White out Air ambulances facing challenges getting into smaller airports during the winter By Shayna Wiwierski
W
In the winter time, because of the snow and ice, as well as temperatures that can go from really cold to mild weather in the span of a few hours, that can often create a problem and a hazard for aircrafts, including medevacs and air ambulances.
inter time in Alberta can be
So, what happens when winter conditions
Ogilvie says that in the summer months,
rough. Since the province has
affect the arrival of these aircrafts?
landing an air ambulance isn’t an issue,
over 4.3 million residents, many
of which live in smaller rural communities, it is important to have medical services that can reach these municipalities. AHS Air Ambulance flies to many regions in the province and air-transports residents to nearby hospitals. A lot of times lives really are at risk in these situations and having access to air ambulances really is the difference between life and death.
James Ogilvie is the airport manager at the Whitecourt Airport and says that some of the main issues for smaller airports in the province is that they aren’t Transport Canada certified so they don’t have a way to report the conditions on their air strips.
of the snow and ice, as well as temperatures that can go from really cold to mild weather in the span of a few hours, that can often create a problem and a hazard for aircraft. In Whitecourt, they haven’t had any issues so far, however, Ogilvie does mention that
The Whitecourt Airport is certified so they
lack of funding for smaller, municipality-
have to issue a Runway Surface Condition
owned airports is definitely a big issue
(RSC) report, which they do first thing in the
when it comes to this concern.
morning, and depending on the weather,
“Air ambulance safety is paramount to
several times throughout the day. The RSC
Alberta Health Services. Our air ambulance
helps pilots know what kind of weather
operation relies on accurate and timely
they are flying into.
runway maintenance and condition
even in the rain. In the winter time, because
Kenneth Launchbury, airport operator/ safety assistance for the County of Northern Lights, says that at the Manning Airport they mostly have medevacs
reporting in order to safely land and take
“The fact that these small airports don’t
and fire suppression teams coming into
off. In Alberta, municipalities are responsible
have anyone who can issue a condition
their airport. He says that sometimes the
for airport maintenance, infrastructure and
report [is a problem],” says Ogilvie. “With
medevacs have a hard time landing in
runway condition reporting. AHS works
small, local airports, some are registered,
Manning due to weather and thinks that
continuously with our airport partners
some are not, some have people that
with more funding they would be able to
to ensure continued aviation safety,”
maintain them and some have people that,
keep the runways open longer.
says Alberta Health Services in a written
you know, cut the grass once a year or plow
“Sometimes ice can literally cripple us. If the
statement.
the snow once a year kind of thing.”
runway ice is up or if we get freezing rain,
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Alberta Airports Management Association • 2020
