The Canadian government opened the airport in 1961 and operated it until 1998, when it handed control over to the newly formed Sault Ste. Marie Airport Development Corporation (SSMADC) under the terms of the National Airports Policy. Of the 23 Ontario regional, local, or small airports handed over under the policy, the Sault Ste. Marie airport is the only one not affiliated with a municipality, since the city of Sault Ste. Marie declined to assume control.[1]
In 2002, the SSMADC opened Runway Park, an entertainment and recreation area, on unused airport property to help generate revenue to support the airport's operation.
The Sault Ste. Marie airport has equipment to support instrument approaches for all-weather operation, and a Nav Canadacontrol tower. Air Canada Express operates four daily roundtrip flights to Toronto Pearson International Airport using the Dash 8-400 and the Bombardier CRJ200. Porter Airlines operates two daily roundtrip flights to Toronto Billy Bishop Airport using the Dash 8-400. Sunwing Airlines seasonal winter charters operate every Thursday roundtrip flights to London International Airport to Juan Gualberto Gómez Airport (Varadero) using Boeing 737-800 aircraft.[2] Its runways are designed to handle medium-sized transport jets such as the Airbus A320, Airbus A319 and Boeing 737; operations to Sault Ste. Marie consist of Dash 8 aircraft, and, seasonally, of Boeing 737 jets.
A new record number of 216,172 passengers travelled through the airport in 2018.[4]
General aviation operations
The airport hosts the flight-training campus for Sault College and the Sault Academy of Flight flying school, resulting in frequent training flights in the vicinity. The Sault Ste. Marie airport has frequent medevac, business aviation, and charter operations. It is a frequent stopping point for private pilots.
Ministry of Natural Resources Fire Management & Flight Training Centre
Sault Ste. Marie Airport is home to the Ministry of Natural Resources Fire Management Centre and Flight Training Centre. The 622-square-metre facility is the first of its kind in Ontario. It is equipped with one of the most advanced flight training devices available, which simulates the sights, sounds and motions of the Canadair CL-415 water bomber aircraft used to fight forest fires in Ontario.[5]
Statistics
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.
Annual passenger traffic at YAM airport.
See Wikidata query.
On February 24 2015, flight JZA7795, a Dash 8-102 (registration C-GTAI) operated by Jazz Aviation touched down approximately 450 ft (140 m) before the threshold of runway 30 while attempting to land in conditions of poor visibility. The aircraft received significant damage, requiring replacement of both nose and main landing gear. It also struck an approach light, which was damaged beyond repair and subsequently replaced. The Transportation Safety Board noted that the approach was flown above the required stabilized approach speed, and furthermore that this was the case for 84% of flights on the incident aircraft's flight data recorder, indicating a systemic deviance from stabilized approach SOPs. Shortly after this incident, Jazz Aviation revised the relevant section of its operating manual.[8]
On April 2 2024, C-GERR, a Zlin Z242L operated by Sault College, crashed on landing during a training flight. The two occupants were taken to hospital and the runway closed.[10]