Saskatoon and Regina Air Service

[SkydivePilot]

Originally Posted by casper

I would view the Toronto city centre airport as being more equivalent to London City Airport. It is regional but also has flights to some more distant destinations. Target is the business traveler market who is willing to pay a premium to fly in/out of the downtown city centre. That market may dry up if the new train between Pearson and Union Station is effective. Both Porter and Air Canada have a limited number of slots available.

If Porter can get the changes done to the airport (and I agree they have an uphill battle to do it) with the limited number of slots they have they will probably slowly switch to serving business destinations where they can charge a premium. I can see them wanting to go to Vancouver and Calgary (if the runway and aircraft can reliability make it without refuelling). Saskatoon is probably only a consideration if they still have slots avaialble and spare aircraft. I can't see it being a priority for them.

Nah, Regina/Saskatoon won't be a priority for BB Airport. If we were, then other [longer-distance] centres would be entering the ring.

When Porter starts flying in Western Canada, Regina/Saskatoon would certainly be part of their route network.

[skyhigh953]

Does anyone know what is being built near the cargo building at yxe? Doesn't look like it is part of the terminal expansion, but I could be wrong.

[kalin_10]

Originally Posted by skyhigh953

Does anyone know what is being built near the cargo building at yxe? Doesn't look like it is part of the terminal expansion, but I could be wrong.

The STARS hangar. Ill post pictures in the near future.

[kalin_10]

PHASE I CONSTRUCTION IS 1 MONTH BEHIND




STARS HANGAR CONSTRUCTION

[Robag]

YQR held their AGM and there are talks of expansion. Here is the link from the Leader~Post.
http://http://www.leaderpost.com/airport+another+expansion/8264914/story.html

As well, check out their annual report here. http://www.yqr.ca/images/corporate/reference-materials/YQR-annual-report-2012-web.pdf

[SkydivePilot]

Originally Posted by casper

Saskatoon is not a planned destination, however if the can convince Toronto City council to permit the runway expansion and removing the ban on jets, it is an impressive network to have from downtown Toronto .....
https://www.porterplans.com/

Wow! If Porter plans to fly to more distant destinations out of BB, that would be incredible for the business traveler! That won't happen for some time though; the runway there would need to be lengthened first. After that, BB would be intensely busy.

[Stormer]

Panorama inside YXE expansion from @CBCSask Twitter

[kalin_10]

Saskatoon airport expanding to meet travel demand

SASKATOON – Renovations are underway at Saskatoon’s John G. Diefenbaker airport (YXE) to meet the need of local and international traveller demands.
The Air Terminal Building Expansion is a $53 million project that will bring more gates and hopefully more travellers to Saskatoon.
President and CEO with the Saskatoon Airport Authority Stephen Maybury said the new terminal will help meet the increasing demand for services at the airport.
“The reality of it is that there is an experience here as our passengers go through. There’s an expectation that that experience will continuously improve. So what we’re doing is dramatically increasing that. We’re taking a huge step forward in resetting the experience,” said Maybury.

Read more...

[Brutopian]

Airport expansion on budget

Phase 1 of project opens in fall

By Scott Larson, The StarPhoenix April 20, 2013

The $53-million expansion taking place at the John G. Diefenbaker Airport is cruising along on budget and on time.

Saskatoon Airport Authority president and CEO Stephen Maybury said the facilities exude a "relaxed environment."

"It will accommodate new air service to the city, but equally will deliver an air service facility that transforms our airport experience from what we have today into a more customer-centric offering," Maybury said.

"That means convenience, comfort and superb services."

Phase 1 of the project is expected to open this fall.

The new terminal features a pier design with eight bridgeable gates and a roof rising upward like a plane taking off.

"The central ceiling spine actually goes up like a jet stream," said Derek Kindrachuk, the project's principal architect with Kindrachuk Agrey Architecture.

"It will follow that jet stream and take off into the sky and focus your attention on the sky and daylight."

[........]

Read more: http://www.thestarphoenix.com/technology/Airport+expansion+budget/8270498/story.html#ixzz2RE3U9qCP

[Brutopian]

Watch a January 16, 2013 interview with Stephen Maybury, CEO of Saskatoon International Airport, here.

[Dougler306]

Originally Posted by Robag

YQR held their AGM and there are talks of expansion. Here is the link from the Leader~Post.
http://http://www.leaderpost.com/airport+another+expansion/8264914/story.html

As well, check out their annual report here. http://www.yqr.ca/images/corporate/reference-materials/YQR-annual-report-2012-web.pdf

This is exciting news!! Someone mentioned a while before that YQR had big expansion plans in mind. The article mentions that lengthening the main runway is not in the cards?? I do understand it has close boundaries on both sides, but couldn't it be rotated downward on more of a 20 degree angle or could also build a new one parallel to pinky road, similar to Calgary's airport which lies between a highway and fields/neighborhoods? But i do realize that it is probably way to expensive for an airport of our size to afford this...

[Nathan]

Originally Posted by Dougler306

This is exciting news!! Someone mentioned a while before that YQR had big expansion plans in mind. The article mentions that lengthening the main runway is not in the cards?? I do understand it has close boundaries on both sides, but couldn't it be rotated downward on more of a 20 degree angle or could also build a new one parallel to pinky road, similar to Calgary's airport which lies between a highway and fields/neighborhoods? But i do realize that it is probably way to expensive for an airport of our size to afford this...

They could probably save the land/air rights over neighbouring properties to get this done if its eventually required for larger aircraft, but I have a feeling we aren't going to have to worry about that for a while.

[SkydivePilot]

Originally Posted by Dougler306

This is exciting news!! Someone mentioned a while before that YQR had big expansion plans in mind. The article mentions that lengthening the main runway is not in the cards?? I do understand it has close boundaries on both sides, but couldn't it be rotated downward on more of a 20 degree angle or could also build a new one parallel to pinky road, similar to Calgary's airport which lies between a highway and fields/neighborhoods? But i do realize that it is probably way to expensive for an airport of our size to afford this...

Uh, one cannot 'rotate' a runway. (For they are simply too massive.) 'Rotating' a simple road would be bad enough.

Calgary's winds blow predominantly North/South.

Runways are oriented with regards to prevailing winds. As of 2002, the prevailing winds at CYQR are out of the southeast [or 130 degrees magnetic] 50.5% of the time. (This is referring to Runway 13-31.) Runway 08-26 runs east/west. The latter is not used as often due to lack of prevailing winds; however, if it is wickedly windy, chances are that the winds are out of the west/southwest. (That's just how the weather systems act in the vicinity of CYQR.)

There are plans to lengthen Rwy 13-31 in the future though. The first phase is to extend the threshold of runway 13 to the northwest by 1100-1200'. This would involve a displaced threshold for landings. It will be extended if cargo ops emanate out of YQR. (GTH thing.)

To build a north/south runway along Pinky would be nice; however, that won't happen in our lifetime. (No prevailing winds blowing N/S within this epoch.)

[Nathan]

Originally Posted by SkydivePilot

Uh, one cannot 'rotate' a runway. (For they are simply too massive.) 'Rotating' a simple road would be bad enough.

Calgary's winds blow predominantly North/South.

Runways are oriented with regards to prevailing winds. As of 2002, the prevailing winds at CYQR are out of the southeast [or 130 degrees magnetic] 50.5% of the time. (This is referring to Runway 13-31.) Runway 08-26 runs east/west. The latter is not used as often due to lack of prevailing winds; however, if it is wickedly windy, chances are that the winds are out of the west/southwest. (That's just how the weather systems act in the vicinity of CYQR.)

There are plans to lengthen Rwy 13-31 in the future though. The first phase is to extend the threshold of runway 13 to the northwest by 1100-1200'. This would involve a displaced threshold for landings. It will be extended if cargo ops emanate out of YQR. (GTH thing.)

To build a north/south runway along Pinky would be nice; however, that won't happen in our lifetime. (No prevailing winds blowing N/S within this epoch.)

Interesting; thanks for the explanation. For some levity, perhaps Dyson could develop a giant non-buffeting prevailing wind redirection airport fan...

[wacko]

Or perhaps Regina could build a new airport in a location with more space.

I wonder how long it would take before runway constraints would become an issue at the airport's current location.

[SkydivePilot]

Originally Posted by wacko

Or perhaps Regina could build a new airport in a location with more space.

I wonder how long it would take before runway constraints would become an issue at the airport's current location.

Exactly! That said, for Regina to build elsewhere, I'd bet that it would be a minimum of a 2-billion-dollar commitment. The most suitable spot would probably be to relocate to the east/northeast of the city. (Due to more likely more favourable soil conditions.)

With the development of Harbour Landing/Grasslands 'n that, YQR will never see a parallel Runway 13-31. (There were plans for that during the '60s/70s.)

This is a subjective remark; however, I think the threshold of Runway 13-31 can be extended to the southeast as well. (With that, also having a displaced threshold for landings.) The potential length of 13-31 would then be around 10,000'.

Our airport is slowly becoming hemmed-in due to development around its periphery. On the other hand, YXE has a wonderful opportunity to prevent any confining, non-airport-related development to the west and north.

[Nathan]

The problem with East or Northeast is that the airport is one of pieces listed as essential to the GTH. Moving it entirely to another area means you lose the synergies associated with having rail, road, and air in one close area.

And I remember thinking, when Harbour Landing was first introduced...
"Won't that hem the airport in?"... Unfortunate planning.

[Dougler306]

^^Thanks for the insight sky, appreciate it. Yes Saskatoon airport does have a nice area for runway extension (but the surrounding land seems very swampy, almost worse then east Regina). As for Regina i suppose lengthening is just really not an option, without extreme costs on our hands. This had to be one of the worst placements tho for a runway?? Before lewvan, there was a rail road, so it would have been hemmed in right from the start. I just think its unfortunate
they don't even have a runway extension in the cards for the future of our airport

[SkydivePilot]

Originally Posted by Dougler306

^^Thanks for the insight sky, appreciate it. Yes Saskatoon airport does have a nice area for runway extension (but the surrounding land seems very swampy, almost worse then east Regina). As for Regina i suppose lengthening is just really not an option, without extreme costs on our hands. This had to be one of the worst placements tho for a runway?? Before lewvan, there was a rail road, so it would have been hemmed in right from the start. I just think its unfortunate
they don't even have a runway extension in the cards for the future of our airport

Yes, you are sooo right! Not only are the Regina Airport runways now shoehorned in; the approach/departures are over very closely-located residential areas. The new aircraft these days have better take-off performance and are quieter than ever. That would certainly mitigate YQR's predicament.

If the GTH ever requires cargo-related air service, there are plans to extend the runway in order to address that. A longer runway results in a superior Accelerate/Stop Distance and an improved V1 speed which would be very appealing to cargo-only operators. Until then though, YQR doesn't need a runway extension.

YQR's present site is actually the fourth airport location at Regina! The preceding three were at: the Exhibition Grounds; where St. Pius X school presently is; and where the Golden Mile presently sits.

[chris]

Question: does Saskatoon's CBD have a height limit? It appears that one of the runways is located not too far from Saskatoon's downtown...would this limit the height of some of the buildings there?