![Floatplane Vancouver Canada](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/Floatplane_Vancouver_Canada.JPG)
West Coast Air was a Canadian scheduled
airline
An airline is a company that provides civil aviation, air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines use aircraft to supply these services and may form partnerships or Airline alliance, alliances with other airlines for ...
operating
de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
The de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada, which produced the aircraft from 1965 to 1988; Viking Air purchased the type certificate, then restarted ...
float planes, which was integrated into
Harbour Air Seaplanes
Harbour Air Seaplanes is a scheduled floatplane service, tour and charter airline based in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. The predominantly seaplane airline specializes in routes between Vancouver, Nanaimo, Victoria, Sechelt, Comox, Whis ...
.
History
Harbour Air Seaplanes of Vancouver acquired West Coast Air and consolidated the two airlines' terminal and services on March 31, 2010. All aircraft were transferred to Harbour Air Seaplanes, the West Coast Air name was dropped and the Harbour Air name painted on all aircraft.
When it operated the company offered flights from downtown
Vancouver
Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
and the Richmond floatplane base at
Vancouver International Airport
Vancouver International Airport is an international airport located on Sea Island in Richmond, British Columbia, serving the city of Vancouver and the Lower Mainland region. It is located from Downtown Vancouver. It is the second busiest ...
to
Victoria
Victoria most commonly refers to:
* Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia
* Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada
* Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory
* Victoria, Seychelle ...
,
Nanaimo
Nanaimo ( ) is a city on the east coast of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. As of the Canada 2021 Census, 2021 census, it had a population of 99,863, and it is known as "The Harbour City." The city was previously known as the "H ...
,
Comox, the
Sunshine Coast, and
Whistler. The company also flew tours and private charters.
Destinations
Destinations in February 2010, operated for Harbour Air Seaplanes:
Route Schedules
/ref>
* Comox
*Jervis Inlet
, image = MtFWAir.jpg
, image_size = 260px
, pushpin_map=British Columbia
, caption = Mount Frederick William & the "elbow" of the inlet
, image_bathymetry = Carte simplifiée baie Jervis.svg
, caption_bathymetry = Map of Jervis Inlet
, locat ...
(Earl's Cove, Chatterbox Falls)
*Nanaimo Harbour Water Aerodrome
Nanaimo Harbour Water Aerodrome is a seaplane base (SPB) serving the city of Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada. It is located in the Nanaimo Harbour, right downtown.
It is registered as an aerodrome, formerly classified as an airport, and an ...
(Nanaimo)
*Sechelt
Sechelt (, Shishalh language chat'lich) is a district municipality located on the lower Sunshine Coast of British Columbia. Approximately 50 km northwest of Vancouver, it is accessible from mainland British Columbia by a 40-minute ferry tr ...
*Vancouver Harbour Water Aerodrome
Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre, Vancouver Harbour Water Aerodrome or Vancouver Coal Harbour Seaplane Base , is a registered aerodrome located at Coal Harbour in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The flight centre is within walking distance of ...
(Vancouver)
* Vancouver International Water Aerodrome (Richmond)
*Victoria Inner Harbour Airport
Victoria Inner Harbour Airport or Victoria Harbour Water Airport is located in Victoria Harbour, adjacent to Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
The airport is classified as an airport of entry by Transport Canada and is staffed by the Canada ...
(Victoria)
* Whistler (May to September)
Fleet
In June 2015 the West Coast Air fleet was integrated into Harbour Air and painted in the Harbour Air aircraft livery
An aircraft livery is a set of comprehensive insignia comprising color, graphic, and typographical identifiers which operators (airlines, governments, air forces and occasionally private and corporate owners) apply to their aircraft.
As aircraft ...
.
Accidents
* On 1 November 2000 a company de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
The de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada, which produced the aircraft from 1965 to 1988; Viking Air purchased the type certificate, then restarted ...
had just departed the Vancouver Harbour Water Aerodrome
Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre, Vancouver Harbour Water Aerodrome or Vancouver Coal Harbour Seaplane Base , is a registered aerodrome located at Coal Harbour in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The flight centre is within walking distance of ...
en route to Victoria when its number 2 engine failed at . Even though the aircraft was being flown above VMC it impacted the water about 25 seconds later in a nose-down, right wing-low attitude. The two crew members and 15 passengers all escaped unharmed and were rescued by local watercraft present in the harbour. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB, french: Bureau de la sécurité des transports du Canada, BST), officially the Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board (french: link=no, Bureau canadien d'enquête sur les ...
concluded that "Since most air taxi and commuter operators use their own aircraft rather than a simulator for pilot proficiency training, higher-risk emergency scenarios can only be practiced at altitude and discussed in the classroom. As a result, pilots do not gain the benefit of a realistic experience during training." As a result of this accident the company revised its training programs with "increased emphasis on aircraft handling and emergency procedures in response to loss of power at low altitude and low airspeed."
See also
* List of seaplane operators
This is a list of seaplane operators. A seaplane is a powered fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing (alighting) on water.Gunston, "The Cambridge Aerospace Dictionary", 2009. Seaplanes that can also take off and land on airfields ...
* List of defunct airlines of Canada
This is a list of defunct airlines of Canada.
See also
* List of airlines of Canada
* List of airports in Canada
References
{{Defunct airlines of Canada
Defunct airlines of Canada, *
Lists of defunct airlines, Canada
Canada tran ...
References
External links
*
{{Defunct airlines of Canada
1996 establishments in British Columbia
2015 disestablishments in British Columbia
Canadian companies established in 1996
Canadian companies disestablished in 2015
Companies based in Vancouver
Regional airlines of British Columbia
Defunct companies of British Columbia
Defunct airlines of Canada
Defunct seaplane operators
Airlines established in 1996
Airlines disestablished in 2015