CFB Comox  Comox Airport (YQQ) | |||||||||||||||||||
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 Front of the airport terminal building | |||||||||||||||||||
| Summary | |||||||||||||||||||
| Airport type | Military / public | ||||||||||||||||||
| Owner | Government of Canada | ||||||||||||||||||
| Operator | DND / Comox Valley Airport CommissionA | ||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Comox, British Columbia | ||||||||||||||||||
| Commander | Colonel Chris Shapka[1] | ||||||||||||||||||
| Time zone | PST (UTC−08:00) | ||||||||||||||||||
| • Summer (DST) | PDT (UTC−07:00) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 84 ft / 26 m | ||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 49°42′39″N124°53′12″W / 49.71083°N 124.88667°W /49.71083; -124.88667 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Website | CFB 19 Wing Comox www.comoxairport.com | ||||||||||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||||||||||
  CYQQ Location in British Columbia Show map of British Columbia CYQQ CYQQ (Canada) Show map of Canada | |||||||||||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Helipads | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Statistics (2010) | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Source:Canada Flight Supplement[2] Environment and Climate Change Canada[3] Movements fromStatistics Canada.[4] andTransport Canada[5] A^Airport terminal only | |||||||||||||||||||
Canadian Forces Base Comox (IATA:YQQ,ICAO:CYQQ), commonly referred to asCFB Comox or19 Wing, is aCanadian Forces base onVancouver Island in theComox Valley, 2.5nautical miles (4.6 km; 2.9 mi) north northeast ofComox, British Columbia. It is primarily operated as an air force base by theRoyal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and is one of two bases in the country using theCP-140 Aurora anti-submarine /maritime patrol andsurveillance aircraft, the other beingCFB Greenwood. Its primary RCAF lodger unit is 19 Wing, commonly referred to as 19 Wing Comox.
CFB Comox's airfield is also used by civilian aircraft. The civilian passenger terminal building operations are called theComox Valley Airport and are operated by the Comox Valley Airport Commission.
The airport is classified as anairport of entry byNav Canada, can handlegeneral aviation aircraft with up to 15 passengers, and is staffed by theCanada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
TheRoyal Air Force (RAF) constructed the airfield at the strategic location of Comox in spring 1942.RAF Station Comox was built to guard against any possible threat from theImperial Japanese Navy to North America.
In approximately 1942, the aerodrome was listed asRCAF Aerodrome - Comox, British Columbia at49°43′N124°54′W / 49.717°N 124.900°W /49.717; -124.900 with no listed variation or elevation. The aerodrome was listed as "Under construction - Serviceable" with two runways as follows:[6]
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feet | Meters | ||
| 12/30 | 10,000 | 3,000 | Concrete |
| 18/36 | 5,000 | 1,500 | Asphalt |
In 1943, the RCAF took over control of the airfield, renaming the facilityRCAF Station Comox. The RCAF used Comox for training crews of transport aircraft for the rest ofWorld War II, basing a training squadron flying theDouglas Dakota in 1944.
From 1946 until 1952, the base was mothballed until tensions resulting from theKorean War andCold War prompted reactivation and the establishment of a permanent RCAF base on Canada's Pacific coast.
The407 Long Range Patrol Squadron initially used theAvro Lancaster thenLockheed P2V-7 Neptune, followed by theCanadair CP-107 Argus and now theLockheed CP-140 Aurora.
The409 Tactical Fighter Squadron was equipped with theLockheed T-33 andAvro Canada CF-100 Canuck, followed by theMcDonnell CF-101 Voodoo, an example of which can be found on display at the main entrance of 19 Wing.
In 1954, Comox became home to aPinetree Line radar early-warning station, operated by the 51 Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron (radar). This facility was closed in June 1958 with the advent of more advanced radar systems such as theMid-Canada Line and theDistant Early Warning Line (DEW Line).
In 1964,RCAF Station Sea Island nearVancouver International Airport was closed and turned over to theCanadian Coast Guard. Sea Island's 121 Composite Unit moved to Comox and was reorganized as442 Transport and Rescue Squadron, flying theGrumman HU-16 Albatross fixed-wing andPiasecki H-21 helicopter, later re-equipping with theCH-113 Labrador andde Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo. The Labrador helicopter was replaced with theAgustaWestland CH-149 Cormorant starting in 2001.
On February 1, 1968, theRCAF merged with theRoyal Canadian Navy (RCN) andCanadian Army to form the unifiedCanadian Armed Forces. RCAF Station Comox was renamedCanadian Forces Base Comox, shortened toCFB Comox. During a 1975 reorganization of the Canadian Forces,Air Command (AIRCOM) was created to operate the air element.
After CFB Comox began sharing the airport with scheduled airlines and other civilian aircraft, aBoeing 747 flown byNorthwest Airlines became the firstjumbo jet to operate into the field[7] when it made an emergency landing there on June 5, 1979. The flight, chartered by the U.S. military to transport 368 active duty personnel and their families fromTravis Air Force Base to Japan and South Korea, was overCape Scott following an intermediate stop atSeattle–Tacoma International Airport when fire broke out in one of the aircraft's engines. Efforts to extinguish the flames were unsuccessful; the crew declared an emergency and requested permission to land on the 10,000 ft (3,000 m) runway at CFB Comox. Though no flames were visible, the fire warning light was still flashing in the cockpit as the plane landed.[8] There were no injuries to the passengers or to the 13 crew members. Base officials, practised at hosting large numbers of Canadian Forces personnel, ensured that the plane's occupants were comfortable while awaiting a new aircraft to carry them to their destinations.
In 1980, 407 Squadron began re-equipping with the Lockheed CP-140 Aurora. In 1984, 409 Squadron moved from CFB Comox toCFB Cold Lake leaving the base with the duties of coastal patrol,anti-submarine and transport missions, andsearch and rescue (SAR) missions.
In 1989, a strike force ofUnited States Air Force deployedBoeing KC-135 Stratotankers from theWashington Air National Guard to CFB Comox as part of the annualGlobal Shield Exercise. The deployment, which included vehicles, equipment and armed personnel arriving by landing craft at a local beach, prompted some locals to ask whether the United States was invading Canada.
During the late 1950s,Pacific Western Airlines was serving the airfield with nonstop and one-stop direct flights to Vancouver operated withDouglas DC-3 aircraft with the one-stop service being flown viaCampbell River, British Columbia.[9] By the early 1960s, the airline had expanded their DC-3 service with nonstop flights toPort Hardy as well.[10] Pacific Western then introduced turboprop service with theConvair 640 (which the airline called the "Javelin Jet-Prop") and was continuing to operate nonstop flights to Vancouver, Port Hardy, and Campbell River during the late 1960s.[11] The airline then began operating jet service into the airfield with theBoeing 737 and in 1975 was operating two nonstop 737 flights a day to Vancouver.[12] Pacific Western would continue to serve Comox withBoeing 737-200 jet flights through the mid-1980s by which time the air carrier had become an all-jet airline.[13] By 1995, the airfield no longer had jet service with flights to Vancouver being operated by eitherAir BC flyingAir Canada Connectorcodeshare service withDe Havilland Canada Dash 8 turboprops or byTime Air operatingCanadian Airlines Partner codeshare service with Dash 8 andShort 360 turboprops.[14] According to theOfficial Airline Guide (OAG), Air BC and Time Air were operating a combined total of ten round trip nonstop flights on weekdays between Comox and Vancouver at this time.
In 2003, the public airport terminal received a complete renovation, increasing the flow of people through the terminal by an average of nearly 400 people per day, as well as building a customs area. In the early 2000sAir Transat andSunwing Airlines were flying to Mexico during the winter months, but discontinued service about a decade ago.[15]
In April 2012, aBoeing 777 operated byKorean Air Boeing 777 made an emergency landing at Comox after the airline received a bomb threat. The flight was diverted to the airbase at escorted byF-15 Eagle fighter jets from theUS Air Force that had been scrambled from Portland, Oregon. Korean Air Flight 72, with 149 people on board, had taken off from Vancouver International Airport headed for Seoul, South Korea, at 2:30 p.m. PT Tuesday. The crew turned back off the north coast of B.C. after a bomb threat was made in a telephone call. it was one of the largest passenger airliners to fly into Comox.[16][17]
CFB Comox is the RCAF's primary air defence installation on Canada'sPacific coast and serves as the home base formaritime patrol / anti-submarine aircraft andsearch and rescue (SAR) aircraft, bothfixed-wing androtary-wing .
Its primary lodger unit, 19 Wing, has the following operational squadrons:
19 Wing also includes the 19 Air Maintenance Squadron, and a number of other organizations.
CFB Comox is the location of the Canadian Forces School of Search and Rescue, where all para-rescue specialists in the Canadian Forces, known as Search And Rescue Technicians or "SAR Techs", undergo training.
CFB Comox serves as a forward operating base for temporary deployments of theMcDonnell Douglas CF-18 Hornet fighter-interceptor.
Every April, theSnowbirds practice at 19 Wing Comox.
CFB Comox is used by theRoyal Canadian Air Cadets for glider and powered flight training, training glider pilots onSchweizer SGS 2-33A's and housing the cadets training onCessna 182's respectively in the summer months. Training for the Advanced Aviation Air Cadet Course is also hosted at CFB Comox. An annex of CFB Comox, Annex A "Goose Spit", is used by theRoyal Canadian Sea Cadets forCTC HMCSQuadra where 600 sea cadets undergo training in the basic trades of music (combined withArmy and Air cadets), gunnery,boatswain, and sail. It also trains cadets in three specialty trades;marine engineering,shipwright, andSilver Sail. The annex is also host to the local Canadian Forces Sail Association.
CFB Comox is planned to be one of the two Canadian bases operatingarmed drones in the late 2020s, the other beingCFB Greenwood inNova Scotia.
CFB Comox shares the airfield with a civilian terminal for commercial flights;WestJet andPacific Coastal Airlines have been serving the airport since 2000,Air Canada has been serving the airport off and on from 2000-2008 then from 2015 to present.Flair Airlines started service in 2022.
The base hosts a biennialair show (although not held from 2005 to 2012, or 2015 to 2024) to celebrateCanadian Forces Day.
The base is also home to theComox Air Force Museum which features several aircraft and other historical exhibits.
The base is a primary employer in theComox Valley.
The Comox Airport has a number of facilities available. Two major businesses are located in the airport terminal: On the Fly Café and Compass Gallery + Gifts. There is also a bike repair station on-site, as well as an EVOLVE e-bike rental stand.[18][19]
The airport has its own fuel service, Shell Aviation Canada, and providesjet fuel (Jet A1) andJet A1 fuel withFSII.[20]
The airport has aCANPASS Customs area for international arrivals.
There are three car rental agencies at Comox:Budget,Enterprise andNational Car Rental[21]
The airport has a 3,300 m2 (36,000 sq ft) terminal with 93 m2 (1,000 sq ft) for retail, the airport has 6 aircraft parking spots and 300 on site parking and 140 overflow parking areas. The airports hold room can seat about 200 people.[22] There are two baggage carousels for arrivals.
Throughout theCOVID-19 pandemic, passenger service dipped to a few flights per week, withPacific Coastal Airlines andAir Canada pulling service temporarily from the airport, andWestJet pulling service fromEdmonton andVancouver, WestJet reduced flights toCalgary to one flight every couple of days. Passenger numbers for the Comox Airport plunged in 2020 as a direct result of the pandemic. In 2019 the airport had more than 400,000 passengers, and in 2020 it was under 200,000 passengers. WestJet announced new routes from the airport for the summer of 2021, from Comox to Toronto, and WestJet link service to Vancouver.[23] Air Canada has resumed its service to Vancouver.
In October 2021,Flair Airlines announced that they would be starting flights from Comox toCalgary andEdmonton starting late March 2022.[24] It was unclear ifWestJet plans on resuming service to Puerto Vallarta for the winter season of 2021-2022, due to uncertainly around COVID-19 and the travel restrictions in Canada.[25]
On November 15, 2021, Swoop Airlines announced that they will commence three times weekly service from Edmonton, using their fleet ofBoeing 737 Next Generation (737-800) aircraft, on Thursday, June 9, 2022. “Swoop’s arrival will generate a lot of excitement for travellers looking for affordable options to reconnect with their friends and family,” said Mike Atkins, Comox Valley Airport’s CEO. “We are delighted to have Swoop support travel to the Comox Valley, particularly for our tourism partners ready to welcome visitors to the spectacular region we serve."[26]
On November 18, 2021, 22 people were injured in an explosion at the barracks at CFB Comox.[27] Sixteen military members and six civilians were injured on Thursday after an explosion took place at a barracks building that was undergoing renovations. 59 people were housed in the building, though not everyone was inside of the building at the time of the blast.[28]
During the2021 Pacific Northwest floods in B.C., members from CFB Comox assisted in rescuing people stranded after flooding and mudslides washed out multiple sections ofHighway 7 nearAgassiz. In the 48 hours leading up to the CAF request for assistance,[29] the Royal Canadian Air Force dispatched three Cormorant helicopters from442 Transport and Rescue Squadron to airlift more than 300 people, 26 dogs and one cat to safety.[30]
Summit Air also provides charter services from Comox.
| Year | Passenger numbers[41] | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 209,668 | - |
| 2006 | 238,612 |  13.8% |
| 2007 | 310,450 | 30.1% |
| 2008 | 304,069 |  2.1% |
| 2009 | 289,978 | 4.8% |
| 2010 | 296,567 | 2.3% |
| 2011 | 308,937 | 4.2% |
| 2012 | 327,827 | 6.1% |
| 2013 | 313,186 | 4.4% |
| 2014 | 318,830 | 1.8% |
| 2015 | 350,895 | 10.1% |
| 2016 | 368,733 | 5.1% |
| 2017 | 369,161 | 0.1% |
| 2018 | 420,811 | 14% |
| 2019 | 412,597 | 2% |
| 2020 | 127,633 | 69% |
| 2021 | 155,064 | 21% |
| 2022 | 323,429 | 108% |
| 2023 | 385,651 | 19% |
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