West Kootenay Regional Airport
Encyclopedia
The West Kootenay Regional Airport, (Castlegar Airport) is a small regional airport
located 2 NM south southeast of Castlegar
, British Columbia
. Owned and operated by the City of Castlegar, YCG has a 15317 sq ft (1,423 m²) passenger terminal. Due to the mountainous terrain impinging on both runway approaches, there is no possibility of a straight-in approach. The airport is therefore certified for day operations only, and the glideslope on approach is set to a steep 5% rather than the standard 2.5%. The instrument approach
es to Castlegar are considered among the most challenging of any in use at a commercial airport in North America
. Currently (2011) the Dash-8s servicing the airport require minimums of 3400 foot cloud ceilings and three miles visibility (Jazz adds 100 feet and one mile to these minimums).
Castlegar airport is currently (as of 2006) developing departure procedures for night time operation, but as of 2010 the airport is certified for daytime operation only.. Recently, a $1 M programme installed six beacons on the hills of the Columbia Valley that allow night-time take offs from the airport. It is expected this will only be used by air ambulances and medical traffic.
The airport is classified as an airport of entry
by NAV CANADA
and is staffed by the Canada Border Services Agency
. The customs at CBSA officers at this airport currently can handle general aviation
aircraft only, with no more than 15 passengers.
Selkirk College’s Aviation - Professional Pilot programme operates two Web-cams that depict current conditions.
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located 2 NM south southeast of Castlegar
Castlegar, British Columbia
Castlegar is the second largest city in the West Kootenay region of British Columbia, Canada. It is located within the Selkirk Mountains at the confluence of the Kootenay and Columbia Rivers. It is a regional trade and transportation centre, with a local economy fueled by forestry, mining and tourism...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. Owned and operated by the City of Castlegar, YCG has a 15317 sq ft (1,423 m²) passenger terminal. Due to the mountainous terrain impinging on both runway approaches, there is no possibility of a straight-in approach. The airport is therefore certified for day operations only, and the glideslope on approach is set to a steep 5% rather than the standard 2.5%. The instrument approach
Instrument approach
For aircraft operating under instrument flight rules , an instrument approach or instrument approach procedure is a series of predetermined maneuvers for the orderly transfer of an aircraft under instrument flight conditions from the beginning of the initial approach to a landing, or to a point...
es to Castlegar are considered among the most challenging of any in use at a commercial airport in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. Currently (2011) the Dash-8s servicing the airport require minimums of 3400 foot cloud ceilings and three miles visibility (Jazz adds 100 feet and one mile to these minimums).
Castlegar airport is currently (as of 2006) developing departure procedures for night time operation, but as of 2010 the airport is certified for daytime operation only.. Recently, a $1 M programme installed six beacons on the hills of the Columbia Valley that allow night-time take offs from the airport. It is expected this will only be used by air ambulances and medical traffic.
The airport is classified as an airport of entry
Airport of Entry
An airport of entry is an airport that provides customs and immigration services for incoming flights. These services allow the airport to serve as an initial port of entry for foreign visitors arriving in a country.-Africa:-Americas:-Asia:...
by NAV CANADA
NAV CANADA
Nav Canada is a privately run, not-for-profit corporation that owns and operates Canada's civil air navigation system .The company employs approximately 2,000 air traffic controllers , 800 flight service specialists and 700 technologists...
and is staffed by the Canada Border Services Agency
Canada Border Services Agency
The Canada Border Services Agency is a federal law enforcement agency that is responsible for border enforcement, immigration enforcement and customs services....
. The customs at CBSA officers at this airport currently can handle general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
aircraft only, with no more than 15 passengers.
Selkirk College’s Aviation - Professional Pilot programme operates two Web-cams that depict current conditions.
Airlines
External links
- West Kootenay Regional Airport from the City of Castlegar web site
- Page about this airport on COPA'sCanadian Owners and Pilots AssociationThe Canadian Owners and Pilots Association is a federally registered not-for-profit association that provides information and advocacy services for Canadian pilots who fly for non-commercial purposes...
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