(Photo credit: Kelowna Flying Club/Facebook)

By Pete McIntyre

Society-driven project

$5.5 million project to expand private aircraft sites at YLW

Nov 26, 2021 | 2:00 PM

The Kelowna Flying Club has announced plans to lift-off with a major capital project at Kelowna International Airport (YLW) next year.

“This is the first major expansion of services available to general aviation at YLW in almost 20 years,” said Paul Kos, KFC President. “Our team has been working tirelessly alongside YLW’s senior management team on this project for several years.”

The project will result in a 64 per cent increase in the number of private aircraft accommodations on the 5.5-acre general aviation parking area adjacent to Airport Way.

“YLW makes it a priority to support the general aviation community. It is a cornerstone of the industry and is instrumental in helping our future leaders develop and maintain a passion in aviation,” said Sam Samaddar, Airport Director.

The concept is the brainchild of Richard Visscher, a prominent KFC member and retired Kelowna engineer.

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“We’ll increase the number of parking slots from 54 to 88 – all of them paved. Forty-two will be under roof, with the remaining 46 available for parking both resident and itinerant aircraft,” said Visscher, who has re-designed the entire site to maximize its utilization.

The airport and volunteer-led club have signed a 30-year sublease which provides the platform for the club and its members to invest and install over $5 million worth of improvements to the property. These assets will expand the use of the airport and attract more tourist and other visiting aircraft to the Okanagan Valley.

The club will supply additional parking, hangarage and aviation fuel services for pilots who live locally as well as those who want to fly into the region from points across Canada and the U.S.

The proposal KFC presented to the city confirmed that this project, funded entirely by private money from KFC members, will produce over $150 million in financial benefits to YLW, the city and region over the course of its 30-year term.

“We could not have brought this project to fruition without the close support and encouragement of YLW management,” said Joe Rogers, KFC director and member of the project team. “We are looking forward to continuing our close working relationships with YLW management during the construction phase early next year, and thereafter when KFC assumes responsibility for operating these expanded services to general aviation.”

The Kelowna Flying Club is a registered B.C. society. It will operate this venture, principally with volunteers, on a not-for-profit basis. All earnings from operations will be used to benefit the general aviation community, with particular emphasis on encouraging young people into aviation.

The club said a recent study by the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association found that 1.5 jobs are created by every general aviation aircraft in Canada.