NavCanada Aiming to Transition 6 Towers to FSS

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DHC-1 Jockey
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NavCanada Aiming to Transition 6 Towers to FSS

Post by DHC-1 Jockey »

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/nav-ca ... -1.5813372

Highlights from the article:

CBC News obtained an internal memo from Nav Canada president and CEO Neil Wilson informing staff that the not-for-profit company — which operates Canada's civil air navigation system — is conducting studies of air traffic control towers in Whitehorse, Regina, Fort McMurray, Prince George, Sault Ste. Marie and Windsor which "will result in workforce adjustments."

The company also is looking into closing a control tower in St. Jean, Quebec. These locations were identified as having low-air traffic levels, even prior to the pandemic, the memo said. The company is also looking into transitioning the other six towers to "Flight Service Stations," which would involve cutting air traffic controller jobs.
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kevenv
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Re: NavCanada Aiming to Transition 6 Towers to FSS

Post by kevenv »

DHC-1 Jockey wrote: Tue Nov 24, 2020 1:18 pm https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/nav-ca ... -1.5813372

Highlights from the article:

CBC News obtained an internal memo from Nav Canada president and CEO Neil Wilson informing staff that the not-for-profit company — which operates Canada's civil air navigation system — is conducting studies of air traffic control towers in Whitehorse, Regina, Fort McMurray, Prince George, Sault Ste. Marie and Windsor which "will result in workforce adjustments."

The company also is looking into closing a control tower in St. Jean, Quebec. These locations were identified as having low-air traffic levels, even prior to the pandemic, the memo said. The company is also looking into transitioning the other six towers to "Flight Service Stations," which would involve cutting air traffic controller jobs.
The company has announced a level of service review which involves all stakeholders. I believe this was being driven/decided before the pandemic and is not a result of it.
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DHC-1 Jockey
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Re: NavCanada Aiming to Transition 6 Towers to FSS

Post by DHC-1 Jockey »

kevenv wrote: Tue Nov 24, 2020 2:57 pm The company has announced a level of service review which involves all stakeholders. I believe this was being driven/decided before the pandemic and is not a result of it.
Yeah I know this was announced a while ago, but I wasn’t aware if the specific airports were mentioned.

I’m surprised with YAM being under review. When I was an ATC trainee 2014-2017 they always had numbers comparable to YXU, and way more than YHM, but YXU and YHM aren’t under review.

And then there are airports with FSS that I always thought should have a tower, like YSB (it was formerly a towered airport). I believe it had almost double the traffic that YQG had, and YQG has a tower, which I can only assume is because of its proximity to the U.S. border.
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kevenv
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Re: NavCanada Aiming to Transition 6 Towers to FSS

Post by kevenv »

DHC-1 Jockey wrote: Tue Nov 24, 2020 3:23 pm
kevenv wrote: Tue Nov 24, 2020 2:57 pm The company has announced a level of service review which involves all stakeholders. I believe this was being driven/decided before the pandemic and is not a result of it.
Yeah I know this was announced a while ago, but I wasn’t aware if the specific airports were mentioned.

I’m surprised with YAM being under review. When I was an ATC trainee 2014-2017 they always had numbers comparable to YXU, and way more than YHM, but YXU and YHM aren’t under review.

And then there are airports with FSS that I always thought should have a tower, like YSB (it was formerly a towered airport). I believe it had almost double the traffic that YQG had, and YQG has a tower, which I can only assume is because of its proximity to the U.S. border.
I am surprised to see Windsor on the list. As far as I know it's been slow for a long time but was kept open because of its proximity to Detroit/the border. They have opened towers in YMM, YFC and didn't Red Deer just open one?
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2112
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Re: NavCanada Aiming to Transition 6 Towers to FSS

Post by 2112 »

kevenv wrote: Tue Nov 24, 2020 2:57 pm And then there are airports with FSS that I always thought should have a tower, like YSB (it was formerly a towered airport).
Agree 100% CYSB could benefit from having a tower again as well as Buttonville that place is an mid-air in the making.
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780Pilot
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Re: NavCanada Aiming to Transition 6 Towers to FSS

Post by 780Pilot »

YMM makes sense sadly. All the oil strips (Firebag, Albian, Horizon) are class E and run just fine. YMM doesn't see many movements these days anyway so class E would probably work. Also look at some of the comments on that CBC article. Absolutely hilarious how clueless people are. Just goes to show you what the general public thinks of aviation.
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