This fall, the Pemberton Regional Airport is expected to become the workplace for about 25 full-time, year-round employees, a first in the facility’s history, as Blackcomb Aviation moves to make Pemberton the new hub for its helicopters.

Having bid for and won the right to take over the former Pemberton Helicopters building and land lease at the airport after a three-year process, Blackcomb Aviation is planning to set up shop in the terminal, hangar and office building as well as controlling a fuelling facility and a piece of the airport apron and land.

The current plan is to make Pemberton a base for ongoing heavy and light maintenance activities and operational work while serving as the hub for Blackcomb Aviation’s fleet of about 11 helicopters, company officials said in an interview Tuesday (Aug. 17) in their offices at the Whistler Heliport.

They also have plans to use a chunk of land of the north edge of the airport property to establish a small-scale training facility for powerline work, training pilots and linemen how to carry out the difficult work safely using a de-energized powerline strung on some short towers.

“We see Pemberton as being a regional hub for us,” said Sacha McLean, Blackcomb Aviation’s chief executive officer. The company has bases in Vancouver, Victoria, Vernon, Sechelt, Squamish and Whistler, and Pemberton will be “the new hub for our helicopter fleet,” he said.

“Everything to do with maintenance (of the helicopters) will happen in Pemberton,” said General Manager Steve Flynn. a Pemberton resident who added that many of the company’s staff members in the area already live in the Spud Valley.

Blackcomb Aviation aircraft have operating in and around Pemberton for services such as search and rescue operations and mining and firefighting activities. But the company’s regular presence at the airport will be new, and that has Pemberton Mayor Jordan Sturdy excited.

Sturdy said it’s a “huge step” to have the Blackcomb Aviation staff working full-time and year-round at the Pemberton Airport, putting activity and eyes at the facility 365 days per year. While Rudy Rozsypalek at the Pemberton Soaring Centre has done a great job with the airport, he said, at the moment airport sees little activity from October to April.

The presence and commitment to the facility shown by Blackcomb Aviation could draw the attention of others to the airport and make them think or rethink about investing in it, Sturdy said.

“Getting more activity in the airport is good all the way around,” Sturdy said.

While Blackcomb Aviation’s operations aren’t expected to lift the airport out of its deficit situation, Sturdy said, the company’s presence will provide infrastructure such as vital fuel sales for visiting pilots and aircraft, an issue that has been raised in the past.

McLean sees spinoff benefits for the community arising from the 20 or so staff members using more Pemberton services. He also expects to see more visiting pilots dropping in to Pemberton and heading to restaurants and other local businesses, once the improved fuelling facility is established.

Providing the fuel service is “very doable,” McLean said, and he believes it’s “not smart” to have a regional airport such as Pemberton’s without fuel for itinerant aircraft.

He said he doesn’t expect Pemberton residents will notice “a big noise signature change” when Blackcomb Aviation gets established at the airport. While there might be a “slight increase” in numbers of flights, he said Blackcomb Aviation has already been “there a lot,” though not operating in a building.

Blackcomb Aviation’s closing date for the facility is Oct. 5, McLean said, and he and Flynn said the company’s operations should be able to start up quite quickly after that.

Blackcomb Aviation has about 25 aircraft operating for charters in a variety of market segments, serving demand such as tourism, hydro and mining work, corporate executive travel, and search and rescue, McLean said.

McLean said Blackcomb Aviation will maintain a significant presence in Whistler, but turned its attention to Pemberton for an expansion because the company had a serious need for more hangar space and room for staff operations.

“Our employees are very happy about this because they’ll actually have some space to operate in,” McLean said.

The news from Blackcomb Aviation came just over a week after officials with Merlin Air, the Pemberton-based start-up air taxi service, issued press releases saying it is changing its base of operations, planning an agreement with the Heiltsuk Tribal Council to jointly restore and take over the Heiltsuk’s Piper Navajo Chieftain aircraft.

Merlin Air’s owners have stated their intention to base that aircraft at the Vancouver airport, and to acquire two others to set up Merlin Air bases at three B.C. airports for services including flights to and from the Pemberton airport.

The statements also attacked the Village of Pemberton for purportedly hindering Merlin Air’s efforts to introduce commercial passenger services at the Pemberton airport. The statements also said the Village council has conducted too much closed-door decision- and policy-making.

“What does council plan to do with this airport?” Merlin Air’s Lori Xavier asked on Aug. 6.

Sturdy flatly denied the “untrue and unfounded” accusations about the Village blocking Merlin Air’s aspirations for the airport. He said lease agreements are always done in closed sessions, as per the Community Charter.

“Policy development is always done in open session,” he said.

Sturdy said the Village is “certainly supportive of people who go out and actually accomplish something at the airport.” He said he thinks the Village and Fred and Lori Xavier should simply part ways, saying, “I wish Fred and Lori good luck in their future ventures.”

The long-discussed question of potentially expanding the Pemberton Airport remains on hold while Village officials try to get the $120,000 they need to install an AWOS III weather system, which would provide the extensive weather data necessary to assess whether an airport expansion is feasible, Sturdy said.