Latest news with #AirInuit
CBC
05-07-2025
- General
- CBC
Young Inuit take to the skies in pilot training program with dreams of serving Nunavik
, Francis Tessier-Burns This was part of Air Inuit's Sparrow training program, which aims to increase the number of Inuit pilots Image | Air Inuit Dash 8 Caption: Two of Air Inuit's Dash-8 aircraft. The airline has been running its Sparrow training program to attract more Inuit pilots since 2014. (Jean-François Bélanger/Radio-Canada) An enthusiastic applause greets Melissa Haney as she walks into a classroom at Iguarsivik high school in Puvirnituq, Nunavik. She was just introduced as the first Inuk woman to captain a Boeing 737. The students hang on every word as she recounts her story — a childhood dream that seemed out of reach, but finally came true thanks to perseverance. "Who wants to become a pilot?" she finally asks the students. One, two, three timid hands go up. Then one of them speaks up and asks, "What if I fail?" "Failing is part of becoming successful," says a teacher. "But nothing is impossible if you believe in yourself." A lifeline for communities Hanley regularly flies Air Inuit's route between Montreal and Puvirnituq. Originally from Inukjuak, a village above the 58th parallel, she knows firsthand what life is like in the community for these students. "We know there are many challenges for youth in the North," she told Radio-Canada. "There's a gap in education levels and infrastructure right from elementary school. They need a bit of a helping hand. Our message is that, 'yes, you can do it and we're here to help you'." In addition to being a pilot for Air Inuit, Hanley also coordinates the airline's Sparrow training program. The initiative, which started in 2014, is meant to increase the number of Inuit pilots flying in Nunavik. Each year, the airline selects a handful of candidates and sends them to a flying academy in the Montreal area. The candidates are also guaranteed a job with the airline if they successfully complete the training. Image | Melissa Hanley tarmac Caption: When flying to Nunavik communities, Melissa Haney will sometimes stop by the schools to talk about her career and the Sparrow training program. (Jean-François Bélanger/Radio-Canada) Open Image in New Tab "We're about 240 pilots at Air Inuit, but barely 10 per cent are actually Inuit," says Hanley. "It's important for Inuit from Nunavik to work here. It's their airline." Unlike many other smaller airlines, Hanley says Air Inuit isn't seen as a stepping stone for local pilots. "Inuit pilots want to stay in the North," she says. "That means good employees that stick around longer." It also means the pilots are already well-adapted to flying conditions: 35 knot winds in -35 C, blowing snow across gravel runways, and limited ground services. "You have to love flying and working in the North because the conditions are extreme," says Hanley. For many, piloting in the North isn't just a job, it's a calling. In Nunavik, air travel isn't considered a luxury like it is in many other parts of the country; it's a lifeline that connects isolated villages dotted across the vast landscape, be it for food, supplies, or services. The four students currently in the Sparrow program are well aware of this responsibility. "Working for Air Inuit means you're helping people in communities and you see the results," says Geneviève Whiteley, one of the participants. Flying is a family affair for Whiteley — her brother previously completed the training program. Lifelong dreams Nicolas Pirti Duplessis, another student, is also dedicated to helping his community. "For me, it's about serving my people, my friends, my family," he says. At 35, he's the oldest one of the cohort. "My mom had to take the plane to give birth to me. Two weeks later, she was flying back home," he said. Aviation, he adds, "has always been fascinating to me, a passion since I was young." Growing up, Duplessis remembers travelling by Twin Otter and being seated right behind the pilots, watching their every move. He'd then try and replicate those gestures at home. Siinasi Tassé Dion is another student. His face lights up when he starts talking about airplanes and flying. "I've always wanted to become a pilot," he said. "That idea makes me really happy." Growing up in Kuujjuaq, his father was in charge of maintaining the airport's tarmac. He remembers going to work with his father on days when school was closed due to a snowstorm and riding along in the plow to clear the runway. Later, Tassé Dion became a baggage handler and would daydream of one day sitting behind the controls as he was loading bags onto a Dash-8. Now working to make that dream a reality, he said, "I've never been so motivated in life… It's what you're going to be doing every day and paving a road for the kids. It's a feeling that never gets old." 'Every day is something new' However, the aspiring pilots still have much to learn. Their training is the same as others enrolled at the academy — a difficult, demanding and rigorous two-year process that's capped off with Transport Canada exams, known for being very tough to pass. Students spend hours in the classroom learning about various flying-related subjects, including regulations, the principles and dynamics of flight, radio communication, and weather. "There's so much. Lots of information. Every day is something new," says Tassé Dion. Andrew Watt, a fellow student who's also from Kuujjuaq, echoes that point. "Once you start, it's straight on," he said. "It's quite overwhelming to be honest." Together, the four Sparrow students can both lean on one another when needed, and push each other to succeed. The challenges also extend beyond the classroom. "Moving here is hard," says Watt. "You know, you're away from family, you're homesick. I've been calling home every day." Once the Christmas break rolled around, Watt and Tassé Dion left Montreal to go back home to Kuujjuaq and spend some time on the land. "Nothing replaces that connection," said Watt while sitting on a snowmobile and hunting for ptarmigan. "I was born here, I'm going to die here." Tassé Dion admits that he was exhausted from all the flight school work. "Home is always going to be home," he says. "When I go out on the land, it always cleans my mind." First solo Weeks later, the students reconvene down south and continue along their shared journey. There will be several steps over the next two years before they can acquire their commercial pilot's licence — getting a private licence, night and instrument certifications, among others. One of the first steps is also one of the most important: a first solo flight. Whiteley is the first of the four to receive this honour. Alone behind the controls of a Cessna 152, she takes off, does a loop over the borough of Saint-Hubert and lands again, so focused she barely recognizes the significance of the moment. "When you're alone, you tell yourself, 'OK, if anything happens, I'm the only one responsible.' It adds an extra layer of stress, but you also realize that you can do it," she says after the experience. Duplessis says he had butterflies in his stomach throughout his solo flight, especially during the final approach. Once he felt the wheels of his Cessna touch down, he heard crackling in his headset and a voice from the control tower. "Congratulations on your first solo." As soon as the aircraft stops moving, Duplessis opens the cockpit door and shouts, "I'm alive!" When it's finally Tassé Dion's turn to take to the skies, he can barely contain his joy. His first solo flight has been delayed multiple times due to inclement weather or the airspace being too busy. "It's unreal. I'm living the dream. Words can't describe how happy I am," he says after his successful flight, still wet from the bucket of water he just received to the face. "I was actually giggling because my instructor's not there on my side. I'm alone… I was singing a song, Bohemian Rhapsody." After their flights, each student is met by their instructor on the tarmac with a large bucket of ice water that's promptly dumped on them — an old aviation tradition to mark this aerial baptism. Haney is also there to congratulate the young pilots. "I have goosebumps," she said, remembering going through those same steps several years ago. "They should be proud. They started from nothing and now they're flying a plane on their own. It's really amazing." While many students in the Sparrow program dropped out of the training over the years, Haney is convinced this cohort will succeed. And after seeing their progress, she can already imagine them as future colleagues with whom she may one day fly over Nunavik.
Global News
23-05-2025
- Global News
Canada hosts more old passenger jets than any other country. Here's why
Each morning, travellers and cargo take off from Montreal's Trudeau airport for a 1,600-kilometre flight to Puvirnituq in northern Quebec aboard a nearly 50-year-old Air Inuit plane. This seasoned Boeing 737 previously cruised the skies above Europe and Central Africa for now-defunct carriers in France, Gabon and the Congo. But now its trips are all-Canadian, shuttling people, food and building materials between the country's second-biggest city and a village of 2,100. The aging aircraft is no outlier in Canada, which plays host to more old jets deployed for passenger service than any other country. Their age can pose challenges for maintenance and fuel efficiency, while others question the safety of second-hand haulers, but operators say they are ideally suited for commercial flights to remote destinations. Thirteen of the 30 oldest jets in the world carrying travellers on scheduled or charter routes are operating in Canada, according to figures from ch-aviation, an industry data provider. All 13 are Boeing 737-200s between 42 and 52 years old. Story continues below advertisement Venezuela is the runner-up, with six jets in the top 30. The United States notches three. Counterintuitively, Canada's sprawling geography, harsh weather and rugged airstrips are the reason it relies more heavily on old planes than on newer, sleeker models. 'The reason why Air Inuit still flies the 200 series is not by choice but by obligation,' said CEO Christian Busch, whose 36-plane fleet includes four of the classic narrow-bodies. Three — all among the oldest 30 globally — house passengers in the back half and freight in the front. Much of the rationale boils down to unpaved airstrips. 1:28 Boeing workers to vote on new wage deal Air Inuit flies aircraft on gravel runways, and the 737-200 is among the few jets approved to land on such surfaces. Story continues below advertisement That's because the beefy Boeing, which entered into service in 1968 and ceased production 20 years later, was designed to be fitted with a gravel kit. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy That modification includes a deflector on the nose wheel that shields the underbelly from flying rock fragments. It also blows compressed air in front of each engine to prevent debris from entering the turbofans, which could be damaged and shut down. All but seven of Canada's 117 'remote northern airports' are unpaved, according to a 2017 auditor general's report on aviation infrastructure in the North. 'We have a 737-800 on the fleet. I would love to fly that aircraft up north, but where can I land it?' asked Marco Prud'Homme, president of charter airline Nolinor Aviation. 'I mean, it's all unpaved runways.' While some of its vintage Boeings fly to villages, about half of Nolinor's flights descend on a half-dozen remote mines, transporting workers, groceries and supplies via 737-200 to an open-pit project in Nunavut and other northern operations. Mining companies avoid paving runways in part because asphalt and concrete are harder to rehabilitate when the site closes. More importantly for northern areas, permafrost can melt in the summer, creating cracks or large ripples in the runway. 'If you pave the runway, after one year you will have to start again,' Prud'Homme said. Story continues below advertisement While many airlines deploy a mix of turboprop planes — which can land on gravel — and jets, the former are far slower and thus less appealing for passenger travel. 'If you have to use a turboprop aircraft to get there, it's going to take forever,' said Prud'Homme, whose 14-aircraft fleet includes nine 'well-loved' 737-200s — more than any other carrier, he claims. Eight are among the 50 oldest passenger jets in the world deployed for passenger service, according to ch-aviation. The two longest-serving veterans are 50 and 51 years old, making them third- and fourth-oldest globally, right behind a pair of U.S.-based charter jets, the oldest of which was built in 1971 — for the now-defunct Canadian Airlines. Geriatric planes are not without issues. They guzzle more fuel and cause greater maintenance headaches, said Air Inuit's Busch. 'It's not as easy as maintaining new or modern aircraft,' whose components may be more readily available, he noted. Seemingly basic items can pose big problems. Finding parts to swap out a broken washroom lock can be tougher than changing an engine starter, Busch said. 1:54 Can airlines, officials better forecast severe turbulence to help avoid it? But Prud'Homme says components come at a lower cost than parts for newer jets and can be sourced easily enough. Story continues below advertisement While flying on a creaky plane from the '70s might give some passengers the jitters, there is little evidence of safety issues. A 2014 study by the MIT International Center for Air Transportation found there is no link between aircraft age and fatal accident rates in North America and Europe. Proper maintenance is far more important than the manufacturing date, said Pierre Clément, director of aviation at Glencore Canada's Raglan Mine, which sits in Nunavik near the northernmost tip of Quebec. 'There's no concern as far as safety is concerned because the airplanes are maintained,' he said. Glencore, whose two 46-year-old 737-200s rank among the 15 oldest passenger planes worldwide, flies a mechanic on every trip along with numerous replacement parts, Clément said. To avoid unexpected repairs, the company takes precautionary steps such as changing the tires after fewer landings than most carriers would. 'We know that if an airplane breaks down at the mine, it will cost a lot of money to fix it there,' he said. Though still a linchpin of remote air travel, Canada's stable of senior 737-200s may shrink as new solutions emerge. Glencore is taking ground temperature tests year-round to see if decreasing permafrost would allow for an asphalt runway. An airstrip made of aluminum planks is another option, but pricier. Story continues below advertisement The Quebec government announced last year it would commit up to $50 million to treat the gravel runway in Puvirnituq with a product that will make the strip harder and less prone to kicking up debris, among other renovations. 'We're working with Transport Canada to be able to fly a modern jet on a new surface type,' said Busch. He hopes to get a greenlight for newer planes to take off there as early as next year.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
Why Canada hosts more old passenger jets than any other country — by far
MONTREAL — Each morning, travellers and cargo take off from Montreal's Trudeau airport for a 1,600-kilometre flight to Puvirnituq in northern Quebec aboard a nearly 50-year-old Air Inuit plane. This seasoned Boeing 737 previously cruised the skies above Europe and Central Africa for now-defunct carriers in France, Gabon and the Congo. But now its trips are all-Canadian, shuttling people, food and building materials between the country's second-biggest city and a village of 2,100. The aging aircraft is no outlier in Canada, which plays host to more old jets deployed for passenger service than any other country. Their age can pose challenges for maintenance and fuel efficiency, while others question the safety of second-hand haulers, but operators say they are ideally suited for commercial flights to remote destinations. Thirteen of the 30 oldest jets in the world carrying travellers on scheduled or charter routes are operating in Canada, according to figures from ch-aviation, an industry data provider. All 13 are Boeing 737-200s between 42 and 52 years old. Venezuela is the runner-up, with six jets in the top 30. The United States notches three. Counterintuitively, Canada's sprawling geography, harsh weather and rugged airstrips are the reason it relies more heavily on old planes than on newer, sleeker models. 'The reason why Air Inuit still flies the 200 series is not by choice but by obligation,' said CEO Christian Busch, whose 36-plane fleet includes four of the classic narrow-bodies. Three — all among the oldest 30 globally — house passengers in the back half and freight in the front. Much of the rationale boils down to unpaved runways. 'We're still flying aircraft on gravel runways, and the 737-200 is the only aircraft approved to land — jet aircraft approved to land — on gravel to this date,' he said. That's because the beefy Boeing, which entered into service in 1968 and ceased production 20 years later, was designed to be fitted with a gravel kit. That modification includes a deflector on the nose wheel that shields the underbelly from flying rock fragments. It also blows compressed air in front of each engine to prevent debris from entering the turbofans, which could be damaged and shut down. All but seven of Canada's 117 "remote northern airports" are unpaved, according to a 2017 auditor general's report on aviation infrastructure in the North. "We have a 737-800 on the fleet. I would love to fly that aircraft up north, but where can I land it?" asked Marco Prud'Homme, president of charter airline Nolinor Aviation. "I mean, it's all unpaved runways." While some of its vintage Boeings fly to villages, about half of Nolinor's flights descend on a half-dozen remote mines, transporting workers, groceries and supplies via 737-200 to an open-pit project in Nunavut and other northern operations. Mining companies avoid paving runways in part because asphalt and concrete are harder to rehabilitate when the site closes. More importantly for northern areas, permafrost can melt in the summer, creating cracks or large ripples in the runway. 'If you pave the runway, after one year you will have to start again,' Prud'Homme said. While many airlines deploy a mix of turboprop planes — which can land on gravel — and jets, the former are far slower and thus less appealing for passenger travel. 'If you have to use a turboprop aircraft to get there, it's going to take forever,' said Prud'Homme, whose 14-aircraft fleet includes nine "well-loved" 737-200s — more than any other carrier, he claims. Eight are among the 50 oldest passenger jets in the world deployed for passenger service, according to ch-aviation. The two longest-serving veterans are 50 and 51 years old, making them third- and fourth-oldest globally, right behind a pair of U.S.-based charter jets, the oldest of which was built in 1971 — for the now-defunct Canadian Airlines. Geriatric planes are not without issues. They guzzle more fuel and cause greater maintenance headaches, said Air Inuit's Busch. 'It's not as easy as maintaining new or modern aircraft,' whose components may be more readily available, he noted. Seemingly basic items can pose big problems. Finding parts to swap out a broken washroom lock can be tougher than changing an engine starter, Busch said. But Prud'Homme says components come at a lower cost than parts for newer jets and can be sourced easily enough. While flying on a creaky plane from the '70s might give some passengers the jitters, there is little evidence of safety issues. A 2014 study by the MIT International Center for Air Transportation found there is no link between aircraft age and fatal accident rates in North America and Europe. Proper maintenance is far more important than the manufacturing date, said Pierre Clément, director of aviation at Glencore Canada's Raglan Mine, which sits in Nunavik near the northernmost tip of Quebec. 'There's no concern as far as safety is concerned because the airplanes are maintained,' he said. Glencore, whose two 46-year-old 737-200s rank among the 15 oldest passenger planes worldwide, flies a mechanic on every trip along with numerous replacement parts, Clément said. To avoid unexpected repairs, the company takes precautionary steps such as changing the tires after fewer landings than most carriers would. 'We know that if an airplane breaks down at the mine, it will cost a lot of money to fix it there,' he said. Though still a linchpin of remote air travel, Canada's stable of senior 737-200s may shrink as new solutions emerge. Glencore is taking ground temperature tests year-round to see if decreasing permafrost would allow for an asphalt runway. An airstrip made of aluminum planks is another option, but pricier. The Quebec government announced last year it would commit up to $50 million to treat the gravel runway in Puvirnituq with a product that will make the strip harder and less prone to kicking up debris, among other renovations. "We're working with Transport Canada to be able to fly a modern jet on a new surface type," said Busch. He hopes to get a greenlight for newer planes to take off there as early as next year. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 18, 2025. Christopher Reynolds, The Canadian Press
Toronto Star
19-05-2025
- Toronto Star
Why Canada hosts more old passenger jets than any other country — by far
MONTREAL - Each morning, travellers and cargo take off from Montreal's Trudeau airport for a 1,600-kilometre flight to Puvirnituq in northern Quebec aboard a nearly 50-year-old Air Inuit plane. This seasoned Boeing 737 previously cruised the skies above Europe and Central Africa for now-defunct carriers in France, Gabon and the Congo. But now its trips are all-Canadian, shuttling people, food and building materials between the country's second-biggest city and a village of 2,100.
Vancouver Sun
18-05-2025
- Vancouver Sun
Why Canada's north relies on 50-year-old jets to keeps passengers, supplies moving
Each morning, travellers and cargo take off from Montreal's Trudeau airport for a 1,600-kilometre flight to Puvirnituq in northern Quebec aboard a nearly 50-year-old Air Inuit plane. This seasoned Boeing 737 previously cruised the skies above Europe and Central Africa for now-defunct carriers in France, Gabon and the Congo. But now its trips are all-Canadian, shuttling people, food and building materials between the country's second-biggest city and a village of 2,100. The aging aircraft is no outlier in Canada, which plays host to more old jets deployed for passenger service than any other country. Their age can pose challenges for maintenance and fuel efficiency, while others question the safety of second-hand haulers, but operators say they are ideally suited for commercial flights to remote destinations. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Thirteen of the 30 oldest jets in the world carrying travellers on scheduled or charter routes are operating in Canada, according to figures from ch-aviation, an industry data provider. All 13 are Boeing 737-200s between 42 and 52 years old. Venezuela is the runner-up, with six jets in the top 30. The United States notches three. Counterintuitively, Canada's sprawling geography, harsh weather and rugged airstrips are the reason it relies more heavily on old planes than on newer, sleeker models. 'The reason why Air Inuit still flies the 200 series is not by choice but by obligation,' said CEO Christian Busch, whose 36-plane fleet includes four of the classic narrow-bodies. Three — all among the oldest 30 globally — house passengers in the back half and freight in the front. Much of the rationale boils down to unpaved runways. 'We're still flying aircraft on gravel runways, and the 737-200 is the only aircraft approved to land — jet aircraft approved to land — on gravel to this date,' he said. That's because the beefy Boeing, which entered into service in 1968 and ceased production 20 years later, was designed to be fitted with a gravel kit. That modification includes a deflector on the nose wheel that shields the underbelly from flying rock fragments. It also blows compressed air in front of each engine to prevent debris from entering the turbofans, which could be damaged and shut down. All but seven of Canada's 117 'remote northern airports' are unpaved, according to a 2017 auditor general's report on aviation infrastructure in the North. 'We have a 737-800 on the fleet. I would love to fly that aircraft up north, but where can I land it?' asked Marco Prud'Homme, president of charter airline Nolinor Aviation. 'I mean, it's all unpaved runways.' While some of its vintage Boeings fly to villages, about half of Nolinor's flights descend on a half-dozen remote mines, transporting workers, groceries and supplies via 737-200 to an open-pit project in Nunavut and other northern operations. Mining companies avoid paving runways in part because asphalt and concrete are harder to rehabilitate when the site closes. More importantly for northern areas, permafrost can melt in the summer, creating cracks or large ripples in the runway. 'If you pave the runway, after one year you will have to start again,' Prud'Homme said. While many airlines deploy a mix of turboprop planes — which can land on gravel — and jets, the former are far slower and thus less appealing for passenger travel. 'If you have to use a turboprop aircraft to get there, it's going to take forever,' said Prud'Homme, whose 14-aircraft fleet includes nine 'well-loved' 737-200s — more than any other carrier, he claims. Eight are among the 50 oldest passenger jets in the world deployed for passenger service, according to ch-aviation. The two longest-serving veterans are 50 and 51 years old, making them third- and fourth-oldest globally, right behind a pair of U.S.-based charter jets, the oldest of which was built in 1971 — for the now-defunct Canadian Airlines. Geriatric planes are not without issues. They guzzle more fuel and cause greater maintenance headaches, said Air Inuit's Busch. 'It's not as easy as maintaining new or modern aircraft,' whose components may be more readily available, he noted. Seemingly basic items can pose big problems. Finding parts to swap out a broken washroom lock can be tougher than changing an engine starter, Busch said. But Prud'Homme says components come at a lower cost than parts for newer jets and can be sourced easily enough. While flying on a creaky plane from the '70s might give some passengers the jitters, there is little evidence of safety issues. A 2014 study by the MIT International Center for Air Transportation found there is no link between aircraft age and fatal accident rates in North America and Europe. Proper maintenance is far more important than the manufacturing date, said Pierre Clement, director of aviation at Glencore Canada's Raglan Mine, which sits in Nunavik near the northernmost tip of Quebec. 'There's no concern as far as safety is concerned because the airplanes are maintained,' he said. Glencore, whose two 46-year-old 737-200s rank among the 15 oldest passenger planes worldwide, flies a mechanic on every trip along with numerous replacement parts, Clement said. To avoid unexpected repairs, the company takes precautionary steps such as changing the tires after fewer landings than most carriers would. 'We know that if an airplane breaks down at the mine, it will cost a lot of money to fix it there,' he said. Though still a linchpin of remote air travel, Canada's stable of senior 737-200s may shrink as new solutions emerge. Glencore is taking ground temperature tests year-round to see if decreasing permafrost would allow for an asphalt runway. An airstrip made of aluminum planks is another option, but pricier. The Quebec government announced last year it would commit up to $50 million to treat the gravel runway in Puvirnituq with a product that will make the strip harder and less prone to kicking up debris, among other renovations. 'We're working with Transport Canada to be able to fly a modern jet on a new surface type,' said Busch. He hopes to get a green light for newer planes to take off there as early as next year. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
