Contributor - Accidents and Regulations

Gordon Gilbert

Starting early next year, the Greater Toronto Airport Authority (GTAA) is scheduled to introduce a revised takeoff and landing reservation system for business and general aviation operators at Pearson International Airport. A GTAA spokesperson told AIN that the program will continue to include no allotment limits or caps, although operations still will not be permitted within the night-flight restricted hours between 12:30 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. local time without prior permission.

 


According to the spokesperson, under the revised program, transient operators will be able to make their&nbsp;reservation (née slot) requests 72 hours before ETA or ETD (up from the current 48 hours). Reservations will be valid for one hour before and after the ETD or ETA. Based aircraft operators will be permitted to make reservations up to 30 days in advance.

 


When the revised system goes into effect, phone reservations will no longer be available and bookings will have to be made online at a dedicated airport reservation office (ARO) website. Each tail number will be permitted to book both a departure and arrival reservation at a time. The revised program is expected to “improve aircraft flow and increase airport efficiencies."

 


Nevertheless, the Canadian Business Aviation Association (CBAA), has always taken the position that there is no reason for the reservation program at Pearson. “Terminal constraints are not an issue for business aviation operations and as such only air movements controlled by Nav Canada should be the concern.” The association said it continues to work with Nav Canada and GTAA to ensure “continued access” at Pearson for business and general aviation operators.&nbsp;

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