- 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 if they can’t achieve a better offer from their employer by October 22. “Our members are highly skilled and valued workers in the sky,” said Lana Payne, the national president of Unifor, the union representing the pilots. “They deserve to be shown respect and paid a fair wage.”
- Years ago, the Canadian Ninety-Nines, an organization of female pilots, established an award to recognize notable contributions to aviation. Since 1974 they’ve awarded up to $3,500 “… to organizations whose activities promote, improve or preserve aviation and aeronautics in Canada.” Individual members of the 99s are not eligible for this award. This year they awarded $3,500 to the Bomber Command Museum of Canada to help them acquire propeller blades for a Halifax bomber being restored.
- Volatus Aerospace announced recently Phase 2 of their drone project, which collaborates with the Edmonton International Airport on flights using drones that fly within and beyond the controlled airspace surrounding the airport. The project was initiated by Drone Delivery Canada which since merged with Volatus, another Canadian company with leading edge drone technology. Together with the airport authority, Transport Canada and Nav Canada, the project’s second phase is seeing autonomous cargo flights to a location 10 kilometres away – the first for a major commercial airport in North America, according to Volatus. The flights are managed from the company’s operations centre in Toronto, from where control of the flight can be taken if necessary.
- Jazz Airlines has been recognized at a gala in Toronto on Thursday (Oct. 10) as one of “Canada’s Safest Employers” for 2024. The host organization recognizes best-in-class companies in 21 different categories and industries. The Air Canada Express operator won in the Public Transportation category. “This award reflects the outstanding dedication of our entire team to maintaining a culture of safety and accountability,” said Jazz president Randolph deGooyer.
- The Canadian Business Aircraft Association (CBAA) continues to lobby the federal government to alter the luxury tax levied on purchasers of aircraft worth more than $100,000. The organization’s CEO Anthony Norejko met recently with Department of Finance officials recommending the tax threshold be raised to $5 million and that it only be applied to aircraft manufactured in the current year or the year following. He also proposed that the tax be waived should the owner agree to appropriate carbon emission offsets. Norejko signalled that lobbying efforts will continue.
- The government of Nova Scotia has announced the acquisition of four new Airbus H125 helicopters configured for firefighting duty to replace the four H125s currently in service with the province. The deal, announced this week, is valued at $25 million. The four existing H125s which will be traded in, which helped lower the total acquisition cost. The replacement helicopters are expected to arrive next summer.