Vancouver Airport Floatplane Facility

Floatplane entrance/exit ramp on the Fraser River

Wayne and I regularly make the trip to and from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) as we travel to and from Powell River.

The Canada/US border crossing time is hard to estimate, so we build in an extra pad just to be safe. After we park our car, we usually have enough time to walk over to the nearby Floatplane Base. The planes are fun to watch, and the Flying Beaver Restaurant has great food.

Harbour Air taking off from the river.

You can walk across the parking lot to the float plane portion of the South Terminal. Float planes (seaplanes) take off and land in the Fraser River. That can be tricky with tides and currents working together or in opposition. Mix in some wind, and you really have to give a hand to the professional pilots.

Several airlines serve passengers at the private and public portions of the YVR Floatplane Facility. They include:

• Saltspring Island Air
• Seair Seaplanes
• Tofino Air
• Harbour Air Ltd

If you like plane watching, there are lots of benches along the riverside path.

Nearby Seair uses the ramp on the shore of the Fraser River to launch and recover their planes using a motorized tug.

Seair taking a floatplane from the river across the road to parking.

All traffic is stopped to allow the tug and plane to cross the road to their parking area on airport property. If you love watching planes, this is the place to go. -- Margy