I thought Alberta sold it's fleet of planes?

avb3 · #1 05-14-2016, 12:01 AM

If you look at the Dash 8 in the background, that is exactly what the old GOA Dash 8 looked like.

I thought it was sold. Anyone know the back story on it?

ab gov plane.jpg

raab · #2 05-14-2016, 12:14 AM

The Dash 8 did not sell, and I doubt the NDP have put it back up for auction.

avb3 · #3 05-14-2016, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raab

The Dash 8 did not sell, and I doubt the NDP have put it back up for auction.

That plane got a lot of use and other than the perception of the politics of planes, I always thought it made sense to keep much of the fleet. Redford abused the system, but reality is that for GOA politicians and bureaucrats to do some of their work, it made sense to have planes. Not all work is done between YEG and YYC were there are lots of flight choices.

bobinthesky · #4 05-14-2016, 07:18 AM

That's not the Alberta Gov Dash 8, it was sold last January.
Different paint too.

http://edmontonjournal.com/news/poli...-province-says

rookiemoosehunter · #5 05-14-2016, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by avb3

If you look at the Dash 8 in the background, that is exactly what the old GOA Dash 8 looked like.

I thought it was sold. Anyone know the back story on it?

Attachment 121452

That plane looked like one of north caribou's fleet.

mikefromcanmore · #6 05-14-2016, 07:33 AM

Charter it's in North Cariboo Air colours,they run 9 or 10 Dash 8's from Calgary and Edmonton .I guess it was cheaper than running a RCAF Challenger craft up.

Grizzly Adams · #7 05-14-2016, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by avb3

That plane got a lot of use and other than the perception of the politics of planes, I always thought it made sense to keep much of the fleet. Redford abused the system, but reality is that for GOA politicians and bureaucrats to do some of their work, it made sense to have planes. Not all work is done between YEG and YYC were there are lots of flight choices.

A case of Politics versus Reality, sounded good to the Public at the time.

Grizz

Weedy1 · #8 05-14-2016, 08:42 AM

They're still trying to sublease the hanger we're on the hook for until August 31, 2023.

https://realty.alberta.ca/pbProperty...321C&PHOTOID=2

Stonecutter · #9 05-14-2016, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by avb3

That plane got a lot of use and other than the perception of the politics of planes, I always thought it made sense to keep much of the fleet. Redford abused the system, but reality is that for GOA politicians and bureaucrats to do some of their work, it made sense to have planes. Not all work is done between YEG and YYC were there are lots of flight choices.

Agree with this 100%. There are a lot of places where commercial flights don't go in Alberta (most places). That means either they have to fly and drive and stay over or worse: charter a plane. It didn't make sense to sell the fleet. All Prentice had to do is enforce some rules with some consequences (real ones - not just, "oh I'll make a token payment") and we'd be fine.

I'd be interested to know what we are paying now for expenses because we don't have a fleet in comparison to when we did.

Stonecutter · #10 05-14-2016, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Weedy1

They're still trying to sublease the hanger we're on the hook for until August 31, 2023.

https://realty.alberta.ca/pbProperty...321C&PHOTOID=2

At least they were able to lease the city centre airport hangar out to NAIT. I can't imagine paying for two hangars to just sit there, all warmed up and maintenance to keep up with.

happy honker · #11 05-14-2016, 08:58 AM

Yes...that was a bit of a knee jerk reaction motivated by the need for damage control.
Those planes have a lot of uses and in many cases were more efficient than commercial flights or even chartering.

I was on a flight with a deputy minister, a bunch of that particular departments staff and a few others.
They managed to go to 3 different communities in 1 day and everyone was back home for supper. No Hotels, no overtime, per diems etc.
We did the same trip a year later, 1 community per day, 8 hotel rooms times 2 nights...per diems...and 3 days that the staff was not in the office working on various duties.

Time is money too...it's not like they're eating caviar and drinking champagne up there....although obviously there are/were abuses. Often these planes were used by people actually trying to do their jobs as efficiently as possible.

Eliminating the entire fleet was over reaction, when just some accountability would have done just fine.

avb3 · #12 05-14-2016, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by happy honker

Yes...that was a bit of a knee jerk reaction motivated by the need for damage control.
Those planes have a lot of uses and in many cases were more efficient than commercial flights or even chartering.

I was on a flight with a deputy minister, a bunch of that particular departments staff and a few others.
They managed to go to 3 different communities in 1 day and everyone was back home for supper. No Hotels, no overtime, per diems etc.
We did the same trip a year later, 1 community per day, 8 hotel rooms times 2 nights...per diems...and 3 days that the staff was not in the office working on various duties.

Time is money too...it's not like they're eating caviar and drinking champagne up there....although obviously there are/were abuses. Often these planes were used by people actually trying to do their jobs as efficiently as possible.

Eliminating the entire fleet was over reaction, when just some accountability would have done just fine.

Exactly. I've been on a couple of flights, both with the Dash and the King Air's they had, and it's what you described. The Dash could hold 36 if I recall, and was great for moving people from various communities to a meeting and back. The King Air one could leave Edmonton at 5pm, do the meeting in Rocky, and be back by 11pm.

I have no doubt there were abuses, but I also know they were not only for the premier, cabinet ministers, or even necessarily for senior staff exclusively. Various publics often were part of the passengers.

bobinthesky · #13 05-14-2016, 04:39 PM

Politics........... says it all.....

LSLAKER · #14 05-14-2016, 06:44 PM

A search on Transport Canada's web site shows that C-GFSJ was registered to the Province of Alberta up until 2016-01-21 and after this date the new registered owner is

Name:
Avmax Aircraft Leasing Inc.
Address: 380 McTavish Road NE
City: Calgary Postal Code: T2E 7G5

doetracks · #15 05-14-2016, 10:17 PM

That is definitely a Cariboo dash. I used to fly for them. None in YEG anymore.

sourdough doug · #16 05-14-2016, 10:48 PM

No, they didn't sell them all. I still have mine BUT it is for sale..

deepfried · #17 05-15-2016, 11:31 AM

As I work for avmax and used to work for cariboo I can tell you the dash is sitting in avmax hanger right now getting work done to it and the dash you see Trudeau and notley on is nxn from the cariboo fleet

avb3 · #18 05-15-2016, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deepfried

As I work for avmax and used to work for cariboo I can tell you the dash is sitting in avmax hanger right now getting work done to it and the dash you see Trudeau and notley on is nxn from the cariboo fleet

I see that the pictured one does have a different livery on it, although similar at first glance. It's been a while since I've seen the one you're working on.

deepfried · #19 05-15-2016, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by avb3

I see that the pictured one does have a different livery on it, although similar at first glance. It's been a while since I've seen the one you're working on.

The one provincial one is still in the same paint scheme but inside the hanger at avmax in Calgary.

North cariboo livery of you see the entire aircraft is pretty unique. I talked to the guys at cariboo the other day and they said the whole thing was really hush hush and the pilots didn't even know who the passengers were until they picked them up in yeg.