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Community AIR asks that the Q400 be grounded

Robert Deluce, the president of Porter Airlines, says Porter will continue to use the Bombardier Q400, and will purchase even more of the aircraft, despite the decision of SAS to remove all of their Q400 from their fleet.  On October 27 another Q400 aircraft had landing gear problems in Copenhagen, Denmark.  This is the thirteenth major safety problem with a Q400 in recent months. 
Porter Air, operating out of the Island Airport, has had two incidents where they had problems with landing gear on their aircraft.  On September 14, 2007 Community AIR wrote Prime Minister Harper reviewing the problems with this aircraft and asking that the Q400 be taken out of service until a full safety audit is complete.  (see attached letter)  As yet we have not received a reply. 
Not only are there serious problems with the Q400 but there are very serious safety deficiencies at the Island Airport.

  • Short runways:  A fully loaded Q400 requires 1402 metres for take off and landing. 
    The longest runway at the Island Airport is only 1220 meters
  • Stop ways:  The International Civil Aviation Organization calls for stop ways at the end of each runway to be a minimum of 90 metres long, and 240 metres long where possible.  The Island Airport’s stop way for its longest runway is 91 metres in the east.  In the west the stop way is only 85 metres. These cannot be expanded.
  • Bird Strikes: Transport Canada has reported 14 bird strikes involving the Q400 at the Island Airport since last May. The airport abuts a bird sanctuary, and nearby Leslie Street Spit, is home to hundreds of thousands of birds.
  • Safety hazards:  The Island Airport has an unusually large number of "pilot cautions," including high rise buildings and smoke stacks.
  • Buildings: A Q400 with landing gear problems at the Island Airport could easily skid into buildings or the harbour with serious risk to life.

These are serious safety problems.  "If Porter insists on continuing to use the Q400, they should be using Pearson, which has adequate runways, and longer stop ways" said Bill Freeman, spokesman of Community AIR.  "In our view the Porter Q400 planes must be grounded until there is a full safety audit by an independent aviation expert."