Prince George Airport

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In 1919 a site along what is now Central Ave. and across First Ave. was cleared for use as a potential landing field for a group of four American Curtiss JN-4s making an historic flight from New York to Nome, Alaska.  It was only 900 feet long and when three of the group set down on August 2, 1920, only two succeeded in remaining within the bounds of the field.  The third landed long and incurred damage when it hit a stump.  The fourth arrived later in the day and also overshot on landing, causing significant damage to the wings.  Repairs were completed with the help of a local woodworker�before and after photos shown above�and the four aircraft departed on August 13.

Although the field remained unlicenced because the City did not want to incur the costs involved, many aircraft made stopovers at Prince George over the following years.  They included this barnstorming Yukon Airways Eaglerock, in 1928 (left), and the Cessna flown by Parker �Shorty� Cramer en route to Siberia in 1929 (right).

 

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Float equipped aircraft like this Junkers JL-6 landed at Six Mile (Tabor) Lake (1928 photo)

In 1929, an RCAF detachment from Jericho Beach in Vancouver set up a photographic detachment at Summit Lake.  Shown is their Fairchild aircraft, summer and winter.  Six Mile Lake and Summit Lake were also the sites of several other float based aerial operations during this period.

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All this aerial activity in the 1920�s prompted the City to review its earlier decision about the need for a municipal airfield.  A spot south of the city centre and west of Carney Hill (near the present junction of Hwys 16 and 97) was purchased.  Work to clear the site began in November 1929 and by April 1932 the city airfield had two gravel runways 2200 feet long. 

 

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Although it remained unlicenced until 1938, the airfield was a favoured stopping point for many transient aircraft en route to or from Alaska, including a flight of 10 US Army Air Corps Martin B-10 bombers in 1934. 

 

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The field also hosted regular flights by Pan American Airways and Yukon Southern Air Transport, who joined forces to service PAA�s navigational aids and communications stations supporting PAA�s flights from Seattle to Alaska.  This PAA Lockheed 10A Electra landed at Prince George in August 1935.

YSAT was also flying regular airmail flights through Prince George between Whitehorse and Edmonton.  The inaugural flight, in 1938, was celebrated with several Cariboo dignitaries.  YSAT also maintained an office and staff in the City to support its operations.  

In 1941, YSAT was consolidated with other airlines into Canadian Pacific Airlines, and continued to carry mail through Prince George, using updated Lockheed 18 aircraft.

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With the end of the war, the airport was turned over to DoT in 1946 and the military buildings torn down.  By 1951 the new airport had a civilian terminal (shown here), and the first lights for night flying were installed in 1953.  Over the next three decades improvements were made on air and ground facilities. 

 

Prince George was the last airport to be transferred from Transport Canada to local control under the new National Airports Policy.  The Prince George Airport Authority took over ownership and operational control on 31 March 2003.  2005 saw the completion of a new terminal building.  In 2007 the main runway was lengthened to 11,500 feet (it now claims to be the third longest commercial runway in Canada) and a greatly expanded cargo handling capability developed to take advantage of Prince George�s strategic location.

 

As of July 2022, passenger services are provided by Air Canada Express, WestJet Encore, Central Mountain Air and Pacific Coastal Airlines.  Flair Airlines also offers a seasonal schedule during the winter months.