WIX Archives

Re: CWH and jet collection..?

Posted by Steve T on Mon Nov 03, 2003 09:31:45 PM

In reply top Re: CWH and jet collection..? posted by Martin Keenan on Mon Nov 03, 2003 10:12:16 AM

Martin--

: I had heard a while back (accurately?) that the Hunter was
: going to be leased to the Northern Lights Team, and flown
: as part of a contract service to the military (presumably
: subbing for the retired T-33s). I haven't heard anything
: about this recently, so perhaps the deal fell through.

Say, that's interesting. Hadn't heard that one. Hunter J-4006 is said to be basically flyable, though, and certainly looks it...

: I think that the only other jet CWH has that could easily
: be run is the Vampire, which I understand was more-or-less
: complete when acquired, and could be put into running ord
: er with a certain amount of work (probably a *lot* of work
: , but at least all the bits are there).

That one has on-and-off been the subject of rumours that it might be restored to fly, but I seriously doubt that would ever happen--all the less so in the present climate at the Hope.

: As for the activity at the airport -- I think that CWH may
: sooner or later have problems conducting any kind of oper
: ations there. With the landing fees at YYZ as they are, t
: here's a lot of incentive to move cargo, charter, and chea
: pie domestic flights to Hamilton. If Hamilton gets U.S. p
: re-clearance (which could happen with a lot of charter tra
: ffic), then the U.S. carriers could get interested again.

Matter of fact the Hamilton Spectator carried an article on this exact topic this morning. A bit of a bonanza is rumoured for the airport as charter operators flee Pearson's lofty fees.

: The EAA has already been forced out of Hamilton -- CWH co
: uld be next. There's certainly almost no possibility of e
: ver having an airshow there again, and even the flying day
: s that CWH has had in recent years may become difficult.

There will never be another HIAS, for sure; it simply would be too disruptive to business-as-usual at what is no longer a tranquil airport. I don't see CWH moving from its present nearly-new facility: but I could see the currently-flying aircraft (which at the moment is only about a quarter of the collection) moving elsewhere during the flying season. Brantford, perhaps? An exception to this would have to be the Lancaster, which is the one item most visitors fork over the money to see at CWH. Unless a second, static Lanc could be sourced...? (Just imagining out loud here, of course).

S.

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