So Mike and I were talking about this on the weekend.
Particularly, we were both saying that we'd take the float planes more often between Victoria and Vancouver if the price was lower. Right now it can be close to $400 return, but less if you find seat sales.
I think part of the problem is all the added time for taxiing in Victoria, plus of course we start in town, then circle around the water getting altitude, then finally heading up along the east coast of the Peninsula once we get height. I think we waste a lot of time and geography there.
So I always thought that if we could find the shortest route between the two points, we could have a service that minimizes air-time, and if we could drive the price to around $50 or less each way, we'd have demand.
At first, I thought Canoe Cove to DeltaPort would work, but #1 there are no facilities on either side there, and #2 I'm not even sure of any area around DeltaPort is suitable for sheltered landing.
So then I thought, OK, it's a just a tad bit longer, but we have Harbour Air facilities both at YVR (seaplane base), and at Pat Bay, west of the airport.
Sorry about all the extra lines, I'm lousy with google maps.
Anyway, right now, on the weekend (when they have more planes available) you can get a flight from Nanaimo to YVR for $53. Ah ha, that's close to my target price!
My service would have higher demand, I envision one plane just going back and forth, back and forth. A Twin-Otter carries 19, but I know they are more expensive to run, with two pilots. But whatever, my demand is going to be high. I'm almost sure at $39 or $49 this plane would be packed.
Now, some of you are going to look at that map and say "it's not all that much farther, both into the harbour on this side, and to go the extra mile to go to Coal Harbour on that side. And that's waaaayyyy more convenient for where people want to be on each end". First, honestly, it takes forever to taxi on this side, so it's not just the geography, it's the time to taxi out and into the harbour at 5 knots, it's a real-time user on a route that only takes 35 minutes. And this service is not designed for the government worker and high-end business user that now takes the planes harbour to harbour. This is for the crowd that does not want to take almost 2 hours when they walk on the ferries, or that don't need their car on either side, and like spending less than the car-and-driver ferry price to get over.
Let's face it, the vast majority of people that walk onto the ferry, either have a friend/family picking them up at the terminal, or park and ride. Yes, some take transit, but not nearly most of them. Hundreds walk off and only a fraction get on the bus. My plan has also plenty of parking, short (pick-up, drop off) and long-term at each terminal. The terminal at Pat Bay is a little sparse, but it's there now. I flew out of it a few weeks back when Salt Spring Air was kind enough to give us a little tour. And I've never been to YVR seaport, but it looks good, they have the Flying Beaver Restaurant there.
Also, landing at YVR is much cheaper than Coal Harbour, you don't have the new per-flight charge for their new fancy terminal on that side, and we are trying here to make the price as low as possible.
YVR float plane base:
Pat Bay seaplane base:
What does everyone think?
Oh, Mike also thought there were larger planes available (Florida?), but I'm struggling to find a popular float plane much bigger than the Twin Otter, but I've asked a pilot friend to chime in here, he trains pilots on the Otter via a Viking Air contractor, he'll know if there are bigger planes in common use around the world.
EDIT: Harbour Air now,
Victoria Harbour to YVR: $89 to $135 weekdays, $89-$102 weekends.
Victoria Harbour to Coal Harbour: $129-$185 7 days a week
* There are sometimes/often seat sales on the above.