Fond du Lac Chief Louis Mercredi. (Canadian Press)

By paNOW Staff

Aviation company supports call for improvements to Fond du Lac airport

Aug 26, 2019 | 3:26 PM

West Wind Aviation is echoing the chief of the Fond du Lac Denesuline First Nation’s call for more improvements to the Fond du Lac airport after learning no funding will be committed to the project.

West Wind Aviation President and CEO Michael Rodyniuk said extended runways and other improvements to the airfield will reduce some of the current issues.

“We work closely with our regulator to ensure we are following the most up-to-date practices and guidance for the unique aspects of northern airfields such as Fond du Lac and Wollaston,” Rodyniuk said. “We always operate with safety as our priority. It is currently cost prohibitive to fly large aircraft into the community because we can only fly a handful of people out.”

The call comes after Chief Louis Mercredi said the province reneged on its funding promise to develop the runway by his northern reserve. However, provincial officials said the band did not make the proper applications necessary to obtain funds reserved for the project

The call for updates to the airport came after a December 2017 crash where a small plane bound for Stony Rapids crashed one kilometer from the Fond du Lac airport. Mercredi previously said extended runways among other updates are required as the community is 95 per cent fly-in, fly out.

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The extension to the runways would lengthen the distance from 3,800 feet to 5,000 feet and widen them from 75 feet to 150.

“If the runway were lengthened by just 1,200 feet and widened, it would greatly improve the ability for all carriers to serve these growing northern communities with larger aircraft needed to meet the demand,” Rodyniuk said.

Other airports in Northern Saskatchewan have the 5,000-foot runways, including Stony Rapids and Buffalo Narrows, the release said.

—with files from Canadian Press

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panews@jpbg.ca