Victoria's Sea Plane Traffic - Air Turbulence
Canada's Busiest Float Plane Harbour May Be In For Some Rough Air
Victoria's Inner Harbour Airport is a growing concern. The Vancouver to Victoria sea plane or float plane link is the busiest in Canada if counting weekly flights. According to the 2006 Transport Canada & Official Airline Guide (OAG):
- Victoria's dual water runway system has the busiest float plane harbour in Canada at 63,713 runway movements annually, or an average of 175/day
- By comparison, Lake Hood Alaska, the busiest water airport in the world, has 69,400 or 190/day.
At a Victoria City Council meeting (Oct. 8/08) Transport Canada officials admitted that Victoria's Inner Harbour flight traffic had gone from 3 take offs and landings per day in 1976 to over 100 per day now. Occasionally it has approached almost 200 a day or 1 every 4 minutes.
The sea plane option is a great alternative for tourists to see the rugged Juan de Fuca coastline and Saanich peninsula. But not many tourists take advantage of the "flightseeing". Sara Cassidy (FOCUS, Oct. 2008, p. 14) says that only one out of seven float plane passengers are tourists; the others are business and government workers wanting a quick commute.
Victoria residents are beginning to complain about float plane fallout, particularly air and noise pollution.
Air Pollution
James Bay, the neighbourhood of 11,000 where the Inner Harbour and the cruise ship terminal abut, is one of the most affected areas of Victoria's increased bus, cruise ship (400,000 tourists arrived in 2007 this way) and sea plane traffic. In a recent James Bay Air Quality Study (Dec. 2008) findings showed that:
- Interestingly, James Bay was well below the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended standards, the preferred ones set in 2005 as opposed to the Canadian and BC ones set over twenty years ago, Dr. Tom Kosatsky, a University of Victoria specialist in environmental health said.
- However nitrous dioxide (NO2), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and particulate matter (PM) exceeded by 2x the WHO standards on 6 days out of 6 months of monitoring; although the Inner Harbour itself was not included in the study
- a lobby group, Friends of Victoria Harbour, claims the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the kerosene stench of fuel does exceed WHO standards for the harbour area's concrete canyon of high rises in James Bay and Songhees. "Most float planes are powered by a gas turbine engine which burns jet fuel...that emits many pollutants.... (Focus, p. 16)
Noise Pollution
At the centre of the issue are 3 main airlines, Harbour Air, the largest all-seaplane fleet in the world, West Coast Air and Seattle-based Kenmore Air. They fly de Haviland Otters & Beavers (single, twin and turbo-prop) totalling approximately 80 planes in their fleets. The problem is the decibel level for take off and landing.
- Health effects from aircraft noise include high blood pressure, hearing loss, immune deficiencies and asthma, although studies are often inconclusive.
- Transport Canada noise exposure forecasts (NEF) advise no airports by residential areas if the Effective Perceived Noise Level exceeds 25 dB(A). Given that a jet flyover can be 110 dB(A), according to http://www.diracdelta.co.uk/science/source/d/b/dba/source.html, then Inner Harbour residents have reason to complain.
- The de Haviland's engine revving and prop design often exceed recommended noise levels.
Responsibilities and Solutions
Who is responsible for solving the issues surrounding the Inner Harbour? Many are concerned users - Victoria's James Bay and Songhees residents, the governments, the airlines, business communities, and tourists. Elizabeth Greaves, a Friends member says, "It isn't our place to offer a solution...." (Focus, p. 16) but makes suggestions from moving the airport elsewhere, to capping flight number, to enforcing noise bylaws. There is a certain legerdemain about claiming responsibility:
- Friends say that City Council can establish & apply noise bylaws
- City Council says it is up to Transport Canada or NavCan
- Transport Canada says it suggests but doesn't enact
- some believe it devolves to the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority or maybe even Environment Canada
As 2008 becomes 2009, the Victoria Inner Harbour Airport remains a moving target but residents are taking aim at perceived polluters and accomplices.
landing in the harbour
|
Beaver float plane
|
What do you think about this article?
More in Politics & Society
Latest Articles