F LY Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services with a workforce of around 134,000. Airbus offers the most comprehensive range of passenger airliners from 100 to more than 600 seats. Airbus is also a global leader in providing tanker, combat, transport and mission aircraft, as well as Europe’s number one space enterprise and the world’s second largest space business. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most ef cient civil and military rotorcraft solutions worldwide. Together. We make it y. airbus.com 14043_AIR_Corporate_10.75x8.375_Skies_1.0.indd 1 16/05/2018 15:16 AN MHM PUBLISHING MAGAZINE // APRIL/MAY 2019 ANTARCTIC AVIONICS INDUSTRY NEWS ENTERPRISE TRANSITIONS CYCLONE AT SEA MAC MANUFACTURING SKIESMAG.COM FLYING WITH THE STARS Air Transat charts a course for maximum efficiency DIFFERENT BY DESIGN. DISRUPTIVE BY CHOICE. Unprecedented performance. Industry-leading technology. Exceptional comfort. Introducing the new midsize Praetor 500 and the super-midsize Praetor 600 – the world’s most disruptive and technologically advanced business jets. A record-breaking best-in-class range. Enviable performance in challenging airports. Full fly-by-wire with active turbulence reduction. Unparalleled comfort in a six-foot-tall, flat-floor cabin. Ka-band home-like connectivity. Power the future. Take command. Lead the way. Learn more at executive.embraer.com. INTRODUCING THE NEW April/May 2019 SKIESMAG.COM 1 APRIL/MAY 2019 VOLUME 9, IN THIS ISSUE ISSUE 2 40 40 30 FLYING THE LAST FRONTIER COVER STORY | FLYING WITH THE STARS From a modest start in 1987, Air Transat now employs more than 600 Enterprise Aviation Group has been operating Basler BT-67 pilots and 2,000 flight attendants. Despite its growth, the Montreal- turboprops at the bottom of the world since 2001. While Antarctic based airline still takes pride in cultivating a family atmosphere. flying may not be for everyone, some pilots don’t mind roughing it in exchange for the ultimate freedom of flight. By Howard Slutsken By Lisa Gordon IN EVERY ISSUE From the Editor 6 In the Jumpseat 8 View from the Hill 10 Focal Points 12 2 SKIESMAG.COM April/May 2019 ON THE COVER Montreal-based Air Transat is currently in the middle of a fleet renewal process that will ultimately see it operating wide-body Airbus A330s (shown Find this issue’s bonus content at here) as well as single-aisle variants of the A321. John Chung Photo SKIESMAG.COM/ISSUES 50 ONLINE BONUS | RETURN OF THE STAMPE After a two-year restoration, pilot Roger Hadfield took to the skies once again in his Belgian-made Stampe SV-4B. Here, his son Dave Hadfield tells the story. By Dave Hadfield 58 AVIONICS TRANSITIONS With a multitude of available systems on the market, operators who are stepping up to the next generation of avionics equipment must weigh their options carefully. By Scott M. Spangler 68 68 LEADING THE WAY As the first and only operator of the CH-148 Cyclone maritime helicopter, the Royal Canadian Air Force is blazing an operational trail and learning new lessons every day. 50 By Lisa Gordon 78 NEXT-GEN MANUFACTURING Pratt & Whitney Canada’s Mirabel Aerospace Centre is a shining example of avant-garde thinking when it comes to aerospace manufacturing. 30 78 By Frederick K. Larkin Briefing Room 14 Plane Spotting 28 Marketplace 88 In the Circuit 94 Instrument IQ 95 Faces of Flight 96 April/May 2019 SKIESMAG.COM 3 APRIL/MAY 2019 VOLUME 9, WHAT’S ONLINE? ISSUE 2 CONTACT US SKIESMAG.COM SUBSCRIBE! We’re your best source for aviation PHONE: 1.866.834.1114 Each issue of Skies is packed with FAX: 519.748.2537 industry news! 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Information contained within Skies magazine is believed to Skip Robinson be accurate, but the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors. Skies will consider unsolicited, quality stories and pictures, but the publisher cannot assume any Will Ross responsibility for the safe return of submitted material. Melissa Spence © Copyright 2019 MHM Publishing Inc. Glenn Stott Canadian Publication Mail Agreement Number: 40741549 Mark Taylor Postmaster: If undeliverable, return mailing label only. Jeff Wilson Printed in Canada 4 SKIESMAG.COM April/May 2019 Flight Departments, Look No Further. Flight MeetDepa Thertments, Newly Look Certified No Fur ther. MeetPiper The M600 Newly with Ce Garminrtified G3000Piper M600 NXi StepStep into into the the cockpit cockpit of theof the Piper Piper M600, M600, the the most most advanced advanced and and capable capable aircraft aircraft in Piper’sin Piper's line-up. line-up. 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ScheduleSchedule your your personalpersonal turbine turbine experience experience with with A Aviationviation UnlimitedUnlimited today.today. 905-477-0107905-477-0107 | [email protected]| [email protected] aviationunlimited.com COLUMN From the Editor BY LISA GORDON A matter of trust was attending my nephew’s birthday party at a Senator Richard Blumenthal submitted a letter to the U.S. trampoline park when I noticed an indoor rock- Department of Transportation on March 19 demanding an climbing wall. Now, this is something I have always inquiry into “actions that the Federal Aviation Administration I wanted to try! Feeling adventurous, I got in line (FAA) took or failed to take before approving the Boeing 737 behind three little girls who were roughly half my height. MAX aircraft to fly, in response to any safety concerns raised When it was my turn to ascend the wall, which was perhaps only after the aircraft had been approved, and during the period after 25 feet tall, the teenager overseeing the activity hooked me up to the first 737 MAX 8 crash when the aircraft’s deficiencies had the harness and told me to give it a go. Surprisingly, the climb become apparent.” itself was fun and quite easy. Let’s not forget about the many operators of the Boeing 737 It was the descent that was scary. At the top of the wall, there MAX, whose planes are grounded indefinitely. Southwest Airlines, was nowhere to go but down. which operates 34 MAX 8 aircraft, said on March 28 that the I had been told to just “let go and the rope will bring you down.” grounding forced the cancellation of 2,800 flights during the But as I froze at the top of the wall, the rope seemed more than period ended March 31.