- Air North has recently acquired a Boeing 737-8AL through leasing firm Aircraft Engine Lease Finance (AELF) of Chicago. This brings to two of the more modern 737s in Air North’s fleet and adds to the existing fleet of four 737-500s and one of the 400 series. Boeing 737s up to the 500 series are considered “classic 737s” while later variants, 600 and above, with redesigned wings with a larger wingspan and other upgrades, are part of the Next Generation series, or 737NG. The airline plans to gradually retire its older 737s.
- The first batch of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) to be sold by Shell Canada was purchased by Westjet. “Thanks to Shell’s world-class fuel supply chain and WestJet’s proven track record in sustainability, this first step sets the stage for future collaboration and innovation to encourage investments in this important lever for decarbonization,” said Westjet Executive V-P Angela Avery.
- Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) reminds drone operators that regulations prohibit flights over traffic collision sites. This in response to an incident where images taken by a drone of a crash site with fatalities were circulated on social media. Relatives saw images of their vehicle and its driver, not completely covered by a tarp, before next-of-kin had been officially notified. The OPP were referring to Transport Canada’s website which says drone pilots are not allowed to fly “within the security perimeter of a police or first responder emergency operation, such as a traffic accident.”
- According to NORAD’s new commander, the federal government’s recently released defence policy update, Our North, Strong and Free, is “very encouraging.” U.S. Air Force General Gregory Guillot, in the job since February, is midway through a 90-day assessment of NORAD. In an interview in Ottawa last week, Gen. Guillot said he plans to focus more on the North to ensure greater mobility in the region. “On the U.S. side, (there are) a lot of capable forces that have never been up there,” said the general. “So my goal is to bring them up for exercises. The challenge in the Arctic, from my perspective, is to make sure that we have freedom of movement.”