F R E E FEBRUARY 2004 • Your Airport Community Newspaper – Vancouver International Airport
Federal Government Urged to Reduce Excessive Airport Rents Chambers of Commerce, VBT and YVR issue joint statement he Federal Government is being urged to drastically reduce airport rents in a joint statement issued last month by the Vancouver Board of Trade (VBT), the Richmond Chamber of Commerce and Vancouver International Airport Authority, and several other chambers of commerce and
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boards of trade including the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. “At a time when the air travel industry is struggling, the Federal Government has unfortunately maintained its schedule to raise the rent at major airports across Canada,” said Darcy Rezac, managing director, the Vancouver Board of Trade. In 2004, rent obligation of all rent paying airports will increase by approximately eight per cent to approximately $270 million. Since 1992, national airports will have paid
over $1.5 billion in airport lease payments — a number that is expected to reach $4 billion within the next 10 years. “The Federal Government’s current position on airport rents is overly aggressive and represents a threat to the competitiveness of the cities whose airports are obligated to pay federal rent,” said Florence Gordon, president, Richmond Chamber of Commerce. Vancouver International Airport Authority
WestJet Poised to Begin Travel to Several U.S. Cities World’s Only ‘Flying Eye Hospital’ Visits Vancouver ight-year-old WestJet Airlines has announced it will make its long-awaited entrance into the U.S. market this October, beginning with regular scheduled service to Los Angeles, and the Florida vacation destinations of Fort Lauderdale and Orlando. Seasonal routes to Phoenix and Palm Springs, California, are planned for later in the fourth quarter. WestJet president Clive Beddoe admits that much still has to be worked out,
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RBIS, a non-profit, nonaligned, global organization dedicated to saving sight worldwide, brought the world’s only flying eye hospital to Vancouver earlier this month. The visit, part of a goodwill tour for the people of Vancouver, was sponsored primarily by Dr. David Ho, president of HMY Airways and Companion Holidays. One of the world’s most
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unique examples of a humanitarian aircraft, the modified DC-10 airliner transports a stateof-the-art medical school to areas The fully outfitted DC-10 is the world’s where access to only flying eye hospital. medical treatment is extremely limited. Its who work side-by-side with operating room comprises local doctors. The idea for a flying eye volunteer medical teams that include top ophthalmoloSEE FLYING EYE HOSPITAL, gists from around the world, CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
Managing Snow, Freezing Rain and Fish By Shelley Belgrave espite Vancouver’s reputation for mild weather, winter does make an appearance on the Lower Mainland. So when storms occur, such as those experienced early last month, how does YVR meet the challenges of passenger safety, punctual take-offs and landings, and ensure that specialty winter operations do not harm the environment? One such winter specialty operation is is the removal of snow and ice from air-
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Glycol recovery vehicle cleans the ramp following the de-icing of a United Airlines plane. craft. This process, known as de-icing, is an important safety procedure as frost and snow can affect flight control gear. Even a
Traditional Lion Dance at YVR celebrates the Chinese New Year. According to Chinese astrology if you’re born in the Year of the Monkey, you are very intelligent, well-liked by everyone, and will have success in any field you choose.
YVR Merchants Celebrate Chinese New Year
Lion Dance Performers Usher in Year of the Monkey
small amount of roughness caused by ice, snow, or frost can disrupt airflow over a plane’s wing surfaces, reducing the amount of lift it needs to get off the runway. “Aircraft are de-iced as a matter of safety,” said Simon Robinson, environmental specialist with the Vancouver International Airport Authority. “However, the use of de-icing fluid carries with it environmental implications that must be carefully managed.”
n January 22, the Merchants at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) and numerous airlines celebrated the start of the Chinese New Year – the Year of the Monkey. Like the Western calendar, the Chinese Luna calendar is a yearly one, with the start of the year being based on the cycles of the moon. Because of the cyclical dating, the beginning of the year can fall anywhere between late January and the middle of February. A complete cycle takes 60 years and is made up of five cycles of 12 years, with each of the 12 years named after an animal. A traditional Lion Dance performance took place in the terminal as part of the celebration. The Lion Dance is an extension of Chinese martial arts and an important tradition in Chinese culture. Lion dances
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De-Icing Operations at YVR
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