86-year-old floatplane, last of its kind known to still be flying, takes to the skies in Vanderhoof, B.C.
1938 Bellanca Aircruiser is on loan from Erickson Aircraft Collection in Oregon
An airplane with origins in the days when bush pilots transported people, cargo and even horses across northern Canada is taking flight once again in central B.C.
A 1938 Bellanca Aircruiser, made from various materials including wood and fabric, is spending the summer in Vanderhoof, B.C., about 100 kilometres west of Prince George. On loan from the Erickson Aircraft Collection in Oregon, it's being piloted by Glenn Pearce, a retired Air Canada pilot with over 55 years of experience.
In a journey more than 1,000 kilometres long, Pearce flew the plane from the Erickson museum in the community of Madras, Oregon up to Vanderhoof. It was a multi-day trip and he used only a map and a compass to guide him, just as bush pilots did before the advent of GPS systems.
"It was quite an experience," he said. "It's very hands-and-feet, you've got to be flying that thing all the time.... but it flies very well."
Though originally designed to transport multiple passengers, U.S. federal regulations banned single-engine planes like the Bellanca Aircruisers from that task in 1934. That led to a new market for them, primarily in supporting mining and exploration operations in Canada as late as the 1970s.
"It's airplanes like this that actually opened up the north," said B.C. Aviation Museum president Stephen Dale. "Prior to these airplanes, it was an awfully long haul to get anything up to the northern communities... you can get this thing into an area that is virtually unapproachable by any other means of transportation."
According to the Erickson Collection, the plane Pearce has been flying was custom built to support a gold mining operation in the Phillipines before being pressed into service in Canada, and is the last of its kind still able to fly.
Pearce said among the pilots who've flown it is Wilfred Leigh Brintnell, who according to Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame, was the first person to circle Great Bear Lake by air. That led to the discovery of uranium deposits in the area, which were ultimately used in the Manhattan Project and the development of the first atomic bombs.
Pearce is taking the plane on short trips around the region and locals have been dropping by with questions. He plans to have a public event in Vanderhoof in September.
"I'm very privileged to be able to fly something like this," he said. "It's a priceless piece of equipment."
(Source: CBC News - BC, Andrew Kurjata, Catherine Hansen. Photo/Catherine Hansen)
Yes - Tomorrow (Wednesday) 5:15pm
Remembering Mary and Tony Swain
Meet the BCAC New Board Directors
Please join us in extending a warm welcome to our newest Board Members and Observers.
The BC Aviation Council's Board consists of a diverse group of 15 experienced individuals representing as much of BC's aviation and aerospace sector as possible. In addition, there are up to four Board Observers who are non-voting members of the Board "test driving" the Council to see if being on its Board would be a good fit. Our two new Board Directors came from the Board Observer Program, while James Hall and Jack Lazareff were reappointed for three year terms.
Profiles of BCAC's Board Directors and Observers (and Staff) can be found here.
There will be at least five Directors up for review in 2026. If interested in applying for a Board Observer Position, contact Steve Michoulas, Chair of BCAC's Governance Committee, through Dave@BCAviationCouncil.org .
 Tom Rattray – Board Member
Tom is the Manager, Operations Centre at Vancouver Airport Authority where he oversees critical operational functions and works to ensure strategic alignment, operational efficiency, and sustainability. Tom is an experienced operations leader with a proven track record in aviation and transportation management. With over 10 years in the industry, Tom has developed a strong expertise in cargo operations, safety management, and customer experience, alongside a deep understanding of airport and airline operations. Tom's past roles, including leadership positions at Harbour Air, Amazon, and Purolator, have further shaped his strategic planning and problem-solving abilities. Tom has led operational teams, launched new routes and services, and revamped business models to achieve measurable improvements in performance and revenue.
In addition to Tom's current role, he provides freelance consulting for Cargo Facts Consulting, where he specializes in data analysis, terminal development, and mapping key operator networks. He also share his knowledge as an instructor at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), helping the next generation of professionals excel in airport and cargo operations.
Tom is Board Liason for BCAC's Youth Engagement Committee and is anxiously awaiting his second child.
 Danielle Rehm – Board Member
Before her retirement in September 2023, Danielle served as the Pacific Region representative for Flight Operations Standards at Transport Canada. Her portfolio included airport operations, air operator certification, and special flight operations such as air shows and skydiving demonstrations. She was also responsible for managing airspace restrictions during wildfires and natural disasters. Danielle holds a Bachelor's degree in Justice and Public Safety Leadership from Simon Fraser University and the Justice Institute of British Columbia. With over 35 years of experience in the aviation industry, she has worked as a commercial pilot, flight instructor, and aviation safety inspector, spending 26 years with Transport Canada Civil Aviation.
Danielle is a member of the National Association of Federal Retirees. In 2024, she was elected to the Board of Directors for the Vancouver Branch, where she currently serves as Board Secretary. In her free time, Danielle enjoys exploring all that Beautiful British Columbia has to offer and can often be found hiking in the North Shore mountains or beach combing on the Sunshine Coast.
Daneille has recently added her expertise to BCAC's revitalized Policies and Programs Committee.
 Mark Miller – Board Observer
Mark is a writer, producer, journalist, and aviator with over four decades of experience in aviation and communications. He serves as the President of Cineflix Studios Vancouver, where he leads the production and co-production of scripted series, movies, and factual content for North American and international markets.
Mark has produced hundreds of hours of television content, including acclaimed series such as Airshow, Mayday, and Highway Thru Hell. As a journalist, he has covered more than a dozen NASA missions, including space shuttle launches and Mars landings. A passionate communicator with a love of flight, Mark brings a unique blend of storytelling and aviation expertise to his work.
Mark has recently added his talents to the BCAC Silver Wings Industry and Scholarship Celebration Committee and BCAC Finance and Investment Committees.
Questions? Contact us!
Calling all 200+ BCAC Volunteers – New, Seasoned, the Curious and Potential Rookies
Wednesday, August 20th, 5:15pm join our Volunteer Volunteer Manager, Andy Chen, and several Committee Chairs for our virtual Dog Days of Summer BCAC Volunteers Kickoff 2025/26. Learn about some of the opportunities available for the coming year and help shape aviation and aerospace in our province.
Register Here
SWIFT Conference 2025 – Empowering Airside Excellence
September 22nd - 25th, Niagara Falls, Ontario
Thanks to our immediate Past Chair, Heather McCarley, BCAC Supporters receive 20% off with coupon code: BCAC20
SWIFT brings together the continent’s leading airside experts to tackle our industry’s most critical challenges. From advanced pavement technologies to sustainable airport operations, SWIFT is creating the blueprint for North America’s aviation future.
Hosted by Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and curated by senior airside managers from leading US and Canadian airports, the programme offers unparalleled insights and networking opportunities.
Tickets include: all lunches and coffees, an expo day breakfast and an invitation to the 2025 ‘Welcome Night’ on Monday, September 22nd, and the ‘Eagle Night’ on Tuesday evening. Delegates will receive a secure link to access reduced cost accommodation at the Sheraton Fallsview Hotel once the registration form has been completed. (*Late booking rate applies from: Sept 15th, 2025)
For more information, please visit the SWIFT Conference 2025 website.
International rankings suggest Canadian passport continues to lose power
As a nation increasingly reliant on diversifying our markets, issues like travel documents become extremely important for our province's gateway positioning. This is also a two-way street. Canada imposed requiring a visa on Mexican tourists, just as travel from Latin America into BC was starting to take off. We need to keep our eye on the big picture.
Canada’s passport continues to lose power compared to other countries, according to the latest global passport ranking data.
At last tally by the Henley Passport Index (HPI), a Canadian passport scored 184 points, meaning it allows travellers to visit that many global destinations out of a possible 227 without needing a visa.
Canada is tied with Estonia and the United Arab Emirates for the eighth-strongest passport in the world, down from seventh, when the index was last updated.
Since the beginning of the year, Canada’s passport dropped an additional point, now totaling four points lost in the last decade, according to the index. The HPI regularly ranks 199 passports globally, drawing on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Alongside Venezuela, the United States, Vanuatu and the United Kingdom — Canada is among the countries with the fastest falling scores, according to the latest data published on July 22. According to a release from Henley and Partners, who manages the index, this represents a broader trend.
“Traditional mobility champions are losing ground in an increasingly multi-polar world,” the release notes. “As emerging economies liberalize their visa regimes and invest in diplomatic capital, legacy powers like the U.K. and the U.S. appear to be retreating behind more restrictive entry policies.”
The U.K. and U.S. have also dropped a ranking each in the global passport leaderboards since January, to sixth and 10th, respectively.
The two countries were once the most powerful passports in the world — with the U.K. taking the top spot in 2015 and the U.S. doing so the year before. Now, the U.S. is on the verge of exiting the top 10 list for the first time in the index’s 20-year history. Singapore, Japan and South Korea are currently in the top three spots, with 15 European countries following after.
According to the report, the Asia-Pacific region is a leading driver of global travel. Demand for air travel saw 5.8 per cent growth over the first five months of 2025 worldwide, with some regional variations, while Asia-Pacific airlines saw 9.5 per cent growth, they note.
“Your passport is no longer just a travel document — it’s a reflection of your country’s diplomatic influence and international relationships,” Dr. Juerg Steffen, Chief Executive Officer at Henley & Partners, said in the release. “In an era of growing inequality and mounting geopolitical uncertainty, strategic mobility and citizenship planning are more critical than ever.”
(Source: CTV News, Robin Della Corte. Photo/Sean Kilpatrick, THE CANADIAN PRESS)
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Sechelt Airport (YHS) master plan includes ideas for increased tourism
Official airport certification is also recommended for the aerodrome, located in ts'uḵw'um (Wilson Creek)
Developing luxury tour packages, creating “flight-seeing tours,” and improving customer experiences – possibly by working with shíshálh Nation to include artistic, cultural or educational components – are just a few of the ideas suggested to help revitalize Sechelt Airport, which are included in the final report for the Sechelt Airport Master Plan. (Ed. Note: Please see the report attachment at the bottom of this e-newsletter)
As well, the 62-page report which was presented to District of Sechelt council at a regular meeting, May 21, notes that for years there has been a significant amount of interest in developing passenger services between Sechelt and the Lower Mainland. To that end, the district has been exploring ways to develop this opportunity, including a runway expansion completed in 2021. (The Sechelt Airport is technically a registered aerodrome, but as with most aerodromes, it is commonly referred to as an airport.)
Earning an airport certification is included in the recommendations listed in the plan, which was written and compiled by consulting firms Operations Economics Inc. with Tetra Tech.
Airport certification
Communities often choose to certify airports because obtaining scheduled passenger services offer significant socio-economic benefits to communities through “improved quality of life and economic impact,” according to the plan. “A small air service can easily provide millions of dollars in direct economic benefit and catalytic impacts. Direct economic impacts refer to benefits created by directly related employment and activity. Catalytic impacts are the most sought after, those such as increased tourism and economic growth resulting from air services enabling other opportunities. While the cost of certification is high, the benefits can be much higher.”
The airport is located in ts'uḵw'um (Wilson Creek), southeast of downtown Sechelt on Hilltop Road at the northern end of Field Road, and is the regional airport for the Sunshine Coast. Centrally located, the airport is about 27 km from the Langdale ferry terminal and 54 km from Earls Cove ferry terminal, and in close proximity to Highway 101.
Economic development
According to the master plan, the airport is recognized as an under-utilized asset with potential to drive economic development on the Sunshine Coast.
The plan notes that while many communities in BC have a higher rate of air passengers to ferry travellers, in the case of the Sunshine Coast, almost four million people travel by ferry annually, while only an estimated 45,000 used local air transportation..
Transportation is the number one challenge for the Sunshine Coast according to the report, and BC Ferries was identified as an issue in the 2016/17 Destination Development Strategy, noting the situation appears to be getting worse, not better.
Issues include no scheduled air service to the Sechelt airport and no airline has announced plans or signalled any intention to start, the airport is not certified, there is poor multi-modal connectivity and limited, infrequent or no taxi, ride share, rental car, shuttle service, public bus or other transportation for people arriving as foot passengers on BC Ferries, by float plane or chartered or scheduled aircraft.
Businesses and organizations based at the airport today include Airspan Helicopters, Fly Coast Air Taxi, which offers charter flights and sightseeing, Elphinstone Aero Club, Recreational Aircraft Association, Olson Electric Ltd., BC Wildfire Service and Richard Eastley Aircraft Repair. The Sunshine Coast Drag Racing Association and Sunshine Coast Astronomy Club also use the airport.
The airport provides emergency response services, health, passenger transportation, commercial, industrial and recreational benefits to the region. There is a BC Wildfire Service rapid attack base at the airport, and the site is used for medical evacuations.
Increased tourism
High seasonality of tourism demand means that facilities and accommodations can often be at capacity during the summer peak time with poor demand during the off season. Tourists are also concentrated geographically within some parts of the Sunshine Coast.
Some other opportunities to be explored, recommended within the plan to help grow regional tourism, are to identify markets with larger sources of high value travellers who would consider air travel for connection to the Coast, and consider connections to airports with large population bases from the Lower Mainland or Vancouver Island, because these locations represent the region's largest tourism visitor base. Those routes could include Sechelt to Abbotsford, Victoria and the South Terminal at Vancouver International Airport.
Groups landing in Sechelt could be met by a van, limo or other ground transportation to take them to tours and activities with a focus on Indigenous culture, boating adventures, hiking, nature and wildlife viewing, and the many arts-related venues and galleries across the Coast.
The provides a list of nine motivating experiences, which could be developed as a one-day return package, weekend getaway or mid-week escape. Overnight experiences could also be developed with existing resorts and lodges. The airport could create these packages in partnership with local businesses, shíshálh Nation or other organizations, which means customers could connect to the Coast directly by air allowing them to circumvent Vancouver, Victoria or the ferry terminals, reducing the hassle factor for a quick getaway.
Aerospace and aviation
Aerospace and aviation industries are growing, including general aviation and drones. While tourism opportunities are specific to a community or region, aviation opportunities in most case are more general and can move to the location that best suits the owner.
As well, a significant shortage in the world pilot pool is creating opportunity to open flight training units. The BC Aviation Council is mounting an ongoing push to qualify pilot training for student funding streams within the province, such as student loans and grants. If successful, this would make BC more attractive to students.
At the end of the presentation on the report, council unanimously passed a motion which read, “When the 2025 airport master plan comes forward to a future committee of the whole meeting, that staff include a brief report regarding low cost, high value improvements to the airport infrastructure and potential for revenue generation.”
(Source: Coast Reporter, Sandra Thomas. Photo/Cathy and Luke Gordon)
SUPPORTER PROFILE
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SUPPORTER PROFILE
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Support the Future of Aviation and Aerospace in BC
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