St. Catharines/Niagara District Airport

Infobox Airport
name = St. Catharines/Niagara District Airport


IATA = YCM
ICAO = CYSN
type = Public
owner =
operator = Niagara District Airport Commission
city-served =
location = Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
elevation-f = 320
elevation-m = 98
coordinates = coord|43|11|30|N|079|10|18|W|type:airport|display=inline
website = [http://www.niagaradistrictairport.ca www.niagaradistrictairport.ca]
r1-number = 01/19
r1-length-f = 2,497
r1-length-m = 761
r1-surface = Asphalt
r2-number = 06/24
r2-length-f = 5,000
r2-length-m = 1,524
r2-surface = Asphalt
r3-number = 11/29
r3-length-f = 1,989
r3-length-m = 606
r3-surface = Asphalt
stat-year = 2007
stat1-header = Aircraft Movements
stat1-data = 39,007
footnotes = Source: Canada Flight SupplementCFS]
Statistics from Transport Canada. [http://www.tc.gc.ca/pol/EN/Report/TP577/pdf/TP577_07.pdf Aircraft Movement Statistics: NAV CANADA Towers and Flight Service Stations: Annual Report 2007] ]

St. Catharines/Niagara District Airport, Airport codes|YCM|CYSN, is located in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada, on Niagara Stone Road (Regional Road 55) at Airport Road (Regional Road 90), just north of the Queen Elizabeth Way and east of the City of St. Catharines. The airport has no scheduled passenger services, despite being the closest sizeable Canadian airport to Niagara Falls.

The airport is classified as an airport of entry by NAV CANADA and is staffed by the Canada Border Services Agency. CBSA officers at this airport currently can handle general aviation aircraft only, with no more than 15 passengers.

The airport primarily serves general aviation (GA) aircraft, but it is not unusual to see chartered aircraft (turboprops and business jets) delivering passengers to waiting limousines for a ride to the Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort or other local attractions. In the past, the airport has also hosted delivery aircraft bringing rush order parts for the nearby General Motors plants.

It is also not unusual to see Canadian Forces search and rescue aircraft on the ramp refueling while on search and rescue or training missions in the region.

The Southern Ontario Gliding Centre (SOGC) of the Royal Canadian Air Cadets utilize the airport for spring and fall familiarization flights for the cadets.

History

Pre-World War II

* March 1929 - The St. Catharines Flying Club (S.C.F.C.) completed the requirements necessary to qualify for government assistance.
* June 1929 - The S.C.F.C. received its first aircraft and became operational.
* September 13-15, 1929 - Official opening of the S.C.F.C.

In 1929, the facilities were described by the S.C.F.C. in one of their publications as follows: "Niagara District Airport, established and operated by Haney Repair Service of St. Catharines, comprises about 100 acres and is located immediately south of Canada's busiest provincial highway, No. 8, three miles east of St. Catharines and adjacent to the great Welland Ship Canal."

"Though only three months under preparation it affords 2,400-ft. runways in all directions except east and west, where, due to the fact that the field's location in relation to the Niagara Escarpment, makes direct east and west winds almost impossible. A temporary length of 1,200 feet has been prepared."

"A light aeroplane hangar has been constructed, Hydro power and telephone installed and gasoline and oil servicing facilities are conveniently located."

"The port has a 1,200 ft. highway frontage with a 300 ft. approach and the Airport Inn at this approach. Excellent dining rooms, refreshment stand, tourist hut and dancing services are always available at the Inn and buses taken at convenient intervals for all points from Buffalo to Toronto."

"Being located adjacent to the Welland Ship Canal, one mile from the main line of the C.N.R. [Canadian National Railway] , three-quarters of a mile from the Queenston Hydro power lines, and in the very centre of the Peninsula's three largest adjacent communities (St. Catharines, Merritton and Thorold) it offers aviation industry all that could be desired and being only one mile from the half-hourly radial service which serves every community on both sides of the Niagara River, it offers easy access to the airways of Canada and the United States."

"By arrangement of a grant by the City of St. Catharines covering the club's rental, the St. Catharines Flying Club can operate gratia from the field for a period of five years. Aeronautical Services Ltd. distributors of Curtiss Reid for Lincoln, Welland and Wentworth Counties, also make it their headquarters." [Williams, Jack. Wings Over Niagara - Aviation in the Niagara District, 1911-1944. Niagara Aviation Pioneers, Date Unknown.]

World War II - No. 9 Elementary Flying Training School (E.F.T.S.)

Murton A. Seymour, president of the St. Catharines Flying Club (S.C.F.C.) was instrumental in forming the Canadian Flying Clubs Association. He travelled to Ottawa in 1939 to meet the Minister of National Defence, the Honourable Ian Alistair Mackenzie, in an attempt to have the government support air training through existing flying clubs.

With the outbreak of World War II many flying clubs, including the S.C.F.C, saw their resources being stretched to the limit. This was due to new members hoping to gain qualifications in an attempt to automatically qualify for the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Seymour advocated for the placement of a E.F.T.S. at St. Catharines. This goal was realized on August 12, 1940 when the Royal Canadian Air Force Headquarters announced the creation of No. 9 E.F.T.S. to be located at St. Catharines. The school was set to open on March 15, 1941 with an initial intake of 24 students. Shortly thereafter, an order was received from Ottawa announcing that the new opening date was to be October 15, 1940 and that the school was expected to accept 28 students.

One of the challenges faced by the S.C.F.C. was soft field conditions. To counter this, construction of new runways began in May 1941, which helped to ensure the permanency of the St. Catharines airport.

No. 9 E.F.T.S. was formally disbanded on January 14, 1944. When the school closed it had accepted 2,468 student pilots. Of these, 1,848 graduated from the program. The total air time for the school was 134,011 hours. [Williams, Jack. Wings Over Niagara - Aviation in the Niagara District, 1911-1944. Niagara Aviation Pioneers, Date Unknown.]

After No. 9 E.F.T.S. was disbanded the airport became home to No. 4 Wireless Training Unit, also part of the Royal Canadian Air Force. This unit was located at the airport until August 15, 1945. [ [http://www.niagaradistrictairport.ca/airport-history.php Airport History | Niagara ] ]

Famous Flyers

* Leonard Birchall - was a member of the St. Catharines Flying Club in 1932.
* John Gillespie Magee, Jr. - trained with No. 9 E.F.T.S. from January - March 1941.
* Charles Woods - trained with No. 9 E.F.T.S. from July - August 1941.

Operators

* Air Mobile
* Esso (Imperial Oil)
* [http://www.nationalhelicopters.com/Niagara_Home.html National Helicopters Inc.] (Tour and Charter Service, Aerial Photography, Frost control and agricultural services)
* [http://www.niagaraairtours.com Niagara Air Tours] (Tours and Training)
* [http://www.stcatharinesflyingclub.com St. Catharines Flying Club] (Flight Training)

ee also

* Niagara Falls/Niagara South Airport
* Welland/Niagara Central Airport

References

* [http://www.niagaradistrictairport.ca/ St. Catharines/Niagara District Airport]

External links

* [http://www.copanational.org/PlacesToFly/airport_view.php?pr_id=1&ap_id=104 Page about this airport] on COPA's "Places to Fly" airport directory
*ASN|YCM