By Jeff Labine

Private pilots peeved at landing fees

Mar 8, 2017 | 9:48 AM

Landing fees for small aircraft at Prince Albert’s airport, has some pilots thinking of taking their business elswhere.

Most airports, including Saskatoon’s, only charge fees to land jet and turbo prop aircraft, like those used by WestJet and Air Canada. Smaller aircraft are often exempt, but not in P.A. Landing fees for small aircraft have been in place since 2014, but the fee structure has changed due to a new computer system.

Stefan Graner, who’s been a pilot for 16 years, said he was surprised when he got the bill.

“I didn’t expect it,” he said. “[Charging small aircraft landing fees] isn’t said anywhere other than the airport’s website. It’s not in any of the applications pilots use. So, that was quite the surprise.”

Fees at the Prince Albert airport are calculated by the weight of the aircraft, divided by 1,000, and times the corresponding rate. For loads weighing zero to 15,000 kg, for example, the corresponding rate is $3. This means a plane weighing 3,000 kg would be billed $9, in total. 

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Graner said it is rare for airports to charge landing fees, pointing out Regina and Saskatoon don’t charge for small aircraft. He believes the airports that do charge those fees to small aircraft lose traffic.

“There will be a lot of people not going through here or coming here for visits if they have to deal with mailing a check for $6 to the city,” he said. “It is not so much the $6 or whatever it is each time you land, but it is the trouble to have to get an invoice a month later, write a cheque, mail it and it is just not worth it.”

Graner isn’t the only pilot upset about the fees.

Jared Chursinoff, an active pilot out of Candle Lake, told paNOW  he routinely flies out of the city’s airport. He said he has written to the mayor and airport manager about reversing the decision. He also started an online petition asking for council to reverse the decision.

Chursinoff argued Prince Albert is the only airport in the province to charge a landing fee on small aircraft.

Cory Nygaard, the manager of the Prince Albert Airport, said the airport lifted the exemption for smaller aircraft in order to bring in more money. He said the move was meant to make the airport more viable.

Nygaard couldn’t say how much revenue charging landing fees will bring in.

“At this time, the new computer program is just starting to calculate these [changes],” he said. “Yes, there is a concern it may impact the private aircraft coming into the airport. I think it was just being investigated now on what the impact is because the complaints are just coming in.”

He said the airport finally has a computer system that can produce reports.

On average, roughly 30 small aircraft fly into the airport a month but Nygaard believed that number should increase in the summer. He pointed 60 to 80 aircraft fly to and from the airport on an average day.

He said he received multiple complaints about the landing fees and the issue is expected to be brought back to council for discussion.

“The private aircraft people with their small aircraft are unhappy to be charged a landing fee at all in general,” he said. “They have every right to voice their opinion. It’s the due process.”

Jeff.Labine@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @labinereporter