop.com. 

Air Canada Honours Trailblazing Captain Judy Cameron With Scholarship For Young Women Pursuing Careers In Aviation

Provided by Air Canada/CNW

MONTREAL, Sept. 30, 2019 /CNW Telbec/ – Air Canada on Saturday announced that it will establish the Captain Judy Cameron Scholarship in honour of the airline’s first female pilot with the goal of helping the next generation of women follow in her trailblazing footsteps. The scholarship was announced at last night’s Elsie MacGill Award Gala in Toronto, the national award program of the Northern Lights Aero Foundation which recognizes and celebrates the achievements of accomplished women in aviation and aerospace.

Retired Air Canada pilot Judy Cameron, the first female pilot at the airline, recently had a scholarship named in her honour. Hear what advice she has for women who want to follow in her footsteps.

WATCH: Video

“We are thrilled to establish the Captain Judy Cameron Scholarship as a tribute to Judy’s pioneering leadership and her tremendous professional achievements which are incredibly inspiring to all women in aviation. Air Canada has long been recognized as a company which champions equal opportunities for all qualified people. There are no glass ceilings here. Capable women with the required skills and knowledge fly high at Air Canada, working as pilots flying the most sophisticated aircraft globally, as engineers maintaining technologically advanced airplanes and systems, and in specialized, multidisciplinary airline operations. Women hold C-suite, executive and senior management roles across our airline. We are encouraging the next generation of girls and young women to pursue their aviation dreams and to consider exciting and rewarding careers in non-traditional professions, ” said Arielle Meloul-Wechsler, Senior Vice President, People, Culture and Communications at Air Canada. 

“I am incredibly honoured that Air Canada has named this scholarship after me. When I was learning to fly in 1973, my single mother had limited resources, but she believed in me and encouraged me to pursue my dream. I had a wonderful career as an Air Canada pilot. This scholarship will help other women who might be held back for financial reasons, to pursue their dreams,” Captain Judy Cameron said.

Judy Cameron became the first female pilot hired by Air Canada, Canada’s largest airline, in April 1978 at the age of 23. She was the first woman to graduate from Selkirk College’s Aviation Technology Program in 1975. Throughout her flying career of 40 years and over 23,000 hours, she has flown the DC-3, Twin Otter, Hawker Siddeley 748, DC-9, Lockheed 1011, Airbus 320, Boeing 767 and Boeing 777 to the far corners of the world. She became a captain in 1997 and in 2010, she became the first female captain in Canada of a Boeing 777, the largest aircraft in Air Canada’s fleet. She retired in 2015, received the Elsie MacGill Northern Lights award in the Flight Operations category that year, and in 2016 she was chosen by the 99s (International Organization of Women Pilots) to be on its Canadian postage stamp.

Air Canada has committed to awarding $20,000 per year for three years for the scholarship. The Captain Judy Cameron scholarship targets young women in pursuit of non-traditional aviation careers as commercial pilots or aircraft maintenance engineers who may not have the financial means to do so.

Scholarship applications will be accepted as of November 1, 2019. It will be open to all women who are Canadian citizens who have been accepted, are enrolled or are considering a post-secondary aviation flight program or aircraft repair and maintenance program.

Flights cancelled at Lethbridge Airport amid September snowstorm

News provided by Global News – link to full story and updates

29 September 2019 by Phil Heidenreich Online journalist  Global News

WATCH: Video

A number of flights arriving at and departing from Lethbridge Airport were cancelled on Sunday as a late September snowstorm in the region intensified.

At about 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, Environment Canada said a winter storm warning remained in effect in Lethbridge and surrounding areas.

“Heavy snowfall will continue over southwestern Alberta today,” the weather agency said on its website. “With a continued upslope flow, most regions will see significant amounts of snowfall.

“Total accumulations will approach 40 to 60 centimetres by Monday morning with extreme southwestern portions of Alberta possibly approaching 100 centimetres.”

Environment Canada said the snow should taper off on Monday as the storm moves towards Saskatchewan.

On its website, WestJet said three flights scheduled to leave Lethbridge for Calgary on Sunday were cancelled, as were three flights from Calgary to Lethbridge.

On Air Canada’s website, the company indicated its three Sunday flights from Lethbridge to Calgary were cancelled, as were two flights going from Calgary to Lethbridge. One Air Canada flight going from Calgary to Lethbridge on Sunday night was still listed as being “on time.”

Global News has reached out to media representatives for the Lethbridge Airport for more information on how weather is impacting the facility’s operations.

Late Sunday afternoon, Palliser Regional Schools announced the school division was cancelling classes on Monday for all schools south of Calgary, including Arrowwood Community School and Milo Community School.

JUST IN: The @PalliserSchools division has cancelled Monday classes for all schools south of Calgary. This includes Arrowwood and Milo community school and all schools south of that. #YQL #Lethbridge

— Liam Nixon (@GlobalLiamNixon) September 29, 2019

Red Arrows’ quick display over Victoria draws hundreds of spectators

News provided by The Abbotsford News – link to full story with a hint from P.N.

(c) The Abbotsford News

The Royal Air Forces’ acrobatic team headed to Vancouver next

Evan Taylor, September 27, 2019 – Abbotsford News

The Red Arrows, the Royal Air Forces’ acrobatic team, arrived in Victoria right on schedule Thursday. Their display saw them fly by the British Columbia Parliament Building.

The display could be seen from quite far away, so it’s difficult to put an exact figure on how many watched the Red Arrows but hundreds crowded the Inner Harbour during the event.

The flyby was brief, the whole thing only lasted a few seconds. The Red Arrows did treat the spectators to a bit of showmanship, by deploying red, white and blue smoke.

After their routine, they flew off to Vancouver, their final stop in Canada on their North American tour. There the pilots visited children at the Canuck Place Children’s Hospice. They will also be speaking with local students to promote careers and education in the fields of aviation and aeronautic engineering.

The tour has included stops in three other Canadian cities starting in Halifax, then stopping in Ottawa and Toronto.

(c) The Abbotsford News

More woes for Boeing 737 as cracks discovered on some planes

News provided by CBC News – link to full story and updates

U.S. FAA is requiring some operators to inspect their aircraft and report back

Thomson Reuters · Posted: Sep 28, 2019 | Last Updated: September 28

One of WestJet’s many 737-800 aircraft sits at a gate at Saskatoon International Airport. Manufacturer Boeing says a small number of the same generation of plane has exhibited structural cracking. (Albert Couillard/CBC)

More bad news for Boeing’s 737 line of aircraft: The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said late Friday it will require operators of some 737 NG jetliners to conduct inspections for structural cracks and make repairs as needed following the discovery of cracks on a small number of planes.

The FAA said Boeing notified it of the issue “after it discovered the cracks while conducting modifications on a heavily used aircraft.” Subsequent inspections “uncovered similar cracks in a small number of additional planes.” Boeing said on Friday it has been in contact with 737 NG operators about a cracking issue, but added that “no in-service issues have been reported.”

Neither the FAA nor Boeing immediately said how many planes were impacted by the required inspections.

The 737 NG, or Next Generation, was introduced in 1997 and is the third-generation version of the best-selling Boeing airplane. It includes the 737-600, -700, -800 and -900 models and is operated in Canada by WestJet and Air Transat but not Air Canada. There was no immediate indication that either airline’s fleets were affected.

Its successor is the 737 MAX series, which was grounded in March after two fatal crashes in five months, but which is not affected by this issue, Boeing said.

The FAA said it would ask operators of the NG to “report their findings to the agency immediately” after completing inspections. Boeing said “over the coming days, we will work closely with our customers to implement a recommended inspection plan for certain airplanes in the fleet.”

KOMO News reported on Friday the issue involved cracked “pickle forks” in some 737 NG jets. The pickle fork attaches the plane’s fuselage, or body, to the wing structure and manages forces. A failure of the part in flight could pose a serious risk. KOMO said workers found a severely cracked pickle fork on a Boeing 737NG earlier this month.

Transport Canada had not issued an online civil aviation safety alert about the issue as of early Saturday morning. 

With files from CBC News

Last-minute talks secure new agreement for IMP Aerospace workers on the verge of strike

Provided by Unifor/CNW

HALIFAX, Sept. 26, 2019 /CNW/ – Unifor Local 2215 members at IMP Aerospace voted to accept a last-minute offer from the company, hours before strike action was to begin.

“Our members were firm in rejecting the company’s previous offer and were ready to hit the picket line Friday morning,” said Linda MacNeil, Atlantic Regional Director. “A strike is a last resort, so they are glad the company reconsidered and came back with a more reasonable offer.”

A major concern for the group was around the Mobile Repair Party (MRP) process. Historically, the MRP process has been a voluntary one, which was rarely challenged. The new management at IMP Aerospace wanted to make participation mandatory and force workers out of the plant to anywhere in the world.

“The vote to strike boiled down to what our members felt was a disrespectful offer from the company,” said Chad Johnston, National Representative. “In testing them, the company found out the workers were willing to stand up for themselves and each other.”

The company withdrew their demand to make MRP participation mandatory.

“I’m proud the membership stuck together and resisted the company’s bully tactics,” said Matt Blois, Chairperson of Local 2215.

“I would like to thank the membership for their support,” said Kris Sutton. “This was a tough process and I’m proud of our membership for standing up and saying they had enough – we need to continue our fight and push for the respect we deserve.”

The new agreement sees wage increases in each of four years, boot allowance, and shift premium.

The agreement covers 420 full-time workers at the Hammonds Plains and Enfield locations who work as aircraft maintenance technicians and mechanics, cable assemblers, electronic technicians, power engineers, aircraft painters, NDT (non-destructive testing) technicians, and quality assurance workers.

Unifor is Canada’s largest union in the private sector, representing 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future.

SOURCE Unifor

TSB deploys a team following a fatal small aircraft accident near Camrose, Alberta

Provided by The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB)/CNW

EDMONTON, Sept. 28, 2019 /CNW/ – The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is deploying a team of investigators to the site of a fatal accident involving a Piper PA-18 near Camrose, Alberta. The TSB will gather information and assess the occurrence.

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News provided by CBC News – link to full story

Pilot dead in central Alberta plane crash

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The Piper PA-18 crashed Friday afternoon near Camrose, Alta.

CBC News · Posted: Sep 28, 2019 11:01 AM MT | Last Updated: September 29

A stock image of a PA-18 Piper Super Cub airplane. An aircraft like this crashed near Camrose, Alta. on Friday afternoon. (Sault Ste. Marie Police Service)

The lone occupant of a small plane was killed in a crash near Camrose, Alta. on Friday.

Alberta RCMP Const. Shelley Nasheim confirmed the crash happened around 4:45 p.m., and that the pilot who died was a 50-year-old man.

The pilot was assisting a farmer from the area who had reported an attempted break-in, Nasheim said. The pilot was looking for the suspect from his plane when the crash happened.

Nasheim says police did not ask him to go looking for the suspect.

No suspects have been arrested in connection with the reported break-in.

TSB investigating

In a news release Saturday, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) said a team of investigators is being deployed to the site where the Piper PA-18 crashed.

The TSB is an independent agency that investigates aviation, railway, marine, and pipeline occurrences in an effort to advance transportation safety.

On Friday, the agency announced the results of its investigation into a July plane crash near Jasper, Alta.

A passenger was killed when the plane went down in the Athabasca River. The pilot was severely injured.

SPEAK UP NOW: Canada needs real air passenger rights

The government proceeded with the airline-friendly air travel rules despite our protest. The first stage of the flawed regulations came into effect on July 15, 2019. As we expected, they are already hurting travellers.

Let’s fix the rules

The battle for real air passenger rights is far from over. The federal election takes place soon. Tell candidates in your riding that Canadians deserve better by enacting real air passenger rights that protect travellers, and not airlines.

The so-called Air Passenger Bill of “Rights” introduced by the government made things worse for travellers. For example:

• Tarmac Delay: Airlines can keep you confined to an aircraft on the tarmac for up to 3 hours and 45 minutes – more than double the previous Canadian standard.
• Denied Boarding Compensation: Airlines gained unprecedented freedom to bump you without paying compensation.

More flawed rules will come into effect in December 2019. We need to send a strong message that Canadians deserve better.

Add your voice