Porter Airlines to open Ottawa E2 MRO base

Porter Airlines (PD, Toronto City Centre) parent Porter Aviation Holdings Inc. and the Ottawa International Airport Authority (OIAA) are investing more than CAD65 million Canadian dollars (USD47 million) in constructing two aircraft hangars and supporting infrastructure at Ottawa Int'l.

The 13,935.46 sqm facility will maintain Porter's incoming fleet of E195-E2s and twenty-nine existing DHC-8-Q400s, the airline said in a statement. Porter has up to 100 E195-E2s on order from Embraer (EMB, Sao Jose dos Campos), including 50 firm commitments and 50 purchase rights. The first aircraft are scheduled to be delivered by the end of 2022, and initial routes will be announced leading up to the first aircraft deliveries.

The new E195-E2 fleet will enable Porter to operate throughout North America, including the UWest Coast, southern US, Mexico, and the Caribbean. The airline said the aircraft would initially be deployed from Toronto Pearson, with Ottawa, Halifax, and Montréal Trudeau seeing new service with the E195-E2 over time.

Meanwhile, the hangars are being built in two phases: Phase One is scheduled for completion by the end of 2023, and Phase Two in the first quarter of 2024.

Ottawa Int'l will be the E2's primary maintenance base, with Porter hiring 200 local staff, including 160 aircraft maintenance engineers. Other positions include shop technicians, store clerks, and administrative support.

"We anticipate our presence in Ottawa will grow in the coming years, supported by the maintenance base and future aircraft deliveries that give us the ability to consider new routes," commented President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Deluce.

OIAA is constructing a new CAD15 million (USD10.8 million) taxiway in the airport's north field area and related infrastructure to support Porter's hangar development, federal government requirements, and possibly other commercial aviation-related development.

In addition to daily line maintenance on the E195-E2 and Dash 8-400, the Ottawa facility will have the following capabilities:

• Indoor parking for up to eight aircraft;

• Structures shop for repairs and modifications of metal and composite aircraft parts;

• Component repair shop to repair and overhaul cabin equipment;

• Wheel shop to repair and overhaul main and nose wheels; and

• Battery shop to repair and overhaul aircraft main and emergency batteries.

    ch aviation