Chiefs Call for Better Aviation Standards

Native chiefs say the plane crash that killed four people on a remote reserve shows the poor aviation standards and weather equipment in remote communities.
Grand Chief Stan Beardy, who represents dozens of Northern Ontario First Nations including North Spirit Lake where the crash took place, says that reserve doesn’t even have a beacon to guide
pilots in.
He says the reserve is only accessible by plane and deserves the same navigational equipment available in the rest of Canada.
Grand Chief David Harper, who represents northern Manitoba First Nations, says most of his communities don’t have their own weather equipment so pilots don’t know what they’re flying into.
He says the technology exists to equip all remote communities with their own weather equipment which would make flying safer for residents.
Witnesses say the plane that crashed Tuesday morning was trying to land in a blizzard.