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No firm timeline for Buffalo's return
Company says six-week suspension cost roughly $1.5 million

Shane Magee
Northern News Services
Monday, January 18, 2016

HAY RIVER
The general manager for Buffalo Airways says the company is going to stagger the company's return to the skies.

"We're going to be introducing aircraft back one type at a time," said Bruce Jonasson on Jan. 15. "We don't really have a time line on it, but of course it's urgent."

Transport Canada lifted a suspension of its air operator certificate last week.

The first aircraft expected to go back into service was the Douglas DC-3 freighter over the weekend followed by the Lockheed L-188 Electra this week, he said.

Jonasson has previously said passenger service to Hay River would be on pause as the company gets back to normal operations.

"You don't start back at 100 per cent on Day one," he said. "You walk before you run."

The Hay River-based company that includes Second World War era-aircraft in its fleet was notified around 4 p.m., Jan. 12 by the regulator that the suspension issued Nov. 30 had been lifted.

"It means that we're going back to work," Jonasson said shortly after receiving the update from Transport Canada.

"We're just glad to be going back to work and serving our clients. We're thrilled," he said.

Transport Canada issued a news release Jan. 12 stating the re-instatement was effective immediately.

"Buffalo Airways' corrective action addresses Transport Canada's concerns regarding the company's safety record and its ability to keep its operations consistently compliant with aviation safety regulations," the statement says.

"Transport Canada will closely monitor Buffalo Airways to verify that its corrective action is implemented and sustained."

During the six-week suspension, the company was prohibited from flying commercial flights. To maintain service, it hired chartered flights for cargo and passenger service.

However, on Dec. 24, the company ended chartered passenger flights to Hay River.

Jonasson said a lot of work went into corrective action plans to meet the issues identified by Transport Canada in order "to display processes compliant with the regulations."

The company also hired Sol Taboada with DTI Training as a consultant to help address issues raised by Transport Canada.

During the time the airline was grounded, "Buffalo" Joe McBryan had penned a letter to the regulator stating he had walked away from the company in order to help get it back in the air.

"His days running the company are done," Taboada told News/North in December.

Jonasson said the company worked hard to address the corrective actions required by Transport Canada.

During the suspension, Jonasson said the company was still paying its employees.

"It's been awful over the Christmas season," he said about the impact on staff.

He estimated the financial impact was in the range of $1.5 million.

In a news release last year, Transport Canada said the suspension was issued because of the company's "poor safety record."

It has stated that the suspension would only be lifted once the company had demonstrated it could safely operate.

Buffalo's operations, and its sometimes checked interactions with Transport Canada inspectors, were featured in the History Television's Ice Pilots NWT.

The show ran for six seasons, ending in 2014.

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