Salt Spring Air
Encyclopedia
Salt Spring Air is the only floatplane
company based on Saltspring Island
, British Columbia
, Canada
. It operates scheduled flights, charter air service and tours based in Ganges
and specializes in routes between the Gulf Islands
and Vancouver Island
. Along with West Coast Air
, Harbour Air
and Seair Seaplanes
, Salt Spring Air is one of the four airlines that operate in the Vancouver Harbour Water Airport and Vancouver International Water Airport. Scheduled flights by the company also operate between the Gulf Islands and the Vancouver International Airport
.
. His extended family also includes, Frank and Harry Quigley, flying ace
s in World War I
.
In June 2003, McColl started Salt Spring Air, with local seaplane
services based on the Gulf Islands with a four-seat Cessna 185
. The airline's services was targeted to the islands' residents, and personalized services were offered. Since then, with the introduction of de Havilland Beavers
in 2004, the company's fleet has grown to four planes operating six scheduled flights from Salt Spring Island to Vancouver, and other scheduled flights fly to various other locations on the Gulf Islands. It remains the only airline based on Salt Spring Island.
Salt Spring Air became the first Seaplane company in North America to outfit their fleet with pop out Safety windows on August 17th 2010.
February 2011, St. Clair McColl and Salt Spring Air, win the prestigious Canada-wide Transport Canada Aviation day award for safety. http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_south/saltspringislanddriftwood/news/116830083.html
During what began as a routine flight on March 19, 2007, St. Clair McColl rescued a father and son from the frigid waters of the Strait of Georgia
after a passenger noticed their capsized boat and notified McColl. The pilot and his two passengers were later honoured by the Lifesaving Society of British Columbia for the rescue.
McColl appeared as himself in the 1995 film Far From Home: The Adventures of Yellow Dog
.
Saltspring Air offers scheduled seaplane flights to and from:
Saltspring Air currently operates a fleet of four de Havilland Beaver float planes. The Beaver is now the only type of plane employed by the airline.
Floatplane
A floatplane is a type of seaplane, with slender pontoons mounted under the fuselage; only the floats of a floatplane normally come into contact with water, with the fuselage remaining above water...
company based on Saltspring Island
Saltspring Island
Saltspring Island is one of the Gulf Islands in the Strait of Georgia between mainland British Columbia, Canada and Vancouver Island. It is the largest, the most populous, and the most frequently visited of the Gulf Islands...
, 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...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It operates scheduled flights, charter air service and tours based in Ganges
Ganges, British Columbia
Ganges, British Columbia is an unincorporated community on Salt Spring Island in the province of British Columbia, Canada.-History:Ganges Harbour, from which Ganges takes its name, was originally called Admiralty Bay but was renamed by Captain Richards in 1859 for the , which was at the Pacific...
and specializes in routes between the Gulf Islands
Gulf Islands
The Gulf Islands are the islands in the Strait of Georgia , between Vancouver Island and the mainland of British Columbia, Canada....
and Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
. Along with West Coast Air
West Coast Air
West Coast Air is a scheduled airline operating de Havilland Canada float planes, with scheduled flights from downtown Vancouver and the Richmond Floatplane base at Vancouver International Airport to Victoria, Nanaimo, Comox, the Sunshine Coast, and Whistler. The company also flies tours and...
, Harbour Air
Harbour Air
Harbour Air is a scheduled service, tour and charter airline based in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. The airline specializes in routes between Vancouver, Nanaimo, Victoria, Sechelt, Comox and the Gulf Islands, primarily with de Havilland Canada floatplanes...
and Seair Seaplanes
Seair Seaplanes
Seair Seaplanes is a scheduled and charter Canadian airline based in Richmond, British Columbia. The airline flies routes between the Vancouver International Water Airport and the Nanaimo Harbour Water Airport, as well as other Gulf Islands in the Strait of Georgia, primarily with float...
, Salt Spring Air is one of the four airlines that operate in the Vancouver Harbour Water Airport and Vancouver International Water Airport. Scheduled flights by the company also operate between the Gulf Islands and the Vancouver International Airport
Vancouver International Airport
Vancouver International Airport is located on Sea Island in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, about from Downtown Vancouver. In 2010 it was the second busiest airport in Canada by aircraft movements and passengers , behind Toronto Pearson International Airport, with non-stop flights daily to...
.
History
The founder of Salt Spring Air, St. Clair McColl, started operating flights on Saltspring in 1985 when his whole family moved onto the island. McColl, at the time a pilot for Harbour Air, came from a flying family. His father, John B.McColl, was a decorated fighter pilot who fought in the Battle of BritainBattle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
. His extended family also includes, Frank and Harry Quigley, flying ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
s in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
In June 2003, McColl started Salt Spring Air, with local seaplane
Seaplane
A seaplane is a fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. Seaplanes that can also take off and land on airfields are a subclass called amphibian aircraft...
services based on the Gulf Islands with a four-seat Cessna 185
Cessna 185
-Specification for differing configurations:-References:* Jan Churchill, Hit My Smoke: Forward Air Controllers in Southeast Asia, Sunflower University Press, Manhattan KS, ISBN 0-89745-215-1...
. The airline's services was targeted to the islands' residents, and personalized services were offered. Since then, with the introduction of de Havilland Beavers
De Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver
The de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver is a single-engined, high-wing, propeller-driven, STOL aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada, primarily known as a bush plane. It is used for cargo and passenger hauling, aerial application , and has been widely adopted by armed forces as a utility aircraft...
in 2004, the company's fleet has grown to four planes operating six scheduled flights from Salt Spring Island to Vancouver, and other scheduled flights fly to various other locations on the Gulf Islands. It remains the only airline based on Salt Spring Island.
Salt Spring Air became the first Seaplane company in North America to outfit their fleet with pop out Safety windows on August 17th 2010.
February 2011, St. Clair McColl and Salt Spring Air, win the prestigious Canada-wide Transport Canada Aviation day award for safety. http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_south/saltspringislanddriftwood/news/116830083.html
During what began as a routine flight on March 19, 2007, St. Clair McColl rescued a father and son from the frigid waters of the Strait of Georgia
Strait of Georgia
The Strait of Georgia or the Georgia Strait is a strait between Vancouver Island and the mainland coast of British Columbia, Canada. It is approximately long and varies in width from...
after a passenger noticed their capsized boat and notified McColl. The pilot and his two passengers were later honoured by the Lifesaving Society of British Columbia for the rescue.
McColl appeared as himself in the 1995 film Far From Home: The Adventures of Yellow Dog
Far from Home: The Adventures of Yellow Dog
Far from Home: The Adventures of Yellow Dog is a 1994 adventure film starring Jesse Bradford and directed by Phillip Borsos. Its cumulative box office earnings were $10,435,021. The film currently has a B- at Box Office Mojo.- Plot :...
.
Destinations
- VancouverVancouverVancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
– Vancouver International Water Airport - Downtown Vancouver – Vancouver Harbour Water Airport
- Vancouver IslandVancouver IslandVancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
/ Maple BayMaple Bay, British ColumbiaMaple Bay is a picturesque seaside community located in the Cowichan Valley of southern Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. A narrow inlet and surrounded by smooth, pebbled beaches, Maple Bay is home to marine activity all year round.... - Saltspring IslandSaltspring IslandSaltspring Island is one of the Gulf Islands in the Strait of Georgia between mainland British Columbia, Canada and Vancouver Island. It is the largest, the most populous, and the most frequently visited of the Gulf Islands...
/ Ganges HarbourGanges, British ColumbiaGanges, British Columbia is an unincorporated community on Salt Spring Island in the province of British Columbia, Canada.-History:Ganges Harbour, from which Ganges takes its name, was originally called Admiralty Bay but was renamed by Captain Richards in 1859 for the , which was at the Pacific...
– Ganges Water AerodromeGanges Water AerodromeGanges Water Aerodrome, , is located southeast of Ganges on Saltspring Island in British Columbia, Canada.... - Patricia Bay – Victoria Airport Water AerodromeVictoria Airport Water AerodromeVictoria Airport Water Aerodrome, , is located north northwest of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.The airport is classified as an airport of entry by NAV CANADA and is staffed by the Canada Border Services Agency. CBSA officers at this airport currently can handle general aviation aircraft...
- Gulf IslandsGulf IslandsThe Gulf Islands are the islands in the Strait of Georgia , between Vancouver Island and the mainland of British Columbia, Canada....
:- Mayne IslandMayne IslandMayne Island is a rustic 21-km² island in the southern Gulf Islands chain of British Columbia. It is situated midway between the Lower Mainland of BC and Vancouver Island, and has a population of around eleven hundred.-History:...
/ Miners Bay – Mayne Island Water AerodromeMayne Island Water AerodromeMayne Island Water Aerodrome, , is located at Miners Bay adjacent to Mayne Island in British Columbia, Canada. Mayne Island is one of the southern Gulf Islands.... - North Pender Island / Port Washington – Port Washington Water AerodromePort Washington Water AerodromePort Washington Water Aerodrome, , is located adjacent to Port Washington, British Columbia, Canada. Port Washington lies at the north end of North Pender Island in the Gulf Islands of the Gulf of Georgia....
- South Pender Island / Bedwell HarbourBedwell Harbour, British ColumbiaBedwell Harbour is a settlement in British Columbia....
– Bedwell Harbour Water AerodromeBedwell Harbour Water AerodromeBedwell Harbour Water Aerodrome, , is located on Bedwell Harbour, British Columbia, Canada, in the southern part of Pender Island in the Gulf Islands.... - Galiano IslandGaliano IslandGaliano Island is one of the Southern Gulf Islands between Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada. Located on the west side of the Strait of Georgia, it is 27.5 km long, 6 km at its widest point, and 1.6 km across at its narrowest point and is separated...
/ Montague Harbour - Saturna IslandSaturna IslandSaturna Island is a mountainous island, about 31 km² in size, in the Southern Gulf Islands chain of British Columbia. It is situated approximately midway between the Lower Mainland of B.C. and Vancouver Island, and is the most easterly of the Gulf Islands. It is surrounded on three sides by...
/ Lyall Harbour - Thetis IslandThetis IslandThetis Island is an island off the coast of British Columbia, Canada. It is one of the Gulf Islands. The island was named in 1851 after HMS Thetis, a 36-gun Royal Navy frigate commanded by Captain Augustus Leopold Kuper . The ship was named after the Nereid Thetis from Greek mythology...
/ Telegraph Harbour
- Mayne Island
Fleet
At the outset, Salt Spring Air operated with a single Cessna 185 single-engine plane. In 2004, the first de Havilland Canada DHC-2 was introduced to the fleet. Known as the "Beaver", the DHC-2 is a much-flown model, with more than 1500 planes serving worldwide.Saltspring Air currently operates a fleet of four de Havilland Beaver float planes. The Beaver is now the only type of plane employed by the airline.
External links
- Official site: Salt Spring Air
- Official site: Salt Spring Air main site