YVR welcomes Dreamliner service
YVR-Vancouver International Airport’s first scheduled Boeing 787 service began Monday morning with the arrival of Japan Airlines Flight #18 from Narita Airport (NRT) in Tokyo. The Dreamliner landed a few minutes ahead of its scheduled 10 a.m. (PT) arrival time, and was greeted at the gate by officials from Japan Airlines, the Government of B.C., the Government of Japan, the Vancouver Airport Authority, and Boeing.
Toronto Pearson International Airport, Then and Now: Part Two
In 1995, to meet YYZ’s needs through to 2030, the GTAA proposed to replace YYZ’s Terminal 1-Aeroquay and Terminal 2, home of Air Canada, with a new Terminal 1. The logistical and operational challenges were formidable. All airline and airport operations had to be maintained while demolition of existing obsolete infrastructure occurred and new construction began. Not only was a new terminal planned, but 2 new runways, a massive infield operational and cargo area, a specialized de-icing bay and related taxiways and roadways were to be built and integrated into YYZ’s operation.
Meet Dash, Goliath & Hercules – YVR’s Wildlife Control Experts
Airplanes and birds don't play well together. Just ask Captain Sully and First Officer Jeff, whose encounter with a flock of Canada Geese turned their A320 into a glider. Or talk to the crews of the approximately 150 planes per year at Vancouver International Airport that report bird strikes. Flight safety can be seriously compromised, repair costs for the airlines are huge, passengers are often inconvenienced, and for the birds, well, it's fatal.
Toronto Pearson International Airport, Then and Now: Part One
By most any measure, Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) is big. Canada’s busiest airport has five runways, two terminals with over 110 gates, serves 35 million passengers annually, and has a huge cargo center and the world’s biggest aircraft de-icing facility. 60 airlines serve YYZ with flights to over 150 destinations, it’s the 34th largest airport in the world, and is ranked 2nd largest in international passenger traffic in North America. The airport is home to Air Canada’s largest hub, and as a founding member of Star Alliance, it’s the major Canadian hub for that airline group.
Happy 50th Birthday to the Pratt & Whitney PT6 Engine
Today is the 50th birthday of the legendary Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 turboprop. That first engine was delivered to Beech Aircraft Company for installation onto an aircraft that would become the equally-remarkable Beechcraft King Air. The PT6 had its genesis at what was then the United Aircraft of Canada Limited (UACL) factory in Longueuil, Quebec. In the mid-1950s, UACL had looked at the market and determined that there was a need for a small, efficient turboprop in the 500-shaft-horsepower (SHP) range.
Airways Visits Bombardier’s CSeries Customer Experience Centre
Regular Airways readers have seen our stories about the Bombardier CSeries first flight, and our tour of the Flight Test Vehicle Final Assembly Facility. The day after the events at Mirabel Airport, Bombardier invited us to their facility in St. Laurent, Quebec, not far from Montreal’s Pierre Elliot Trudeau Airport. We were being treated to a visit at the CSeries Customer Experience Centre. Our hosts were Sam Cherry, Director, Product Strategy; Martin Gignac, Product Manager & Strategy; and Marc Duchesne, Director of Public Affairs and Communications.