Buffalo buys its first jet, a 737, to meet next-day demand

From Cabin Radio 🔗 link to source story – thanks to PN

Ollie Williams • March 28, 2022

Buffalo Airways has acquired a Boeing 737, the NWT-based airline’s first jet aircraft, to meet customer demand for next-day freight delivery.

A rendering of how Buffalo Airways’ first jet airliner, a 737, is expected to look once repainted. Image: Mikey McBryan

The 737-300SF is in Bournemouth, England receiving checks and new parts before arriving in the Northwest Territories for final upgrades specific to Canadian flight regulations.

For Buffalo, famed for continuing to operate World War Two-era DC-3 aircraft, the move into jet aviation is a significant step.

“It’s not clickbait. It’s not April fool’s,” Buffalo’s Mikey McBryan told viewers of the airline’s YouTube channel in a video shared on Friday last week.

The airliner is expected to be operational in the Northwest Territories by the late summer of 2022. Image: Mikey McBryan

The 737 as it currently looks, awaiting checks and new parts in a Bournemouth, England hangar. Photo: Buffalo Airways

Speaking to Cabin Radio on Sunday, McBryan said the 737 was necessary because existing freight connections into the NWT cannot keep up with next-day demand. The new aircraft should, he said, mean that “anything Yellowknifers need next day, we’re hoping to get.”

At the moment, freight carried by Buffalo mostly arrives in the Northwest Territories by truck. Cargo is then loaded onto the airline’s DC-3 and C-46 aircraft, some of them approaching 80 years old, for onward travel to the territory’s smaller communities.

The 737 will replace much of Buffalo’s reliance on trucks to get freight into its network.

“We’re maxed out almost every single day with next-day freight,” said McBryan, whose company holds the NWT contracts for FedEx, UPS, and DHL.

“We’re at the point now where we have enough freight that we can fly the 737 direct from Edmonton to Yellowknife, every night.”

The airline’s freight division, Buffalo Air Express, is “a lot bigger than most people realize,” McBryan said.

“We handle almost all of Alberta. We truck it to Hay River then fly it in the morning with the C-46. This is the first big step, where we’ve got enough freight that we can go directly out of Edmonton.

“Right now, a service like Amazon Prime couldn’t really exist in Yellowknife next-day. A service like Amazon Prime needs lots of room and guaranteed space, and other major companies are going that way.

“It takes three to four days, sometimes, to get a truck out of Edmonton to Yellowknife, especially if you don’t have a full truck. Our new system is going to be able to do the equivalent of two 53-foot trailers per night, including backhaul.”

No gravel airstrips

The company has been working on a striking green-and-white Buffalo livery for the new aircraft, which is set to arrive in Yellowknife for the first time within the next three months.

The 737 in question is reported to have been manufactured in 1986 and converted from a passenger jet to a cargo airliner in 2006, operating first for a Belgian company before being leased to Spanish firm SwiftAir.

Compared to Buffalo’s existing aircraft, the 737 is rated for around 10,000 lbs more cargo (a total of some 43,000 lbs) per flight. McBryan says that comes with “anywhere from 20 to 30 percent better fuel efficiency.”

However, it won’t be able to land on gravel airstrips, ruling out the vast majority of northern runways.

Smaller communities will continue to be served by the existing, decades-old Buffalo aircraft, suggesting the company’s move into jet aviation does not yet end the era of the DC-3.

“The DC-3, the C-46 and even our Lockheed Electras will continue to service the communities,” McBryan confirmed. “Modern airplanes can’t handle the runways of the North.”

Some of Buffalo Airways’ existing aircraft in Yellowknife in May 2020. Ollie Williams/Cabin Radio

The 737 could be operational by the late summer of 2022, McBryan said, depending on the various approvals the airline must first receive.

“It takes mountains and mountains of paperwork,” he said.

That hasn’t stopped more than 40 people seeking to fly the plane. As of Sunday evening, a LinkedIn job posting to become Buffalo’s first 737 pilot had attracted 42 applicants.

“Interestingly enough, a pilot that escaped Ukraine sent me a message,” said McBryan, referring to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.

“He left with his licence and a bag of clothes and he’s working his way to Canada. He’s interested. It’s great.

“It’s a lot easier to find 737 pilots than it is to find DC-3 pilots, that’s for sure.”

De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited Launches DHC-515 Firefighter

CALGARY, AB and BRUSSELS, Belgium, March 31, 2022 /CNW/ – De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited (De Havilland Canada) is pleased to announce that it has launched the De Havilland DHC-515 Firefighter (formerly known as the CL-515) program.

“After an extensive business and technical review, we are pleased to announce that we have launched the De Havilland DHC-515 Firefighter program, which will involve negotiating contracts with our European customers and ramping up for production,” said Brian Chafe, Chief Executive Officer of De Havilland Canada. 

DHC-515 Firefighter (CNW Group/De Havilland Aircraft of Canada)

The DHC-515 Firefighter will build on the history of the iconic Canadair CL-215 and CL-415 aircraft which have been a critical part of European and North American aerial firefighting fleets for over 50 years.  Important upgrades are being made that will increase the functionality and effectiveness of this legendarily rugged firefighting aircraft. 

European customers have signed letters of intent to purchase the first 22 aircraft pending the positive outcome of government-to-government negotiations through the Government of Canada’s contracting agency, the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC). De Havilland Canada expects first deliveries of the DHC-515 by the middle of the decade, with deliveries of aircraft 23 and beyond to begin at the end of the decade, providing other customers the opportunity to renew existing fleets or proceed with new acquisition opportunities at that time.

De Havilland Canada acquired the Canadair CL program in 2016 and has been contemplating a return to production since 2019.  The new DHC-515 Firefighter matches the other aircraft in the De Havilland fleet in terms of lifespan, ruggedness and Canadian aerospace engineering quality.  The final assembly of the aircraft will take place in Calgary, Alberta where work on the CL-215 and CL-415 aircraft currently takes place. It is anticipated that more than 500 people will need to be recruited over the coming years to successfully deliver this program. 

“To bring the DHC-515 into production is important for not only our company, but countries around the world who rely on our aircraft to protect their people and forests,” said Chafe.  “We understand the important role the previous aircraft have played in protecting people and property and as our climate continues to change and summers increase in both temperature and length, the DHC-515 will be an important tool for countries around the globe to use in putting out fires.”

Additional Quotes

“Today’s announcement is an example of the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) supporting Canadian innovators to scale up, reach new markets, and have a positive global impact. Not only is this great news for Canadian exports, but for all the countries that will benefit from its technology advancements and world-class solutions.” – Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development.

“As the effects of climate change continue to impact countries around the world, CCC and the Government of Canada are proud to stand with De Havilland Canada in providing this world class solution to our EU partners and allies. We look forward to supporting DHC as other governments wishing to procure these next generation aerial firefighting aircraft come forward.” – Bobby Kwon, President and CEO of the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC).

“De Havilland Canada’s investment in Alberta represents a new era of diversification and economic growth in Alberta. With the hundreds of jobs being created by the DHC-515 being manufactured here, the sky is the limit for job creation in our aerospace industry.” – Jason Kenney, Premier of Alberta.

Backgrounder: 10 Key Facts about the new DHC-515 Firefighter

1. Latest in the line of Canadair amphibious aircraft that have continuously set the global standard in aerial firefighting for over half a century.
2. Perfectly equipped to attack today’s wildfires that are more erratic and prevalent due to climate change. 
3. Delivers multiple drops, in rapid succession, meaning faster fire suppression and allowing the aircraft and flight crew to better follow the behavior of today’s wildfires.
4. Delivers the highest quantity of water into the fire-zone per day (nearly 700,000 L), more than twice as much as its nearest competitor.
5. Refills its tanks in 12 seconds, from nearby fresh or saltwater sources including rivers, small lakes, and oceans, while land-based aircraft must return to airport after each drop.
6. Has a high-lift wing and turboprop engines with instant thrust, each allowing for safer operation in mountainous terrain and the ability to drop close to fire with superior precision.
7. Performs in high winds typical with megafires, capable of refilling in rough waters with waves up to two meters caused by those winds.
8. Turboprop engines produce up to 50% lower CO2 emissions, burning 25% to 40% less fuel than jet engines.
9. Equipped with state-of-the-art navigational instruments for enhanced safety and improved situational awareness.
10. The only aerial firefighter aircraft fully supported by the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) and comes with complementary full life-cycle support services.

About De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited
With more than 5,000 aircraft delivered, De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited (De Havilland Canada) is well established across the globe and our talented team of aviation professionals is dedicated to advancing our near-100-year reputation for excellence in innovation, production and customer support. Our aircraft operate reliably in some of the world’s harshest climates and provide vital connections between rural communities and urban centres – transporting essential cargo and millions of passengers annually. Our aircraft also support a wide variety of special mission operations including aerial firefighting, search and rescue, medical evacuation, reconnaissance and coastal surveillance. In February 2022, De Havilland Canada became the operating brand for the companies that previously operated as Longview Aviation, Viking Air Ltd, Pacific Sky Training and De Havilland Canada. https://dehavilland.com

Air Canada reevaluating strategy for subsidiary Rouge

From Fight Global 🔗 link to source story

By Jon Hemmerdinger • 30 March 2022

Air Canada is reconsidering the operational strategy of its discount subsidiary Rouge, a move coming amid heightened low-cost competition within Canada.

Speaking on 30 March, Air Canada chief commercial officer Lucie Guillemette says Rouge is “in a little bit of a transition period”.

Source Air Canada – Air Canada Rouge A321

“We are now in the process of really re-looking at the mission of Rouge and how we best want to proceed in the years to come,” she adds.

Guillemette, who spoke during Air Canada’s investor day, says the company is evaluating Rouge’s routes and fleet, and how Air Canada distributes tickets. She notes that many of Rouge’s jets will be “approaching” the end of their viable service lives by the end of this decade.

Air Canada notes that it continues to view Rouge as a valuable means of heading off competitive threats from other Canadian discounters.

Guillemette is scarce on details but notes Rouge’s operation changed significantly during the pandemic. The downturn led Air Canada to retire older jets, including 25 Boeing 767s that Rouge had operated. That left Rouge with an all-Airbus A320-family fleet that stood at 39 jets at the end of 2021.

Many of those aircraft are 25 to 30 years old, according to Cirium fleet data.

Air Canada also temporarily grounded Rouge’s operation during the pandemic, suspending its flights from February to September 2021, Cirium shows.

Since its restart, Air Canada has limited Rouge’s flight network to leisure routes from eastern Canada. The airline now operates only from Charlottetown, Montreal, Toronto and Quebec City, with flights to Las Vegas, Florida and warm-weather destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean, according to Cirium.

By contrast, in 2019 Rouge also flew to several western Canadian destinations and to Europe.

Air Canada launched subsidiary Rouge in 2013 as a means to compete better with Canadian discount airlines. It kept Rouge costs low by stuffing more seats onto the jets, and by staffing aircraft with cabin and cockpit crews who work under rules and rates separate from those that apply to employees of Air Canada’s higher-cost mainline operation.

Since its launch, Rouge has faced only increasing low-cost competition. New entrants include Flair Airlines and WestJet’s cut-rate operation Swoop. Two others – Lynx Air and Jetlines – aim to get airborne this year.

Further clouding the competitive situation, WestJet is working to acquire discounter Sunwing, with the aim of closing the deal late this year.

Additionally, amid the pandemic Air Canada and competitor Air Transat called off a planned merger amid regulatory hang-ups. The collapse of that combination left Air Transat a freestanding competitor.

Air Canada Cargo expands domestic and Europe freighter network

From Air Cargo News 🔗 link to source story

By Rebecca Jeffrey • 31 March 2022

Photo: Air Canada

Air Canada Cargo will expand its freighter network to Atlantic Canada and Europe and grow its e-commerce offering.

The cargo airline will offer five flights per week from Toronto to Halifax, starting April 19, plus six flights per week from Toronto to St. John’s, starting May 1.

Additionally, the entry into service of the second Boeing 767-300ER freighter will allow Air Canada Cargo to add freighter flights from Toronto to Frankfurt twice a week, Cologne once a week, Istanbul once a week and Madrid three times a week, starting in May.

Air Canada Cargo’s first dedicated B767-300ER freighter aircraft was put into service in December.

“The entry into service of our second freighter is yet another exciting milestone in the growth of our freighter network and provides more options and services to the cargo community” says Matthieu Casey, managing director, commercial – cargo.

Air Canada Cargo’s e-commerce delivery division Rivo has also partnered with Canadian e-commerce shipping and fulfilment provider eShipper to offer speedy delivery throughout the country.

The partnership gives Rivo access to eShipper’s 21,000-strong customer base and aims to enable eShipper’s clients to offer fast, cost-effective delivery.

Available throughout Canada via the eShipper platform, the service offers delivery within two to three days, reducing transit times by an average of 60%, said eShipper. The service also comes with precise tracking technology and multiple scanning points for monitoring throughout the journey.

Rishi Puran, director, global e-commerce at Rivo, said: We’re thrilled to be partnering with eShipper as we continue down the path to bring fast and cost competitive shipping to Canadian businesses by leveraging the largest network of flights and trusted ground delivery partners.”

New Brunswick Aviation Museum to build permanent location to showcase historic pieces

From CTV News 🔗 link to source story and video

Leigha Kaiser, CTVNewsAtlantic.ca writer
Alyson Samson, CTV News Atlantic Video Journalist
March 30, 2022

Currently, the collection connected to New Brunswick’s aviation and aerospace history has temporarily landed in a hangar at the Miramichi Airport. (SOURCE: Facebook/ New Brunswick Aviation Museum)

The New Brunswick Aviation Museum will soon have a permanent location to showcase its unique collection.

Currently, the collection connected to New Brunswick’s aviation and aerospace history has temporarily landed in a hangar at the Miramichi Airport – a site that is known to have a rich history itself.

“It’s the former home of Canadian forces base Chatham,” said Kevin Anderson, the executive director of the New Brunswick Aviation Museum. “It started off as a war-time airbase in 1941 and it was part of the British Commonwealth air training plan.”

Now, plans are underway for a multi-million dollar, permanent facility to house all the artifacts.

For Anderson, it’s a dream come true.

“The Miramichi Airport commission has generously donated land at the end of the runway here for us to build on,” he said.

During Anderson’s time in the forces, he looked after the New Brunswick Military History Museum in Oromocto. He said he always knew there were more stories to tell.

“And so I decided to start the Aviation Museum,” said Anderson. “So, it was back in 2013 we became a registered charity and, over the last eight years, I’ve been collecting a lot of items.”

From Golden Hawks memorabilia to a de Havilland Vampire aircraft, Anderson’s collection has lots to see.

“It has quite a history,” said Anderson, referring to his de Havilland Vampire aircraft. “Because it was actually in a television show and it was painted white with red stars. It was made to look like a Russian aircraft and it was once owned by John Travolta, the actor.”

The temporary location will be open to the public this summer, with hopes to have the permanent facility finished by 2024.

Fundraising is underway to help with the new location. Anderson says the committee is also always open to collecting military and civilian items, as well as stories.

“So, that’s our plan. It’s going to involve a huge hangar portion of the building to house aircraft, but there will also be another part of the building that will house our aerospace academy,” he said.

The new plans for the permanent location are scheduled to be released in Moncton Friday by the New Brunswick Aviation Museum.

Federal review threatens Flair Airlines’ licence

From CTV News 🔗link to source story and video – thanks to PN

Stephanie Villella, CTV News Kitchener Videographer • March 30, 2022

Travelers line up at a Flair Airlines counter at the Region of Waterloo International Airport on March 30, 2022. (Dan Lauckner/CTV News)

An airline that operates out of the Region of Waterloo International Airport is under review by the Canadian Transportation Agency.

Flair Airlines is facing turbulence as to whether or not its Canadian controlled.

On March 3, the transportation agency released its preliminary ruling, finding that the Edmonton-based carrier is not, in fact, Canadian owned.

If a final ruling is confirmed, the airline’s licence to operate could be suspended or cancelled.

John Gradek, a faculty lecturer at the McGill Aviation Management Program calls it a “predicament.”

“It sort of is a risk and I hope the Kitchener–Waterloo Airport Authority has some insurance on their program,” he said.

The review comes as the region spends $44 million to expand the Region of Waterloo International Airport to accommodate more passengers and planes.

The region credits Flair for the airport’s passenger growth.

“We are aware of the preliminary ruling and are monitoring the situation,” a spokesperson for the region said in a statement. “At this point in time, no action is required by the region. Flair will respond to the decision and the CTA will determine if any actions are needed to be taken by the organization. Flair has demonstrated the viability of YKF and the interest of travelers in our market area to use YKF as a gateway to other destination.”

Gradek said he recommends the region holds off on signing anymore contracts with Flair.

“Since the airport has invested capital to support Flair and that money is coming from taxpayers … my view is, I would not be looking at contracting any major expenditures on airport improvements until the [Canadian Transportation Agency] has concluded their investigation,” Gradek said.

According to the agency, to be licensed, an airline must be incorporated in Canada, at least 51 per cent of voting interests must be owned and controlled by Canadians, and it must be controlled in fact by Canadians.

A Miami-based company called 777 Partners owns part of Flair Airlines and provides aircrafts to it.

“Not only are they an equity provider, they’re also a major provider of aircrafts, and that’s what’s causing concern,” Gradek said.

In a statement to CTV News, Flair’s CEO and President, Stephen Jones said, “Flair Airlines is a Canadian airline and is controlled by Canadians both in law and in fact. Flair Airlines, at all times, operates its business in compliance with the laws and regulations governing air transportation in Canada.”

“Flair is here for the long term and is committed to finally bring sustainable, affordable airfares to the people of the Kitchener-Waterloo region. Customers can absolutely book with confidence, and we look forward to welcoming them aboard this summer.”

The airline has 60 days from March 3 to respond to the transportation agency’s preliminary report.

The Canadian Transportation Agency issues preliminary determination on whether Flair is Canadian

March 3rd 2022 – Gatineau, QC – Canadian Transportation Agency

The Canadian Transportation Agency (Agency) issued March 3rd, 2022 its preliminary determination that Flair may not be controlled in fact by Canadians and may, therefore, not be ‘’Canadian’’, as defined in the Canada Transportation Act, SC 1996, c 10.

Flair holds licenses authorizing domestic, scheduled international, and non-scheduled international air services. Pursuant to the Act, Flair must be Canadian to provide these air services. Three requirements must be met for an air carrier to be considered Canadian: (1) the incorporation or formation requirement, (2) the voting interest requirement, and (3) the control in fact requirement.

The Agency has provided Flair with the opportunity to respond, no later than 60 calendar days from the date of issuance. At the end of the review process, the Agency will issue a final public determination with reasons and its conclusions, which will be posted on its website.

The Agency does not comment on its determinations as they speak for themselves.

Background

The Agency is responsible for ensuring all air carriers licensed to provide domestic air services meet the Canadian ownership requirements set out in the Act. These requirements state that air service licensees must be owned and controlled “in fact” by Canadians. The Agency uses business and other information to determine whether a licence holder or applicant is “in fact” Canadian.

For more information, consult the CTA’s Guide to Canadian Ownership and Control in Fact for Air Transportation and frequently asked questions on air licencing.

Air Canada Announces Election of Directors

MONTREAL, March 30, 2022 /CNW/ – Air Canada (TSX: AC) announced today that all of the nominees listed in its management proxy circular dated February 7, 2022 were elected as directors of Air Canada at its Annual Meeting of Shareholders which was held on Monday, March 28, 2022.

All of the nominees have already been serving as directors of Air Canada and each of the directors was elected by a majority of the votes cast by shareholders present online or represented by proxy at the meeting. The results of the vote are detailed below.

Nominee	Votes For	% For	Votes Withheld	% Withheld
Amee Chande	133,533,132	99.74%	345,855	0.26%
Christie J.B. Clark	127,192,559	95.01%	6,686,428	4.99%
Gary A. Doer	132,261,761	98.79%	1,617,226	1.21%
Rob Fyfe	133,360,497	99.61%	518,490	0.39%
Michael M. Green	131,609,960	98.31%	2,269,027	1.69%
Jean Marc Huot	131,631,217	98.32%	2,247,770	1.68%
Madeleine Paquin	133,400,856	99.64%	478,131	0.36%
Michael Rousseau	133,022,220	99.36%	856,767	0.64%
Vagn Sørensen	129,517,411	96.74%	4,361,576	3.26%
Kathleen Taylor	132,888,113	99.26%	990,874	0.74%
Annette Verschuren	132,792,038	99.19%	1,086,949	0.81%
Michael M. Wilson	132,449,891	98.93%	1,429,096	1.07%

Final voting results on all matters voted on at the meeting will be filed on SEDAR.

About Air Canada

Air Canada is Canada’s largest domestic and international airline, the country’s flag carrier and a founding member of Star Alliance, the world’s most comprehensive air transportation network. Air Canada is the only international network carrier in North America to receive a Four-Star ranking from the independent U.K. research firm Skytrax, which in 2021 also named Air Canada as having the Best Airline Staff in North America, Best Airline Staff in Canada, Best Business Class Lounge in North America, as well as an Excellence award for its handling of COVID-19. Also in 2021, Air Canada was named Global Traveler’s Best Airline in North America for the third straight year. In January 2021, Air Canada received APEX’s Diamond Status Certification for the Air Canada CleanCare+ biosafety program for managing COVID-19, the only airline in Canada to attain the highest APEX ranking. Air Canada has also committed to a net zero emissions goal from all global operations by 2050. 

Enerkem Wins “The Sky’s The Limit Challenge” for producing sustainable aviation fuel from forest biomass

Montréal, March 30, 2022 — Enerkem is proud to announce that, as the project leader in partnership with CRB Innovations, it has been selected by an independent panel of international aviation experts as the winner of “The Sky’s the Limit Challenge” hosted by Natural Resources Canada, from among the four finalists. This prestigious honour underscores its significant achievement in producing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from forest biomass carbon. The resulting biogenic fuel will contribute to a 93% reduction in GHGs from air transport per unit of fossil fuel replaced by SAF.

“I’m extremely proud of the recognition we’ve received from winning “The Sky’s the Limit Challenge,” said Dominique Boies, CEO and CFO of Enerkem. “In order to reduce the carbon footprint of commercial aviation, we joined forces with CRB and devised a realistic approach based on recognized technologies and using our abundant forest resources in a sustainable way. This was our solution’s core strength, as confirmed by the competition’s panel.

“Our government challenged innovators to find breakthrough cleantech solutions to help solve some of Canada’s biggest problems — and they delivered,” said the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources. “I’m proud to award the grand prize for The Sky’s the Limit Challenge to Enerkem and its deserving innovators.”

“The Sky’s the Limit Challenge” is a national competition focused on developing clean, sustainable and economically viable aviation fuel in Canada that allows the commercial aviation sector to reduce its carbon footprint. The prize won by Enerkem constitutes a $5 million grant to continue commercializing its innovative fuel. As a finalist, the company was selected in 2019 to receive $2 million to develop its technology to compete for the grand prize.

Most of the research leading to the production of the sustainable aviation fuel was conducted at Enerkem’s Innovation Centre in Westbury, Quebec. CRB deconstructed and fractioned the biomass into recoverable intermediaries. Enerkem and CRB conducted the research using these intermediaries, leading to the production of sustainable aviation fuel. Some of the research was carried out in collaboration with the CanmetENERGY research centre in Ottawa. The work was led by Michel Chornet, Executive Vice-President, Engineering, Innovation and Operations, Enerkem; Stéphane Marie-Rose, Director, Catalytic Processes Group, Enerkem; and Esteban Chornet, cofounder of Enerkem and CRB, and scientific director at CRB Innovations.

The aviation sector alone accounts for 3% of total global GHG emissions, and its carbon footprint seems difficult to reduce. There are currently several sources of exploitable biofuels, including residual lipids such as used cooking oils and vegetable oils, municipal solid waste and CO₂ from green power production.

“The research we conducted as part of “The Sky’s the Limit Challenge” allowed us to develop another source, specifically forest biomass. It has often been described as Canada’s “green” edge. It’s affordable and has been used nationally for generations in various applications. The carbon in forest biomass comes from the atmospheric CO₂ captured and transformed into constituent molecules through photosynthesis. We were able to recover it by combining the technologies of biomass deconstruction and fractionation (CRB), gasification (Enerkem), oligomer production (Enerkem and CRB) and catalytic hydrocracking by Enerkem, as well as by CRB/Canmet. As a result, we managed to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) allowing GHGs from air transportation to be reduced by 93 %,” said Esteban Chornet.

In partnership with Shell, Enerkem is already working on another project to produce aviation biofuels from sorted urban waste in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, using a process that is slightly different from the forest biomass method. The process to certify aviation fuel produced from forest biomass is already underway in Canadian, U.S. and European jurisdictions.

“Demand for sustainable fuels is very strong across all transportation sectors. In order to fully benefit from the production of these fuels, commercial aviation must be able to integrate their cost into its current rate structure. Otherwise, the biofuels produced will go to other promising markets,” concluded Mr. Boies.

About Enerkem

Enerkem has developed and is marketing its breakthrough technology that produces advanced biofuels such as sustainable aviation fuel, marine fuel, and circular chemical products from non-recyclable waste. Headquartered in Montreal, Quebec (Canada), Enerkem operates a full-scale commercial demonstration plant in Edmonton, Alberta, as well as an innovation centre in Quebec. A large-scale commercial facility is currently under construction in Varennes, Quebec (Canada). Enerkem’s technology also applies to agroforestry waste that, like urban waste, can be recycled into new products. Such technology can therefore diversify energy and chemical portfolios, as well as produce greener everyday products. It also provides a smart and sustainable alternative to landfilling and incineration. For more information, visit http://www.enerkem.com, follow us on Twitter@Enerkem or visit our LinkedIn or Facebook page.

Air Canada to ramp up capacity this year, but won’t yet reach pre-pandemic levels

From The Star 🔗 link to source story

By The Canadian Press • March 30, 2022

Grounded Air Canada planes sit on the tarmac at Pearson International Airport during the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto on Wednesday, April 28, 2021. Air Canada plans to more than double its capacity this year compared with 2021, but says it will remain below its pre-pandemic level.  Nathan Denette / CANADIAN PRESS

MONTREAL – Air Canada plans to more than double its capacity this year compared with 2021, but says that is still below its pre-pandemic level.

In its outlook for this year the airline says its capacity, measured by available seat miles, for 2022 will be up about 150 per cent compared with last year.

However, Air Canada says its capacity will still only be about 75 per cent of where it was in 2019 as it continues to account for passenger demand, public health guidelines and travel restrictions.

The airline says it expects its adjusted cost per available seat mile for 2022 to increase about 13 to 15 per cent when compared with 2019.

Looking further into the future, Air Canada says it expects its capacity for 2024 to be about 95 per cent of its 2019 level.

Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau says with the pandemic receding and travel returning, the airline has put in place a strategy to return to profitability and increase long-term shareholder value.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 30, 2022.