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Footloose
on Sea Island at Vancouver International
Airport
Current
YVR News Release. Jewel of the Pacific and
Crossroads of the
World.
If
you haven't strolled through the ever-changing
public and retail section of the Vancouver
International Airport lately you are in for a
pleasant surprise.Photos
and story by Ed Anderson
 Vancouver
International Airport is among the most modern and
efficient airports in the world. It is also known
that YVR provides a full range of facilities to
meet the needs of the community, airlines, the
travelling public, cargo handlers, and the many
businesses situated on Sea Island. Tremendous
strides and progress since the days of its humble
beginnings as a little airport on Sea Island in
1931. 1937 saw the inauguration of commercial air
service by Trans-Canada Air Line's with their five
Lockheed 10A Electra's and the rest is history.
Today the old Vancouver Airport Terminal, now known
as the South Terminal, is undergoing a complete
face lift to become a modern regional hub for small
aircraft, float planes, helicopter operations,
corporate charters, regional carriers, and
aerospace facilities. YVR is governed by the
Vancouver International Airport Authority, made up
of a 15 person community-based Board of Directors,
nominated by entities such as the City of Richmond,
the City of Vancouver, and the Vancouver Board of
Trade.
 The
Airport Authority assumed the management and
operation of YVR from Transport Canada in 1992. YVR
is operated under the provisions of a long-term
lease with the Government of Canada. There are no
shareholders, no government funding guarantees or
subsidies. All earnings are re-invested in airport
developments and service improvements.
YVR
is Canada's second busiest airport and a major west
coast gateway, serving some 16 million passengers
each year and transporting upwards of 260,000
metric tonnes of cargo. Also, according to the
records, there were approximately 295,000 take-offs
and landings in the year 2000. With there being
close to 26,000 people who work on Sea Island, the
'Mission' of the Vancouver International Airport
Authority is "to serve their community by building
outstanding airports for the 21st century." In
itself, YVR is intended to become one of the best
airports in the world and today having innovative
common use terminal equipment, and many other up to
date efficiencies for the travelling public, it is
also considered a "smart" airport.
Within
the framework of a Master Plan, the Airport
Authority has laid out the following:
With
the completion of the north parallel runway in
1996, runway capacity should be adequate to handle
traffic volumes up to 2015.
The
adequacy of the runway system is predicated on the
implementation of Global Positioning System
navigation aids.
Phases
II & III of the new International Terminal
should bring total terminal capacity to 22 million
passengers per year.
To
ensure adequate terminal capacity, an increased
terminal land reserve has been provided for, east
of the existing terminals.
Lands
along the north side of the north runway are
protected for future cargo terminals requiring
airside access.
The
north portion of Sea Island is reserved as a
conservation area, administered by the Canadian
Wildlife Service.
A
central corridor from the Arthur Laing and Moray
Channel Bridges is protected for ground access,
including a future mass transit
corridor.
Transportation
demand management initiatives will be considered to
create incentives to use public transit and to
create disincentives to use private automobiles.
High priority vehicle facilities will be considered
for commercial and high occupancy
vehicles.
In
general, future initiatives detailed in the Master
Plan over the planning horizon of 20 years are
expected to result in only minimal changes to the
1996 noise exposure contours.
The
most recent successful project of significance is
the 118,000 square meter expansion of YVR's main
apron. This addition provides the airport with
three drive-through aircraft service bays for
de-icing aircraft, aircraft loading/off-loading and
parking. Giving an idea of size, the area can
accommodate, two 747's and an A380 or instead two
757's, two A320's and a 747. As a matter of further
interest, there is just west of the new apron a
nine-million-liter of glycol storage pond that
recovers all aircraft de-icing fluid from the
expanded apron. The glycol-water mix from this pond
is pumped into tanker trucks and distilled for
potential re-use of the glycol in automotive and
other related products.
YVR
has also launched a passenger friendly Web
Site
www.yvr.ca
to which can be added as a source of news, a most
informative monthly publication, YVR
"SkyTalk."
The
Langley Township Regional Airport and the Vancouver
International Airport are but two of many
successful airport operations. You only have to
examine the airport in your area, then understand
and appreciate what it means to your community and
that any differences and problems can be resolved
to the betterment of everybody. Finally a closing
comment. Freight does not indeed, travel only by
land and sea. Have a look at the airfreight tonnage
figures then ask, what would become of business at
large and us if we didn't have the advantage of
travel and cargo via the air highways of the world?
Just imagine if you will, even for a moment, the
void, the consequences, and the additional expense,
let alone the further congestion on our highways
and waterways. Support your local airport and
aviation at large.
Article,
Editorial Comment and Photo
by Ed Anderson
Tourism
Vancouver's Main Website
http://www.tourism-vancouver.org/docs/visit/
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