Passenger jet makes emergency landing in Abbotsford after hitting birds
737 aircraft hit flock of birds shortly after takeoff
Patrick Penner, 10 September 2019
A 737 aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing at Abbotsford International Airport Tuesday morning after hitting a flock of birds shortly after takeoff.
Flight number 312 departed from Abbotsford at 8:07 a.m. and was headed for Edmonton under Swoop airlines. It was carrying over 100 people.
People around the city reported hearing a loud boom in the skies and one witness said she saw flames coming out of one of the engines. One passenger reported a burning smell filling the cabin, which the pilot then reported was the result of the birds combusting.
“It’s not in my memory the last time an aircraft landed here due to an emergency tied to a bird-strike,” said the airport’s general manager, Parm Sidhu.
Police cordoned off the area as emergency crews headed to the scene prior to the plane landing.
It without further incident and passengers were escorted to the terminal to await another flight shortly after.
A plane was forced to make an emergency landing at Abbotsford International Airport after a bird strike Tuesday morning
The City of Abbotsford says all passengers are safely back at the YXX terminal after an emergency landing on Tuesday
Witnesses reported hearing loud ‘booms’ and seeing flames from at least one engine after a plane hit some birds near YXX
ABBOTSFORD (NEWS 1130) – There’s been a scare on a flight leaving Abbotsford International Airport.
“There was a bird strike at YXX,” Alex Mitchell with the City of Abbotsford confirmed on Tuesday. “The aircraft has, however, landed safely and passengers have been offloaded into the terminal safely.”
There was a birdstrike at YXX – the Aircraft has landed safely passengers have been offloaded into the terminal safely. Updates will be available in the coming hours.
The SWOOP flight was in the air for less than 30 minutes when it was forced to turn around.
Witnesses reported hearing several “booms”, and video from inside the plane shows flames shooting out of at least one of the engines.
A person who was on the plane posted online saying they heard four “thuds,” and then started to smell smoke. That’s apparently when passengers were told the plane hit some geese.
Edmonton, Alberta, Sept. 05, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Flair Airlines, Canada’s only truly independent low cost airline, is pleased to report an average passenger load factor of 92% for July & August 2019.
“We are delighted with the rapidly growing number of Canadians who have flocked to Flair this summer” said CEO Jim Scott. He continued ,“After only one year as an exclusively scheduled carrier we have established Flair as the place to go for low fares, great service and are already recognizing many return customers.”
During the summer, Edmonton-based Flair flew from Vancouver, Abbotsford, Kelowna, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto and Halifax. Flair successfully initiated daily non-stop service between Toronto (YYZ) and Vancouver as well as between Toronto and Calgary.
Over the last few months, as part of it’s fleet renewal program, Flair has added three newer Boeing 737-800NG aircraft and is gradually phasing out it’s older B737-400’s. All three additions sport Flair’s distinctive new livery and logo.
By next summer Flair plans to be operating a single-type fleet of B737-800 NG‘s, which are more fuel efficient and also have longer range capabilities. Flair’s unified fleet will open up a number of exciting southern destinations offered at accessible rates.
While Flair’s year-to-date on-time performance has been one of the best in Canada, the younger aircraft should serve to make it even better.
Jordan Armstrong explains how one B.C. company has partnered in the development of new technology that can spot possible threats posed by drones from kilometres away.
The airline cancelled 30 flights during the first 10 days of July alone
CBC News · Posted: Aug 15, 2019
Yet another Swoop flight out of Hamilton has been cancelled, stranding passengers planning to travel to British Columbia. (Chris Squires)
Yet another Swoop flight out of Hamilton has been cancelled, this time stranding a plane-full of people destined for British Columbia.
Flight 109 scheduled to take off at 6:50 p.m. on Wednesday and land in Abbotsford, B.C. at 8:39 p.m. was cancelled, according to the airline’s website. It does not provide an explanation of why.
News of this latest cancellation follows frustration and confusion sparked by a rash of 30 cancellations the airline made during the first 10 days in July that left some customers paying out-of-pocket to salvage travel plans.
Chris Squires says it meant a rocky start to vacation for him and his family, who were supposed to take their first trip back to B.C. in four years on Wednesday.
They live in Kingston, but booked a flight out of Hamilton way back in March.
Squires, along with his wife and two kids, was dropped off by friends at the John C. Munro International Airport. They had made it through customs when he says they received an email saying the flight had been cancelled due to a “mechanical” issue.
Chris Squires says the cancellation left his family very disappointed. (Chris Squires)
After months of planning and a three-hour drive from Kingston, Squires says notice of the cancellation came just two hours before their plane was supposed to take off, leaving little time to come up with a contingency plan.
“We’re going back because my mother-in-law had surgery,” he explained. “We chose Swoop because it seemed to be a great deal. We’re very disappointed.”
The airline did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Squires says he was initially told he and his family were being moved to another flight that wasn’t scheduled to take off for another three days.
But, following some negotiation with Swoop staff at the airport, he says the airline agreed to put his family in a hotel overnight and get them on a flight out Thursday.
Still, he says others weren’t as lucky and he’s left unimpressed by the whole experience.
“In a customer service business you take care of your customers,” he said. “They should have concessions [and] policies in place for when things go wrong.”
Provided by Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB)/CNW
RICHMOND, BC, Aug. 14, 2019 /CNW/ – In the release of its investigation report (A18P0031) today, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) found that pilot decision-making and winter weather conditions contributed to a 2018 accident in which a Beechcraft King Air B100, operated by Island Express Air Inc. (Island Express), collided with terrain shortly after take-off from Abbotsford Airport, British Columbia.
On 23 February 2018, the pilot, who was also the owner of Island Express at that time, and nine family members boarded the Beechcraft King Air for a trip to California. Seconds after takeoff, the aircraft experienced an aerodynamic stall resulting from ice contamination on the wings. In an attempt to make an immediate off-field emergency landing, the pilot applied forward pressure on the control column to land the aircraft. The aircraft collided with the terrain and slid to a stop north of the runway. The pilot and five passengers sustained serious injuries while the four remaining passengers received minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed by the impact.
The investigation found that the decision to take-off came after 14 minutes of exposure to heavy snowfall, which resulted in conditions highly conducive to severe ground icing. The pilot’s decision making was affected by continuation bias, illustrated by his desire to complete the flight with his family and the attempt to take off despite exposure to severe ground icing conditions. The investigation also found that the pilot and one passenger sustained serious head injuries as a result of not wearing available shoulder harnesses.
In addition, the investigation highlights the severity of heavy snowfall conditions from a ground icing standpoint. If pilots rely only on the snowfall intensity reported in aviation routine weather reports or automated terminal information service broadcasts, they will not correctly determine de-icing and anti-icing holdover times (the estimated time that an application of de-icing/anti-icing fluid is effective in preventing frost, ice, or snow from adhering to treated surfaces), increasing the risk of aircraft accidents.
Immediately following the accident, Island Express voluntarily ceased operations, and Transport Canada suspended the company’s operating certificates pending a thorough recertification process. Island Express subsequently changed ownership, made personnel changes, modified procedures and training programs, set higher standards for pilot training, and introduced new operational equipment and processes to improve safety. Following review by Transport Canada, the operating certificate for Island Express was reinstated on 26 June 2018.
Pilot Kent Pietsch performs some upside-down aerobatics with his 1942 “Jelly Belly” Interstate Cadet plane. Pietsch has performed more than 400 aerobatic shows since 1973. (Patrick Penner photo.)
By Patrick Penner, The Abbotsford News, August 13, 2019
Early estimates show significant drop in attendence from last year
Despite challenging weather keeping some people at home, the Abbotsford International Airshow was still a success, say airshow organizers.
“Mother Nature threw us some interesting weather on Saturday and Sunday. So that kept our air boss and our announcers tap-dancing for the weekend,” said airshow spokesperson Jadene Mah. Nevertheless, she deemed the event “a great show.”
The rough estimates for attendance for the 57th annual airshow, which ran Friday to Sunday, was 60,000 over the weekend, a decrease from the 90,000 last year.
“People definitely checked the weather forecast before they came out to the show,” Mah said.
Due to unco-operative weather, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds were unable to perform Saturday, but they took to the skies on Sunday.
Mah said the performance scheduling made the road congestion more manageable this year.
“We were able to get in people in faster, certainly on the Friday night.”
News provided by Abbotsford News – link to full story and updates, with a hint from P.N.
57th annual event runs Aug. 9 to 11 at Abbotsford Airport
The Abbotsford International Airshow runs Aug. 9 to 11 at the Abbotsford International Airport. (Abbotsford News file photo)
Aug. 7, 2019 12:46 p.m.
It will be “Thunder Over the Valley” this weekend as the 57th annual Abbotsford International Airshow comes to town.
The show runs Friday to Sunday at Abbotsford International Airport.
The event kicks off with the Friday Twilight Show from 3 to 10:30 p.m. featuring the Canadian Forces Snowbirds, the CF-18 Hornet Twilight Demo, and a fireworks finale.
After sunset, several hot air balloons will become giant colourful lanterns across the airshow grounds.
Saturday and Sunday are full-day shows, with flying events, attractions, exhibits and attractions from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
More than 40 food trucks and vendors will be on hand serving everything from classic festival fare to ethnic cuisine.
Featured performances include the USAF Thunderbirds, the Canadian Forces Snowbirds, the US Navy Tailhook Legacy Flight, the Canadian Forces Skyhawks Parachute Demonstration Team, and demos from RCAF CC-177 Globemaster III and Canadian Forces Search and Rescue.
On-ground attractions include the McDonald’s Kidzone, Science World on the Road, STEM exhibits, the Air Canada Autograph Booth, and Precision Exotics Autocross.
BC Transit is providing a special shuttle to and from the airshow.
The Airshow Shuttle leaves from Bourquin Exchange downtown and travels on South Fraser Way to Highstreet Mall, with stops at Old Yale and Clearbrook, and Townline and Old Yale.
From Highstreet, it travels down Mt. Lehman to the Abbotsford Airport without stopping. Drop-off and pick-up take place on Threshold Drive at the campground.
On Friday, the first shuttle leaves from town at 3:05 p.m., with the last trip leaving the airport at 10:45 p.m.
On both Saturday and Sunday, the first shuttle from downtown leaves at 9:35 a.m., and the last trip leaves the airport at 6:05 p.m.
Route 66 Fraser Valley Express (FVX) will connect to the Airshow Shuttle at Highstreet Mall. Regular fares will apply.
Provided by Transportation Safety Board of Canada/CNW
DORVAL, QC, July 10, 2019 /CNW/ – In its investigation report (A18Q0069) released today, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) found that short staffing and a deviation from standard procedures by air traffic controllers led to a May 2018 loss of separation between an Air Transat Airbus A310 and a Cessna 421 light twin-engine aircraft near the Montreal/Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport.
On 16 May 2018, both aircraft were inbound to land at the Montreal/Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport. The Airbus was coming from the west and was to fly north of the airport and land on Runway 24R, while the Cessna was inbound from the northeast and was to land on Runway 24L. A loss of separation between the two aircraft occurred when both aircraft were approximately 18 nautical miles northeast of the airport. At the closest point, the two aircraft came within 500 feet vertically and 1.7 nautical miles laterally of each other. Normally the aircraft should be separated by at least 1000 feet vertically or 3 nautical miles laterally.
Although seven controllers and a shift supervisor would have normally been scheduled to work that evening, absences and illness reduced that number to three controllers and a supervisor. As a result, six sectors of airspace normally divided among the controllers needed to be combined and controlled by just three—which in turn increased each of their areas of responsibility, as well as their workload and its complexity.
The TSB’s investigation also found that, with the Cessna approaching from a sector to the northeast, control responsibility for it was not transferred to the next sector according to standard procedure. As a result, a controller-in-training responsible for the receiving sector, was not initially aware of the presence or intentions of the Cessna until it entered his airspace, and as a result did not have an opportunity to develop a plan to deal with the converging traffic. Also during this time, the instructor, who was both the shift supervisor and responsible for the trainee, was distracted by other tasks and wasn’t able to accurately monitor the developing situation.
Shortly thereafter, the controller-in-training noticed the Cessna on the display and the required separation was re-established. Both aircraft then landed without incident.
The Board is not aware of any safety action taken following this investigation.
The TSB is an independent agency that investigates air, marine, pipeline, and rail transportation occurrences. Its sole aim is the advancement of transportation safety. It is not the function of the Board to assign fault or determine civil or criminal liability.
Flair Airlines announced its 2019/2020 winter schedule with low fare service out of seven Canadian gateways; Abbotsford, Vancouver, Kelowna, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg and Toronto’s Pearson International.
Jim Scott, Flair’s CEO commented, “As Canada’s only independent low fare airline, our new winter schedule will bring more and more Canadians together right across the country. With over a million passengers flown in the last year, we are quietly building a very loyal group of ‘Flair Flyers’.”
Commencing on October 27th the new winter schedule sees a continuation of Flair’s recently introduced and highly competitive daily non-stop services from Toronto (YYZ) to both Vancouver (YVR) and Calgary (YYC). At its winter peak, Flair will operate some 146 flights per week utilizing its fleet which includes both Boeing 737-800s and 737-400s.
Flair’s 2019/2020 winter schedule from Oct. 27, 2019 – Mar. 27, 2020 features:
From Edmonton
Weekly Departures
Days
to Kelowna
4
Sun, Mon, Thu, Fri
to Vancouver
10
Daily
to Abbotsford
5
Sun, Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat
to Toronto (Pearson)
7
Daily
From Toronto (Pearson)
Weekly Departures
Days
to Edmonton
7
Daily
to Vancouver
7
Daily
to Winnipeg
4
Sun, Mon, Thu, Fri
to Calgary
7
Daily
From Calgary
Weekly Departures
Days
to Vancouver
7
Daily
to Winnipeg
4
Sun, Mon, Thu, Fri
to Abbotsford
7
Daily
to Toronto (Pearson)
7
Daily
From Vancouver
Weekly Departures
Days
to Edmonton
10
Daily
to Calgary
7
Daily
to Toronto (Pearson)
7
Daily
From Abbotsford
Weekly Departures
Days
to Edmonton
5
Sun, Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat
to Calgary
7
Daily
From Winnipeg
Weekly Departures
Days
to Calgary
4
Sun, Mon, Thu, Fri
to Toronto (Pearson)
4
Sun, Mon, Thu, Fri
From Kelowna
Weekly Departures
Days
to Edmonton
4
Sun, Mon, Thu, Fri
Note: additional frequencies will be available during the holiday season.
