Saskatoon and Regina Air Service

[EpicPonyTime]

Originally Posted by 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?

Yeah, some of the flight paths go directly over downtown so there is a height restriction in place. I'm not sure what the exact limit is, though.

[Ruckus]

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[chris]

Originally Posted by EpicPonyTime

Yeah, some of the flight paths go directly over downtown so there is a height restriction in place. I'm not sure what the exact limit is, though.

And does this height limit cover the entire downtown or just parts of it?

[EpicPonyTime]

Originally Posted by chris

And does this height limit cover the entire downtown or just parts of it?

Not sure if it would cover the North Downtown area that the city is planning to develop (I assume it would), but it covers the area around the river where the apartment buildings and the majority of tower development is. I remember the height restrictions being an issue a few years ago when the city was discussing potential developments on the riverside.

Also, I looked it up and Wikipedia says the height restriction is 76 metres.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Height_restriction_laws

[Brutopian]

Originally Posted by EpicPonyTime

Not sure if it would cover the North Downtown area that the city is planning to develop (I assume it would), but it covers the area around the river where the apartment buildings and the majority of tower development is. I remember the height restrictions being an issue a few years ago when the city was discussing potential developments on the riverside.

Also, I looked it up and Wikipedia says the height restriction is 76 metres.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Height_restriction_laws

The 27-storey condo tower slated to be built at River Landing Village in Saskatoon's south downtown is slated to be 91.75 metres; so, I doubt that this Wikipedia entry is correct.

[kalin_10]

Originally Posted by Ruckus

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Nice pictures Ruckus! I think we are going to make you the official photographer for the YXE expansion post May as I will not longer have the "inside" advantage for the expansion. My last pictorial update will be the end of day, maybe my last day of work there.

[Robag]

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

I really don't think YQR needs to worry about runway extension for a long time. The future of air travel into our fair city will be regional jets with more frequency for the most part. The largest cargo aircraft we get right now is a B727, which our runways handle no problem. We have had a B767-300 from LAN-Chile to do a pig run, so we know the main runway can handle the bigger cargo planes as well. We've also had a B747-400 land here with the Chinese president 15 or 20 years ago, and had no issues, as well as the Concorde when the French president did a Canadian tour in the late 80's. I don't see a need in the next 20 - 30 years to build a new runway or extend the current 13/31 in my opinion.

[EpicPonyTime]

Originally Posted by Brutopian

The 27-storey condo tower slated to be built at River Landing Village in Saskatoon's south downtown is slated to be 91.75 metres; so, I doubt that this Wikipedia entry is correct.

The CBC article that the Wikipedia page cites is from 2008 and I recall there being a lot of discussion over River Landing's height in relation to the flight plans, so I don't know. I wasn't following the discussion closely enough five years ago to know if they increased it or just gave River Landing an exemption.

[casper]

Originally Posted by EpicPonyTime

The CBC article that the Wikipedia page cites is from 2008 and I recall there being a lot of discussion over River Landing's height in relation to the flight plans, so I don't know. I wasn't following the discussion closely enough five years ago to know if they increased it or just gave River Landing an exemption.

My understanding was the flight path only impact part of the downtown area. I believe the city bylaw limit was also more restrictive that the Transport Canada limit. However this is going from memory from some time ago. I could be wrong.

[Ruckus]

Originally Posted by kalin_10

Nice pictures Ruckus! I think we are going to make you the official photographer for the YXE expansion post May as I will not longer have the "inside" advantage for the expansion. My last pictorial update will be the end of day, maybe my last day of work there.

ehhh no problem. Maybe I'll find time to sneak in and get some close-ups haha

When is construction supposed to wrap up?

[SkydivePilot]

Originally Posted by Robag

I really don't think YQR needs to worry about runway extension for a long time. The future of air travel into our fair city will be regional jets with more frequency for the most part. The largest cargo aircraft we get right now is a B727, which our runways handle no problem. We have had a B767-300 from LAN-Chile to do a pig run, so we know the main runway can handle the bigger cargo planes as well. We've also had a B747-400 land here with the Chinese president 15 or 20 years ago, and had no issues, as well as the Concorde when the French president did a Canadian tour in the late 80's. I don't see a need in the next 20 - 30 years to build a new runway or extend the current 13/31 in my opinion.

Yes, but cargo-only operators like to have as much runway space as possible. If the GTH requires more extensive air cargo ops, the runway will need to be lengthened. (I have been empirically apprised of that fact; even though that won't happen for quite a while.) Many people don't realize that very large aircraft arriving/departing Regina [or similarly-endowed airports] AVOID operating with more onboard fuel than what is required - no matter what the payload may be. (Carriers calculate, as close as possible, the required IFR fuel for: Taxi; departure; enroute; approach; missed-approach; alternate; IFR reserve and contingency. These preconditions don't usually even require full tanks.) A large-type of aircraft would have a bitch of a time [if at all] departing YQR in high density altitude conditions at max weight. I'll guarantee anyone that.

Yes, Regina has accommodated noteworthy large aircraft in the past:

Early '70s, AC L-1011s;
1960s-82, DC-8 41/42/43/53/61/63s;
early-mid '80s, AC & PW B767 200s; Wardair B747-200s/DC-10-30s;
six Air Canada B747-200s in May '92;
a Czechoslovakian Illyushin-62, September '88;
A C-141 Starlifter during June of 1990;
and the aforementioned above AF Concorde in May '87; and Air China's B747-400 in April '96.

[skyhigh953]

I remember back about 20 years ago, there was an idea/rumour being floated around about a new, larger, combined Saskatoon/Regina Airport being built about half-way (Davidson?) and connected by high-speed rail to both cities, in addition to hwy 11 access. I assume the idea was both existing airports would be closed.

Does anyone else remember this idea/rumour? I was pretty young so I don't know if it had any weight to it. While expensive, impractical and inconvenient, it was an interesting idea in that more flights to more destinations could be had by combining the airports; not to mention a high-speed rail link between downtown Saskatoon and Regina with a Davidson airport stop would make travel time relatively short.

[SkydivePilot]

Originally Posted by skyhigh953

I remember back about 20 years ago, there was an idea/rumour being floated around about a new, larger, combined Saskatoon/Regina Airport being built about half-way (Davidson?) and connected by high-speed rail to both cities, in addition to hwy 11 access. I assume the idea was both existing airports would be closed.

Does anyone else remember this idea/rumour? I was pretty young so I don't know if it had any weight to it. While expensive, impractical and inconvenient, it was an interesting idea in that more flights to more destinations could be had by combining the airports; not to mention a high-speed rail link between downtown Saskatoon and Regina with a Davidson airport stop would make travel time relatively short.

I don't recall that; however, there was talk during the late '70s about an airport being built between Regina/Moose Jaw.

[Brutopian]

Capacity boost coming soon

By Scott Larson, The StarPhoenix May 2, 2013

The Saskatoon Airport Authority (SAA) anticipates a five per cent increase in airline seat capacity by the end of this year, says its CEO and president, Stephen Maybury.

"We will see a good bump for 2013," Maybury told an audience at the SAA's annual general meeting.

P a r t of the increase will come from WestJet's new Encore brand that will offer flights to Calgary. WestJet is also adding another three weekly flights to Toronto, United will offer direct flights to Chicago and Air Canada is upgrading some airplanes coming in and out of Saskatoon to the Q400 aircraft, he said.

Maybury said the SAA is still working to see direct service to Europe and Asia.

"We can tell right now that the demand is there," he said.

"For the ninth consecutive year, 2012 was a time for setting new records in passenger traffic in our airport," said SAA chair Ron Waldman. "More than 1,320,000 passengers moved through the airport last year, an increase of 6.5 per cent over 2011."

[........]

Read more: http://www.thestarphoenix.com/Capaci...#ixzz2SAqdWFHz

[kalin_10]

Originally Posted by Brutopian

Capacity boost coming soon

By Scott Larson, The StarPhoenix May 2, 2013

The Saskatoon Airport Authority (SAA) anticipates a five per cent increase in airline seat capacity by the end of this year, says its CEO and president, Stephen Maybury.

"We will see a good bump for 2013," Maybury told an audience at the SAA's annual general meeting.

P a r t of the increase will come from WestJet's new Encore brand that will offer flights to Calgary. WestJet is also adding another three weekly flights to Toronto, United will offer direct flights to Chicago and Air Canada is upgrading some airplanes coming in and out of Saskatoon to the Q400 aircraft, he said.

Maybury said the SAA is still working to see direct service to Europe and Asia.

"We can tell right now that the demand is there," he said.

"For the ninth consecutive year, 2012 was a time for setting new records in passenger traffic in our airport," said SAA chair Ron Waldman. "More than 1,320,000 passengers moved through the airport last year, an increase of 6.5 per cent over 2011."

[........]

Read more: http://www.thestarphoenix.com/Capaci...#ixzz2SAqdWFHz

Westjet began their additional Toronto flights 2 weeks ago; as well, it's seasonal added flight to Vancouver 3x a week began. I also spoke with an Air Canada agent and they have added an additional Toronto flight from Saskatoon, increasing the daily flights to Toronto from 3 to 4 flights effective last week, as well they are now using larger CRJ705's or Q400's for select flights that were previously using the CRJ200's.

[kalin_10]

[kalin_10]

YXE Construction Update (Final Photo Update)

ATB





















STARS Hangar

[kalin_10]

SASKATOON, June 24, 2013 /CNW/ - WestJet Encore, Canada's newest regional airline is launching June 24 and Saskatoon is on the radar.

Media are welcome to join our guests on Monday, June 24 as WestJet Encore lands in Saskatoon for the first time. Gregg Saretsky, President and CEO, WestJet will arrive on one of our brand new Bombardier Q400 aircraft to celebrate the launch of WestJet Encore, and he will have a few minutes to speak with the media about this exciting new endeavour.

More...

[SkydivePilot]

A small update here for CYQR:

Apparently, a final design for the ATB expansion will be selected during 2016; Ribbon-Cutting is slated for 2021. YQR Terminal is now at its maximum pax capacity potential.

That's all for now.

[Draftsman]

I had to Google ATB as I didn't know what that meant! LOL air passenger terminal building!