Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Arviat (Jan 09/02) - Arviat wants to join the jet set.

The hamlet recently received $20,000 from the Department of Transportation to help with an enhanced cost analysis on lengthening its airport runway.

Arviat would like to lengthen the runway by 457 metres to reach jet capacity.

The increase would bring the Arviat strip up to 1,676 metres from its current 1,219 metres, meaning it could easily handle Boeing 737s and similar jets.

Minimum runway length for 737 service is 1,524 metres.

The proposal would also include a 61-metre blast pad on either end of the runway.

Hamlet senior administrator Darren Flynn says the addition would benefit both passenger and cargo service.

"With cargo, a larger aircraft equals bigger volume, which should equal cheaper rates," says Flynn.

"On the passenger side of things, I don't believe it's any big secret people would rather fly in a jet than a prop-driven aircraft."

The cost analysis goes out to tender this month and should be completed by March 31.

Its main objectives are to ensure preliminary results are accurate and all Transport Canada requirements are met.

Flynn says once the actual numbers have been confirmed, hamlet council is prepared to make a major financial contribution towards the project.

He says the hamlet had an engineering firm develop some of the cost estimates involved.

"Those estimates came in fairly reasonable when you look at the cost of an airport these days. There's a lot of competition in the gravel trade in Arviat right now and that made a big difference."

Flynn says the hamlet has held encouraging discussions with First Air.

"They (First Air) seem receptive and we've also had light discussions with Canadian North, but we haven't approached their senior management on the topic yet.

"Jet service to Arviat would have to be cost-effective to an airline and that will also be covered in this cost analysis.

"From a municipal infrastructure standpoint, this is the number 1 priority in the hamlet right now."