Runway at Jack Garland a challenge, opportunity.

Hosting a 10,000-foot runway at North Bay's Jack Garland Airport can be both a blessing and a curse for the city's airport corporation.

When Toronto's Pearson International Airport is socked in by bad weather, large international air carriers sure appreciate North Bay's military-length runway as an alternate landing strip.

But it may be a chore for the corporation to access federal funding to upgrade and improve the runway's surface.

North Bay is one of 15 civilian airports in Canada with a runway of 10,000 feet or greater, and one of only four in Ontario (Ottawa, Hamilton and Toronto). The airport was once the home of 414 Fighter Squadron, which pulled out of CFB North Bay in 1992.

Still, North Bay occasionally serves as an emergency landing strip when large carriers are diverted because of weather conditions in Toronto or emergency situations.

Finding ways to best use the runway and how to market it remains a top priority issue for the corporation, says airport manager Rick Proulx.

They've embarked on a five-year growth strategy to make a bigger economic impact by boosting air traffic, building partnerships, making better use of their assets and attracting at least two new aerospace businesses.

Runway resurfacing, which was last done 22 years ago, is a priority item.

Most asphalt and concrete runways have an average lifespan between 16 and 20 years, says Proulx.

And while North Bay's runway remains in good shape, the corporation is putting together their application for funding by 2010. Problem is, Canadian government restrictions only allow 6,000 ft. of runway to be resurfaced under the federal Airport Capital Assistance Program (ACAP).

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Proulx says the program's funding formula is based on the largest passenger aircraft using the airport, which in North Bay's case, is the small Dash 8 aircraft.

"Part of our argument is, because of our history here and the fact we have a 10,000 foot runway, we've had many weather- and emergency-related diversions."

Last August, that translated to eight diversions of international flights stemming from the Air France accident in Toronto and two weather-related events involving Airbus A340's and a Boeing 767.

Proulx says a number of domestic carriers, including Air Canada, United Airlines and Delta use North Bay as a designated alternate strip. The airport corp, would like to approach more.

Resurfacing actually cheaper option

Shortening the runway length is not in the cards, he says, partly because many air carriers are changing their fleets from smaller Dash 8's to larger regional jets carrying 70 to 100 passengers. And during snowy or icy conditions, regional jets on so-called "contaminated runways" need a much greater landing distance.

He says the cost to shorten the runway to 6,000 ft. would cost more ($2.9 million) than if they were to resurface the existing 10,000 feet ($2.75 million) because of federal requirements to change navigational aids, runway lighting, demolition disposal and restoration costs.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

ACAP funding would cover 95 per cent of the project's capital costs with the remainder coming from the airport.

Proulx says runway length is also critical if the airport corporation wants to actively pursue air cargo opportunities with logistics companies.

"It's not presently a top priority, but is one of the strategic plan objectives the corporation has."

Because of the air freight industry's extremely competitive nature, Proulx is reluctant to discuss specifics of possible customers, cargoes and back haul opportunities.

In 2002, North Bay and Sault Ste. Marie collaborated on a logistics study assessing global opportunities and challenges for air cargo flights from Asia using trans-polar routes.

The report, prepared by InterVistas Consulting of Vancouver, indicated there was tremendous growth potential in the global air cargo sector, but cautioned it is a high-risk, high-reward venture that is "... highly and permanently vulnerable to poaching."

Proulx says they have collected a data-base of information and "we continue to talk to the odd clients every six months," but interest has been limited.

He says they are keeping what opportunities are out there "on the radar screen." Proulx wants to make sure the airport is open to any company that would see using North Bay as more economical than Toronto for shipping freight, for example.

In the past, heavy-lift aircraft have sporadically used Jack Garland to move mining equipment overseas. Two years ago, the Indian air force en route to a training exercise in Alaska used North Bay as an overnight refuelling stop for their Ilyushin transport aircraft and fighter jets.

North Bay is also looking for ways to capitalize on a fee hike in Toronto.

Pearson International Airport is raising its landing fees this year by 6.9 per cent and general terminal charges by 8.9 per cent. An airline consulting committee reported it would cost more than $16,500 to land a Boeing 747 in Toronto, making it one of the most expensive airports in the world.

Proulx says a similar aircraft landing in North Bay would cost $3,500, which would work for a cargo operation since fees are based on the weight of the aircraft. Terminal fees are based on the number of passengers travelling through the building.

The corporation is also lobbying for more Canada Customs staff at the airport, especially when international flights are diverted to North Bay.

Canada Border Service Agency has just one officer in North Bay on duty during regular business hours on weekdays.

The airport authority is asking the agency for a call-out proposal to train up local people to fill in on a call-up basis.

In early February, the airport received $20,000 to identify future uses and opportunities for land at Jack Garland.

The money will be used to conduct a comprehensive land development study for their short- and long-term development and use of city-owned airport lands. Two large tracts of land, including some fully serviced lots, have been designated for further commercial and industrial development.

By IAN ROSS

Northern Ontario Business