
Silver Wings Celebration Ten Days Away!
One of the most popular (and important) aspects of our annual Silver Wings Scholarship and Industry Awards Celebration is the Online Auction. As you may already know, the BCAC administers Canada’s largest aviation and aerospace Scholarship Award Program, disbursing over $70,000 to deserving students enrolled in aviation or aerospace education programs throughout the province. Half of the proceeds from the Silent Auction directly support this Scholarship Award Program. The remaining half of the proceeds are used to support other BCAC programs and services that, in turn, support the aviation and aerospace community in BC, especially our extremely active Youth Engagement Programs.
This year, our first in-person Silver Wings Celebration since COVID, we have a host of amazing online auction items graciously donated by our benefactors and supporters. Please visit our Silver Wings Silent Auction webpage to view all of the items on offer - we're sure you'll find something to pique your interest. As of this morning, the average bid is only 19 percent of fair market value so there are deals galore with more added daily.
If you would like to donate to the online auction and increase your organization's profile, details are attached to this eNewsletter and can also be found at online auction donations. We will exceed last year's record of over 13,600 webpage views. Deadline to make an online auction item donation is October 17th, 2022.
Some sponsorships are still available. Please note that all Silver Level Sponsorships have been sold. YVR is the Presenting Sponsor and YCD a first-mover Platinum Sponsor. There is one Platinum Level ($5000), two Gold ($2500), Bronze ($625), banner positions ($99) and items for auction opportunities left. Opportunities to sponsor the Silver Wings Celebration - and support deserving students and industry programs - expires on October 12th, 2022, at midnight. This is so we can fully promote your sponsorship. For more details, visit Sponsorship Opportunities.

Still Need a Ticket?
Silver Wings Industry and Scholarship Awards Celebration registration is open. Tickets are $139 for BCAC members, $179 non-members. Some Student tickets are available at $40 each thanks to generous sponsorship by YVR, YCD and YXT. Visit the Silver Wings Registration Page to secure your place!

Coming to town for the Silver Wings Celebration?
Take advantage of the BCAC's Hotel Discount Program. The BCAC is proud to offer our members exclusive hotel rates with our hotel partners. (Please note: for a limited time during COVID-19, these rates are open to all BCAC Supporters.)
The participating hotels closest to the Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre are the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre, the Coast Coal Harbour Vancouver, and the Pinnacle Hotel Harbourfront. Of course, there are also several hotel partners located near YVR, if that's most convenient for you.
As an example, using the BCAC Hotel Discount Program, the Sheraton Wall Centre Downtown has some rooms for the Silver Wings Celebration at $164 per night, regular price over $400. Make sure you check out our other Hotel Discount Program partners as well.
Arrive in Style for the Silver Wings Celebration
Our travel partners are offering great discounted rates for our guests! Arrive in style with Pacific Coastal Airlines, Air Canada (effective Tuesday noon), Harbour Air or Helijet. Visit the Silver Wings Celebration Registration page "Travel Partners" tab under "Event Details" for more information.
Pacific Heliport Services Completes $1.7M Upgrade of Vancouver Harbour Heliport
With support from the Province of British Columbia’s Airport Assistance Program (“BCAAP”) under the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, Pacific Heliport Services, (“PHS”) a wholly owned subsidiary of Helijet International Inc., has completed a major $1.7M upgrade of the public use intermodal heliport in downtown Vancouver, on the south shore of Burrard Inlet.
(Helijet's YVR South Terminal facility will be hosting the next BCAC Youth Engagement Committee Hangar Hangout November 23 or 24. Both rotary and Learjet air ambulances will be on display if they are not working.)
The upgrade project entailed the design, fabrication and installation of two primary bridgeway connections to the floating heliport, along with numerous related facility and shoreline improvements within the heliport lease areas. The project construction was unique in that no in-water works were conducted throughout the project term, mitigating any environmental concerns to marine life and the natural habitat.
Located within walking distance of Vancouver’s downtown core, and part of a transportation hub with connections to SeaBus, SkyTrain, bus network, and a cruise ship terminal, the heliport plays an instrumental role in facilitating government business, private sector commerce and tourism offerings. Read More.
(Photos: Larry Goldstein Photography)

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Give Hope Wings Expedition totals $530,000 in funds raised
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Although the expedition wrapped earlier this summer, fundraising continued throughout July and August. Our dedicated pilots raised $530,000 to provide 1,514 travel arrangements for Canadians who must travel for vital care. Thank you to the committed team of fundraisers for supporting the mission to bridge the distance between home and hospital for Canadians in need.
For more information about the important work that Hope Air and their Give Hope Wings program supports, please visit their website.
(Photo: Hope Air)
UBCM delegates warned of big structural changes facing B.C. airports, aviation industry
Staff shortages, geopolitics and technology all factors behind changes
Aviation experts speaking to delegates at the 2022 Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) Convention in Whistler painted a picture that shows an industry with multiple developments and airports across the province facing significant challenges.
Transportation consultant Rob Beynon, founder of Operation Economics, said the aviation industry faces what he called “real big structural changes” in face of several developments.
Beynon said airports and airport-related industries are struggling to fill jobs in the face of rising costs, low wages for individuals working in certain positions, and retirements. This shortage affects not only routine on-ground operations like baggage handling and security but also higher-end positions, leaving airports short of the necessary expertise to deal with an increasingly complex regulatory environment imposed by Transport Canada.
Another issue concerns geo-political stability. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the western-imposed sanctions on Russia have had an immediate impact on business, said Beynon. Tensions between the People’s Republic of China and Taiwan have also impacted operations, especially in western Canada. It is not clear how these tensions will further play out in the future, he said. Read More.
Also, check out the BCAC's presentation to the UBCM in the attachments in this eNewsletter (below).
(Source: Terrace Standard, Wolf Depner | Photo: The Canadian Press/Jonathan Hayward)
Planning a job fair or career expo?
The BCAC can help promote your BC event to our Supporters. Part of our vision is to ensure a viable aviation and aerospace industry in the province. This requires tackling the current painful human resources crisis any way we can. BCAC is eager to help engage with - and grow - new audiences in our industry. Contact Dave Frank, Executive Director, to learn how we can help!
No jail or fines for YVR climate protesters
Three climate protesters who blocked traffic close to YVR in an Extinction Rebellion protest in 2021 just received suspended sentences and conditional discharges. Donna Clark, Susan Bibbings and James Darling were each charged with one count of mischief after participating in the Oct. 25, 2021 protest. Bibbings was also charged for participating in a Save Old Growth protest in West Vancouver earlier this year. All three pleaded guilty to their charges and appeared in Richmond Provincial Court in person on Friday morning to receive the judge’s decision.
The Richmond News had previously reported that Crown prosecutor Ellen Leno was seeking a one-week jail sentence for Bibbings, while defence lawyer asked for conditional sentences for all three.
Richmond provincial court Judge Bonnie Craig outlined her considerations, which include the social context and each protester’s personal circumstances. Submissions to the court included a psychiatric report for Bibbings, which Craig noted “also shed light on some of the mental health issues facing some people as the consequences of climate change become better understood in society.”
I recognize the urgency felt by the defendants. They all participated in the road blockages only after taking exhaustive other measures to push for legislative changes.
“I understand that it’s the despair each felt by the seeming lack of concern by governments, and much of the general population despite the increasing scientific evidence of peril the planet is facing,” she said. However, Craig said, the issue before the court was not the need to address climate change. Read More.
(Source: Richmond News, Vikki Hui)
Feature your Company or Organization in the Frequent Flyer eNews!
One of the most popular features in our Frequent Flyer e-Newsletter is our "Corporate Profile" post. In past issues, we've featured Crowe MacKay, Dawn Whyte Consulting, and the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre.
The Frequent Flyer eNewsletter now has an online distribution of over 5,400 Supporters with an open rate often exceeding 40 percent! This makes it an excellent, focussed communications vehicle to promote your business or organization to people in the aviation and aerospace community in BC and beyond.
If you are a Corporate Supporter and would like to promote your company or organization with us, please contact info@bcaviationcouncil.org. Please note that, as well as your profile, we can accommodate a promotional piece up to 10MB in size. Check out a sample of our Corporate Profiles in the PDF attachment below!

New scholarship created by YLW: benefits aviation and aerospace students in Okanagan
In celebration of Kelowna International Airport’s (YLW) 75th anniversary and in recognition of ongoing support the Okanagan community has shown, YLW is establishing a scholarship fund to support aviation and aerospace students in the Okanagan region.
YLW hopes to encourage the next generation to pursue a future in aviation and aerospace. Through the YLW Scholarship Fund, YLW is supporting youth in our community by providing funds to remove financial barriers associated with required training and education.
Funds from various activities plus online auction are being used to establish the scholarship fund. The recently concluded 75th Anniversary Online Auction resulted in total gross winning bids of $18,821 - an impressive result for a first time run.
To continue support for the YWL Scholarship Fund, there will be a 50/50 draw in celebration of the airport’s 75th anniversary commencing immediately after the Silver Wings 50/50 with the winner announced on New Year's Day.
With support from YLW, and many many others, the BCAC Scholarship Program will exceed $80,000 in 2023. Donations to the program can be made here. Official Charity Tax Receipts are issued for all personal donations.
Visit ylw.kelowna.ca for more information about the YLW Scholarship Program.
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