Flight school grounds Tecnam aircraft
Students with Mount Royal University’s aviation program learned Thursday afternoon that the school’s two remaining Tecnam twin-engined airplanes will remain grounded while an investigation continues into a plane crash that killed two instructors.
MRU flight instructors Jeff Bird, 35, and Reynold Johnson, 64, were flying exercises Feb. 13 in one of the school’s three Tecnam aircraft when they crashed in a wooded area near Cochrane.
Postmedia has learned that Bird was taking his first flight in the Tecnam when the fatal crash occurred.
In what’s being described as a “deliberate and cautious approach to restarting its flight training program,” the school has made the decision to ground the remaining Tecnam planes indefinitely while the investigation by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada continues.
Officials say the decision did not come at the urging of TSB or Transport Canada.
“This is our decision alone,” Leon Cygman, the chair of MRU’s aviation program, said at a news conference at Springbank Airport Thursday.
“Given the tragedy and with safety being our top priority, we want to get all the facts.
“We are acting with caution until the reviews are complete, including our own internal reviews, and waiting for the findings of the Transportation Safety Board investigation.”
A source familiar with both instructors said while Bird was an experienced pilot when it came to jet aircraft, it was his first flight in the twin-engined Tecnam.
Johnson was the senior pilot and was instructing Bird when they died, the source said.
The pilots were following a prescribed training program at the time of the crash.
Students will continue to fly MRU’s five Cessna aircraft while the school looks into leasing one or two other twin-engined airplanes.
For now, MRU is exploring alternative arrangements with flying schools to accommodate the 25 or so students in the second year of the program who require training on twin engines.
Luc Sinal, the president of the MRU aviation student executive,
We are acting with caution until the reviews are complete, including our own internal reviews, and waiting for the findings of the Transportation Safety Board investigation.
said the initial reaction of students to the news that the Tecnams would be grounded was disappointment, as it will delay flight training.
“We understand the school’s desire to be as safe as possible, and to be fully informed of what happened,” said Sinal.
“We are disappointed with the news, but we understand and accept this decision.”
A total of 66 students returned to the cockpit this week flying MRU’s single-engine aircraft.