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Whistler Heliport Fees


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I don't think the fees go to cover catsa. Snow removal and upkeep of the heliport, but that is ongoing. I believe the whistler heliport society just sees an opportunity to get in on the gouging. My question is how the local operator feels about it as

I'm sure this will affect how they have had to bill customers.

 

Also heard that transient traffic won't be able to park at the heliport. If you have passengers that need to be picked up after a few hours you fly to pemberton and then come back to whistler for the pick up.

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I don't think the fees go to cover catsa. Snow removal and upkeep of the heliport, but that is ongoing. I believe the whistler heliport society just sees an opportunity to get in on the gouging. My question is how the local operator feels about it as

I'm sure this will affect how they have had to bill customers.

 

Also heard that transient traffic won't be able to park at the heliport. If you have passengers that need to be picked up after a few hours you fly to pemberton and then come back to whistler for the pick up.

 

The cost is legit. Not a bit of gouging. Extra staff being hired, temporary buildings, fuel tanks/pumps being rented and much other expense including the CATSA screening. The snow clearing is done usually by one small tractor - in order to accomodate the Olympic requirements much bigger equipment has to be involved. In fact if you count the hours and hours spent over the last 2+ years by many staffmembers just getting this set up I dare say there is not much money to be made from landing fees.

 

Not at all business as usual.

 

I know the Olympic gougefest is a reality but it's not happening with the landing fees.

 

You are correct (to my knowledge) about the parking but with the military taking over half the heliport it leaves zero itinerant parking if operators hope to have a chance of bringing people in or out of Whistler. Need to keep the machines moving so there isn't a logjam of machines flying in a holding pattern and everyone gets a chance to come in and out and make a little money flying in Olympic airspace.

 

For what it's worth.

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The cost is legit. Not a bit of gouging. Extra staff being hired, temporary buildings, fuel tanks/pumps being rented and much other expense including the CATSA screening. The snow clearing is done usually by one small tractor - in order to accomodate the Olympic requirements much bigger equipment has to be involved. In fact if you count the hours and hours spent over the last 2+ years by many staffmembers just getting this set up I dare say there is not much money to be made from landing fees.

 

Not at all business as usual.

 

I know the Olympic gougefest is a reality but it's not happening with the landing fees.

 

You are correct (to my knowledge) about the parking but with the military taking over half the heliport it leaves zero itinerant parking if operators hope to have a chance of bringing people in or out of Whistler. Need to keep the machines moving so there isn't a logjam of machines flying in a holding pattern and everyone gets a chance to come in and out and make a little money flying in Olympic airspace.

 

For what it's worth.

 

 

So for "what its worth".....how long will those rates apply, after the Olympics are gone ??? :rolleyes:

 

Gee.......I guess I would like to think, that a"lot" of operators will pay that user fee.......because if they don't, the general public/taxpayer will !! <_<

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So for "what its worth".....how long will those rates apply, after the Olympics are gone ??? :rolleyes:

 

Gee.......I guess I would like to think, that a"lot" of operators will pay that user fee.......because if they don't, the general public/taxpayer will !! <_<

 

As per my first post: "Landing fees will go back to pre-Olympic rates after the Olympics."

 

The taxpayers have no connection to these landing fees. Think of it as the cost of setting up a full service FBO (including screening) temporarily....this is a private cost and is not subsidized by government etc. Not unlike the extra costs incurred by an FBO like Landmark at YVR...extra staff, equipment and screening means they pay extra $$$ if they want to operate at all.

 

Hope that helps a bit. No conspiracy here.

 

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The transient traffic at YVR is being severly limited as Skyservice in YYC is anticipating 200+ corps to land here,clear customs,clear security, drop pax in YVR and return to YYC with the a/c until their Pax want to leave YVR. Should be a real zoo here in YYC with no parking space.

 

Also all these a/c must already have a slot time into YVR and if they miss it due to de-icing,ATC or whatever they will be SOL for YVR.

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Does the landing fee apply to The Local operator. How about parking? Do they only have 3 spots for parking aircraft outside to.

 

 

The local operator leases there own area so I suspect that the landing fee's would not apply to them. And they should have plenty of parking for there operations unless they have given some up?

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The local operator leases there own area so I suspect that the landing fee's would not apply to them. And they should have plenty of parking for there operations unless they have given some up?

 

Some space has been given up to the military but you are correct there will be guaranteed space for the local operator as you say.

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The transient traffic at YVR is being severly limited as Skyservice in YYC is anticipating 200+ corps to land here,clear customs,clear security, drop pax in YVR and return to YYC with the a/c until their Pax want to leave YVR. Should be a real zoo here in YYC with no parking space.

 

Also all these a/c must already have a slot time into YVR and if they miss it due to de-icing,ATC or whatever they will be SOL for YVR.

 

Thanks for mentioning that. So exactly the same scenario at the heliport during the Olympics.

 

The difference being there were never provisions at the heliport to support this kind of traffic and someone had to pay for it if any commercial operations were to occur there during the Olympics. Private funds have paid for the temporary "ramping up" of an FBO. Too much experience on this board for me to suggest that everyone (here of all places) wouldn't have some idea of the expense involved.

 

I understand also that some clients for some operators will not want to pay the landing fee. What can you do? The only more extenuating circumstance I can imagine than the Olympics would be a war breaking out.

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Is there some form of ATC communications at Whistler to handle the traffic - both landing and overflying? I am sure that the no-fly zone will keep all the looki lous away but with the military,TV,charter and EMS activity in the area it could get "interesting".

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