Officials at St. Paul International Airport John’s reports that there were 131 landings in May, the most arrivals since June 2019 recorded 144 arrivals. The airport did not comment on the reason for the increased number of flights, nor did it provide a more detailed analysis of military flight activity at the airport. However, the authority’s website reports that there are about 1,300 arrivals of military aircraft each year as the planes land for fuel or crew rest. Officials at Gander International Airport also guarded the release of information on military flights. In a statement, Gander Airport President and CEO Reg Wright said there was “a significant airlift created by the crisis in Ukraine and military traffic has doubled from pre-pandemic levels in recent months.” Wright did not disclose any statistics, saying the authority did not disclose data on country of origin, route, aircraft type or total numbers. Gander Airport has hosted the Air Force since 1938, Wright said. “It is normal to see traffic increase in times of conflict.” The military movement virtually evaporated in St. Petersburg. John’s and Gander during the pandemic, Wright said, “[but] “We are now welcoming the military partners back and it is an important part of what we are doing here.” At 5 Wing Goose Bay, meanwhile, the number of military flights is actually reduced by an increase in traffic in 2021, when there were 658 landings of various cargo and battle aircraft. While many of the flights to Goose Bay are Canadian military aircraft, the Labrador base also receives aircraft from the United States, Germany, France, Egypt, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, a base official said. Russia invaded Ukraine in February, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for international help to repel the invaders. Canada and the United States, among others, have responded to this call by approving billions in both arms and civilian aid to Ukraine. Much of this aid is being shipped from North America by cargo ships and civilian aircraft, but the U.S. Air Force’s huge fleet of aircraft has been mobilized, and that means an increase in landings in St. Louis. John’s and Gander. Not all military planes land at St. John’s International Airport. John’s Freight. This modified C-130 Hercules is a heavy gun. (Gary Hebard) Aviation enthusiasts like Gary Hebbard of St. John’s, they have noticed. “There is a tremendous military movement from here, especially the C-130 Hercules, the four-engine propeller-driven transport planes,” Hebard said. The airports of St. John’s, Gander and Goose Bay have a long history as a reference point for military cargo. It was vital for the Allied Powers in World War II and another European conflict proves their worth once again. Why; Geography, mainly. Newfoundland is an island in the North Atlantic and the closest landmass in North America, excluding Greenland, to Europe. Thus, planes carrying heavy loads often land to refuel and sometimes rest their crew. “It’s the shortest route across the Atlantic,” Hebard said. Gary Hepbard, a resident of St. John, is a retired journalist and aviation enthusiast. (Terry Roberts / CBC) David Perry, a defense and foreign policy analyst at the Canadian Institute of World Affairs in Ottawa, is not surprised by the role Newfoundland and Labrador airports play. “It’s a sensible place to stop for refueling, overnight, if you have problems with crew time, flight schedules, things like that,” Perry said. “It has long been an excellent transit point for aircraft crossing the Atlantic Ocean and remains so today.” Large runways and modern services also help attract aircraft, Hebbard explained. “We have the facilities to be able to take care of the crews if they are going to be here at night, and there are facilities here to repair the aircraft. If an aircraft lands with some kind of technical problem, it can generally be taken care of here,” he said. David Perry is a defense and foreign policy analyst at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute in Ottawa. (Carleton.ca) Military aircraft virtually disappeared from the runways in St. Petersburg. John’s and Gander during the pandemic. But they came back, as did the spinoffs that come with them. In May, for example, 1,400 overnight rooms were held by military personnel at the Delta Hotel in downtown St. John’s. accounts for 11 percent of the hotel’s total business, said CEO Heather McKinnon. “In May there was a huge increase for military crews,” McKinnon said. Most of the cargo planes belong to the US Air Force, but McKinnon said the hotel also hosts crews from the United Kingdom, Belgium and France, among other countries. “It’s a very good part of the business, with good manners and professionals,” McKinnon said. This C-130 Hercules parked at St. John’s International Airport. John on Tuesday comes from the Missouri Air Force of the United States Air Force. (Ted Dillon / CBC) It is good for the three fixed base carriers at St. John’s who power the aircraft and take care of the crews, while downtown businesses also benefit from the activity. But the reason for the increase in business is discouraging, as Ukraine and its people are struggling to survive. “Especially in recent weeks there has been an urgent need for a quick turnaround as events on the ground have evolved rapidly,” said David Perry. “And the sheer scale of this support and the urgent need to get there has created a significant demand for military airlift to transport all these things from North America to Ukraine. And for the people in Newfoundland, who date from the Second. “World War II. When my grandmother was in Torbay, you have a strategic piece of real estate that helps a lot when you want to do these long haul flights with this kit.” Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
