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Powered parachute travels into Airdrie airspace, disrupting Calgary flight path: RCMP

File: A photo of an RCMP cruiser. File / Global News

Transport Canada and RCMP are investigating after a powered parachute flew into airspace near the south end of Airdrie on Monday.

In a Wednesday news release, RCMP said the parachute was operating in a flight path from the Calgary International Airport just before 7 p.m.

“This, in turn, affected flight operations resulting in flights being re-routed for landing at the airport,” the RCMP stated.

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“It was actually the Calgary International Airport control tower that called it in, saying there was a powered parachute interfering with their air traffic,” Const. Dan Martin explained.

“No one was able to make any radio contact with the operator,” Martin added. “I think HAWCS [helicopter] tried to get in a little closer to him. The operator saw the police helicopter and decided to land.”

Police said the operator is cooperating with investigators.

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“There’s a lot of air traffic in this area, above Airdrie with Calgary International being right next to us,” Martin said. “There’s a lot of drones out there that people have access to, there’s power parachutes, there all kinds of pleasure aircraft going in the air and people have to be careful.”

It’s unknown if the operator will face any fines or charges.

With files from News Talk 770’s Brenda Neufeld

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