VOL. 7 — WINTER 2011 - 2012 VICTORIA AIRPORT AUTHORITY ININ THISTHIS ISSUE:ISSUE: • Airport News • Inside the B.C. Aviation Museum • A Russian Visitor • Chopper Challenge W i n t e r 2 0 1 1 - 2 0 1 2 ON APPROACH VICTORIA AIRPORT AUTHORITY 3 Airport News 4 B.C. Aviation Museum Editor’s desk Once the best kept secret on Happy New Year, and welcome to the Vancouver Island, BCAM branches out. winter issue of On Approach. The year just 9 Russian Visitor ended has been significant with several 10 See the Rosenbauer notable construction projects beginning, The new Rosenbauer fire truck is the continuing or reaching completion. You’ll pride of the Airport Fire Department. find updates in this issue about the huge new DND project, Sobey’s $31 million 11 Business Development distribution centre, the Avenger Way There’s a lot more going on at the Business Park, and the Willingdon Road airport than airplanes. re-alignment. 13 Chopper Challenge Airport raises funds for United Way. It’s not news that the Victoria region is 14 Viking Air trains pilots acknowledged as one of the most attractive in Canada. What you might not know is Viking Air began training Vietnam Navy pilots in November. that Victoria International Airport is one of the most loved airports in the entire world. 15 New route for WestJet See Airport News for the story. WestJet celebrates a new flight to Phoenix, Arizona. Contents Our main feature is the BC Aviation Museum (BCAM). It’s always been an interesting place to visit, and is getting more On Approach is a interesting every year. In this issue, we publication of the introduce you to several of the volunteers, Victoria Airport Authority. and the history of some displays. We also learn about interesting new directions the Phil Jensen, Editor museum is taking. Take time to enjoy 250-686-5018 the story and photos, then check out the [email protected] BCAM website for more: www.bcam.net Melinda Orlowski, Executive Assistant - President & CEO and Board of Directors Have a great 2012! 250-953-7501 [email protected] Phil Jensen, Laura Lavin, Production Editor, On Approach [email protected] Victoria Airport Authority 201-1640 Electra Blvd., Sidney, B.C. V8L 5V4 www.victoriaairport.com On the cover: The Vickers Viscount was the first turboprop powered passenger aircraft in the world. See the story on page 4. On the back cover: Roy Baker (on ladder) and Win Albrecht (back to camera) fit a propeller to the Harvard. 2 VICTORIA AIRPORT AUTHORITY ON APPROACH W i n t e r 2 0 1 1 -2 0 1 2 Airport News YYJ one of the most loved airports in the world Victoria International Airport has been acknowledged as one of the ten most loved airports in the world. It’s the only Canadian airport making the list that resulted from a poll conducted by CNNGo (www.cnngo.com). First place in the poll went to Hong Kong International Airport. Victoria placed eighth, ranking between Zurich Airport in Switzerland and Montevideo Carrasco in Uruguay. Frequent air travellers are very familiar with the option of printing their own boarding passes at the self-serve kiosks. WestJet passengers are now able to print their own baggage tags as well. “Canada’s favourite little air- port has earned its stripes service to our passengers on displayed on the flight infor- nizes the importance of pro- on a reputation for ease, a day to day basis.” mation monitors positioned viding up-to-date informa- efficiency and friendliness, around the airport. “It’s tion for passengers and will along with some value added Dickson commends everyone integrated with Flight View, continue to integrate hi-tech quirks that no other airport who makes it a good experi- a real-time flight tracker,” solutions as they become in the world would ever ence for Victoria Airport cus- Bogusz says. available. bother to think about ... for tomers: the Red Coat Host example, hosting a special Volunteers, Commissionaires The system collects informa- The ability for air travel- ‘chocolatier’ exhibit, and and security staff, Victoria tion from the United States lers to print boarding passes unveiling a 2.5 kilometre Airport Authority staff, and FAA data, NAV Canada data, from their home comput- bike path around the perim- all airline and concession and the airlines to provide ers, or the self-service kiosks eter,” CNNGo stated. business partners. “This very accurate flight arrival at the airport, is now com- kind of achievement can times on the display screens. mon practice; we’re moving “We are obviously thrilled only be reached as a group,” A visual map display of where beyond that. During the past and honoured to be rec- he says. “It also shows that airplanes are in real time will summer, VAA has worked ognized by such key inter- bigger is not necessarily bet- be displayed on some moni- with WestJet Airlines to add national media as CNN,” ter.” tors throughout the airport. the ability to print your own said Geoff Dickson, VAA bag tags at the self-service President and CEO. “This New hi-tech Flight View will be integrated kiosks. This is a significant type of recognition from air- improvements at YYJ to the airport website (www. time saver for passengers, port users is a direct reflec- victoriaairport.com), allow- especially during peak travel tion of our commitment to ing passengers to access times. Although self-bag tag- providing our customers with Victoria International Airport has a new Flight Information information from their home ging is currently only avail- the best airport experience computers. The airport has able for WestJet passen- we can. Ease and func- Display System (FIDS). James Bogusz, Director Airside also implemented a mobility gers, Air Canada and Alaska tion combined with friend- website, making it easy to Airlines are considering the ly service is always a top Operations, Technology and Environment, explains that check flight times from your addition of this technology priority, and this recognition smart phone at anytime of in the near future. is shared with everyone who the new hi-tech system day or night. The VAA recog- TURN TO PAGE 9 works to provide courteous enhances the information 3 W i n t e r 2 0 1 1 - 2 0 1 2 ON APPROACH VICTORIA AIRPORT AUTHORITY The restored Vickers Viscount at home in the museum’s new Henderson Hangar. The B.C. Aviation Museum is Spreading its Wings It might be said that the acquired a power tool for the attended a reception and British Columbia Aviation job. The aircraft moved into dinner here. We’re not anx- Museum (BCAM) is one of the hangar in 2009, allowing ious to do a lot of this; we’re the best kept secrets on the volunteers to work more a museum first, and we are Vancouver Island - but that’s comfortably. The Viscount 100 percent volunteers here. changing. The completion of was the first turboprop pow- But these receptions have the new hangar in 2010 ered passenger aircraft in the potential to be revenue relieved a situation of over- the world, and went into ser- generators.” crowded displays, making the vice at Trans Canada Airlines museum experience a better (TCA) in April 1957. Steve explains why recep- one. More than that, various tions make sense at this groups began looking at the The collection and restora- stage of the museum’s exis- BCAM as a possible venue Ed Birnell worked many tion of historical aircraft and tence. “Having our aircraft for events unrelated to the hours with his teammates aviation artifacts has always inside means we can offer storage and display of histor- on restoration of the Vickers been the BCAM’s reason for a good all weather museum ical aircraft. The first indica- Viscount. being. But there are signs experience,” he says. “But tion of this was an evening many others worked for years the museum is spreading the extra space we have with of dinner and entertainment restoring the Viscount. “I its wings. BCAM President the new hangar brings with for 270 delegates and guests joined the museum in 2008 Steve Gordon discusses it more utility costs. We also attending the annual confer- when the Henderson Hangar where they are now, and the have a lot of capital expen- ence of the Association of was being built,” Ed Birnell direction they are moving. ditures coming up. The next Vancouver Island and Coastal says. “The Viscount came “Last year we completed the big funding is for paving Communities (AVICC). here in 2005. It was at the Henderson Hangar just in the apron outside the new south terminal of Vancouver time for the AVICC evening hangar. It could be well over The new hangar is now home Airport and came here by reception. This fall we had $100,000. We have seis- to a restored and proudly barge.” At first they were a second event. Close to mic upgrades to do as well. displayed Vickers Viscount. working outside, polishing 300 people associated with We’ve had generous support Members Ed Birnell, Al the engine cowlings by hand the Municipal Information Catteral, Russ Hudson and for a month before they Systems Association of BC TURN TO PAGE 6 4 VICTORIA AIRPORT AUTHORITY ON APPROACH W i n t e r 2 0 1 1 -2 0 1 2 5 W i n t e r 2 0 1 1 - 2 0 1 2 ON APPROACH VICTORIA AIRPORT AUTHORITY Roy Baker, Win Albrecht, and Dave Stillman have been Gary Rankin and A.J.