Tofino-Long Beach Airport Explained

Tofino-Long Beach Airport
Iata:YAZ
Icao:CYAZ
Wmo:71106
Type:Public
Operator:Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District
City-Served:Tofino, British Columbia
Location:Tofino, British Columbia
Timezone:PST
Summer:PDT
Elevation-F:80
Coordinates:49.0819°N -125.7725°W
Pushpin Map:Canada British Columbia#Canada
Pushpin Label:CYAZ
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in British Columbia
Website:www.tofinoairport.com
R1-Number:07/25
R1-Length-F:5,000
R1-Surface:Concrete
R2-Number:11/29
R2-Length-F:5,000
R2-Surface:Asphalt
R3-Number:16/34
R3-Length-F:5,000
R3-Surface:Concrete
Stat-Year:2010
Stat1-Header:Aircraft movements
Stat1-Data:4,679
Footnotes:Source: Canada Flight Supplement
Environment Canada[1]
Movements from Statistics Canada[2]

Tofino-Long Beach Airport is a non-towered airport that is located within the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. Immediately adjacent to Long Beach, it is 6NM southeast of Tofino, British Columbia, Canada.

It is both a general aviation and commercial airport, used by both private aircraft and seasonal commercial services.

Coastal fog is a common morning phenomenon in the summer, complicating access by air until the weather clears. Several instrument flight rules (IFR) approaches are available including Global Positioning System (GPS) and non-directional beacon (NDB) types. This airport is equipped for night time operations.[3]

History

RCAF Station Tofino was constructed in 1941 to defend Canada's Pacific coast from Axis attack during the Second World War. In 1945, the site was decommissioned, to be reopened again as a radar station in the Pinetree Line in 1955 to defend against Soviet attack.[4] The radar station was closed in 1958,[4] at which time it became a civilian airfield. It is currently owned and operated by Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District.

Facilities

A small terminal building was completed in 2010. It contains airline kiosks, a waiting area, washrooms, and food vending machines.

Additional Services include:

Additional structures include:

Environment Canada has a weather station on site, operated by a private contractor.

Transportation

No transit links exist. Taxis and ridesharing are available upon request.

The airport is adjacent to Pacific Rim Highway which was completed in 1959, connecting Tofino and Ucluelet with Port Alberni. The airport is accessed via a short drive down Airport Road, passing some abandoned Royal Canadian Air Force structures.

See also

Notes and References

  1. http://climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/prods_servs/metstat1_e.html Synoptic/Metstat Station Information
  2. http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/51-210-x/2011001/t001-eng.htm Total aircraft movements by class of operation
  3. https://www.acrd.bc.ca/cyaz, Tofino / Long Beach Airport
  4. http://www.tofinoairport.com/about.php About Tofino-Long Beach Airport (YAZ)