NR - 08.088 - December 19, 2008
St. John’s NL – The Honourable Peter Gordon MacKay, Minister of National Defence and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway, today announced the awarding of a contract to Newfoundland and Labrador-based Provincial Aerospace Ltd. for the mid-life inspection and refurbishment of four CT-142 Dash 8 military training aircraft.
Under the terms of the contract, won by a competitive bidding process, the mid-life inspection on all four CT-142 Dash 8 aircraft will be completed over a four-year period, with one aircraft scheduled each year. The mid-life inspection on the first aircraft began on December 1, 2008.
“For almost twenty years, the CT-142 Dash-8 has been a very reliable aircraft – a centerpiece of our Canadian Air Force's training system,” said Minister MacKay. “This is why we are making sure that the CT-142 remains an effective and trustworthy component of our air navigators’ training system for many more years.”
The CT-142 aircraft is a military version of the civilian Dash 8 100 Series aircraft used by the CF for air navigation training. Nicknamed “Gonzo” because of its large nose which holds the radar system antenna, it is used exclusively as the training aircraft of choice at the Canadian Forces Air Navigation School (CFANS) at 17 Wing Winnipeg, Manitoba. The four aircraft were introduced to service between December 1989 and May 1991.
The contracted turn-around-time for inspection completion is 90 calendar days per aircraft. The mid-life inspections under the $2.3 million contract will be carried out at the Provincial Aerospace Ltd’s St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador airport facilities.
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For more information: Capt. Steve Neta, Public Affairs at 1 Canadian Air Division, at (204) 833-2500 ext. 2030 or via E-mail at neta.scc@forces.gc.ca.
