Does anybody have an explanation for this flight:
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/MES3690/history/20080416/2100Z/CYMX/KDTW
It’s a CRJ-900 flying from CYMX to KDTW.
I had read that CYMX only served freight and not passengers.
Thanks,
PI
Given the sporadic history, I’d guess it’s a charter.
Mirabel is mostly freight now but still does some charters. Most Montrealers hate to drive to Mirabel because Dorval (PET) is so close.
In response to these comments: The Messaba flight was a delivery from the Bombardier finishing facility at Mirabel. The Zoom flight (OOM) was a positioning flight to a maintenance facility which is in the old Nationair/Transat hangar.
At this time, there is no FBO or passenger customs facility at YMX, just cargo, which is pretty lucrative, especially during the night hours.
It’s too bad. That is one fabulous airport to fly into and out of, but it seems that ADM, the operator, just couldn’t market it properly. 
wsair, thanks for the insight.
PI
Funny I found this thread today…Pratt & Whitney has just issued a press release regarding the imminent move of their engine test facility to YMX from YHU (St-Hubert). The primary aircraft will be joined by the United Tech aircraft, (both 747SPs) at YMX.
Sorry, Plattsburgh! 
I’m guessing it’s all because Mirabel is just too far out of the city. I remember a few years ago, the Padres flew in there once, and the bus driver got totally lost getting back to Montreal. Just another part of the “road trip from hell.” Tony Gwynn’s words. 
As far as I know, they flew into Dorval ever since, until the Expos left.
Airliners Magazine had a great article on YMX a few issues ago. I will try to locate the issue number when I get home.
The original rational for Mirabel was to take freight, charters and international flights out of Dorval ( left with domestic traffic ) to reduce noise / congestion close to the city. Many farms were expropriated to build Mirabel. Very contoversial issue in its day. Plus West Island residents felt all the plane traffic reduced the appeal of living in towns like D.D.O. and Point Claire for example.
As noted above, the drive was universally disliked by all who had to travel upwards of an hour + to get Mirabel when Dorval was 20 minutes from downtown. For me, 35minutes transformed into an hour and a half.
So now the drive was more of a headache than the traffic overhead.
Under public and industry pressure, International flights returned to Dorval followed by a good chunk of the charter flights. Dorval ( now Pierre Elliot Trudeau International ’ PET ’ ) has undergone a complete face lift and Mirabel is now one of many of Montreal’s ’ White Elephants ’
Watch the movie ’ The Score ’ with Robert DeNiro and Ed Norton and you’ll get a peek inside Mirabel. I think the modern version of the ’ The Jackal’, with Richard Gere uses it as well.
http://www.airodyssey.net/graph/src-mirabel-salle-vide.jpg
Daaaang, wonder how long it would take to taxi from the bottom of the picture to the end of the runway at the top of the picture???
That is one looooong taxiway for what appears to be a one runway airport!
Another possible reason for a CRJ to go to YMX is that Bombardier has a large facility there. (Don’t know what exactly, but I often did see some “unfinished” CRJ’s there.
Interesting! Few questions.
I take it the runway on the left is under construction with the dotted lined depicting the outline?
For departure procedures, with instructions including what I perceive is altitudes, why the notation of remain clear of G airspace at what I think is 1400 above sea level (ASL?) lower then the runway headings and altitude assignments?
What is BPOC? Is that different then different then ASL
Actually, that runway has been there since the beginning of CYMX operations.
It must have been decommissioned, or something like that.
Interesting! Few questions.
I take it the runway on the left is under construction with the dotted lined depicting the outline?
As snowbird said, not in use at present. Cost factor ( ie. snow clearing / maintenance ) due to low traffic in comparison to the size of the facility.
For departure procedures, with instructions including what I perceive is altitudes, why the notation of remain clear of G airspace at what I think is 1400 above sea level (ASL?) lower then the runway headings and altitude assignments?
Class G airspace restriction most likely due to residential / commercial considerations in vicinity. 2000 ASL 3.5 NM E of aprt
What is BPOC? Is that different then different then ASL
Before Proceeding On Course. Maintain hdg 060 until 2100 BPOC: Trees 0.4 NM E of thld 24 ASL 336’ and Maintain 240 until 1900 BPOC: Power Lines 0.6 NM W of thld 06 ASL 359’
Hmm, are you reading somewhere different then I am?
Under airport diagram and above takeoff minima I see 1400 ASL 3.5 NM E of airport, which would be lower then the BPOC instructions?
In other words, you climb higher “runway heading” then the class G ASL instructions is what I am reading for the climb out / departure instructions.
I.E take off on runway 24, fly runway heading climb to 1500 before on course. That 1500 would be above the class G restriction of 1400 the way I read it. Why the altitude restriction would be my question if you are already above it runway heading?
I am assuming the 1700 and 1500 are ASL and not AGL? Field elevation I believe is 256 which I would take to be ASL?
I think the restriction is due to a test facility / proving grounds 3.5 NM E of CYMX. I used the previous cite as it is easier to download and I was only looking for the layout of the aeroport and not all the particulars.
All my info is ASL. CYMX is 238’ / 256’ ASL.
Chart in first cite is out of date. It is a NAV Canada Map but for 2007. Cite in this post is up to date.
Ah ok, looking at the current one on page 397 I see they raised the BPOC as well as the Class G altitude instructions.
Makes a little more sense for runway 24 to put the instructions since the BPOC instructions are lower then 2000.
For runway 6, pretty much wouldn’t apply since the BPOC altitude would be higher then the class G restricted altitude.
Thanks for helping to clarify!
Allen
Full of questions I am
For instrument approaches, do you get two different altimeter settings? Or which altitude would one use to verify altimeter reading vs altitude on the gauge?
While 18 feet in this case may not seem like much, for precision approaches ~20 feet difference can make the difference between a successful approach or missed, and airports I fly to, the altimeter is cross checked against the field elevation for when I set my altitude indicator.
I only encounter one setting here and I have never noticed more then one field elevation like it is being displayed on your charts.
A thought experiment let’s do…
You are sitting on the numbers at the 256’ end of the runway. You set your altimeter to 256’. Now you taxi down to the other end of the runway. Your altimeter reads 238’. The reading in the Kollsman window is the same, isn’t it?
The barometer setting is most likely read from a barometer in the tower or some other location that is not actually at either location. As long as it’s accurate, and accurately set in you Kollsman window, your altimeter is correct for any location on the field!
May the force be with you!