EDMONTON — Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach was forced to miss his own party at the Vancouver Olympics after a day that played out like the comedy movie Planes, Trains and Automobiles."
Stelmach woke up before dawn Wednesday to catch a plane from Edmonton to Vancouver, but the host of Alberta Day at the Olympics was stymied when his government aircraft couldn't take off because of fog.
The premier then was driven to Calgary where the weather was better to board another aircraft only to face an air travel traffic jam. The long lineup of flight departures at Calgary International Airport finally forced Stelmach to abandon his trip.
Several cabinet ministers who were already in Vancouver were told to fill in for the premier at the Alberta Day events.
Stelmach ended up sending a video message to be played during the festivities at B.C. Place, which were expected to draw tens of thousands of people.
Alberta is spending $7 million on promotions during the Olympics, including a 30-minute concert before the medal presentations Wednesday night.
The schedule of performers included country music star Paul Brandt, DJ Jay Mak and The Plain Janes.
Earlier in the week Stelmach said the Alberta events would be a huge opportunity" to advertise and talk about the province.
Six rail coaches decorated with the Alberta brand have been running from Jasper and Banff to the Olympics as part of a promotional campaign.
Alberta's opposition parties say the number of cabinet ministers and government aides travelling to Vancouver during the Olympics has turned the promotional campaign into a junket.
It's a taxpayer-funded junket and I'd really like to see a clear accounting when they get back," said New Democrat Leader Brian Mason, who chuckled when he heard that Stelmach couldn't get out of Alberta to attend his own party.
Liberal Opposition Leader David Swann said he doesn't believe most Albertans support the government spending money in this way.
We have to be business-like about these things, but where's the return on investment?" Swann said.
What are the indicators that show $7 million is going to be returned to Albertans? I don't see it."
Wouldn't YEG and YXD be the most inefficient airports in N.A. based on this example? It's to my understanding that traffic into/out of YVR is slotted for the next couple of weeks. Miss your slot time, forget about taking off. Hmmm, long queue to take off from YYC, huh? Perhaps the weather was low there, too.
---------- ADS -----------
Turn right/left heading XXX, vectors for the hell of it.
I've sat for a VERY long time waiting to take-off on a clear and sunny morning in YYC. Likewise I've been stuck in YEG due to fog and the new taxiing rules.
cyeg66 wrote:Wouldn't YEG and YXD be the most inefficient airports in N.A. based on this example? It's to my understanding that traffic into/out of YVR is slotted for the next couple of weeks. Miss your slot time, forget about taking off. Hmmm, long queue to take off from YYC, huh? Perhaps the weather was low there, too.
you my friend have obviously never operated out of YYC before, I loved being told number 20 to depart ok no worries taxi out hold short and counted 32 departures before they got to number "20" for departure 1 hour 22 minutes holding short the weather you ask? just fine see one end to the other clouds at 3000 AGL ya slow down their skipper its crazy weather we are having in YYC.
Landing Aircraft would have to be clear the runway before another aircraft was cleared to position. Flow control on severe clear days, you make your flow time out of wherever then they slow you and give out crossing retrictions, spun in a hold only to be told over to arrival "resume normal speed and hear dead silence on the Radio = not busy at all WTF OVER" cleared visual # 1 no one for miles but hey we are "high intensity runway ops in effect caution bird activity !!!! the friggen birds are frozen solid it -20 out and even they make it from YEG to YYC faster than a Jet.
. wrote:
you my friend have obviously never operated out of YYC before, I loved being told number 20 to depart ok no worries taxi out hold short and counted 32 departures before they got to number "20" for departure 1 hour 22 minutes holding short the weather you ask? just fine see one end to the other clouds at 3000 AGL ya slow down their skipper its crazy weather we are having in YYC.
Landing Aircraft would have to be clear the runway before another aircraft was cleared to position. Flow control on severe clear days, you make your flow time out of wherever then they slow you and give out crossing retrictions, spun in a hold only to be told over to arrival "resume normal speed and hear dead silence on the Radio = not busy at all WTF OVER" cleared visual # 1 no one for miles but hey we are "high intensity runway ops in effect caution bird activity !!!! the friggen birds are frozen solid it -20 out and even they make it from YEG to YYC faster than a Jet.
You would be correct. I've never operated out of there. I know as a fact that YYC controllers have no effin' idea what they're doing. Terminal guys (maybe tower, too?) have both feet up, sipping tea, hotstoving with their neighbours, probably talking about what a cushy job they've got, one or two planes max on the frequency at any one time, and remarking constantly about how much appreciation they get for the 'easy' work they do. A very well informed post there, ... Keep up the good work.
---------- ADS -----------
Turn right/left heading XXX, vectors for the hell of it.
ill bring my camera next time and post the video on here if you don't believe me, we had a front row seat watching that shit show.
I'm not saying I don't believe you, but I don't believe that is the norm. If there is room to depart between two arrivals I always get "position and wait" as the first arrival is going over the threshold. I'm also getting a lot of visual separation departures these days, getting position and wait while the preceding departure is just setting the thrust and take-off clearance as soon as his nose wheel is off. Come to think of it I don't usually have any delays departing. Arriving is another story entirely.. and what's with the ATIS?
Most of my holds are in CYYC, the rest of the airports don't evencome close. Funny thing is that most of my flying is not in CYYC - day one I leave, am gone for a few days and then one leg back in.
Go Guns I totally agree the majority of delays is coming into YYC not departing, like you I usually roll up and boom gone maybe wait for one or two in front or arriving. But sitting their watching the departure pace of things with very few arrivals I kept thinking whats the hold up move these aircraft already.
Well since you are so enlightened about ATC ops and procedures you obviously could do SOOOOOOO much better.
Apply here http://takecharge.navcanada.ca/en .
Just a normal day in YYC, not what you would call a gong show, anyway. Helps understand a little bit what's happening on the other side of the mic. If you can stand to sit thru the whole 9+ minutes, you can probably learn a thing or two. Maybe some of the clueless here would even someday give YYC a break. Doubtful, though. "They're just dots on a screen. What's so hard about that", right? Like Braun said, give it a try.
If you aren't bored to death by that, then maybe you could "approach the light" even more by (re)reading the YYC Rant thread that circulated a couple months ago. viewtopic.php?f=54&t=60802
---by the way, the YYC liveatc.net link doesn't pick up 80% or more of the chatter. Hardly indicative of anything.
---------- ADS -----------
Turn right/left heading XXX, vectors for the hell of it.
Child's play compared to what is done in dozens of places in the US every frikin' day.
Next...
Tough nut to crack, I guess. In the meantime, that's reinforced my 'clueless' comment. "Jeez, lookit all da room dey put between dem dots... What are dey, scared to run 'em tite? Dat's how dey do it down in da States."
---------- ADS -----------
Turn right/left heading XXX, vectors for the hell of it.
Child's play compared to what is done in dozens of places in the US every frikin' day.
Next...
Tough nut to crack, I guess. In the meantime, that's reinforced my 'clueless' comment. "Jeez, lookit all da room dey put between dem dots... What are dey, scared to run 'em tite? Dat's how dey do it down in da States."
I am laughing my ass off! You guys and gals just don't get it! This has nothing to do with safety or efficiency It is all about LIABILITY! This is just a part of the DUMBING of AVIATION .... and other industries ..... and it is going to get a lot worse.... so get used to it folks! Think about it.... if you screw up ....your career is over. Those controllers in YYC know that .... and they ain't going to screw up. so get used to being patient.....and F*%k the good folks who pay for all this madness!
It's to my understanding that traffic into/out of YVR is slotted for the next couple of weeks. Miss your slot time, forget about taking off. Hmmm, long queue to take off from YYC, huh? Perhaps the weather was low there, too.
I know as a fact that YYC controllers have no effin' idea what they're doing. Terminal guys (maybe tower, too?) have both feet up, sipping tea, hotstoving with their neighbours, probably talking about what a cushy job they've got, one or two planes max on the frequency at any one time, and remarking constantly about how much appreciation they get for the 'easy' work they do. A very well informed post there, ... Keep up the good work.
