It is refreshing to see an airport seeking growth opportunities, rather than seeking opportunities to restrict access or shut down.

This Thursday, August 30, St-Hubert ( YHU) airport inaugurated its upgraded primary runway. Runway 24R/06L was revamped thanks to the federal Airports Capital Assistance Program (ACAP), allowing it to welcome bigger aircraft to make it a regional air transport hub in Quebec.

Inaugurated in 1927, CYHU slowly became the uncontested general aviation (GA) and training airport in southern Quebec, due to the number of flight training units (FTU) and movements. A target of the ‘not in my backyard’ phenomenon back in 2010 and threatened with closure from all sides, several associations (including COPA) supported the airport and its developers to reach an understanding with the opponents. Many initiatives have been put forward, such as new mufflers for many types of aircraft in the FTUs.

However, if bigger aircraft (737 or A320) suddenly come into CYHU, what will happen to GA? “The current infrastructure allows us to have GA (runways 24L / 06R and 28/10) and the bigger carriers (runway 24R / 06L) cohabit with no incidence. General aviation is now the livelihood of the airport and at the core of its mission”, says Charles Vaillancourt, Chairman of the Board of Aéroport Montréal Saint-Hubert Longueuil (AMSL), who is himself a Diamond pilot at the airport.

The full press release can be found here.