Downtown and Cheekye Fan residents can expect to see more planes overhead with a recently announced plan to provide more reliable flight service to Whistler and the Sea to Sky Corridor.
Pemberton-based Merlin Air issued a news release this week stating it intends to partner with Saltspring Air, Whistler Air and Tyax Air to offer more frequent and more reliable winter transportation, and Squamish Government Harbour docks and the Squamish Airport play key roles in the plan.
""Merlin Airwill work with these aviators to emphasize the viability of winter flight operations in the Sea to Sky region," said Fred Xavier, president and CEO of Merlin Air.
"In 2009, the year before the Olympic Games, we need to establish that Pemberton-Whistler Regional Airport and the Squamish Harbour and airport are safe year-round under VFR [visual flight rules] only."
Squamish Harbour figures prominently in the plan since it allows flights to land when poor visibility makes Pemberton access impossible, said Xavier. And Squamish Airport is attractive because it is 15 minutes closer to Whistler by highway than Pemberton Airport.
The proposal is not quite official yet, however, since a deal with Sea to Sky Air - which has sole floatplane rights at the Squamish Government Harbour - is still being worked out. Jim McRae of Sea to Sky Air was approached last summer, and a preliminary agreement was reached, said Xavier.
"The reason we have to announce it now is because it's the middle of winter and we want people to be thinking of flying in the winter. So if we waited until we got all the political ducks in a row, spring would be upon us," he said.
Currently in its inception phase, it could take up to two years to establish consistent traffic in the Blind Channel.
"Our initial focus is to provide flights for weekend and special event visitors," said Lori Xavier, Merlin Air vice-president of marketing and communications. "We will supply existing market demand, build confidence and credibility in winter operations, grow the market, and illustrate our combined ability to provide flight services that measure up to the reputation of an international ski resort."
Fred Xavier emphasized the "economic value, jobs and spin-off benefits of year-round flights to Whistler via Pemberton and Squamish," adding he anticipates that the Blind Channel will become a very busy place.
"I would expect in a few years that the Squamish to YVR or downtown [Vancouver] harbour run will be pretty much similar to the Granville Island ferries that run across False Creek. I would expect there would be a reasonable amount of traffic on that float service, partly because of the congestion that we anticipate will come on the Sea to Sky Highway as a result of all that housing. "
The partnering businesses also have high hopes for the venture.
"Merlin Air has a goal to make the splendour of Whistler accessible by air, all year round," said Phillip Reece, marketing director for Saltspring Air. "To those of us in Southern B.C. that is something that can't come quick enough. As such, we at Saltspring Air intend to work closely with Merlin Air to help make it happen."
"The lack of available facilities and airport maintenance at CYPS [Pemberton Airport] has always been the Achilles heel of air transportation within the Corridor, especially in the winter months," said Captain Dale Douglas, owner of Tyax Air. "It is great to see Merlin Air providing the infrastructure necessary for reliable fixed wing air travel to the region."
