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MergerpromisestoreshapeNorthernaviationIndustryAviationTransportationSafety9TuesdayApril152014ByJACKDANYLCHUKAdirepredictionformerCanadianNorthpresidentTracyMedvemadein2009whenWestJetmuscleditswayintotheNorthernmar-ketnowseemsdestinedtocometrue.SpeculationaboutthepossibilityofaCanadianNorth-FirstAirmergerendedlastweekwithajointannouncementbyMakivikCorp.andNorTerrathatthecompaniesarepursuingamergerofthetwocarriers.AmergerwouldimprovethesustainabilityofthesecriticalInuitbirthrighten-terprisesandwouldalsocreatebetterairservicesandneweconomicde-velopmentopportunitiesacrosstheNorthsaidtheannouncement.Flightoperationsandser-viceswillremainindependentCPAWSCANADIANPARKSANDWILDERNESSSOCIETYNORTHWESTTERRITORIESCHAPTERWorkingwithNWTresidentstoconservethelandwaterandwildlifeoftheNWTsince1997.Tovolunteerorlearnmorecontactnwtadmincpaws.orgorvisitwww.cpawsnwt.orgTHISEARTHWEEKGETOUTSIDEANDByJACKDANYLCHUKWiththereportonthefatalcrashofanoff-courseFirstAirightfreshintheirmindscompanyofficialsmovedswiftlylastweektoretwopilotswhowanderedhundredsofkilometresfromtheirdestination.Thepilotsfailedtofollowstandardoperatingproce-duresdesignedtoeliminatenavigationalerrorsthecom-panysaidinapressreleasethatannouncedtheringafteraninvestigationintotheMar.31incident.FollowingthereleaseofthereportontheAugust2011crashofFlight6560atResoluteBaythatkilled12peopleFirstAirsexecutivevice-presidentChrisFerrissaidtheairlinehadstrength-enedandbecomeamuchsaferairlinethroughrevisedoperatingproceduresandPilotsfiredafterFirstAirflightveersoffcourseFirstAirtooquicktoreerrantightofcerspilotsunionmorein-ightmonitoring.WhilethecaptainandrstofceronFlight6560arguedaboutwhethertheywereoncourseastheyapproachedResoluteBaytherewasnodisagreementaboardFlight955afteritleftRankinInletforIqaluitandheadednorth.ThecrewonFlight955wasrelyingonauto-pilotusingGPSnavigationwhenthecrewnoticedtheyhadntbeenhandedofffromairtrafccontrolinEdmontontoMontreal.TransportCan-adasaidradarpickeduptheBoeing737about256kmoffitsplannedcourse416kmnorthwestofIqaluit.AirtrafccontrolinMon-trealwasabletocontactFlight955afterasecondplanerelayedamessage.ThepilotsresettheircourseandlandedwithoutincidentinIqaluit.Maintenancecrewsandunaffectedduringthenegotiationandregulatoryreviewphasestheannounce-mentsaidbutasthemergedairlineslookforsavingsreducedflightstoremotecommunitiesandjoblossesseemlikely.Medvesoriginalpredic-tionemergedatthetimewhenAirCanadaJazzwaseatingintothelucrativeIqaluit-OttawaandYellow-knife-EdmontonlegsthatsubsidizedCanadianNorthandFirstAirservicetore-motecommunitieslead-inghertosayThereisntroomforfourcarriersinthismarket.Thebigsoutherncarri-erswerecherry-pickingMedvesaidastheNortherncarrierslookedforwaystomeetthecompetition.FirstAircutbackonightsandexperimentedwithnewrouteswhileCanadianNorthlookedfornewindustrialcustomers.MakivikCorp.madenosecretitsdesiretosellFirstAirtoNunavutinterestsbutNunasiCorp.themostlikelybuyerhasbeenpressedforcapitalsincethe2008reces-sion.EarlierthismonthNu-nasisolditsinterestinNor-TerraInc.aholdingcompanyownedbytheInuvialuitDe-velopmentCorp.CanadianNorthiesto19destinationsintheNorthwestTerritoriesandNunavutviathesoutherngatewaysofEdmontonandOttawaandprovidescharterservicetoindustrialcustomersinFortMcMurray.FirstAirboaststheonlytwocivilianownedandop-eratedHerculescargoair-craftinCanadaandoffersscheduledcargoandchar-terservicestomoreNorth-erndestinationsthananyotherairline.FirstAirhasaround1000employeesofwhichmorethan450workandliveintheNorthCana-dianNorthemploysabout500people.ThecompaniessaidFridaythatthepotentialmergerofthetwoairlineswouldnotresultinjoblosses.MakivikandNorTerraInc.promisedtokeepthepublicinformedthroughawebsitewww.newnorther-nairline.com.onthegroundfoundnoequipmentproblemsandclearedtheplanetocon-tinueying.FirstAirofcialssaidthecrewoffourand19passen-gerswereneverindangerthoughtheinvestigationpromptedFirstAirtorein-forceprocedureswithcrewsanddispatchstaffandin-creasemonitoringofightsthecompanysaid.PilotsuniondeeplydisappointedPeterBlackchairoftheFirstAirunitofAirLinePilotsAssociationInter-nationalsaidtheunionisdeeplydisappointedwiththedecisiontorethepilotspriortoacompleteandthoroughinvestigationoftheincident.Thisrushtojudgmenthasunfairlycalledintoquestiontheexpertiseandprofessionalismofacrewwithmorethan40yearsofcombinedightexperienceBlacksaid.Wewillusealloftheunionsresourcestoinvestigatethisincidentandsupportthecrew.Aspartofitsinvesti-gationintowhytheplanewentoffcourseFirstAirsaiditreviewedightdataandnavigationaidsontheaircraftandconductedin-terviewswiththepilotsandcabincrew.Duringtheinterviewswelearnedthepilotsdidnotfollowourstandardop-eratingproceduresdesignedtoeliminatenavigationalerrorsFirstAirsaidinanewsrelease.Wehavegonetogreatlengthstoupdateandstrengthenourstandardoperatingprocedurestoensureourpi-lotshavethetoolstheyneedtoysafelythenewsreleasesaid.Wehavealsoincreasedin-ightoversightusingdatamonitoringtools.FilephotoTwoFirstAirpilotshavebeenredfollowinganerrorthattooktheirBoeing737over250kmoffcourse.FilephotoCanadianNorthandFirstAirmaycombinetobecomeonenewNorthernairlineastalksofapotentialmergerbetweenMakivikandNorTerrawereannouncedlastweek.