Custom Search

Sunday, January 30, 2011

West Coast Air

Victoria's Inner Harbour is a very busy place. In addition to the many different types of waterborne traffic - commercial and pleasure craft of all types and sizes - it is a very busy airport with float plane flights taking off and landing several times per hour during the day. There is also a heliport on Ogden Point so one or more aircraft are almost always visible in the airspace above or approaching the harbour. The plane above is one of West Coast Air's planes. There are several other small flight companies operating flights between Victoria and other points on Vancouver Island and between here and the mainland.

7 comments:

Mike Laplante said...

Recently there's been a flurry of letters from people (who I suspect live in the Songhees) to ban float planes from the Inner Harbour. Same story... people move in, THEN complain about the things that were there before them.
I can't speak about safety, but I personally think they add to the vibrancy of the harbour. Probably it has something to do with my youth in northern Ontario where float planes were very much part of the tableau of life.

Leif Hagen said...

That looks like an exciting ride! I wonder what it's like to land on snow or water with those "skis!"

Mel Mel said...

I sure hope they don't ban the float planes! It's one of my favorite things about Victoria. We always stay at the Coast Hotel just so we can watch all the float planes and ferries come in. It's such a wonderful alive harbor. I've promised myself that the next time we visit, I'm going to get brave and fly in one!

Dean Lewis said...

Great photo subject, action photography.
A whole genre, pre-focusing where a subject is 'about to be'.
One year I shot for the Oilers. Lots of fun.

Benjamin Madison said...

Mike I like the planes too but sometimes, depending on how the wind is blowing, the racket can be pretty loud along the Walkway.

Leif - they only fly when the weather is reasonably calm so I suspect the landings are always pretty smooth.

Mel Mel - Island Pacific Flight Academy offers a variety of scenic tours - 1/2 flights over various southern parts of the island - at reasonable prices.

Dean - I was practicing my technique for shooting birds in flight (it's easier with planes). I imagine shooting hockey games would be very challenging.

Benjamin Madison said...

Mel Mel - above should read "1/2 hour flights"

JoJo said...

I MUST take a float plane ride next time I'm up there. I can't wait to do it. I'm terrified of commercial air travel, but I'm dying to try a float plane.