Earlier in 2003, Nav Canada held a conference to
discuss its need to balance expenses with the decreased revenues that it is
experiencing due to the struggling airline industry. Not much was accomplished
at that conference because participants, including COPA, could not agree on how
to proceed.
Some groups, such as the International Air Transport Association representing
the international carriers who for the most part over-fly Canada, protested the
recent increase of 18 per cent in their fees and pushed for eliminating the
portion of the fees that they consider are for services that they do not use,
such as most flight information services, towers at smaller airports, some nav
aids, etc. COPA pushed for retention of the current fee structure because to
break out the fees such that GA pays all of the costs for certain parts of the
system, would result in extreme fees for our sector.
The conference wrapped up with an agreement that NAVCAN should develop a
proposal for adjustments to the services it provides, based on a study of the
costs and a review of the use of certain facilities. This proposal was explained
at a conference in November. It can be reviewed on NAVCAN’s Web site at http://www.navcanada.ca/contentEN/serviceProjects/announc/2003/LOS_Review_Briefing_Paper.pdf
. To summarize, they propose to eliminate a number of flight service stations
and a few control towers, replacing the current on site Airport Advisory Service
with Remote Aerodrome Advisory Service provided from the remaining flight
service stations. At some sites currently provided with remote services, they
are proposing to eliminate service entirely. At many sites, they will reduce the
hours of service, mostly eliminating overnight service when traffic levels are
very low. New flight service stations are proposed for Dryden, Pickle Lake and
Red Lake, and some level of service is being considered for Sarnia.
Several nav aids will be eliminated if the proposal is accepted. NAVCAN wants to
take advantage of the developments in GPS navigation to eliminate many NDBs and
some low level air routes as well as several instrument approaches where there
are several approaches serving an airport.
En route communications will be modified in two ways. 126.7 is a congested
frequency that is used for safety broadcasts, position reporting, weather
updates and flight plan filing. When high flyers use the frequency, they cover a
lot of area and trigger several Remote Communications Outlets, causing problems
for FIC staff and pilots alike.
It is proposed to retain 126.7 for position reporting between aircraft and
safety broadcasts such as SIGMETs but provide three new frequencies for low
level aircraft to contact an FIC for weather, flight plan filing etc and one new
frequency dedicated to aircraft at high altitudes. Some RCOs will be eliminated
where they overlap other RCOs and some new ones will be installed to cover gaps
in the coverage.
Weather services are proposed to change. Several contract weather offices will
close and/or be replaced by AWOS installations as the newest generation is
approved and becomes available. Hours of service for TAFs and METARs will be
adjusted to reflect the level of traffic at several locations.
VHF-DF equipment will be eliminated at locations where radar coverage is
available.
The proposed changes will not occur immediately. First, a series of Aeronautical
Studies will be performed to ensure that all of the effects on the user
community are understood.
When these studies are initiated, probably by Spring of 2004, we will announce
them and lead you to the NAVCAN site for more information including how you can
provide feedback. It will then take a number of years to make the changes for
various reasons.
For example, it is less expensive to leave many NDBs in place than the cost of
site clean-up. However, when they finally fail, they will not be replaced.
COPA has responded to the proposal with some concern. While we agree that
adjustments are necessary to make costs match revenue, the total estimated
ongoing savings is only $6 million per year. In the fiscal year ended August
2003, NAVCAN was short by some $87 million.
Even if traffic picks up, it is generally agreed that it will not return to the
highs that we enjoyed a few years ago.
If further cuts are not made, there will be no choice but to raise fees again,
unless of course the government would step in and provide funding for the
national transportation infrastructure, such as from the fuel excise taxes that
are sucked out of the aviation industry and used for non-aviation purposes.
COPA will participate in the Aeronautical Study process but we will be seeking
volunteers from the areas affected by the changes to attend meetings and provide
local input to the issues.
Stay tuned to the Newsletter and our Web site in the coming months.
Contact Kevin Psutka.