Water Bombers at Risk Without Chief Pilot

Newfoundland and Labrador’s water bombers and air ambulances are on the brink of grounding as the province struggles to fill its chief pilot role, with a high turnover rate and pilot concerns over pay and morale threatening operations. Transport Minister Barry Petten admits they need to fix the root cause, after pilots warned that without a chief pilot by June 29, Transport Canada could suspend their operating certificate. An interim pilot may be appointed as early as Wednesday, but the minister is urging pilots to speak up about what’s holding them back. Meanwhile, union leaders say repeated leadership changes and poor working conditions have created a toxic environment, and they’re calling for direct government action to restore confidence and prevent the planes from sitting idle as wildfire season looms. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/bb8faa7998ba56a0