Knowing that Timmins FSS has the Muskoka RAAS, I did some research and asked current and past NavCanada stafd about the previous radio operators. Some have told me that Timmins was intended to operate like a mini FIC. Also, there used to be FSS operators at the Muskoka airport who used to rotate between the FSS and Toronto FIC.
Is there anyone who has worked at the Muskoka FSS site, before Timmins FSS took over?
Just curious to know why Muskoka Flight service transferred to Timmins.
CYQA Muskoka FSS
Moderators: sky's the limit, sepia, Sulako, North Shore
Re: CYQA Muskoka FSS
Muskoka FSS closed at some point and the RAAS was moved to Toronto YKZ. Don't know the time or exact reason, but I assume it was for cost cutting. Not much happens at Muskoka in the winter.
Toronto FSS closed around 2003 as part of the FIC-project restructuring. London turned into a FIC, and Muskoka RAAS moved to London. Moosonee RAAS was supposed to follow.
It was later determined that rather than having RAAS at a weather/flightplanning (FIC) site it was better to have RAAS's at a more traditional FSS that did advisories. This way the operators were way more current at the job, and there was probably some efficiencies/cost savings involved. Muskoka RAAS moved to Timmins.
(This switch back from FSS to FIC to FSS for RAAS happened in more than one place in the country).
Toronto FSS closed around 2003 as part of the FIC-project restructuring. London turned into a FIC, and Muskoka RAAS moved to London. Moosonee RAAS was supposed to follow.
It was later determined that rather than having RAAS at a weather/flightplanning (FIC) site it was better to have RAAS's at a more traditional FSS that did advisories. This way the operators were way more current at the job, and there was probably some efficiencies/cost savings involved. Muskoka RAAS moved to Timmins.
(This switch back from FSS to FIC to FSS for RAAS happened in more than one place in the country).
Re: CYQA Muskoka FSS
Excellent. Lots of history for sure. That answers the question to a "T".
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Taxivasion
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Re: CYQA Muskoka FSS
You know what grinds my gears at Muskoka is it's totally automated weather measuring equip that mysteriously can't be trusted from 2200- 0700. No TAF. Same with YXU. Everything is totally automated on the ATIS but after hours all it can pull off is winds and altimeter. I ask why? Do people not fly or need to know weather after 2200? Unnecessary risk in my opinion.
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Cessna 180
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Re: CYQA Muskoka FSS
From what I understand, while the weather station may be automated, the Terminal forecast comes from Environment Canada and it's an actual person who issues it. Hence why some airports don't have a time period forecast.Taxivasion wrote:You know what grinds my gears at Muskoka is it's totally automated weather measuring equip that mysteriously can't be trusted from 2200- 0700. No TAF. Same with YXU. Everything is totally automated on the ATIS but after hours all it can pull off is winds and altimeter. I ask why? Do people not fly or need to know weather after 2200? Unnecessary risk in my opinion.
Re: CYQA Muskoka FSS
Timmins used to broadcast a LWIS, a year or two ago. When the last Jazz flight landed, at 12:30am local, the FSS guy switched the ATIS to the LWIS, which does not broadcast visibility or sky conditions, just wind, temp/dewpoint/altimiter. Now, just like Sudbury, the Timmins ATIS is 24/7.
