First 747 aircraft touches down for refueling at the Prince George Airport
Posted: November 15, 2009
The Prince George Airport Authority is pleased to announce the arrival of the first 747 aircraft for refueling.
The Boeing 747 Aircraft operated by Southern Air Inc. is scheduled to land Monday, November 16, 2009 at 1130 hrs. This aircraft will be arriving from Seoul, South Korea and onto Miami and then Caracaras, Venezuela.
"This announcement is great news for the Prince George Airport and our region. It is a result of consistent marketing and efforts of the PGAA and our partners." said Jim Blake, Chair of the Prince George Airport Authority (PGAA). "The PGAA will continue to build upon our efforts to date but this is a great first step and we are confident that this is only the beginning of the realization of our vision for our airport!”
“The PGAA and their partners – Allied Aviation (locally operated as Airconsol Aviation Services, ULC) and Shell fuels - have been working hard at providing a sound alternative for traditional transpacific techstop airports.” Explained new PGAA President and CEO, John Gibson. “This first flight is critical to proving to the industry - YXS can compete and offer a great alternative – and we know once this aircraft is on the ground – our team and community will show them great Northern and Canadian spirit!”
“Allied Aviation is very pleased to work in conjunction with the Prince George Airport Authority in welcoming the first Boeing 747 to Prince George.” declared Dion Faulkner, General Manager, Canada, Allied Aviation. “We are very excited to finally see this day when the first 747 arrives at YXS and we hope that this will be the first of many airlines that will look to YXS as a preferred location for large wide body aircraft on the great circle route between major Asian and US airports. As the airport experiences growth in this new sector, Airconsol Aviation Services, ULC plans on offering expanded services to meet the needs of its customers.”
Air carriers flying on transpacific routings to and from Asia and North America require “tech stops” for refueling enroute to maximize payload or cargo volumes. Prince George Airport offers carriers the opportunity to fly into a 24/7, non-congested airport with low costs and no operational restrictions or curfews.
“We have put on a full court press in terms of our marketing efforts in the last year” stated Todd Doherty, Director, Marketing and Business Development for the PGAA. “Through our partnerships with Landrum Brown, Allied Aviation and Initiatives Prince George – the message is getting out throughout the industry and world that Prince George is open for business and committed to making this a success.” Doherty continued “Our community and regional opportunities have been well represented through these organizations efforts as well as those of the Port of Prince Rupert’s – the eyes and ears of the industry are upon us.”
Since opening the refueling pad in late September the PGAA has hosted 4 international carriers that are interested in Prince George and taken inquiries from many more. The PGAA, The Port of Prince Rupert and Initiatives Prince George hosted 18 senior officials from China in September – which included 3 major Asian carriers. The event focused on the regional cargo, logistics and development opportunities from Prince Rupert to Prince George, and has already resulted in return visits and meetings from interested groups.
The Prince George Airport transferred from a federally operated (Transport Canada) airport in 2003 and immediately set forth a business plan and vision for the airport. Under the Prince George Airport Authority’s guidance and partnerships with Provincial, Federal and the Northern Development Initiative Trust - the airport has developed into an International Gateway and is part of the Government of Canada’s Asia Pacific Gateway Program. The Prince George Airport now has Canada’s 3rd longest commercial runway and can accommodate any size aircraft for refueling and is adjacent the 3,000 acre Global Logistics Park development.
YXS - Prince George Airport Authority
Mon, Nov 16, 2009
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Press Release
First 747 aircraft has been rescheduled for Tuesday, November 17.
Posted: MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2009
Southern Air Inc has just released a revised schedule for the first 747 refueling stop. The new schedule and time has the aircraft arriving into Prince George at 0800hrs and departing at 0930 direct to Caracas Venezuela.
Arriving late into Hong Kong, the carrier experienced operational issues regarding slot times into Chitose Airport, Sapporo Japan – forcing a new routing and schedule to be developed.
“We are extremely happy that Southern Air and their operations department were able to make this work” said John Gibson, Airport CEO. “It’s the nature of the industry, delays happen which are uncontrollable we understand this. Through the hard work of Southern Air operations and dispatch – a viable routing through YXS was continued. We are very appreciative of their efforts today.”
Updated information on this flight as it becomes available will be posted on the PGAA website – www.pgairport.ca under news releases / updates.
This is a pipe dream. Don't know how many times Ole Turdo watched as those pulp mills on the approach to RWY 15 turned the place WOXOF in a hurry. Yup airlines will be lining up, gonna stop at YXS, get some gas and a shine, in and out in 45 minutes. Its crazy I tells ya, crazy!
Turdo
Don't know about YXS having the "third longest runway in Canada". According to the Nav Canada pubs: YYC, YMX, YVR and YOD have longer. Although, 11450 is just about long enough .... Remember the rules; runway behind you, etc etc.
What a crock of you know what ....
Looking at Flight Aware for the past week the score for Southern Air Cargo (SOO) TransPac flight:
PANC=28
CYXS=0
Yes they are coming in droves to land at CYXS, what a pipe dream and waste of AIF'S.
The CYXS airport authority needs to get their heads out of the sand, and concentrate on keeping what they have,
Soon you will be looking for an increase in the AIF to off set the cost of clearing 11,400ft of ashphalt during the winter.
Get real, it's nice to dream of the big leagues, but the reality is you are a small regional airport with regional air service, nothing more now
or in the future.
cggnl wrote:What a crock of you know what ....
Looking at Flight Aware for the past week the score for Southern Air Cargo (SOO) TransPac flight:
PANC=28
CYXS=0
Yes they are coming in droves to land at CYXS, what a pipe dream and waste of AIF'S.
The CYXS airport authority needs to get their heads out of the sand, and concentrate on keeping what they have,
Soon you will be looking for an increase in the AIF to off set the cost of clearing 11,400ft of ashphalt during the winter.
Get real, it's nice to dream of the big leagues, but the reality is you are a small regional airport with regional air service, nothing more now
or in the future.
Rgds
Ha ha ha and why could this not possibly work? I am not saying it will but I am not counting it out either. These planes fly right over head already and make pit stops at other locations. Why the hell does it matter to them where they stop if they have to at some point anyway. If PG can save the companies time and money they will stop there. Get your head out of you ass and be open to change. I think it is great what they did, trying to create jobs for their region and having the balls to actually try it.
Ha ha ha and why could this not possibly work? I am not saying it will but I am not counting it out either. These planes fly right over head already and make pit stops at other locations. Why the hell does it matter to them where they stop if they have to at some point anyway. If PG can save the companies time and money they will stop there. Get your head out of you ass and be open to change. I think it is great what they did, trying to create jobs for their region and having the balls to actually try it.
Spoken like someone who truely has no idea how these things work.
So almost two months since the freebie B747 flight landed at CYXS, how many since?
They are still dropping into Anchorage multiple times per day for fuel, so the traffic is there.
In reality Southern Air, nor any other Trans Pacific heavy carrier is interested in Prince George.
Rgds