By Cheryl Jahn

Lighting an issue at Vanderhoof Airport

Mar 17, 2021 | 4:40 PM

VANDERHOOF – At most times, the runway at the Vanderhoof airport is easily identified. But for some months, namely winter, lights are required. Unfortunately, the runway lighting is fickle, at best.

“If a plane is flying in at night, by keying the microphone a certain number of times, you can turn on the airport runway lights,” explains Dr. Paul Collard, President of the Vanderhoof Airport Development Society. “This system is not, at the moment, consistent.”

The Vanderhoof Airport Development Society has warned the District of Vanderhoof, which owns the airport, of the problem and that, one day, it would be a serious matter of life and death. And earlier this year, that warning became a reality.

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“We had a serious crash west of Vanderhoof. There were serious injuries. A fatality for sure and a medivac was called. Carson Air was the company contacted and the refused to come because of the notice that the lights weren’t working.”

He rushed to the airport to turn the lights on, but the plane had been diverted to Prince George.

Vanderhoof Mayor Gerry Thiessen says the District is well aware of the problem.

“When this situation with the intermittent lights first came up, it was kind of late in the fall. At that time, we hired a contractor, they came up. They replaced, I understand, the computer board. We certainly sensed at that point we didn’t have an issue with our municipal airport.”

That was not the case and now the District has brought in a specialized contractor. They have taken a look at the lights.

“The problem is that we’re into winter and that’s a challenge right now with frost in the ground and snow on the runway.”

The District assures the work to have proper lighting at the Vanderhoof Airport will be a reality in the very near future.