Gimli Glider Movie Considered
One of Canada’s best flying stories has caught the attention of Hollywood. Inkubate Entertainment is in the early stages of putting the story of the Gimli Glider on the silver screen. “The latest we’ve heard is that they’ve hired two scriptwriters,” Bob Pearson, captain of fuel-starved Air Canada Boeing 767 told CTV “We never know, but we are hopeful, and it’s, of course, something very interesting to be involved in.”
Pearson, who is now 82, was in the left seat of the brand new widebody on July 23, 1983, when it inexplicably ran out of fuel at 38,000 feet over Northern Ontario. “There was a loud bong and the cockpit (and) the flight deck simply went black,” said Pearson. “We (were) a great big glider.”
He and First Officer Maurice Quintal, who has since died, initially headed for Winnipeg for an emergency landing but calculated they wouldn’t make it. The former military airfield at Gimli was closer and they turned toward it. The abandoned runway was filled with families attending go-kart races when the huge aircraft swoops silently into view, side slipping to lose altitude and speed. Although the nosegear wasn’t fully deployed and collapsed on touchdown, there were no injuries on board or on the ground. The aircraft was repaired and went on to fly for the airline for more than 30 years. A mix-up between metric and imperial measures led to insufficient fuel being loaded for the flight from Montreal to Edmonton.
RCAF Rescues Stranded Air India Passengers
Amid unprecedented tensions between India and Canada over anti-Sikh violence allegedly orchestrated by the Indian government, with senior diplomatic staff from both countries declared personae non grata and sent home, the government of Canada sent […]
Some of this Week’s Other Highlights in Brief
The National Airlines Council of Canada (NACC) together with IATA, are set to host ‘Aviation Day Canada’ on October 29 at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. The event is meant to raise awareness of […]
Pilot Decision Making Questioned in Fatal Crash – TSB
In a lengthy accident investigation report released earlier this month that claimed the lives of six men in July 2023, the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) cited inclement weather enroute and pilot decision making as the […]
Some of this Week’s Highlights in Brief
While Air Canada pilots voted recently to ratify the contract offered by their employer, the 18 unionized pilots of the relatively tiny east coast airline Exploits Valley Air Services (EVAS) have voted unanimously to strike […]
Unapproved Mods in Crashed Amphib – TSB
The Transportation Safety Board (TSB) released a report this week (Oct. 3) on their investigation into the June 25, 2023 crash of an ICP Savannah amphibious floatplane into Simpson Lake, about 77 nm southwest of […]
Some of this Week’s Other Highlights in Brief
De Havilland Canada marked the conclusion of its sale of 22 DHC-515 Firefighter aircraft to a consortium of European Union countries on Friday (Oct. 4), while simultaneously announcing a name change for the aircraft. “When […]
BC Helicopter Crash Report Cites Medical Event
In November of 2022 a Geotech Aviation Ltd. Airbus AS350 helicopter was conducting an aerial survey near Kitsault in northwestern British Columbia when it crashed in heavily forested and mountainous terrain, claiming the life of […]
Some of this Week’s Other Highlights in Brief
The Antonov An-124 cargo jet sitting idle at Toronto-Pearson airport for the last 2-1/2 years will probably continue to collect parking fees for another six months, according to news out of Ukraine. That country’s Pravda […]
RCAF Centennary Toonie Released
A reminder of the rich heritage of the Royal Canadian Air Force will soon be jingling with your pocket change. The Royal Canadian Mint has released a toonie commemorating the 100th anniversary of the RCAF. […]
Harbour Air To Start ‘Wheeled’ Service
Vancouver-based Harbour Air has announced it will begin service between Vancouver International’s South Terminal and Victoria using Twin Otters on wheels. The service begins Nov. 4. The airline curretly uses only floatplanes to service dozens […]
Some of This Week’s Other Highlights In Brief
Q400 For Central Mountain Air BC-based Central Mountain Air has begun operations on its largest airframe to date. The regional carrier, which serves mainly coastal and northern communities, is using the Q400 to serve a […]
Window-Washing Drones
It seems that there is no end to innovative and imaginative uses and applications for drones. SkyDweller Technologies of Victoria, British Columbia, founded just last July, is using a drone to wash building façades and […]
Some of this Week’s Other Highlights in Brief
The Ontario government has placed an order with Airbus Helicopters for three H135 helicopters for the Ontario Provincial Police in Ottawa, the Greater Toronto Area and in the OPP’s North West (Thunder Bay) Region. The […]
RCAF, CASARA Employ New Tool in SAR Missions
Search and rescue efforts by the RCAF and the volunteer-run Civil Air Search and Rescue Association (CASARA) are becoming more effective with the implementation of the Cellular Airborne Sensors for Search and Rescue (CASSAR) system. […]
Some of this Week’s Other Highlights in Brief
Piper’s M700 Fury has achieved Transport Canada certification after a Canada-based customer purchased Piper’s latest turboprop. The single-engine aircraft will be certified by TC for flight into known icing conditions. Piper’s fastest aircraft ever, powered […]
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