There could be major changes coming to Canada's airports after planes at several airports have overshot runways.
Transport Canada is conducting a review to see if Canada's airports should have runway end safety areas.
These standards are already in use in other parts of the world.
An incident at Toronto’s Pearson Airport in 2005 sparked the review. An Air France flight skidded off the runway and burst into flames. All 309 people on board survived.
Transport Canada will assess if major Canadian airports should have a runway end safety area, an extra 300 meters of tarmac.
The Transportation Safety Board has investigated several incidents of planes overshooting the runway in Ottawa, including one in 2010, and another in 2011.
To increase safety the Ottawa Airport is adding runway extensions. It’s main runway known as 07/25 was repaired last year. The 2nd runway, known as 14/32, will be repaved and extended next summer.
Mark Laroche is President and CEO of the Ottawa Airport Authority. “We decided that when we invest in the reconstruction of the strip that we would invest in the highest standard of safety in the world.”
Once complete the Ottawa airport will surpass Transport Canada guidelines and meet the standards set in the US and internationally.
Other airports in Canada will be subject to the Transport Canada review.
