Montreal Metropolitan Airport
Template:Short description Template:Redirect-distinguish Template:Use mdy dates Template:Use Canadian English Template:Infobox airport
MET – Montreal Metropolitan Airport Template:Airport codes (Template:Langx),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> formerly known as Montréal Saint-Hubert - Longueuil Airport (Aéroport Montréal Saint-Hubert - Longueuil) or Montréal/Saint-Hubert Airport, and still commonly referred to as St-Hubert Airport, is located in the Saint-Hubert borough of Longueuil, Quebec. The airport is located Template:Cvt east of Downtown Montreal and Template:Convert east of downtown Longueuil.<ref name="CFS"/>
As of 2023, it is ranked as Canada's 12th busiest airport by aircraft movements.<ref name="move2023"/> This airport mainly serves travellers to Quebec destinations.
The airport is classified as an airport of entry by Nav Canada and is staffed by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) on a call-out basis from Montréal–Mirabel International Airport. CBSA officers at this airport can handle general aviation aircraft only, with no more than 15 passengers.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
History
Canada became involved in the Imperial Airship Scheme during the 1926 Imperial Conference, when prime minister William Lyon Mackenzie King pledged Canada's assistance to Great Britain. Money was set aside for the construction of an airship base, airport and mooring mast in eastern Canada. British experts came over in May 1927 to choose a site; they visited a number of locations in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada, finally settling on a piece of land on the south shore of Montreal, at Saint-Hubert, and officially announcing this decision in August 1927. Work on the airfield began almost immediately and Saint-Hubert’s first airmail delivery took place in November 1927.<ref name="YHUhistory">Template:Cite web</ref>
It was also during the summer of 1927 that the British Air Ministry decided to send the R100 to Canada. On August 1, 1930, the R100 airship arrived after what was possibly the first non-stop passenger-carrying powered transatlantic flight across the North Atlantic to land in Canada.<ref name="YHUhistory"/>
In the late 1930s the airport was used by Canadian Associated Aircraft to build the Handley Page Hampden.
Canada’s first air traffic control tower opened at the Saint-Hubert Airport on April 13, 1939.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It was Montreal's first and only airport until the opening of Dorval Airport (now Montréal–Trudeau International Airport) in 1941.
The airport was divided into two sides, a military side along with the Pratt & Whitney Canada facility (facing runway 06L/24R) and a civilian side (facing runway 06R/24L). Today the military base, the former RCAF Station St Hubert, has ceased operations, but the Canadian Armed Forces still use the base as a garrison comprising the tactical helicopter unit, 438 Squadron, 34 Service Battalion and 34 Canadian Brigade Group Headquarters. The ex-Pratt & Whitney hangar is owned and operated since 2012 as the largest fixed-base operator on the airport by an AvJet branded dealer: CYHU H-18 Services Inc. Their hangar is the newestTemplate:As of? addition to the fixed-base operator network: HUB FBO.
Following the new National Airports Policy announced by Transport Canada in 1994, ownership of the airport was transferred to a private corporation, Développement de l'aéroport Saint-Hubert de Longueuil (DASH-L), on September 1, 2004.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref>
It was here that the body of Quebec minister of labour and deputy premier, Pierre Laporte, was found during the 1970 October Crisis.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Recent upgrades
In 2018, the runway was upgraded to accommodate larger aircraft and attract low cost carriers.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It was announced on February 27, 2023, that Porter Airlines will develop a new passenger terminal at the airport that is due to be completed in late 2025 and provide domestic flights throughout Canada.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In 2024, it was unveiled that Saint-Hubert Airport would be rebranded to the Metropolitan Airport of Montreal (Aéroport métropolitain de Montréal) and use the abbreviation "MET".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Airlines and destinations
Passenger
Accidents
- On March 17, 2017, about 13:00 EDT (17:00 UTC), a midair collision occurred on the southeastern side of the airport, over the city of Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville. The two planes collided at an approximate altitude of Template:Convert over the Promenades Saint-Bruno, both aircraft being Cessna 152 owned by Cargair flight training school. One plane crashed on the rooftop of the shopping mall, injuring the pilot. The other crashed in the parking lot, killing the pilot. The owner of Cargair indicated that both pilots involved in the crash were from China.<ref name=CBC1>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=CBC2>Template:Cite news</ref>
See also
References
Bibliography
- Jesse, William. "Breaking New Ground: The Canadian Government's First Civil Aerodrome". Air Enthusiast, No. 55, Autumn 1994, pp. 14–15. Template:ISSN
External links
- Official site (English)
- Page about this airport Template:Webarchive on COPA's Places to Fly airport directory
Template:List of airports in Canada
Template:Urban agglomeration of Longueuil Template:Authority control