Boundary Bay Airport or Vancouver/Boundary Bay Airport is located beside

Boundary Bay , image = Boundary Bay Regional Park in Tsawwassen.jpg , image_size = 260px , alt = , caption = Looking east across Boundary Bay from Tsawwassen , image_bathymetry = , alt_bathymetry ...

and east of Ladner in

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British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

, Canada, south southeast of

Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...

and close to the Point Roberts-Boundary Bay border crossing. The airport, which opened on July 11, 1983, serves mostly

general aviation General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations with the exception of commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services ...

and includes facilities for aircraft maintenance, flight training and parking. In 2020 and 2021, Boundary Bay airport was ranked as the busiest airport in Canada by aircraft movements. The airport is classified as an

airport of entry In general, a port of entry (POE) is a place where one may lawfully enter a country. It typically has border security staff and facilities to check passports and visas and to inspect luggage to assure that contraband is not imported. Internat ...

Nav Canada Nav Canada (styled as NAV CANADA) is a privately run, not-for-profit corporation that owns and operates Canada's civil air navigation system (ANS). It was established in accordance with the ''Civil Air Navigation Services Commercialization Act ...

and is staffed by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). CBSA officers are available on call to handle entry for aircraft carrying no more than 15 passengers.

History

World War II

The airfield was originally built in 1941 as

Canadian Forces Station Ladner Canadian Forces Station Ladner is a former military airfield and communications station located beside Boundary Bay and east of Ladner in Delta, British Columbia, Canada, south of Vancouver and close to the U.S. border. After its closure it was ...

to teach Royal Canadian Air Force and Royal Air Force recruits to be pilots in anticipation of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

. Operational squadrons operated out of Boundary Bay to provide air defence support against a potential Japanese invasion until early 1944. During the war, more than 6,000 students and personnel passed through the station. After the war, the base was no longer required, and the airfield was decommissioned by the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1946 after it served as a demobilization centre for troops returning from the war. In the late 1940s, the site was transferred to the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals and became a signals intelligence station under the name Vancouver Wireless Station. The station was responsible for monitoring Soviet Union military communications at the height of the Cold War and played an important role for gathering communications from the Soviet Union and its fleet. A 40-hectare residential community was developed that included amenities such as a grocery store, social club, gymnasium and a sports field. Remnants of this community are still present today as the North 40 Park Reserve, an off-leash dog park and walking trail. When the armed forces was unified in 1968, the station's name changed to CFS Ladner. The station eventually closed in 1971 due to the installation of nearby power lines in Ladner that made gathering signals difficult. Following the closure of CFS Ladner, the site was used by the community of Ladner for picnics, public fairs and auto racing.

Reactivation as an Airport

By the mid-1970s, when it became obvious that Vancouver International Airport could no longer sustain both general aviation and heavy commercial traffic,

Transport Canada Transport Canada (french: Transports Canada) is the department within the Government of Canada responsible for developing regulations, policies and services of road, rail, marine and air transportation in Canada. It is part of the Transporta ...

explored several options and determined that it was most economical to reactivate Boundary Bay as a reliever field to handle general aviation aircraft. The airport underwent restoration, and on July 11, 1983, two of the three runways were reopened as Boundary Bay Airport. A new control tower was built to the west of the field and air traffic services were provided. The remaining runway was made available for driver training and other events, until it became hangarage options for privately owned aircraft. The field was initially owned and operated by Transport Canada until it was sold to the City of Delta for a nominal fee of $1. Operations and development of the airport was contracted out to a third-party, but the facilities degraded over time until the municipal government vacated its contract with the management company. In December 2004, the City of Delta contracted Alpha Aviation to develop the airport. Boundary Bay Airport was acquired by Alpha Aviation under a lease with the City of Delta. Under the terms of the lease, driver training, autocross and drag racing were removed from the airport, allowing Alpha Aviation to focus on runway, facility and land-use improvements. In April 2008, Alpha Aviation established a

fixed-base operation A fixed-base operator (FBO) is an organization granted the right by an airport to operate at the airport and provide aeronautical services such as fueling, hangaring, tie-down and parking, aircraft rental, aircraft maintenance, flight instruction, ...

(FBO) and Alpha Executive Air began operating regularly scheduled flights twice daily between Boundary Bay Airport and

Victoria International Airport Victoria International Airport serves Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. It is north northwest of Victoria on the Saanich Peninsula, with the bulk of the airport (including the passenger terminal) in North Saanich, and a small portion of the ...

Vancouver Island Vancouver Island is an island in the northeastern Pacific Ocean and part of the Canadian province of British Columbia. The island is in length, in width at its widest point, and in total area, while are of land. The island is the largest by ...

, as well as chartered aircraft services. As of 2010, Alpha Executive Air ceased operations but the FBO is open serving business, corporate, and general aviation customers. Investment by Alpha Aviation and significant grants from the British Columbia government enabled an extension of runway 07/25, improving usability of the runway for corporate jets, as well as other infrastructure improvements. The upgrades enables Boundary Bay Airport as an alternative landing destination to Vancouver International Airport. Under Alpha Aviation, significant investments have been made to improve airport facilities and infrastructure, such as runway extensions to all runways, installation of PAPI lighting, construction of new fuel facilities, and the construction of multiple hangars including a maintenance hangar. The old maintenance hangar, the only remaining building from the war has been rehabilitated and declared a heritage site. In February 2010, and in time for the

2010 Winter Olympics )'' , nations = 82 , athletes = 2,626 , events = 86 in 7 sports (15 disciplines) , opening = February 12, 2010 , closing = February 28, 2010 , opened_by = Governor General Michaëlle Jean , cauldron = Catriona Le May DoanNancy GreeneWayne Gret ...

, Alpha Aviation opened a new terminal building. This facility serves general aviation and private aircraft, with FBO services run by Alpha Aviation. The new facility will allow Boundary Bay Airport to accommodate regional airlines. In 2011, the Delta, British Columbia, Corporation of Delta extended Alpha Aviation's lease until 2099. Alpha Aviation Logo

Fixed-base operator

As of 2011, only one FBO operates at Boundary Bay Airport: * Boundary Bay Air ServicesBoundary Bay Air Service
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Flight training

Five flight schools are based at the airport: * International Flight Centre * Insignia College * Pacific Flying Club * Pacific Professional Flight Centre * Sea Land Air

Fuel services

Fuel services at Boundary Bay Airport are run by Alpha Aviation. Fuels available: *Avgas, Avgas 100LL *Jet fuel, Jet A-1 Fuel system icing inhibitor and oil are also available.

References

External links

Boundary Bay Airport
(official site)
Page about this airport
on Canadian Owners and Pilots Association, COPA's ''Places to Fly'' airport directory * {{DEFAULTSORT:Boundary Bay Airports in Greater Vancouver Certified airports in British Columbia Buildings and structures in Delta, British Columbia Transport in Delta, British Columbia