Frankly, the more we hear about Ornge, the more the whole thing looks like an example of corporate mismanagement to the level of an unmitigated disaster.

The latest situation being reported by Canadian press is that now-departed COO Tom Lepine confirmed yesterday that Ornge leased a hangar at Hamilton, Onterio in December 2010 for around $50,000 a month and left it empty for almost exactly 12 months while it awaited renovation work – only completed very recently.  Any sane manager would have ensured that (1) the renovation work was lined up to start as soon as they took the lease, and (2) they should have negotiated with the landlord for a reduced rent period until the hangar was in a habitable state.

William P Johnson – HeliHub.com Washington correspondent