Safety concerns have forced the closure of one runway at Cameron McIntosh Airport, and new lines will need to be painted on the other one.
Both issues were discussed at the City of North Battleford planning committee meeting Monday. They arose from a routine Transport Canada site inspection conducted on infrastructure at the airport Aug. 28.
According to a memo from the City’s Director of Utility Services Stewart Schafer dated Sept. 17, Transport Canada ordered the closure of the crosswind runway at the airport, numbered 06/24, until such time as it can be repaved.
The concern is that frost heaving has deteriorated the runway pavement to the point that planes might not brake properly.
“They felt it was no longer safe to use as a runway,” said Schafer.
Transport Canada is also ordering an upgraded paint job on main runway 12/30.
That runway has seen major repaving upgrades through Capital Airport Grants matching funds from the province in recent years.
After each upgrade, the City had been repainting the landing strip lines on the runway back to what was there before. However, Transport Canada has taken issue with the painting stripes being applied.
According to Schafer, Transport Canada deemed the runway surface to have changed enough so the lines must now meet a new standard, referred to as the “TP312 5th Edition.”
This is “even though we hadn’t changed the specs or increased its length or width,” said Schafer.
As part of that requirement, signs and electrical wiring at the runway must also be upgraded to meet the new requirements. Previously the City had planned to upgrade the lights, but the City had been looking at a $40,000 job for that.
Now, according to Schafer, the cost will run at around $200,000 for all the work to meet Transport Canada’s requirements, which includes changing all the electrical lines.
The City asked Transport Canada for permission to delay the repainting until spring, due to issues finding a qualified runway painter to take on the job. Schafer reported they received word last Friday that Transport Canada has agreed to that request.
Funds to do the painting will come from money already set aside to do the lights. As for the lights/signs/wiring upgrade, it is postponed for now. The intention is to apply for a CAP grant for that project.
The main issue is what to do about the other crosswind runway that has been closed. Schafer reported repaving the crosswind runway was not part of the five-year capital budget.
“That is something we will have to consider if we want to open the runway again,” said Schafer.
One option acceptable to Transport Canada is to convert the crosswind runway to a taxi strip, provided the City take out the runway lines and paint a yellow line down the centre of the runway.
Mayor Ryan Bater asked how disruptive it is that the second runway has been closed.
Schafer assured the mayor it is not. Both runways are closed right now with milling going on, but the expectation is the main runway will be opened back up.
The crosswind runway can still be used in the future as long as it was not referred to as a runway. But that technicality might not deter some pilots from landing on it anyway.
“Technically, we cannot say it’s a crosswind runway,” said Schafer.
But “if you talk to some pilots of Air Canada and Harrison Ford, I believe they have used taxiways for landing strips,” said Schafer.
Schafer was referring to incidents where an Air Canada flight nearly landed on a taxiway in San Francisco, as well as an incident where the actor Harrison Ford landed on a taxiway at an airport.
It was also pointed out by others at the meeting that the crosswind runway is rarely used for landings in any event.
Councillor Len Taylor pointed out at the meeting that in the entire time he’s flown in and out of North Battleford on a regular basis, he never used the crosswind runway.
Councillor Kevin Steinborn noted the one organization he knows that uses it is the Air Cadets for gliders, which rely on wind direction.
Taylor suggested a report be prepared on the past use of the crosswind runway before a final decision is made. Administration intends to come back with a report on the issue at a future meeting.
