CMA announces the arrival of additional Dash 8-300 aircraft in its continued effort to support business growth and improve connectivity in Western Canada.
Central Mountain Air (CMA) is pleased to announce the addition of another Dash 8-300 to its fleet. This addition will help grow the business, provide service to clients, and increase connectivity for communities across Western Canada. This Dash 8-300 will be primarily used to support growth in the airline’s charter service and meet the demand of existing and new clients.
Recognized as a leader in its class, the Dash 8-300 is ideal for flights not only to cities but also to remote locations. It has a carrying capacity of up to 50 passengers and a cruising speed of 532km/h.
CMA’s fleet is now comprised of 5 Dash-8 -300, 5 Dash-8 -100, 3 Dornier 328, and 12 Beech 1900D in passenger configuration, 2 Beech 1900D Cargo Configuration, with the ability to expand its fleet types to meet your needs. CMA operates scheduled service to ten communities and is able to provide charter flights throughout British Columbia, Alberta, Western Canada, and the United States. In addition, CMA’s affiliate partners have a fleet comprising of 1 King Air 350i (Medevac Configuration), 2 King Air 350s (1 Corporate and 1 Medevac Configuration), 2 Dash 8 -400s, and 1 CRJ 100/200 further expanding CMA’s capabilities and offerings.
Established in 1987, CMA is a Western Canadian privately owned and operated company. CMA provides scheduled flights to ten communities, cargo to eight communities, and charter flights throughout British Columbia, Alberta, and Western Canada. For more information, and to learn about CMA’s enhanced COVID-19 safety procedures, visit www.flycma.com.
Modified freight compartment mean large items can be flown to Nunavik’s isolated communities
Josh Grant · CBC News · February 20, 2022
Air Inuit retrofitted this De Havilland Dash 8-300 with a larger freight door, as seen here in the darker section of the fuselage, making it possible to load pallets of food and essential goods, as well as heavy equipment to the 14 coastal communities the airline serves. (submitted by Air Inuit/Duane Court)
It took six years to pull it off, but Air Inuit President Christian Busch says the completion of the arduous process of cutting a new cargo door in what started out as a 50-passenger plane means the remote Inuit communities served by the airline will now have more timely access to crucial goods.
“We had to adapt the cargo transportation of the north to today’s realities,” said Busch. “Important tools such as ATVs, snowmobiles, mining equipment were all increasing in size.”
Air Inuit is a subsidiary of Makivik, the corporation wholly owned by the Inuit of Nunavik — the region that covers the northern third of Quebec. The airline primarily serves Nunavik’s 14 communities located on the west coast of Hudson Bay, the coast south of the Hudson Strait and on both sides of Ungava Bay.
Except for the short summer season, when goods to those coastal communities are shipped in by sea, Inuit in Nunavik depend on the airline for a steady supply of staples, as well as passenger service between the communities and to southern Quebec and Nunavut.
Busch said custom-building a large freighter door on one of the airline’s 30 planes to accommodate large items means the communities don’t have to plan around sea shipments for many goods, and it makes it easier and faster to load and unload perishable cargo, like fresh fruits and vegetables, on pallets.
“Air Inuit is the lifeline of the north,” said Busch. “So for us it was important to allow the Inuit to get these items all year round.”
Long-term improvements
Air Inuit launched the cargo door project in 2016, as part of its fleet modernization program. Rather than buy a bigger plane, Busch said the company decided to retrofit one of its Quebec-built De Havilland Dash 8-300s. Collins Aerospace, a unit of Raytheon Technologies, was brought in to help.
The Dash 8-300 produces 30 per cent less emissions than the airline’s older cargo aircraft, and Busch said it’s well-equipped to handle the short, gravel runways and harsh weather conditions at airports in Nunavut and Nunavik.
Air Inuit staff along with David Vanderzwaag of Rockwell Collins Aerospace, far right, pose in front of the enlarged cargo door built into the fuselage of the Dash 8-300. (submitted by Air Inuit/Stéphanie Boisvert)
Cutting a hole the size of a car out of the back of a plane was no small feat. Busch says it took the engineering team 36 months and $5 million to make it happen. Nearly half of that funding, $2.3 million, came from Quebec’s Fonds Vert program, a spokesperson for the airline said.
The most stressful part of the project was the exact moment the fuselage was cut open, said Busch. No one has ever tried to modify a Dash 8-300 this way before, and any small mistake could have led to irreparable damage.
Modifying the aircraft meant following strict Canadian regulations, but after it was satisfied that the project team had jumped through all of the hoops, Transport Canada certified the plane to fly on Feb. 3. The freight carrier took off from Montreal for the first time on Feb. 8, delivering a shipment of food and other essentials to the village of Tasiujaq, near Ungava Bay, about 1,900 kilometres north of Montreal.
Air Inuit owns 15 Dash 8-300s: three strictly for cargo, including the one with the new enlarged freight door, and 12 others that have been modified to seat 45 passengers, making room for extra luggage. The airline plans to purchase one more plane and do a similar overhaul on the cargo door, Busch said.
With the knowledge and experience gained over the past six years, Busch said, he expects the next renovation to take about half the time this one did.
“We’re giving a few days off to our team,” he said, laughing, “but we have already planned on retrofitting a second aircraft.”
“The work will be starting this summer.”
Members of the Air Inuit team stand in front of the section of the De Havilland Dash 8-300 that was removed to install a larger cargo door. From left to right: Simon Fournier, Sébastien Mailloux, Louis Gauthier and Danny Fournier. (submitted by Air Inuit)
Air Canada’s Dash 8-300 a ‘machine that Canadians should be proud of’. Its final passenger flight was flown from Timmins to Toronto
Maija Hoggett, Timmins Today | January 22, 2022
When most passengers on a recent flight from Timmins to Toronto boarded, they didn’t know they were playing a part in Canadian aviation history.
The last scheduled passenger flight for Air Canada Jazz’s Dash 8-300 flew from Timmins to Toronto on Jan. 9, 2022.
Alex Praglowski made his way to Timmins from Calgary to be on the final flight and shared a video of it on YouTube.
“I’ve been an aviation enthusiast for as long as I can remember, and I’ve always had an interest in the aviation industry,” he said in an email.
“Given the Dash 8-300’s history with Jazz and Air Canada and the important role it’s played in Canada over 30 years, I knew I had to be on board this final flight.”
Retiring the remaining 19 Dash 8-300s in the Jazz fleet was announced in March 2021. Fifteen of the aircraft have undergone the extended service program, which means their useful life is prolonged by about 15 years. Chorus Aviation, the parent company of Jazz Aviation, can sell, lease or convert the planes for cargo use, according to the March news release.
Before taking off on the final flight, the captain, who’s flown the Dash 8 for 33 years, gave passengers a quick history of the plane.
“You’re flying on a De Havilland Dash 8-300. This is one of the original Dash 8s, the people that fix them and fly them regularly refer to them as a Classic Dash 8. This airplane’s also a machine that Canadians should be proud of. It was made right here in Canada in Downsview, Ont., by the same people that designed and built the legendary airplanes like the Beaver and the Otter. The Dash 8 Classic is well-known for being a very reliable and rugged airplane, it’s able to fly in weather and land at airports that other planes cannot do,” he said.
He told passengers they’re playing “a little part of aviation history of being the last passengers of millions that Air Canada Jazz has safely transported on this aircraft.”
“So when we get to Toronto, maybe you’ll want to take a few pictures, maybe even give the airplane a quick little pat on the nose and thank it for a job well done. I know I’m going to,” he said.
Dorval, Quebec, 3 March 2021 — In its investigation report (A20Q0013) released today, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) found that the January 2020 hard landing and rear fuselage strike in Schefferville, Quebec, was the result of an unstable approach.
From Air Inuit
On 20 January 2020, a de Havilland DHC-8-314 operated by Air Inuit Ltd. was conducting a flight from Québec/Jean Lesage Airport, Quebec, to Schefferville Airport, Quebec, with three crew members and 42 passengers on board. During the landing, the rear fuselage struck the runway as the wheels touched down. After landing, the aircraft taxied to the terminal to disembark the passengers. There were no injuries; however, the aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The investigation found that the flight crew forgot to perform the descent checklist and realized this at an inopportune time, while the captain (pilot monitoring) was providing a position report. Given ambiguities and contradictions in the company’s stabilized approach guidelines, the captain interpreted that he was allowed to continue the approach below 500 feet above aerodrome elevation, even though the aircraft had not been fully configured for the landing. When the aircraft passed this altitude, the pilots, who were dealing with a heavy workload, didn’t notice and continued the approach, which was unstable. At the time of the landing, the aircraft no longer had enough energy to arrest the descent rate solely by increasing pitch attitude. The pilot’s instinctive reaction to increase the pitch attitude during the flare, combined with the hard landing, resulted in the rear fuselage striking the runway, causing substantial damage to the aircraft’s structure.
The investigation also made findings as to risk related to Air Inuit’s standard operating procedures (SOPs) and training, and to Transport Canada’s (TC) oversight. Transport Canada assessed Air Inuit’s SOPs, but did not identify any specific issues with the operator’s stabilized approach guidelines. If TC does not assess the quality, consistency, accuracy conciseness, clarity, relevance, and content of SOPs, the procedures may be ineffective, increasing risks to flight operations.
Additionally, the captain had not received many of the required training elements during his recurrent training. If required training elements are not included in recurrent training, and if TC’s surveillance plan does not verify the content of crew training, there may be procedural deficiencies or deviations, increasing risks to flight operations.
Following the occurrence, Air Inuit took a number of safety actions, including the revision of its SOPs to improve guidelines on several subjects, including stabilized approaches, and the revision of its training program to ensure that all training elements are covered within the two-year recurrent training cycle.
Jazz is sole operator of Air Canada Express flights
25 Embraer 175 aircraft to be added to the Covered Aircraft fleet, increasing the fixed fee margin.
Jazz to provide 100% of Air Canada Express 70+ seat regional capacity until 2025.
Dash 8-300 aircraft to exit the Covered Aircraft fleet.
Controllable cost guardrail receivable capped at $20 million per year, improving working capital; +/- $2.0 million exposure is unchanged.
All other material components of the CPA are unchanged.
HALIFAX, NS, March 15, 2021 /CNW/ – Chorus Aviation Inc. (TSX: CHR) (‘Chorus’), parent company of Jazz Aviation LP (‘Jazz’), today confirmed the condition precedent to the revisions of the capacity purchase agreement (‘CPA’) between Jazz and Air Canada announced on March 1, 2021 has been met. As a result, the amended CPA is effective on a retroactive basis to January 1, 2021. The newly ratified agreement with Jazz pilots, as represented by the Air line Pilots Association International, will run until December 31, 2035.
“I extend my gratitude to our Jazz pilots and the leadership team of the Air Line Pilots Association International for securing Jazz’s place within the Air Canada Express network. This is very good news for our employees and our stakeholders,” stated Joe Randell, President and Chief Executive Officer, Chorus. “As the sole operator of Air Canada Express services, we look forward to integrating the Embraer 175s into our fleet and further expanding our wide portfolio of regional aviation capabilities and services.”
Revisions to the CPA include the following:
Consolidation of 25 Embraer 175s into Jazz’s Covered Aircraft fleet
Jazz will operate the 25 E175s under the CPA.
Jazz is the exclusive Air Canada Express operator of 70+ seat aircraft until the end of 2025.
Fixed fees increase by $46.0 million over the term of the CPA with annual minimum fixed fees increasing by $1.2 million per year from 2021 to 2025, and by approximately $4.0 million per year from 2026 to 2035.
Removal of 19 Dash 8-300s from Jazz’s Covered Aircraft fleet
19 Dash 8-300s will be removed from the fleet in 2021. Removal of the Dash 8-300s will reduce future aircraft leasing revenue under the CPA by approximately $56.0 million over the remaining term of the contract.
Chorus owns these Dash 8-300s, 15 of which have undergone the Extended Service Program (‘ESP’) which prolongs their useful life by approximately 15 years. Chorus estimates the carrying value of these aircraft to be approximately $65.0 million, and can sell, lease, or convert them for cargo operations.
Controllable Cost Guardrail Receivable
The controllable cost guardrail receivable is capped to a maximum of $20.0 million annually and is reconciled on a quarterly basis and paid in the following quarter. This will avoid the accumulation of a receivable in excess of the agreed maximum. The +/-$2.0 million controllable cost guardrail exposure is unchanged.
As a result of these revisions to the CPA, Chorus anticipates one-time costs, charges, and other fees to range between $100.0 million and $110.0 million, with approximately half of this range being non-cash in nature, and the cash portion paid over several years. The non-cash component includes an estimated $45.0 million impairment provision on the Dash 8-300s and supporting inventory, and a non-cash defined benefit pension curtailment expense related to the number and demographics of pilots opting for early retirement estimated to be between $10.0 and $15.0 million. Approximately $49.0 million in one-time cash costs are anticipated on account of cash payments to incentivize the early departure of Jazz senior pilots enrolled in the defined benefit pension plan, as well as a contract fee payable to Air Canada related to the transfer and integration of the E175 fleet.
About Chorus Aviation Inc.
Chorus is a global provider of integrated regional aviation solutions. Chorus’ vision is to deliver regional aviation to the world. Headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Chorus is comprised of Chorus Aviation Capital a leading, global lessor of regional aircraft, and Jazz and Voyageur Aviation – companies that have long histories of safe operations with excellent customer service. Chorus provides a full suite of regional aviation support services that encompasses every stage of an aircraft’s lifecycle, including aircraft acquisitions and leasing; aircraft refurbishment, engineering, modification, repurposing and preparation; contract flying; aircraft and component maintenance, disassembly, and parts provisioning.
Jazz Aviation said one of the two wheels on the left main landing gear fell during takeoff, but that the pilots never lost control of the aircraft. (@caf_tom/Twitter)
An Air Canada flight from Montreal to Saguenay, Que. was forced to turn around Friday after a technical issue made one of its wheels fall off seconds after takeoff.
In a statement, Air Canada subsidiary Jazz Aviation said one of the two wheels on the left main landing gear fell off just after the plane went airborne.
The incident was captured on video by a passenger.
In the footage, flames are seen coming from the wheel prior to takeoff. One passenger comments that the wheel appears to be fine, before it promptly falls off the landing gear.
Another passenger can be heard saying: “It fell, it fell!”
The plane was carrying 49 passengers and three crew members at the time. No one was injured.
The aircraft circled in the air to consume fuel before returning to Montreal, where it safely landed. Emergency crews had been on the scene as a precaution.
“Our experienced pilots kept complete control of the aircraft. Our pilots are trained to react to such situations and reacted conforming to proper procedure,” Jazz Aviation Spokesperson Manon Stuart said in an email.
The airplane, a Dash 8-300 model, normally has six wheels: two on each of the three landing gears, located on the left, right, and front of the plane.
Another airplane was dispatched to Montreal to get the passengers to their destination.
The company said it will inspect the plane and do the necessary repairs.
Canadian Aviation News 
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