Tag Archives: Air Georgian

Air Georgian fights pilot fatigue with fatigue science wearable technology

Air Georgian has made this announcement:

In response to increasing concerns regarding pilot fatigue regulations, Air Georgian has been working with Canadian company Fatigue Science to build a customized solution for pilot fatigue. For the past 12 months Air Georgian has been field-testing wearable technology from Fatigue Science with exceptional results, allowing pilots to develop an understanding of their true fatigue levels during both rest and work hours. Pending regulatory approval Air Georgian aims to utilise these fatigue recording, reporting, and management tools as an integral part of their operations.

Fatigue Science technology is based on biomathematical models, wearable technology, pilot feedback, and flexible schedule modelling. The technology involves a device, no larger than a smartwatch or fitness monitor, that captures sleep data with greater accuracy than consumer-grade solutions. It then processes the information through a biomathematical model built on proprietary research from the US Army. The output provides pilots a visual picture of their fatigue via a mobile application available on iPhone and Android devices.

Within a few days, pilots can view their fatigue projections and after several months they gain a working knowledge of their fatigue patterns and trends. The app guides pilots with tools and educational graphics, helping them improve their sleep and reduce fatigue levels. Throughout this process personal data is fully protected. Air Georgian management receives anonymized, aggregated insights into the extent of fatigue within their operation, helping to further improve conditions over time.

Air Georgian has found Fatigue Science technology to be among the most advanced and safest fatigue tools available, providing irreplaceable insight into the practical management of fatigue. “The technology behind Fatigue Science is Air Georgian’s key to giving every team member the resources they need to manage fatigue,” said Troy Stephens, Vice President of Flight Operations. “Pilots have long had the ability, fully supported by management, to refuse a flight based on fatigue. This technology has made us aware of fatiguing conditions much earlier in the process in a clear, identifiable way.”

Air Georgian writes an open letter to Canadian aviation industry leaders

Air Georgian CRJ First Officer Eileen Chan (pictured), helps to represent Air Georgian’s diverse work environment. Georgian is breaking down gender barriers in aviation, currently employing over twice the national and international average of female pilots. They are challenging themselves and the greater Canadian aviation industry to reach gender parity by 2028. (CNW Group/Air Georgian Limited)

On August 1, 2018, John Tory, Vice President at Air Georgian, sent an open letter to Canadian aviation industry leaders. The letter challenges leaders to join Air Georgian’s commitment to invest in pilot training and development to support aspiring aviators in achieving their dreams of flight.

Air Georgian recognizes the challenges the aviation industry is facing and has highlighted significant issues that require the industry’s combined energy and attention, including:

1.	Diversity, Inclusion and Gender Parity. A lack of diversity in the aviation industry acts as a barrier to a career in aviation. Air Georgian is proud to have a workforce which is 58% millennial and in which 35% of employees self-identify as a visible minority. Georgian is also breaking down gender barriers in aviation through partnerships aimed at attracting women into aviation, and currently employs over twice the national and international average of female pilots.

	“We are challenging ourselves to reach gender parity through all sectors of [Air Georgian], including pilots, within the next ten years, and are now extending this challenge to the greater aviation community,” wrote Tory.

2.	Program Funding. Motivated by the pilot shortage and lack of funding for aspiring aviators, Air Georgian has put significant resources into programs focusing on aviation career awareness, recruitment and retention.

Air Georgian is inviting industry peers to join them for a Canadian Pilot Recruitment and Development Workshop in Fall 2018 at the Air Georgian Academy in Mississauga, where Air Georgian is looking to lead a Canadian solution to the pilot shortage.

If you are interested in participating in Air Georgian’s workshop or are simply accepting their challenge on these initiatives, please email: soar@acexpressagl.com.The workshop date will be finalized after input is received from interested attendees.

Air Georgian announces ratification of first collective agreement with UNIFOR

Air Georgian has made this announcement:

Air Georgian has ratified a three-year collective bargaining agreement with UNIFOR, with 91 percent of members voting in favor of the agreement. Air Georgian and UNIFOR have worked collaboratively to produce this first ever contract, which sets the foundation for a long term positive working relationship.

Unifor represents 90 of Air Georgian’s employees working in maintenance, administration and the flight operations centre at Air Georgian’s Toronto and Calgary bases. The agreement is effective as of June 1, 2018, and positions Air Georgian as a highly competitive employer in the aviation labor market.

Highlights of the industry leading plan include wage increases, performance incentive bonuses, enhanced group benefits and savings programs.

Top Copyright Photo (all others by Air Georgian): Air Canada Express-Air Georgian Bombardier CRJ200 (CL-600-2B19) C-GZJA (msn 8018) YYZ (Jay Selman). Image: 403780.

Air Canada Express-Air Georgian aircraft slide show:

Transwest Air and Air Georgian finalize pilot pathway with SOAR partnership

Air Georgian’s SOAR program for aviation career awareness, recruitment and retention continues to grow with the addition of Transwest. The partnership provides a career pathway for Transwest pilots to join Air Georgian with an entry into the Air Canada network.

About SOAR
SOAR is designed to provide partnered operators and flight schools with predictable, timed attrition with extended notice periods while providing their employees visibility regarding career progression with an entry point to the Air Canada system.

SOAR (Sharing Opportunities for Advancement and Reward) is comprised of three initiatives:

Raising awareness of careers in aviation for high school students
Working with flight schools and 703/704 operators to recruit pilots into Air Georgian, and;
Providing career fulfillment and advancement opportunities for all employees

Air Canada’s Pilot Mobility Agreement (PMA)
All Air Georgian pilots are guaranteed an interview with Air Canada through a PMA. Up to 40% of Air Georgian pilots will advance to Air Canada in 2018, providing the fastest path for pilots to Air Canada.

About Transwest
Proudly building upon a 60-year heritage of aviation excellence and employing a diverse fleet of fixed wing aircraft on wheels, skies and floats; Transwest Air continues to be the largest scheduled, charter and medevac aviation operation in Saskatchewan.

About Air Georgian
Air Georgian is the longest serving regional partner of the Air Canada family, operating 64,000 regional flights per year on behalf of Air Canada. With bases in Calgary and Toronto, they carry close to 2 million passengers a year to 31 domestic and transborder destinations.

Copyright Photo: Air Canada Express-Air Georgian Beech (Raytheon) 1900D C-GAAR (msn UE-207) YYZ (Keith Burton). Image: 912875.

Air Canada-Air Georgian aircraft slide show:

Regional 1 Airlines becomes R1 Airlines

Regional 1 Airlines (Regional 1 Airlines Limited) (Calgary), which merged with Air Georgian (Toronto) on November 15, 2013 creating a new parent company, Regional Express Aviation Limited (REAL), has changed its mission and operating name to R1 Airlines with the theme of “Boundless”.

The regional carrier quit the scheduled airline business on September 11, 2005 and since then has been focusing on worldwide charter work.

Here is how the redefined airline now describes its services:

Experience a new standard in charter aviation. R1 Airlines Ltd. provides a new level of service, capacity, and aviation expertise on a regional and international scale. Convenience and comfort. Customized schedules, in-flight services and cargo capacity tailored to your unique business or leisure charter needs with the world’s largest private fleet of Dash 8 and CRJ series aircraft at our disposal. Maintenance facilities in strategic centres around the globe. The ultimate in personal service. R1 introduces you to charter aviation services that are – quite simply – boundless.

Read the full article for Canadian Aviator: CLICK HERE

Air Georgian to have an expanded role with Air Canada with CRJs

Air Georgian (Air Canada Express) (Toronto-Pearson) will soon have an expanded role with Air Canada with a transferred fleet of Canadair Regional Jets (CRJs).

Air Canada issued this statement:

Following a previously announced Request for Proposals (RFP), Air Canada has announced that it has signed an MOU to expand its relationship and amend its capacity purchase agreement (CPA) with Air Georgian. Air Georgian has been selected to operate a number of additional regional routes including trans-border routes in mid-2014 using Canadair Regional Jet aircraft.

“We are pleased to expand our longstanding commercial relationship with Air Georgian that will allow Air Canada to introduce more cost-competitive operations in a number of our key regional markets,” said Kevin Howlett , Air Canada’s Senior Vice President, Regional Markets. “The competitive bid process generated a significant level of response from a number of Canadian and U.S. regional operators. Following a thorough evaluation of proposals received, Air Georgian was selected on the basis of a broad range of criteria including operational safety, efficiency, cost and service. The award of additional flying to Air Georgian is an important step in our regional airline diversification strategy and ongoing cost transformation program.”

“We are excited with this opportunity to expand Air Georgian’s presence as an Air Canada Express regional operator beginning in 2014,” said Eric Edmondson , President of Air Georgian. “The selection of Air Georgian for this expanded role is based on our proven ability to offer seamless connections and service for Air Canada customers that is of mutual benefit for both airlines. We look forward to continuing to expand our relationship, building on our solid partnership with Air Canada that has developed over the past 13 years.”

The implementation of the amendment to the CPA remains subject to the parties making any necessary filings, obtaining regulatory approvals and finalizing documentation.

Air Canada currently has capacity purchase agreements with four regional airline partners that operate under the banner Air Canada Express: Jazz, Sky Regional, Air Georgian and EVAS.

Air Georgian became a Tier III partner of Air Canada in 2000, operating as Air Alliance under a CPA. Today Air Georgian operates under the brand Air Canada Express, focusing on transborder and domestic airline operations carrying over 350,000 passengers per year for Air Canada from Toronto’s Pearson International Airport, Montreal’s Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, Halifax’s Robert L. Stanfield International Airport and Calgary’s International Airport to 19 Canadian and U.S. destinations.

Air Georgian has been providing aviation services and charter flight solutions for more than 25 years. Air Georgian also operates and/or maintains a fleet of corporate jets from its base in Toronto. Air Georgian is an IATA registered airline and recently achieved the coveted ARGUS Platinum Audit Rating along with IS-BAO Stage 1 registration.

Copyright Photo: Keith Burton/AirlinersGallery.com. Air Georgian currently operates 16 Beechcraft (Raytheon) 1900D turboprops. 1900D C-GORC (msn UE-320) arrives back at the Toronto (Pearson) hub.

Air Canada Express-Air Georgian:

Current Air Canada Express routes operated for Air Canada:

Air Georgian and Regional 1 Airlines sign MOU to merge

Air Georgian Limited (AGL) (Air Canada Express) (Toronto-Pearson) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Regional 1 Airlines (R1) (Calgary), a subsidiary of Avmax Group Inc., a fully integrated aviation company with operations in Canada, United States, Africa and Afghanistan. Regional 1 Airlines and Air Georgian Limited will merge operations under one management team through the creation of a parent holding company.

Air Georgian will continue to focus primarily on its CPA relationship with Air Canada (Montreal). Air Georgian currently operates Beechcraft (Raytheon) 1900D aircraft under the brand name of Air Canada Express. R1 will focus on expanding its domestic presence, specializing in serving the natural resource sector. R1 will further expand upon its existing international operations, specializing in ACMI contracts in remote regions, as well as continuing to support the United Nations World Food Program and other peacekeeping and humanitarian programs.

This strategic merger will allow the new combined entity to position itself as a unique, fully integrated airline leveraging the technical, geographical and asset strengths of Avmax and the professional management and strong operational background of Air Georgian. Air Georgian and Regional 1 Airlines will benefit from having access to the world’s largest private fleet of Dash 8 and CRJ series aircraft, over $100 million in spare parts and domestic maintenance bases in Halifax, Montreal, Kingston, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver. International operations will be supported through Avmax maintenance bases in Great Falls, Montana, Jacksonville, Florida, Nairobi, Kenya and N’djamena, Chad in Africa.

Eric Edmondson will assume the President and CEO role at the newly formed parent company, as well as the role of President at both Air Georgian and Regional 1 Airlines. Daniel Revell will continue to be the CEO of Air Georgian and John Binder will continue in his role as CEO of Regional 1 Airlines. Scott Monsen will become the CFO & VP Finance at the parent company and its subsidiaries. Daniel Bockner will be the VP, Flight Operations & Security, while Brad Warren will fill the role of VP, Maintenance & Technical. Rick Giacomuzzi will hold the position of VP, Finance at Regional 1 Airlines. This merger does not impact the current structure or operations of any other subsidiary within AvMax Group Inc.

Upon closing, the combined operations will utilize Beechcraft 1900D, de Havilland Canada (Bombardier) DHC-8-100, DHC-8-300 and CRJ100/200 aircraft types, with the ability to quickly add additional larger gauge aircraft types with the long term goal of positioning the brands as major players in the 18-76 seat turbo-prop and jet market. Air Georgian will continue to operate, maintain and support the corporate jet charter market in Toronto as well as offering third-party training to the airline and corporate aviation sectors.

Copyright Photo: TMK Photography/AirlinersGallery.com. Beechcraft (Raytheon) 1900D C-GORA (msn UE-326) taxies at the Toronto (Pearson) hub in the Air Canada Express livery.

Air Canada Express/Air Georgian:

Air Canada to serve Red Deer, Alberta starting on September 3

Air Canada (Montreal) announced today it will commence scheduled service to Red Deer, Alberta on September 3, 2013 with three daily flights from Red Deer Airport to Calgary. Flights will be operated by Air Georgian (Toronto-Pearson) under the Air Canada Express brand, using 18-seat Beechcraft 1900D aircraft.

Flight #	Depart Red Deer (YQF)	Arrive Calgary (YYC)	Flight #	Depart Calgary (YYC)	Arrive Red Deer (YQF)
AC7205	05:30	05:57	AC7206	08:45	09:12
AC7207	09:35	10:00	AC7208	13:20	13:47
AC7209	14:10	14:37	AC7210	21:30	21:57

Copyrigth Photo: Keith Burton/AirlinersGallery.com. Beech (Raytheon) 1900D C-GAAR (msn UE-207) prepares to land at the Toronto (Pearson) hub.

Air Canada:

Air Canada Express-Air Georgian:

Route Map: Air Georgian operates from three far-flung Air Canada hubs.

Air Georgian and Air Canada partner to offer a career path for aspiring pilots

Air Georgian (Toronto-Pearson) and Air Canada (Montreal) have jointly announced the creation of a unique cadet pilot hiring program for high-achieving Canadian youth. The program is designed to encourage young men and women to consider careers in commercial aviation by assisting them with pilot training and offering them a clearer path to rewarding employment opportunities. Candidates must be high school graduates with a strong academic record and have demonstrated leadership ability at school and in their community.

Eligible candidates will be selected by Air Georgian with the assistance of Air Canada. They will then receive two conditional offers of employment: The first offer, from Air Georgian, will be conditional upon successful completion of both a 50-week, student-funded, pilot training program at Flight Safety Academy in Vero Beach, Florida culminating in obtaining a Commercial Pilot Licence and a Multi-Engine Instrument Rating from Flight Safety Academy and Air Georgian-funded training at Flight Safety International in Toronto. The second offer of employment, from Air Canada, is contingent upon successful training and employment as a pilot with Air Georgian for a minimum of four years as well as on meeting certain employment standards at Air Canada.

“We are very excited about our Cadet Program partnership with Air Canada,” said Eric Edmondson, President of Air Georgian. “This program will help both Air Georgian and Air Canada attract, train and employ the best and the brightest youth in Canada in a very challenging and rewarding career. This is an innovative program designed to address our need for highly skilled labour, while offering some bright and enthusiastic young Canadians a clear school-to-work transition option. This partnership with Air Canada is the result of a number of years of working closely together transitioning pilots and specifically Captains from their first airline job at Air Georgian into a career position at Air Canada. This partnership represents a single stream of recruitment and retention programs offered under Air Georgian’s “One Regional” program. Other streams include a highly successful mentorship program through a partnership with Seneca College, as well as other retention programs.”

“Air Canada is pleased to partner with Air Georgian on this innovative program. This program gives high achieving young Canadians an opportunity to develop their skills and find fulfilling careers in the challenging world of commercial aviation,” said Captain Rick Allen, Senior Director Flight Operations at Air Canada. “Both carriers will benefit from the ability to attract top talent while customers will gain assurance from the knowledge our pilots are selected from among the best candidates who will receive intensive preparation through the program’s carefully-guided training regime with its emphasis on safety.”

Flight Safety International was chosen by Air Canada and Air Georgian to provide the initial training because it is the world’s leading aviation training company. The Flight Safety Academy at Vero Beach is a world class facility where the instruction and equipment used are second to none.

Copyright Photo: Keith Burton. Air Georgian operates as an Air Canada Express operator feeding AC hubs across the country (see the route map below).

Air Canada: