From the Ramp to the Runway Without Engine Power?
Honeywell and Paris-based Safran Groupe have come up with some nifty new technology that could save airlines hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in fuel costs for each aircraft. It’s called the “Electric Green Taxi System” or EGTS, and it was recently demo’d at the Paris Air Show.
Air Canada Rouge – First Flight of a New “Leisure” Airline
With Monday morning’s A319 flight from Toronto (YYZ) to Kingston, Jamaica (KIN), Air Canada rouge became the second new Canadian airline to begin operation in as many weeks. Rouge’s startup fleet has 2 A319-100s and 2 767-300s, all previously flown by Air Canada. Initial Caribbean destinations for the A319s are in the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Costa Rica and Jamaica.
Helijet or Harbour Air. Which Way to Fly?
There are 2 regular airline services flying between Victoria’s and Vancouver’s harbours. Both harbours are Transport Canada certified airports, with designated water “runways”. You can fly fixed-wing on Harbour Air’s 14 passenger DeHavilland Canada DHC-3 Turbine Otters or 18-seat DHC-6 Twin Otters. Or you can take a helicopter – Helijet flies 12-seat, twin-engine, Sikorsky S-76s or 4-seat Bell 206L LongRangers. Which way to go? Let’s have a look at the two airlines.
An AvGeek Look at YWG & Winnipeg
Dear YWG - Somehow, AirlineReporter.com missed the opening of your new terminal in October, 2011. We must have been busy with the 787, A380, airline mergers and stuff like that. But we still want to talk about you. And by the way, we do know that your full name is “Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport”, but frankly, that’s a lot to type over and over. So we’ll just call you YWG. Hope you’re OK with that. Sincerely, Howard at AirlineReporter.com
Viking Air and the New Twin Otter Series 400
AvGeeks know that there are a few airplanes that are in the "Love ‘em, can’t replace ‘em!" category. The venerable Douglas DC-3 is one. Never duplicated, and still flying, even though the last DC-3 rolled off the assembly line in 1947. The deHavilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter is another. Amazing Short Take Off and Landing (STOL) capability, twin bulletproof Pratt & Whitney Canada turboprops, decent cruise speed, has 19 seats, or it can carry a whack of cargo. But now, Victoria-based Viking Air has restarted production of the Twin Otter, as a new and improved airplane!
Tales from the Ramp at Toronto’s Airport – 1970’s Edition
I was in my late teens in the early 1970s. For two summers, I had the absolutely perfect job that any young AvGeek would ever want – working on the ramp at a major airport. Yes, I’m proud to say that I was a “Ramp Rat”! My summer job was at Toronto International Airport (YYZ), then also known as Malton Airport. I worked in Terminal 1, the uniquely-designed round-concourse “Aeroquay”. It’s long gone, having been demolished and replaced by YYZ’s new T1.