There is much reported on the CSeries order by Canada’s Porter Airlines. Canada’s Globe and Mail reports the airline is going to order 12 CS100s and option 18 more. The news is bringing up a lot of debate of how the airline will be able to use these airplanes out of their downtown Toronto airport (YTZ). This airport has a storied history.
The back story here is the same as it is for every downtown airport – noise. Airports are noisy and neighbors don’t like it. Toronto has a “Tripartite Agreement” which does not set a maximum number of flights or passengers at the Island Airport; but it does establish noise exposure parameters which are not to be exceeded (NEF 25). The Tripartite Agreement was created in 1983 between the City of Toronto, the Toronto Harbour Commission and the Government of Canada covering operation of YTZ and is in force until 2033. The agreement restricts jet traffic to MEDEVAC flights.
Consequently does this mean the Porter decision is going to reflect a change in its operations? We expect to see Porter, Bombardier and P&W all point to the low noise footprint of the CS100. Indeed we have seen noise samples showing the CS to have the same noise footprint as the Q400. But we doubt this will satisfy the neighbors. If the noise footprint is the same, the airline might still have other challenges such as obstacles and a steep glide slope. These issues are common at all downtown airports where cities have grown up around the runways.
Bombardier has repeatedly said its LoI customers do not want to telegraph their CS decision so that competitors cannot react in advance. Porter’s decision certainly seems to be that way. When the formal announcement comes the rationale and explanations are bound to be interesting.
Cool, they could do direct flights from Toronto City Centre to London (England) City Center 🙂
hmm, I need to get my calculator. 4000FT + 2x 500 FT= 5000FT. Also is that enough for MTOW (fully fueled). And I can’t remember if CS100 has the range or if that was the CS300. Still would be cool. Googling now… 🙂
sorry for all the posts. But did you see the “jedi mind trick” that Porter used to talk about the runway extension. Everyone usesFEET for runway lengths, even in Canada. Yet they chose METERS because that’s a smaller number. 168 meters sounds better than 500 Feet.. And they said they would extend from both ends. So, that’s really a 1000 feet runway extension. But it sounds like such a non-event when you say it this way “extend the runway by 168 meters from both ends”. Sounds like throwing 2 truck loads into the lake and you’re done 😉 For a jedi mind trick, I’d say “nicely done”. Of course, I’m not saying if I’m for or against it, I don’t live near the island airport and don’t drink from that water tap so I think Torontonians need to weigh the pros and cons, not me. But as far as “jedi mind tricks” go, wow, nothing to see, moving on 😉