Evidence of meeting #126 for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was airline.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Angelo Iacono Liberal Alfred-Pellan, QC
If it's the case that the noise is different, something has changed, because I don't think 20 or 25 years ago we had so many people complaining about airplane noise. Something has changed. I see you're acknowledging my comments with a nice smile. What I would like to ask you is, what has changed?
Vice-President, Flight Operations, Air Canada
I remember that when I was hired by Air Canada 32 years ago, I would sit outside the Dorval airport at the Hilton in Dorval and listen to all these wonderful DC-8s, 727s, DC-9s and 737s take off, and I love airplane noise. That's why I got into aviation. To hear the thrust of these engines was magnificent.
I go out there now, and you don't really hear anything. That has changed. Technology has changed the airline industry. We hear more about the noise now, and that's for various reasons, but the airplanes themselves are 90% quieter, I believe, in some cases. I miss it personally, because I like airplanes that make noise, but the airplanes are far quieter now than they were before.
Liberal
Angelo Iacono Liberal Alfred-Pellan, QC
Since you love noise, I invite you to come in to my riding in Laval. You can sit down with my constituents and enjoy the noise, because they hear it quite often.
Liberal
Angelo Iacono Liberal Alfred-Pellan, QC
This is what they're telling me—that there is a change.
I'd like to ask you another question. Are planes flying lower than before? Is the altitude much lower than before?
December 11th, 2018 / 9:25 a.m.
Liberal
Liberal
Angelo Iacono Liberal Alfred-Pellan, QC
Can you also tell me, Mr. Wilson, how is it for you? Are planes flying at the same altitude, higher or lower?
Capt Scott Wilson
The benefit that we see with RNP approaches—I'll go back to this—is that when you're close to an airport, for a safety perspective we fly what is a 3° gradient path, so that's roughly 300 feet per nautical mile. Regardless of what we're able to accomplish beyond that, when you're close in proximity to the airport, three miles back, you're roughly going to be a thousand feed above ground. That hasn't changed from the 1960s to where we are today.
Liberal
Angelo Iacono Liberal Alfred-Pellan, QC
Thank you.
My last question is to both of you. What is your input on flying, on flying the routes, on flying the pathways you're using, the altitude, everything? What is your input with respect to flying planes?
Liberal
Angelo Iacono Liberal Alfred-Pellan, QC
Who decides what route to take, at what time to take it? Who controls all that? Who dictates all that?
Capt Scott Wilson
I think probably the best way to start with that is actually with the flying public. Basically, the flying public lets airlines know through where they purchase tickets, through their trends on what times they like to leave and on what routes, and that basically proves the viability.
It then goes to the network planner, who basically builds a network schedule and utility around that schedule to provide the best service possible to travelling Canadians and the public. Then from that point it goes to our flight dispatch systems, which try to provide the most optimum routing, and then, basically on the day that a flight is being flown, it's the pilot in command, working with Nav Canada.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
I'm sorry, Mr. Strom. Could you somehow get that answer to Mr. Iacono?
We move on to Mr. Hardie.
Liberal
Ken Hardie Liberal Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC
I'll give the first question to my colleague, Mr. Rogers, if he promises to make it a short one.
Churence Rogers Bonavista—Burin—Trinity, Lib.
I do.
First of all, thanks, gentlemen, for being here this morning. Thank you, Chair.
My question is for Mr. Strom.
Aircraft noise is not an issue in my area of Newfoundland and Labrador, specifically Gander airport, particularly since Air Canada cancelled morning flights and night flights, which makes life very difficult for travellers and for the business community trying to get out of the province and into other parts of the country. It makes life very difficult for me as an MP. It really cut my two-day weekends down to one day, because I cannot get back on the island on a Thursday night.
I want to know, Mr. Strom, what might be the rationale for cutting these flights?
Vice-President, Flight Operations, Air Canada
I will have to talk to our corporate planning people and I'll get back to you with the answer for the rationale. I don't have that information in front of me at this time.
Liberal
Ken Hardie Liberal Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC
Thank you.
Have any of you had to deal directly with neighbours who are complaining about the noise of your aircraft?