|
|
Sea
Island Vancouver International Airport Vancouver
International Airport is among the most modern and efficient
airports in the world. It is also known that YVR provides a
full range of facilities to meet the needs of the community,
airlines, the travelling public, cargo handlers, and the
many businesses situated on Sea Island. Tremendous strides
and progress since the days of its humble beginnings as a
little airport on Sea Island in 1931. 1937 saw the
inauguration of commercial air service by Trans-Canada Air
Line's with their five Lockheed 10A Electra's and the rest
is history. Today the old Vancouver Airport Terminal, now
known as the South Terminal, is undergoing a complete face
lift to become a modern regional hub for small aircraft,
float planes, helicopter operations, corporate charters,
regional carriers, and aerospace facilities. YVR is governed
by the Vancouver International Airport Authority, made up of
a 15 person community-based Board of Directors, nominated by
entities such as the City of Richmond, the City of
Vancouver, and the Vancouver Board of Trade. YVR is Canada's second busiest airport and a major west coast gateway, serving some 16 million passengers each year and transporting upwards of 260,000 metric tonnes of cargo. Also, according to the records, there were approximately 295,000 take-offs and landings in the year 2000. With there being close to 26,000 people who work on Sea Island, the 'Mission' of the Vancouver International Airport Authority is "to serve their community by building outstanding airports for the 21st century." In itself, YVR is intended to become one of the best airports in the world and today having innovative common use terminal equipment, and many other up to date efficiencies for the travelling public, it is also considered a "smart" airport. Within the framework of a Master Plan, the Airport Authority has laid out the following: With the completion of the north parallel runway in 1996, runway capacity should be adequate to handle traffic volumes up to 2015. The adequacy of the runway system is predicated on the implementation of Global Positioning System navigation aids. Phases II & III of the new International Terminal should bring total terminal capacity to 22 million passengers per year. To ensure adequate terminal capacity, an increased terminal land reserve has been provided for, east of the existing terminals. Lands along the north side of the north runway are protected for future cargo terminals requiring airside access. The north portion of
Sea Island is reserved as a conservation area, administered
by the Canadian Wildlife
Service. A central corridor from the Arthur Laing and Moray Channel Bridges is protected for ground access, including a future mass transit corridor. Transportation demand management initiatives will be considered to create incentives to use public transit and to create disincentives to use private automobiles. High priority vehicle facilities will be considered for commercial and high occupancy vehicles. In general, future initiatives detailed in the Master Plan over the planning horizon of 20 years are expected to result in only minimal changes to the 1996 noise exposure contours. The most recent successful project of significance is the 118,000 square meter expansion of YVR's main apron. This addition provides the airport with three drive-through aircraft service bays for de-icing aircraft, aircraft loading/off-loading and parking. Giving an idea of size, the area can accommodate, two 747's and an A380 or instead two 757's, two A320's and a 747. As a matter of further interest, there is just west of the new apron a nine-million-liter of glycol storage pond that recovers all aircraft de-icing fluid from the expanded apron. The glycol-water mix from this pond is pumped into tanker trucks and distilled for potential re-use of the glycol in automotive and other related products. |