1966 Repatriation of Aviation to the Harbour

By the mid 1960’s industry and traffic patterns in the harbour had changes from those that had led to the transfer of Victoria’s floatplane service to Esquimalt’s harbour. No longer was their heavy ship traffic and the log booms of yesteryear’s sawmills were gone.

Victoria Air Services

Bill Sylvester, who In 1959 had established Victoria Flying Service (VFS), flying wheeled craft out of Victoria International Airport made application to Victoria’s Public Works Committee to re-establish commercial seaplane service in the Victoria’s Inner Harbour in 1966 after a 35 year absence. In 1968 Sylvester acquired a license was granted for passenger service between Victoria and Vancouver with stops in the Gulf Islands. By 1969 VFS was flying three round-trips daily. With the harbour re-opened to seaplane traffic other airlines, including Norm Gold’s Airwest Airlines began to compete. Initially the DeHavilland Beaver was the floatplane of choice on the route, though as demand grew the splendid Twin Otter became the aircraft of choice.