The airport in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, NL was shut down as of 5 pm yesterday.
The closure of the runways is due to a problem with a crack sealant material.
This sealant was applied to the runways as part of the annual maintenance program this past summer.
During snow removal operations over the past 24 hours, it was discovered that the crack sealant was peeling off and building up on the tires of the snow plows.
As of this morning, every effort has been made to resolve this situation in a safe and timely manner.
The ground crew at the airfield have been working all night in an attempt to remove the problematic sealant material.
The crews have conducted over 1000 passes of the worst affected areas.
There are areas on the runways that have not had been work on at this time.
Those areas remain tacky and are of concern.
Experts are being brought in to examine the situation and are expected to arrive in the afternoon or early evening of today, Wednesday November 8, 2017.
An assessment of the situation will be conducted at that time.
Passengers should be prepared for a further 24 hour closure of the runways.
Safety and safe flight operations will be the guiding factor in all decisions.
5 Wing is looking at all options to open the runways in as short a time as safety permits.
“We are aware of the inconvenience this closure causes to the travel plans of those who use the Goose Bay Airport. This decision was not made lightly; safety is always the primary concern when dealing with flight operations. 5 Wing is bringing in experts to assess the situation and hopes to return to normal flight operations as soon as possible.”
Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Wedgwood, Wing Commander, 5 Wing Goose Bay