Pacific Coastal Sched to Tofino-Ucluelet (CYAZ) ?

[brooks]

Why does PASCO not offer scheduled service to Tofino? With an average summer population of 25,000 visitors per day (wiki) you would think that opening up this service would be a no-brainer. All I can see in the future is Encore eating up Pasco routes anyways, so why not try this for a summer?

[Rowdy]

Because both KD and Orca operate it daily.

[16SidedOffice]

The only pairing operated by both PACSO and ENCORE currently is YVR-YYJ, it's not exactly eating them up.

[PositiveRate27]

CMA and Jazz haven't taken it up either. Maybe they know something we don't?

[brooks]

The only pairing operated by both PACSO and ENCORE currently is YVR-YYJ, it's not exactly eating them up.

YYC-YYF?
Eventually I could see..
YVR-YZP
YVR-YQQ
YVR-YCD

Anyways the point is that there is potential where if you put a pressurized beechcraft on it more people would be interested in signing up.

[16SidedOffice]

YYF-YYC? ENCORE is alone on that one, it was done for years under both Canadian Regional and Air BC but was dropped due to lack of demand. If the market from YVR to YAZ or YZP outside of the summer warranted more traffic with bigger aircraft, the airlines would do it.

[BeechBoy007]

Well FYI Pacific Seaplanes now flys YVR & Nanaimo to Bamfield and Barkley Sound, stops in Ukee can be arranged.
Try www.pacificseaplanes.biz or facebook.

[Rowdy]

Tofino is a tricky one to operate scheds to, either via seaplane (weather issues through the mountains and speed) or via wheeled machines IFR (lack of runway lighting, airport prone to FG etc). Having been involved on both sides, I can see exactly why pasco nor any other 704 or 705 carrier operates scheduled service there. There is a market, but other issues need to be addressed first

[Panama Jack]

As Rowdy points out, there are real weather and infrastructure issues with CYAZ, even in the summer when the rest of Southern BC seems to be clear skies and visibility unlimited. You often see aircraft diverting to Port Alberni and the bussing their pax to/from Tofino.

To make it an interesting airport for airlines you'd need an ILS and, most likely, LVP capability. I don't see this happening. The same regional district managing Tofino Airport also manages Port Alberni airport- a city which does have a sizable population that should be a target for regional air service. Alas, the lack of a good approach to get aircraft within a couple hundred feet from the ground, below the coastal clag, and possibly a longer runway, stand in the way for reliable, year-round air service there.