It's 'Plane Floating with West Coast
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It’s ’Plane Floating with West Coast Air by Ken Donohue KEN DONOHUE Victoria, on Vancouver Island, is the est Coast Air began service in 1996 after AirBC (Airways, September 2002)—once capital of British Columbia, Canada. a regional connector for Air Canada— unloaded its floatplane division, which Much of its heavy industry shut down Whad been created from the amalgamation of several operators, including West Coast Air Services. A year decades ago, leaving the city with later, Rick Baxter began discussions with Al Baydala, two main financial activities: tourism the owner of West Coast, who had been a former business partner, about acquiring a stake in the new and government. Both of these are venture. The Baxter name was well known in the coastal aviation industry because Rick’s parents, Tom ingredients for a successful airline, and Linda Baxter, had started a small operation early in the Nineties—aptly named Baxter Aviation—based and according to West Coast Air (IATA: in Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. 8O/ICAO: YWZ) business travellers Rick Baxter grew up in Vancouver, and because he knew the city well he offered to develop a base there comprise some 80% of its traffic to for his parents’ fledgling airline. “I thought it would be a part-time job, and then I would move on to the Victoria from the city of Vancouver. next opportunity,” says Baxter, “but it turned into 42 March 2010 Airways 43 a full-time position.” In the meantime, Baxter kept Convention Centre. The last few years have seen temporary base in 2005. In August 2006, West Coast niche position; on the other hand, West Coast was working on his Canadian private pilot licence, and considerable changes to the area around Coal acquired Sechelt-based Pacific Wings Airlines, which always looking for new opportunities. “My last name then his commercial certificate. Harbour, where float operations have been based opened up new routes to the Sunshine Coast from was on those airplanes and I had been a big part As the Vancouver operation of Baxter Aviation grew, for decades (Airways, March 2005). More and more both Richmond and Nanaimo. New opportunities for of its growth,” says Baxter. “I cared a lot about the Baxter saw an opportunity for tourist charters. “At the condominium towers, along with parks and green charter flights were also realized with this acquisition. business.” Soon, though, the Baxter name was erased time, much of the charter market was resource-based, spaces, are competing for prime real estate. “These Rick Baxter still wasn’t finished. A year later, West from the aircraft and they were integrated into the and it was dwindling,” Baxter relates. “I once had a were challenging times,” remembers Baxter. “Finding Coast Air made headlines when he bought Baxter West Coast fleet. summer job driving a tour bus around Vancouver. I love a new location wasn’t easy, we had to navigate through Aviation from his parents on April 20, 2007. For years (continued on page 48) showing people this beautiful city, but with a floatplane various levels of government, the parks board, and before the deal was made, the younger Baxter I could show them so much more—the city and its local residents, who didn’t want a float operation near had many discussions with his parents backyard.” Under Baxter’s leadership, a substantial tour their waterfront homes.” about the future of both concerns, but the program was added to Baxter Aviation’s services. West Coast’s main competitor, Harbour Air deal to buy Baxter wasn’t the usual family Baxter was intrigued by the decades-long tradition (Airways, October 2002), abandoned Coal Harbour all transaction. “They put the airline up for sale of DHC-6 Twin Otter service on Canada’s Pacific coast. together and moved flights to its Fraser River base in to everyone, including our competition,” In acquiring a 40% stake in West Coast Air in 1998—a Richmond, next to Vancouver International Airport reveals Baxter. “I realized that this would be shareholding renegotiated to 50% two years later— (Airways, January 2008 & August 1999). a strict business deal.” At the end of some Baxter brought much-needed operational experience. Lacing that option, Baxter approached the Westin very tough negotiations, Baxter Aviation The company was struggling, with only one route and Bayshore Hotel to see if the airline could use one of the passed into the hands of the younger son. two operational aircraft, one based in Vancouver, the hotel’s docks during the winter months, when there “I was happy that we could offer everyone other in Victoria. would be little boat traffic. Despite having to scale at Baxter a job, along with pay increases and While some saw a beleaguered company, Baxter back the number of flights it could offer during this more benefits,” notes Baxter. “I felt good saw only opportunity. Immediately he introduced time, the airline was still able to operate. Inside the about that.” adventure flight tours, leasing a single-engine DHC-2 hotel, West Coast used a vacant concierge desk as its But Baxter underestimated the vastly Beaver as well as using the Twin Otters outside check-in counter. “The desk was made of marble,” says different cultures of the two airlines. scheduled flights. With the increased business, the Baxter, “and on several occasions, some of our frequent He tells Airways that Baxter was a stable KEN DONOHUE airline needed more aircraft. It had several Twin Otters customers would comment to me, while sitting in the operation that was comfortable with its A former Baxter Aviation Beaver at Victoria. sitting in a hangar, so an overhaul program was begun hotel’s high-backed leather chairs, that this was the to put these into service. best airport waiting lounge.” By 2004, Baxter had grown West Coast to an airline As this was a temporary arrangement, Baxter talked that carried 300,000 passengers a year with a fleet of with the owner of Harbour Air—who Baxter describes a dozen floatplanes. But with the city playing host to as a fierce competitor—suggesting that in the interests the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games he of both companies they should work together to find saw lots more opportunity. That year he bought the a long-term solution. The Convention Centre will company outright. “The game has become much bigger house the international media during the 2010 Winter and if we didn’t grow and expand, we wouldn’t remain Olympic Games. Once the Games are over, both West competitive,” he explains. Coast and Harbour Air will move to that location. In November 2004, Baxter was told to move his Both airlines, along with Baxter Aviation, Vancouver operation because the airline was sitting discovered a sliver of land wedged between residential on land that was earmarked for the new Vancouver developments and the Convention Centre and set up a JOHN WEGG JOHN AIR WEST COAST A West Coast Air DHC-6-100 in 2002 before the company really West Coast Twin Otter in current colors at the Vancouver AIR WEST COAST took off. Harbour terminal. Vancouver Harbour is one of the world’s most scenic aerodromes. 44 March 2010 Airways 45 Mountain lakes, hidden from the Strobe lights and loud noises over all From Sea to Sky mortals driving below on the radio frequencies are used to warn highway, pool in the most unlikely pilots who come too close. We pass of places. We push farther north over with plenty of room to spare, and the mountains become more but I wonder if anyone inside the he road from Vancouver to Depending on demand, West Coast rugged. Weathered by time, some gondolas is unnerved about seeing Whistler, BC, aptly named the Sea has the option of using the Beaver of the peaks are sharp like knives. an airplane flying toward them. to Sky Highway, twists and turns or Twin Otter on the route; however, Looking to the east, all I see to Most of the passengers have like a slithering serpent. It starts Capt Sheehy says the latter type is used the horizon are mountains, covered their noses pressed against the Tout hugging the mountainside as it follows almost exclusively. West Coast is the only in a white frosting of snow and ice, windows, and while I saw these Howe Sound, before snaking inland past scheduled operator on this route, and dominated by Mount Garibaldi. same mountains on the way up, towering glacier-topped mountains. I’ve while more and more locals are taking Coming up with a word to describe I still marvel at the stark beauty driven the road many times. In fact on a advantage of the service, most of the this peak, with its summit at 8,700ft below. After flying over Vancouver recent trip, I almost drove off the road, passengers are from tour groups. (2,651m), is difficult; ‘magnificent’ we descend to 500ft (150m) as I couldn’t stop admiring the scenery. It Our airplane crosses the mainland and ‘glorious’ are a good start. over the Gulf Islands. We zigzag looked as if the ocean and mountains had of British Columbia at the Robert’s Bank About 20mi (30km) south of through Active Pass, a narrow been plucked from a postcard. Superport, a combination coal and Whistler we begin our descent. channel between Mayne and On this particular trip to Whistler I container shipping terminal located in The village of Whistler is nestled Galiano Islands, the same route left the driving—or rather the flying—to the Vancouver suburb of Delta. Not far between Whistler and Blackcomb that the ferry between Victoria Capts Steve Sheehy and Tyler Simpson.