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Nanaimo
Airport: Where the Air Highway meets the Island
Highway
 What
other Canadian or US Airport can boast a major
North- South traffic artery at its doorstep,
bringing millions of potential customers right past
the terminal building each year? "What a superb
location for my potential airport business," you
say. Several Nanaimo Airport tenants have realized
this powerful edge, namely the Arbutus RV Centre
and the Parallel Flying School, which seeks to
attract a wide range of students. Seeing a fleet of
small aircraft doing their aerial antics is
terrific point of sale advertising. What's more,
British Columbia's new Island Highway gives
first-time visitors a panoramic view of the city
from a higher elevation. Another recent development
is a new "seawalk" from downtown to the Departure
Bay ferry terminal. We're pleased to see that truck
traffic has been re-routed to the new Duke Point
terminal, which helps avoid congestion.
T
 Nanaimo
Airport traffic soaring
At the airport itself, traffic continues to soar
like an eagle, with 150,000 passengers expected in
the year 2000. Located at Cassidy, 18 km south of
downtown, Nanaimo Airport is the primary air
gateway for Central Vancouver Island. Its terminal
building, built in 1991, is a modern air passenger
facility that supports a broad range of services
and amenities, five scheduled and charter airlines,
Budget, National Tilden and Avis auto rental
agencies, three ground transportation services, and
Connections Restaurant. The air terminal complex
also includes short-term and long-term parking.
Over 20 flights are scheduled daily to lower
mainland and island destinations: Vancouver,
Victoria, Abbotsford, Pitt Meadows, Comox and
Boundary Bay.
Aircraft currently servicing the Nanaimo market
range from the 30 passenger Shorts 360 to the 8
passenger Piper Navajo Chieftain. Nanaimo ranks as
the 5th busiest air passenger terminal in BC, and
management has its eye on several US direct flight
and charter options. Air Cargo traffic is also on
the rise. Peering into the future, we can expect to
witness a continued growth in airport traffic, as
the demand for air transportation and travel grows
in lock-step with the surrounding communities.
Talk about being overdue,
we're told that the Nanaimo Airport runway hasn't
looked this good since the Second World War. For
the record, the 1940's was the last time the entire
runway surface was completely repaved. The 5,000 by
200 feet, runway was re-surfaced last summer, with
Transport Canada contributing 90% of the cost, or
$1,641,000. The Nanaimo Airport Commission paid the
remaining $182,000. Other projects on the go at
Nanaimo Airport include a fresh look, with the
addition of new entrance, directory and terminal
building signage, plans for a new FBO/Pilot lounge
at the airport's fueling facility, and a new apron
on the northeast side of the airport to facilitate
general aviation traffic at the new 18-hole
Cottonwood Golf Course.
Delegates
from 14 States, Provinces & Territories
Nanaimo
hosted BC
Aviation Council's 61st Convention
From
Sept 23-2, 1999 there was excitement in the
air at the Coast Bastion Hotel and
throughout the Nanaimo area. It was the first
chance for many industry stalwarts to see the
remarkable changes that have taken place on
Nanaimo's Waterfront. It is truly a class location
and a great place to shop. The hotel, which is part
of Nanaimo's new waterfront development, is located
within minutes of championship golf courses,
windsurfing and sailing. Its 179 guest rooms,
include luxurious one bedroom and Jacuzzi suites.
For dining there's Cutter's Bistro, Offshore
Lounge, and Sgt. O'Flaherty's Pub. Delegates will
also enjoy a fully equipped fitness center with
gym, whirlpool and sauna. We will give you the full
schedule soon. Ffor next year's conference, contact
Jerry Lloyd at 604.278.9330.
Chinese delegation sees
Nanaimo Airport as a role model
For years, Nanaimo Airport was always the
exception, now it's a model for other regional
airports, not just in BC, but in all of Canada. A
recent example was the visit of a delegation from
Zhoushan Airport, southeast of Shanghai, China. The
group, hosted by Nanaimo Airport manager Mark
Lawson, included Economist Wang Qingguo, Vice
General Manager Zhang Huafeng and Deputy chief Ru
Zhibo, who acted as interpreter. The Nanaimo area
environment is very similar to their home area,
however their main source of traffic is fly-ins to
a famous Buddhist shrine. Behind the scenes was
Samuel L. Kincaid, former Base Commander at RCAF
Summerside, PEI, who met Mark Lawson at the Sudbury
Airport Managers Conference in 1997. Mr. Kincaid
was Manager of the Hamilton Ontario Airport at the
time. Currently an Airport Management Consultant at
Nepean, near Ottawa, he specializes in arranging
such exchanges. The Chinese visitors were suitably
impressed, not just with the airport operations,
but with the YCD web site, which one member stated
was the best he had ever seen. According to Mr.
Lawson, the Nanaimo Airport can expect many similar
visits in the years ahead. Contact Sam Kincaid at
(613) 226-6050, e-mail
kincaids@primeline.net.
Nanaimo
Airport: Gateway to Vancouver Island
Nanaimo Golf Get-away
If you fly and golf, this deal from Nanaimo Airport
seems almost too good to be true. The package
offers you and a partner a total of 36 holes of
golf (18 holes at each of two different courses),
one nights lodging for two people, and a two-day
car rental. The complete package will cost you only
$169 per person, based on two sharing. The topper
for pilots is that one of the golf courses involved
is right next door to the Nanaimo Airport runway.
Park your plane, walk through the gate to the
clubhouse and you can be on the tee in minutes.
You'll be staying at one of the waterfront
community's best hotels, within walking distance of
a new downtown casino. If you prefer culture to
cards, there is Nanaimo's new 800-seat performing
arts theatre. If you're just dropping in for an
afternoon of golf, there is no parking fee. It will
cost you $5, however, to tie down
overnight.
Coming
soon! A Golf Supermap and direct links to all
Vancouver Island Golf Courses.
Nanaimo Airport On line -
http://www.island.net/~ycd
If you would like to have your web site added to
our airport's
Hot link Directory, simply e-mail us at
ycd@mail.island.net
and
provide your URL. All we ask is that you return the
favor and provide a
reciprocal link from your site to ours. We're
currently linked to:
A&A Contract Customs Brokers/ Air Canada / Air
Highways Magazine /
Airlines.com Airport Search Engine Airports
International / American
Association of Airport Executives/ Aquasun
Investments / AvCanada /
Aviation Home Page / Aviation Industry Resource /
Aviation Search Engine
Avis Car Rental / British Columbia Aviation Council
/ Budget Car Rental /
Bungy Zone / Canadian Airlines International /
Canadian Museum of Flight/
Central Mountain Air, Chemainus Murals/ City of
Nanaimo, /Destination
Vancouver Island / Dwarf Courier/ Dynamex Courier /
Environment Canada
Weather Office/ Experimental Aircraft Association/
Grayline of Victoria/
Hotel Guide/Island Cargo International Overland
Freight/ Island Internet/
ISL Customs Brokers/ Just Planes Video Latta
Aviation Consultants/
Loomis Courier/ Nanaimo Flight Service Station
Nanaimo Flying Club/
National Tilden Car Rental/ Nigro Associates/
Pacific Coastal Airlines/
Pelorus Navigation/ Priority Post Courier / Canada
Post Purolator Courier/
Regina Airport/ Timberline Air/ Tourism in France/
Tourism Nanaimo/
Travel 2 Destinations/ Vancouver International
Airport Authority/
Vancouver Island Public Golf Courses/ Victoria
Flying School/
Westholme Graphics/ WestJet Airlines/ West-Wind
Aviation/
Yahoo! Airport Directory. 
Coming soon! Airport services map and
Airport area transportation map.
 Learn
to fly? Who... me?
Most certainly! At
Nanaimo Airport there are two flying Schools where
you can learn to fly a variety of aircraft for
leisure, a career change, or to fill the huge need
for trained pilots on the horizon. Watch for our
item on Tom Drybrough and his company
Parallel Aviation on this page.
Escape border
blues... thanks to new CANPASS Private Aircraft
extending border services.
Escape the doldrums.
There's no lack of places to go and things to do
inside Nanaimo city limits. The extended Sea walk,
beach combing, parks, historic sights, museums,
unique shops and cafes are part of the action... or
how about snorkeling with the seals, exploring old
mines and caves, or a moonlight kayak trip by
Newcastle Island? For a Free Visitors Package. Fax
250-245-4308.
Travel tips for airport
customers
Management recommends that departing travelers
arrive at the airport at least 45 minutes prior to
their scheduled departure to provide sufficient
time to purchase parking, obtain boarding cards and
proceed through security screening.
Parking: Long term
and short term vehicle parking is available
directly adjacent to the Nanaimo Air Terminal. The
current long-term parking rates are $5 per day, $25
per week and $70 per month. Long-term parking may
be purchased at the parking lot kiosk by cash or
credit card or, if you prefer the human touch, at
Connections Cafe by cash, credit card or debit
card. If your travel plans keep you away longer
than expected, contact Airport Security at (250)
245-7093 to arrange for a parking extension.
Security: As required
by federal law, your carry-on baggage will be
searched at security screening for weapons and
explosives. Avoid carrying wrapped gifts or other
sealed packages, as these items may be opened and
inspected by security screening personnel.
Weather: If you are
concerned that your flight may be delayed or
cancelled due to poor weather or other
circumstances, contact the airline to discuss
contingency arrangements. If you are booked on a
charter flight from Vancouver, we recommend at
least a 3.5 hour "cushion" between your Nanaimo and
Vancouver departure times.
US pilots and owners: Escape border blues,
with CANPASS Private Aircraft extending border
services.
For more details contact
Airport Manager, Nanaimo Airport,
P.O.E. Box 149, 3350 Spitfire Road,
Cassidy BC, V0R 1H.
E-mail: ycd@island.net
Tel: (250) 245-2157 Fax: (250) 245-4308
http://www.island.net/~ycd
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