MET – Montreal Metropolitan Airport explained

MET – Montreal Metropolitan Airport
Iata:YHU
Icao:CYHU
Wmo:71371
Type:Public
Operator:DASH-L (Développement Aéroport Saint-Hubert de Longueuil)
City-Served:Greater Montreal
Location:Longueuil, Quebec
Timezone:EST
Summer:EDT
Elevation-F:90
Coordinates:45.5181°N -73.4169°W
Pushpin Map:Canada Quebec#Canada
Pushpin Label:CYHU
R1-Number:06L/24R
R1-Length-F:7,801
R1-Surface:Asphalt
R2-Number:06R/24L
R2-Length-F:3,922
R2-Surface:Asphalt
R3-Number:10/28
R3-Length-F:2,420
R3-Surface:Asphalt
Stat-Year:2023
Stat1-Header:Aircraft movements
Stat1-Data:116,721
Footnotes:Sources: Canada Flight Supplement
Environment Canada[1]
Movements from Statistics Canada[2]

MET – Montreal Metropolitan Airport (French: MET – Aéroport métropolitain de Montréal),[3] 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 16km (10miles) east of Downtown Montreal and 3NM east of downtown Longueuil.

As of 2023, it is ranked as Canada's 12th busiest airport by aircraft movements.[2] This airport mainly serves travelers 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.

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.[4]

It was also during the summer of 1927 that the 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 flight across the North Atlantic to land in Canada.[4]

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.[5] 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 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 FBO on the airport by an AvJet branded dealer: CYHU H-18 Services Inc. Their hangar is the newest addition to the FBO 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.

It was here that the body of Quebec Minister of Labour and Deputy Premier, Pierre Laporte, was found during the October Crisis of 1970.

Recent upgrades

In 2018, the runway was upgraded to accommodate larger aircraft and attract low cost carriers.[6] 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 2024 and provide domestic flights throughout Canada.[7]

In 2024, it was unveiled that the airport would be rebranded to the Metropolitan Airport of Montreal (Aéroport métropolitain de Montréal) and use the abbreviation "MET".[8]

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

Accidents

See also

Bibliography

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Synoptic/Metstat Station Information . 2011-03-16 . 2012-07-07 . https://archive.today/20120707173458/http://climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/prods_servs/metstat1_e.html . dead .
  2. Web site: Aircraft movements, by class of operation, airports with NAV CANADA services and other selected airports, monthly. February 29, 2024 . Statistics Canada. March 1, 2024.
  3. Web site: MET – Montreal Metropolitan Airport. January 4, 2024.
  4. Web site: The R.100 in Canada . 2024-05-17 . publications.gc.ca . en.
  5. Web site: Canada’s First Air Traffic Control Tower Celebrates 85th Anniversary . 2024-04-12. 2024-05-17 . navcanada.ca . en.
  6. News: 2018-08-30 . Saint-Hubert Airport upgrades runway to attract ultra-low-cost carriers . 2024-01-19 . CBC News.
  7. Web site: Porter to provide passenger flights out of Montreal's Saint-Hubert Airport. 27 February 2023. 5 March 2023.
  8. Web site: 2024-02-01 . Saint-Hubert Airport gets new name, branding . 2024-02-01 . Montreal . en.
  9. News: 1 dead after planes collide above shopping centre on Montreal's South Shore . CBC News . 17 March 2017 . 17 March 2017 .
  10. News: 'Papa November Papa, are you listening?': Air traffic control's frantic message before Saint-Bruno crash . CBC News . 18 March 2017 . 18 March 2017 .