Vancouver Convention Centre Expansion Project | Completed

[SpongeG]

Two float plane operators to use new Vancouver flight centre

But Vancouver Commercial Seaplane Operators Association boycotting the new convention centre facility

By Jeff Lee, Vancouver Sun May 6, 2011 12:09 PM

VANCOUVER -- One of Canada's largest float plane operators will begin scheduled service to Victoria and Nanaimo out of the new Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre starting May 25.

The decision by Seair Seaplanes and a second West Coast operator, Tofino Air, to move into the $18 million facilities at the Vancouver Convention Centre comes as six other float plane operators — including two that provide the lion's share of scheduled service to Vancouver — have appealed to the provincial government for intervention in a simmering dispute with the flight centre.

Peter Clarke, the president of Seair, said his 10-aircraft company would begin providing seven scheduled round-trip flights to Nanaimo and Victoria as soon as the new facility opens. It already operates 18 scheduled flights daily to Nanaimo and the Gulf Islands out of Vancouver International Airport's south terminal.

Tofino Air operates scheduled and charter service on Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast.

"This is a great decision for our company and we're looking forward to operating out of this new facility," Clarke said. "It's the best deal we could get."

The Vancouver Commercial Seaplane Operators Association is boycotting the new convention centre facility, saying "passenger fees" they were expected to pay to VHFC would add $12 to each one-way ticket.

The Clarke and Ledcor Groups of companies signed a long-term lease with the B.C. Pavilion Corp. to build the flight centre at the convention centre. It is supposed to replace a temporary float base just to the west and operate as a "common use terminal" available to all commercial, charter and private float plane operators.

Graham Clarke, the president of the new flight centre (and no relation to Peter Clarke), said his company substantially trimmed costs to bring operator rents down to the equivalent of $9.50 per passenger.

...

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/float+plane+...+centre/4740807/story.html#ixzz1LbOzDIH9

[TwoFace]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

are these new? i've never noticed them before- are they art? or do they do something?

pic by me

They are fuel tank storage vents. Once the planes are up and running and the tanks full, they will be functional and properly disguised.

[SpongeG]

^^^ ah okay - i thought they were an addition...

New commuter air service set to begin next week

Fly from Pitt Meadows to Vancouver in 10 minutes

VANCOUVER(NEWS1130) - The commute from the Valley to Vancouver is about to get a lot shorter.

Starting May 20th, Whistler Air is offering float plane service from Pitt Meadows to downtown.

Owner Mike Quinn says it's never been done before. "I'm going to be flying the airplanes anyways so I might as well put bums in seats for whatever I can make on it. It just makes sense for people live in that area who are interested in getting downtown without driving to take advantage of this service."

He guesses it's about what people value. "If they value their time, and of course there are costs associated with driving in the city like parking and gas, it may make sense."

...

http://www.news1130.com/news/article/224021--new-commuter-air-service-set-to-begin-next-week

[JimmyJ]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

New commuter air service set to begin next week

Fly from Pitt Meadows to Vancouver in 10 minutes

Neat idea...cost is apparently to be $24 each way (according to the link), plus potential fees at the terminal (quoted at $12 or $9.50 in the article above; I wonder if you'd have to pay in and out of the new terminal, or just landing fees?). So let's call it $40 inc. HST, or $80/day ($65-70/day if you only pay the fee to land). Pitt Meadows to DT would be what...40km? Assuming $0.55/km (the going rate for my company if I expense personal use), that's $22 each way. Probably take an hour to drive...what's that time worth to you? $20/hr? $50/hr? More? (I say "worth to you", because you are likely not being paid to drive to and from work).

The only downside is the trip would be 10 minutes (in the air), plus the security and check-in time, so realistically a 30 minute trip, each way. Saves an hour a day in commuting time though. Depending on the $$ you apply, it would be a deal.

[SpongeG]

global news report said it would be $50 total to commute each day - it could be good if u can afford it

[Waders]

Well. The following CTV's news article certainly reported the same terminal in a much more negative manner than the Vancouver Sun's article.
IMO, the Pitt Meadows to Vancouver route probably will fail due to the high cost to passanger and hassle compared to driving which is point-to-point.

Cost of taking a seaplane heads skywards
By: Kendall Walters, ctvbc.ca

Date: Tuesday May. 10, 2011 6:50 PM PT

The city's largest float plane company is refusing to move into the new $20-million Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre because of the high rent in the facility.

Harbour Air will have to pay between $3 and $4 million in rent per year to operate out of the new terminal.

Companies estimate the extra rent will mean a levy of $9.50 per passenger, per flight. That means those flying into and out of the Flight Centre on connections will be charged twice.

Harbour Air opposes the levy and is refusing to move from its temporary terminal.

"We think it's fundamentally unfair," CEO Greg McDougall said.

"Not one single airport in the country has a for-profit model that services a substantial amount of passengers.

"This is the fourth largest airport in the province and the ninth largest airport – in terms of passenger travel – in the country."

Graham Clarke, Flight Centre chairman, says he thinks the public will appreciate the upgrade.

"The rent will be slightly higher than it is now, but it's a far better facility," he said. "If we go below that [rent], it's not sustainable."

"It absolutely is a beautiful piece of architecture and we're very proud of it and I think users will be too."

The levy has thrown a wrench into the plans of Mike Quinn, president and owner of Whistler Air, who is planning a new flight option from the terminal.

He hopes to shorten Pitt Meadows professionals' time in transit with new commuter flights between the suburb and Vancouver Harbour. Whistler Air plans to offer six flights per day charging $24 each way. The levy will jack up that cost to almost $34.

"I think it'd be an ideal way for people in that area to commute to work," Quinn said.

"I mean, it's a 10-minute flight or it's a one-hour drive. What do you want to do?"

But the levy could scuttle those plans before take-off.

"If I have to pay that for flying people back and forth from Pitt Meadows, quite honestly, I don't think it's going to work," Quinn said.

"It's excessive what they want to do. They basically want to gouge the flying public. I think the public deserves better."

McDougall agrees.

"This is about float planes remaining affordable to the general public," he said.

"It's an issue that needs to be sorted out for the travelling public."

The two sides have reached something of a stalemate.

Harbour Air refuses to move and the Flight Centre refuses to lower the multi-million-dollar rents that are forcing seaplane companies to pass along the cost to customers.

So far, only two companies have moved into the new terminal: Seair Seaplanes and Tofino Air. Both businesses have been trying to open operations in the Vancouver Harbour for years.

http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local..._110510/20110510?hub=BritishColumbiaHome

[BCPhil]

The idea that these companies don't want to move to a privately funded facility and basically keep using a taxpayer subsidized facility to offer plane commutes to rich people is offensive. If the rich twats who can't drive or take transit can't afford the REAL price to land right in the middle of downtown without subsidies, then the whole industry is unsustainable and shouldn't exist. To me it all seems like some scheme to make it affordable for certain people to live the champagne and caviar lifestyle of commuting by plane, when really, they shouldn't be able to.

[golog]

Harbour Air opposes the levy and is refusing to move from its temporary terminal.

"We think it's fundamentally unfair," CEO Greg McDougall said.

"Not one single airport in the country has a for-profit model that services a substantial amount of passengers.

Isn't that how YVR and other federally owned airports operate? Those major airports have to turn in profits in the form of a rent/lease for land the federal government only paid a small fraction of the market value for.

[jlousa]

I personally like how they will have to pass on the cost to customers at a rate of $9.50. That is the full cost and implies that they are paying $0 today. What is there current rent payments, subtract that from the $9.50 and I bet you the number looks much more reasonable.

[TwoFace]

"Harbour Air is refusing to move to new flight centre".

Sounds to me like they are playing a dangerous game that may have a very derogatory impact on the business, maybe even a permanent one.

It's not as if they have a choice or they own the current facility. They are getting kicked out, and in the meantime the smaller players like Seair Seaplanes and Tofino Air are taking up their spots in the new facility.
If these 2 companies decide to expand their fleet very quickly and take up the majority of the remaining spots, Harbour Air will cease to exist.

[Prometheus]

You can see the new seaplane dock taking shape:

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by TwoFace

"Harbour Air is refusing to move to new flight centre".

Sounds to me like they are playing a dangerous game that may have a very derogatory impact on the business, maybe even a permanent one.

It's not as if they have a choice or they own the current facility. They are getting kicked out, and in the meantime the smaller players like Seair Seaplanes and Tofino Air are taking up their spots in the new facility.
If these 2 companies decide to expand their fleet very quickly and take up the majority of the remaining spots, Harbour Air will cease to exist.

i know someone who works at harbour air and he said the company is trying to get a facility built east of the seabus and they are in negotiations now for it

[jlousa]

Application is dead in the water for relocating, in fact I wouldn't be surprised to see the Helipad relocate to the existing location of the seaplane terminal in 10 months.

[djh]

Originally Posted by jlousa

Application is dead in the water for relocating, in fact I wouldn't be surprised to see the Helipad relocate to the existing location of the seaplane terminal in 10 months.

That "knowing wink" icon again. Sigh.

I can imagine the neighbours would complain twice as loudly about helicoptoes than they would over seaplanes. At least the seaplanes have to taxi further away from the docks before they rev-up to full-thrust. Helicopters take off *from* the dock. Way louder.

[golog]

When are the new marina(s) going to begin construction?

[Millennium2002]

I kind of wonder actually if the new terminal might get crowded a bit too quickly with all the new floatplane operators. =S

[Hot Rod]

I wonder will the city start requiring more of the skyscrapers to have the red aviation beacons installed on top.

It would be a HUGE difference to the nighttime skyline, if at least the office towers and the tallest residentials had market lights on top.

[jsbertram]

Originally Posted by Hot Rod

I wonder will the city start requiring more of the skyscrapers to have the red aviation beacons installed on top.

It would be a HUGE difference to the nighttime skyline, if at least the office towers and the tallest residentials had market lights on top.

I don't know for sure, but I thought they are only needed on buildings that are under the flight path to / from an airport. I thought one of the flight paths in Vancouver was over the harbour - not just for harbour float planes, but also flights using YVR.

I haven't even noticed whether the buildings in Richmond that are in line with the YVR runways have aircraft warning lights on them (although I would expect the tallest buildings in Richmond would have them). Perhaps they are solid red or white lights, rather than strobes that are more noticeable by design?

[TwoFace]

The float planes don't operate after dark ... only daytime.

[TwoFace]

Tofino Air has moved into the new facility today.