Saskatchewan’s annual Aviation & Aerospace Week acknowledges the essential service pilots in the province accomplish and celebrates the history of aviation in Saskatchewan.
This year marks 75 years of operation for Saskatchewan Air Ambulance, making it the oldest non-military service of its kind in the world, a government press release explained earlier this year.
Moose Jaw’s Western Development Museum location has a model of the Norseman CF-SAM, the adaptable bush plane (designed and built in Canada) used in the first days of the air ambulance service.
MLA Fred Bradshaw, Saskatchewan’s Minister of Highways, was enthusiastic about the history and function of aviation in the province’s economy and essential services during an interview with Moose Jaw Express. Bradshaw is himself a commercial pilot who worked in aerial application for 23 years. He noted that “agriculture is the backbone of Saskatchewan,” and that “aerial application is very important to agriculture.”
Bradshaw emphasized that many northern communities are still totally reliant on aviation, including float planes which provide service to communities lacking runways. The province’s vast interior also supports many remote and important industries which need air service, including mining, forestry, oil and gas, justice services, and healthcare.
Bradshaw will be the keynote speaker today at the annual Wings of Saskatchewan conference in Saskatoon. Hosted jointly by the Saskatchewan Aviation Council, which coordinates aviation throughout the province, and the Saskatchewan Aerial Applicators Association, the conference agenda includes a trade show, representatives from Transport Canada and major industry groups, and annual general and board meetings for the aviation organizations involved.
Canadian Forces Base Moose Jaw
15 Wing Moose is one of Canada’s most significant Air Force bases. It is the heart of aircrew training for the RCAF, encompassing both 2 Canadian Forces Flying Training School (2 CFFTS) and 3 CFFTS in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. 2 CFFTS graduates jet engine and instructor pilots, while 3 CFFTS produces rotary-wing and multi-engine pilots.
15 Wing is also home to 431 Air Demonstration Squadron, the famous Snowbirds, flying the CT-114 Tutor jet trainer.
Moose Jaw Municipal Airport upgrades
This year in aviation is significant to Moose Jaw in particular. Moose Jaw’s Municipal Airport received a massive upgrade investment this year totaling $3.2 million, including over $500,000 invested from the City itself.
Moose Jaw Municipal Airport Authority co-chair Jarrett Johnson said the expansion will attract new opportunities for the city and support the businesses which operate out of the airport. Those businesses include aerial application, fuel services, aircraft maintenance, and Skydive South Sask. Johnson noted that, “the airport is used to spray well in excess of 100,000 acres a year.”
The expansion extended and resurfaced the runway to allow larger aircraft. Additional apron space was added, allowing new hangars to be built and increasing the taxiway access. The province’s King Air B200 air ambulances, based out of Saskatoon, will have a greater margin of error to work with, increasing accessibility for patients needing emergency transport.
The Moose Jaw Municipal Airport Authority was established in 2018 with city bylaw 5561, and intends an ambitious increase in the use and economic relevance of the airport.
The airport authority website is at www.cjs4.ca.
