Nav Canada jet "buzzing" YVR?
Sep 7, 2008 | 2:45 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2007
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Nav Canada jet "buzzing" YVR?
Hi,
I was out with Mrs. Wooe and Little Wooe near the airport and saw this sleek looking CRJ zipping around in circles over Richmond and YVR airport. It was flying pretty low as well.
Getting out my long lens, i could see it was registered as "C-GNVC" with "Nav Canada" prominently painted on (looked pretty nice too). Had the words "Flight Inspection" painted on the engine cowling.
Can anyone illuminate me as to what it was doing? What is a "Flight Inspection" plane anyways?
Thanks!
Wooe
I was out with Mrs. Wooe and Little Wooe near the airport and saw this sleek looking CRJ zipping around in circles over Richmond and YVR airport. It was flying pretty low as well.
Getting out my long lens, i could see it was registered as "C-GNVC" with "Nav Canada" prominently painted on (looked pretty nice too). Had the words "Flight Inspection" painted on the engine cowling.
Can anyone illuminate me as to what it was doing? What is a "Flight Inspection" plane anyways?
Thanks!
Wooe
Sep 7, 2008 | 4:16 am
#3
Join Date: Dec 2005
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We've got a 2nd one coming as well. The Challenger and DH8 are being retired. Apparantly (according to our company's propoganda) the Challenger is the highest time example and will be going for testing and analysis by Bombardier.
Sep 7, 2008 | 8:37 am
#5
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Having been in a Citation, I can tell you they are very small and cramped. Think of a CRJ through a hot wash and hot dryer.
Sep 7, 2008 | 10:04 am
#6
Join Date: Jan 2008
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Yes, departing YVR yesterday and saw the Nav Canada plane turn away from the departures runway. At first I thought it was a missed approach until it happened again and I realized what it was all about. I must admit it was strange to see this happen at the same time that aircraft were lined up on the runway for departure.
Sep 7, 2008 | 10:46 am
#7
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: London, Ontario
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http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=6244318
Noticed on the info page that this plane started out in 2001 with ACA and went to Independence in 2004.
Noticed on the info page that this plane started out in 2001 with ACA and went to Independence in 2004.
Sep 7, 2008 | 11:40 am
#8
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The flight inspection aircraft don't just do approaches, but also airways, VORs, NDBs, communication equipment, the new ADS-B (somehow that doesn't look quite right...), amongst other duties.
I have seen them fly YOW-YYZ (low level doing airway certification), then a couple hours of approaches at YYZ, an hour at YHM, an hour at YTZ, and then head back out to YOW. No way could a CJet do that mission.
Sep 7, 2008 | 2:49 pm
#9
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The CRJ burns about 4 times as much fuel as the CJ, and I do not see what kind of equipment would require that much cabin volume. Nowadays flight test equipment takes virtually no place at all.
Looks like unjustified spending to me.
Sep 7, 2008 | 4:47 pm
#10
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Given we do not know what the full mission profile of this aircraft is, it is hard to define what is the right aircraft.
But I do note that the FAA flys the following aircraft:
Of course, the FAA has a greater flight inspection program (around the world), and a much bigger domestic air system to inspect. With Canada being much more small in airways, but bigger in size, one assumes NavCanada cannot have the variety of aircraft an agency such as the FAA.
Again, without a full mission profile, it is mere conjecture as to if the CRJ-200 is the correct aircraft or not.
-Brian
But I do note that the FAA flys the following aircraft:
- Challenger 604
- BAE 125-800
- Learjet 60
- Beech Super King Air 300
Of course, the FAA has a greater flight inspection program (around the world), and a much bigger domestic air system to inspect. With Canada being much more small in airways, but bigger in size, one assumes NavCanada cannot have the variety of aircraft an agency such as the FAA.
Again, without a full mission profile, it is mere conjecture as to if the CRJ-200 is the correct aircraft or not.
-Brian
Sep 7, 2008 | 8:31 pm
#11
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No mere conjecture. I do this kind of thing as a living actually, and I don't need a full mission profile to figure out something is seriously amiss here.
Anyway, there are better suited forums to stir up the pot over NavCanada
. I was hoping someone in the know here could enlighten me about this seemingly lavish spending.
Anyway, there are better suited forums to stir up the pot over NavCanada
. I was hoping someone in the know here could enlighten me about this seemingly lavish spending.
Sep 7, 2008 | 8:42 pm
#12
Join Date: Apr 2006
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No mere conjecture. I do this kind of thing as a living actually, and I don't need a full mission profile to figure out something is seriously amiss here.
Anyway, there are better suited forums to stir up the pot over NavCanada. I was hoping someone in the know here could enlighten me about this seemingly lavish spending.
Anyway, there are better suited forums to stir up the pot over NavCanada
. I was hoping someone in the know here could enlighten me about this seemingly lavish spending.-Brian
Sep 7, 2008 | 8:50 pm
#13
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I do not know why NavCanada seems to have a need for a CRJ200 because I do not work there, so that is the seemingly lavish part.
My question is very clear, hopefully.
Sep 7, 2008 | 8:59 pm
#14
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Fair enough. Talking about this subject here is about as useful as sh**ing into the wind -- but if you do find the answers to your questions, I would be interested in hearing them...
-Brian
-Brian
Sep 7, 2008 | 9:04 pm
#15
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: London, Ontario
Posts: 5,212
Maybe there aren't as many good used suitable business jets on the market compared to what they could lease a CRJ for. As said above, there was a glut of CRJ's on the market right after Flyi collapsed so Navcan probably got favourable terms on a 5 year old aircraft.