SWIFT 22 Day 3 – Program Announced

The third and final day of SWIFT 22, hosted by YUL airport in Montréal, has a jam-packed schedule.

The first of six sessions is CATPG’s Gravel Runway Evaluation & Design, chaired by Richard Blommers of Tetra Tech. Richard told SWIFT organisers “As I recently read, only 11 airports in the Yukon Territory, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut have paved runways. The other 75 runways are unpaved. Canada-wide, there were 944 airports with unpaved runways as of 2013. It’s a highly relevant topic!” He continues, “I think we’re all tired of the computer, the mute/unmute, and the awkward waves to finish a virtual meeting. I’m looking forward to the in person social interaction which allows people to connect on a much more personal level.” Joining Richard will be Riley Siroishka, Projects Engineer, Airports Group for Tetra Tech, Mike Boyle, Aviation Technologist for CBR Tech, and George Nowak, Deputy Practise Lead – Airports for HATCH.

The Drones & Habitat Management session will be exploring the role & relationship between airport operations and construction as design, planning, approval and works. Chaired by Waylon Godden, Manager of Airfield Maintenance for YVR, the session will also feature presentations from Dean Ervin, Director of Aerodrome Operations & Compliance at YEG makes a reappearance for his second SWIFT session, alongside Moe Kaleem, Project Manager, Infrastructure Department at YYC, Alan Chapman, Director RTM of Nav Canada, and presenting via the power of the internet, David Bradbeer, Wildlife Program Coordinator, Airside Operations for YYC will contribute to the session.

The second CAPTG session of the day will be a panel put together by session chair Jared Mitchell from the Department of National Defence, called Airfield Pavement Performance. The session will touch on best practises and technologies for improving the performance and longevity of airfield pavements. Drew Dutton, Aerodrome Engineer for Transport Canada will be speaking, with presentations also from Myron Theissen of the Department of National Defence with Keith Foster from Englobe, and finally Sina Varamini Director, Pavements and Materials Group from Engtec Consulting.

FOD & Runway Safety presented by Neil Pritchard, Head of Business Change for London Heathrow will focus on exploring the future of FOD, FOD and the pavement relationship, FOD prevention and construction, the link between FOD and other safety management processes and systems. Neil will be joined by Kevin Chee Senior Engineer, Airside Civil of Greater Toronto Airports Authority.

Evergreen Solutions are sponsoring the GRF & Surface Condition Monitoring session, chaired by Gary Lamb, Manager Airside Operations of YEG. The session will be discussing GRF and the positives/risks, pavement condition assessment, continuous surface condition monitoring, and rubber removal – use of chemicals and the effect of hydro-blasting on pavement texture, life and friction. Gary will be joined by Steve McKeown, President of Team Eagle, Shirley Ddanba, Pavement Engineer for YVR, and Jean-Denis Brassard, Research Professor for Université du Québec à Chicoutimi.

Donald Desrosiers, SWIFT Committee President will close the show alongside Jeff Rorabeck, Manager, Airfield Services for YWG, as they look to the future of SWIFT and where the show might be held next year!