aviation

Ted Eeftink of Ucluelet gazes out the window of Angel Flight pilot Bruce Burley’s Cessna C210) on the way to Boundary Bay Airport and cancer treatment in Vancouver. (PHOTO COURTESY BRUCE BURLEY)

Angels take flight over Vancouver Island

Angel Flight BC has made more than 2,000 special flights for patients needing medical treatment

 

About 2,000 visitors peruse the historic vehicles, planes and more on display while enjoying games and entertainment at the B.C. Aviation Museum’s 35th-anniversary open house on Aug. 20. (Courtesy B.C. Aviation Museum)

PHOTOS: Thousands land at North Saanich aviation museum

Open house draws a crowd with aircraft, games and more

 

TEAAM Aeromedical President Miles Randell demonstrates how to load and unload patients from a helicopter in Campbell River on Nov. 4, 2021. Ronan O’Doherty/ Campbell River Mirror

Newly-launched Island-based air rescue team has few equivalents in North America

Rapid response to emergencies in hard-to-reach Vancouver Island, North Coast locations

 

Harbour Air’s electric-powered de Havilland Beaver takes centre stage for the BC Aviation Museum open house Aug. 20. (Courtesy BCAM)

E-Beaver, vintage aircraft in mix for aviation museum open house in North Saanich

Photo opps, kids games, flight simulators and more on tap for Aug. 20 event

Harbour Air’s electric-powered de Havilland Beaver takes centre stage for the BC Aviation Museum open house Aug. 20. (Courtesy BCAM)
The Pitt Meadows Airport’s new terminal building. (The News files)

Plane clips fence, tears off front wheel in hard landing at Pitt Meadows Airport

TSB to investigate near-crash

The Pitt Meadows Airport’s new terminal building. (The News files)
The Porter family are flying around the world in a single-engine aircraft and aim to raise $1 million for SOS Children’s Villages. Left to right: Michelle Porter, Christopher Porter, Sydney Porter, Samantha Porter, Ian Porter. (Courtesy of Ian Porter)

B.C. family of 5 set to fly around the world over the next year – and raise $1M for charity

The Porters plan to take 14 months to see 50-plus countries and support SOS Children’s Villages

The Porter family are flying around the world in a single-engine aircraft and aim to raise $1 million for SOS Children’s Villages. Left to right: Michelle Porter, Christopher Porter, Sydney Porter, Samantha Porter, Ian Porter. (Courtesy of Ian Porter)
The de Havilland Beaver waits at 14th Ave. and Highway 19 Monday, April 25 to be set on a pedestal as part of a 10-year Campbellton Neighbourhood Association project to create a tribute to the city's aviation history. Photo by Alistair Taylor/Campbell River Mirror

Vancouver Island city installs tribute to floatplane industry

Beaver floatplane was the Workhorse of the North and a common sight in Island seaplane bases

  • Apr 26, 2022
The de Havilland Beaver waits at 14th Ave. and Highway 19 Monday, April 25 to be set on a pedestal as part of a 10-year Campbellton Neighbourhood Association project to create a tribute to the city's aviation history. Photo by Alistair Taylor/Campbell River Mirror
Brent Fedirchuk, right, receives the 2016 Wayne Demoskoff Volunteer of the Year award from sponsor Peter Mugleston of the Best Western Barclay Plus Hotel at the Funtastic Alberni/ Okee Dokee Slopitch tournament. (PHOTO COURTESY FUNTASTIC ALBERNI)

Vancouver Island helicopter pilot mourned after fatal crash

Brent Fedirchuk, from Port Alberni, died April 6 in a helicopter crash north of Sayward

Brent Fedirchuk, right, receives the 2016 Wayne Demoskoff Volunteer of the Year award from sponsor Peter Mugleston of the Best Western Barclay Plus Hotel at the Funtastic Alberni/ Okee Dokee Slopitch tournament. (PHOTO COURTESY FUNTASTIC ALBERNI)
Brent Fedirchuk, right, receives the 2016 Wayne Demoskoff Volunteer of the Year award from sponsor Peter Mugleston of the Best Western Barclay Plus Hotel at the Funtastic Alberni/ Okee Dokee Slopitch tournament. (PHOTO COURTESY FUNTASTIC ALBERNI)

Vancouver Island helicopter pilot mourned after fatal crash

Brent Fedirchuk, from Port Alberni, died April 6 in a helicopter crash north of Sayward

Brent Fedirchuk, right, receives the 2016 Wayne Demoskoff Volunteer of the Year award from sponsor Peter Mugleston of the Best Western Barclay Plus Hotel at the Funtastic Alberni/ Okee Dokee Slopitch tournament. (PHOTO COURTESY FUNTASTIC ALBERNI)
Jessica James, who grew up in Nimpo Lake, B.C., is the star aviator in History’s upcoming reality show Lost Car Rescue, filmed in the Peace River area. (Jeff Topham photo)

Chilcotin pilot flying high in new History series set in B.C.’s Peace Country

Jessica James brings small town charm to television project, Lost Car Rescue

Jessica James, who grew up in Nimpo Lake, B.C., is the star aviator in History’s upcoming reality show Lost Car Rescue, filmed in the Peace River area. (Jeff Topham photo)
Swoop Airlines is set to service the Comox Valley Airport in June 2022. (Contributed)

Second low-cost carrier set to land at Comox Valley Airport

Swoop Airlines arriving at YQQ in June 2022

Swoop Airlines is set to service the Comox Valley Airport in June 2022. (Contributed)
Kim Lysak, assistant chief flight instructor with Aurora Aviation Academy flies over Chilliwack on Sept. 9, 2021. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)

B.C. flight school expanding amid a global pilot shortage

COVID has decimated the industry but Aurora Aviation sees opportunity on the horizon

Kim Lysak, assistant chief flight instructor with Aurora Aviation Academy flies over Chilliwack on Sept. 9, 2021. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)
The Victoria Flying Club hangar at Victoria International Airport. (Victoria Flying Club photo)

Victoria Flying Club 75th anniversary celebration soars this weekend

Learn, see and fly at special public event this Saturday

The Victoria Flying Club hangar at Victoria International Airport. (Victoria Flying Club photo)
A spokesperson for NAV Canada says it has redundancies and procedures in place to preserve the safety of local airspace in the event of fire impacting the radar dome in LAU, WELNEW/John Dean Provincial Park. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

Fire in North Saanich park won’t affect local airspace safety: NAV Canada

Non-profit operates radar dome, other equipment in LAU, WELNEW/John Dean Provincial Park

A spokesperson for NAV Canada says it has redundancies and procedures in place to preserve the safety of local airspace in the event of fire impacting the radar dome in LAU, WELNEW/John Dean Provincial Park. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
The long-awaited CP-121 Tracker aircraft arrives by barge in Patricia Bay July 5 before making its final trek to the B.C. Aviation Museum in North Saanich. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

PHOTOS: Historic Cold War warrior lands at North Saanich museum

Discovery Channel films part of historic plane’s dramatic move to B.C. Aviation Museum

The long-awaited CP-121 Tracker aircraft arrives by barge in Patricia Bay July 5 before making its final trek to the B.C. Aviation Museum in North Saanich. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
Coulson Aviation’s newest Chinook helicopter, N43CU, takes to the air above the Alberni Valley Regional Airport following a complete airframe conversion into a helitanker, April 8, 2021. (PHOTO COURTESY BILL MCLEOD)

Coulson Aviation’s newest helitanker takes flight

Converted Chinook helitanker off to U.S. for new paint job

Coulson Aviation’s newest Chinook helicopter, N43CU, takes to the air above the Alberni Valley Regional Airport following a complete airframe conversion into a helitanker, April 8, 2021. (PHOTO COURTESY BILL MCLEOD)
A Viking Air Twin Otter takes off on Runway 12 midway through a day of test flights on Jan. 13, 2021 at the Alberni Valley Regional Airport. Viking Air is located in Victoria. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)

Viking Air tests Twin Otter at Port Alberni airport

Victoria-based company used rural airport for numerous flights

A Viking Air Twin Otter takes off on Runway 12 midway through a day of test flights on Jan. 13, 2021 at the Alberni Valley Regional Airport. Viking Air is located in Victoria. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)
Gerald Pash and Terry Milne flank the central pillar of the monument recognizing Lieut. Robert Hampton Gray now standing outside the North Saanich’s BC Aviation Museum following its installation Tuesday. The two men were among those who fundraised $100,000 for the monument. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

New monument honours B.C.’s final fallen World War II hero

Victoria Cross winner Lieut. Robert Gray shot down off Japan, now saluted outside BC Aviation Museum

Gerald Pash and Terry Milne flank the central pillar of the monument recognizing Lieut. Robert Hampton Gray now standing outside the North Saanich’s BC Aviation Museum following its installation Tuesday. The two men were among those who fundraised $100,000 for the monument. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
Crews from Coulson Aviation begin stripping a 737 jet in preparation for transforming it into a new aerial firefighting Fireliner, July 23, 2020 at the Alberni Valley Regional Airport. Coulson Aviation has plans to expand at the airport. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)

Alberni airport gets GPS approach

Airport advisory committee will work on ‘vision’ for Alberni’s airport

Crews from Coulson Aviation begin stripping a 737 jet in preparation for transforming it into a new aerial firefighting Fireliner, July 23, 2020 at the Alberni Valley Regional Airport. Coulson Aviation has plans to expand at the airport. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)
A Glassair, left, and Citabria aircraft are parked beside the taxiway at the Alberni Valley Regional Airport on Sunday, Aug. 16, 2020. (WARWICK PATTERSON/ Special to the News)

New ‘fly-out’ series attracts general aviation pilots to Vancouver Island airport

Port Alberni event is designed to introduce recreational pilots to B.C.-based airports

A Glassair, left, and Citabria aircraft are parked beside the taxiway at the Alberni Valley Regional Airport on Sunday, Aug. 16, 2020. (WARWICK PATTERSON/ Special to the News)