“This aircraft is really important to us because it gives us a real high fidelity training object we can work on,” said Greydon Ratushny, Fire Chief with YVR Fire & Rescue. “This gives us first-hand training for the real-world challenges that could come about when working with an aircraft that can’t be replicated in commercial-ready props.”

The Pacific Coastal aircraft will be used along with YVR’s existing Fokker F28 in many different scenarios including aircraft fires, onboard smoke conditions, and removing patients from an aircraft. Having access to different aircraft types helps create more realistic conditions so teams can practice the skills they rely on in real-world situations. This ongoing work is an important part of maintaining safe, reliable and resilient operations across the airport.

The donated aircraft is also a great example of how YVR works with airline partners to build greater readiness across our airport community.

“We saw this as a natural fit for us to donate a retired fuselage for YVR Fire & Rescue so they could simulate their training for their emergency response,” said Darcy Coonfer, Vice President, Operations at Pacific Coastal Airlines. “We’re extremely proud to provide a tool like that. We know how important it is to train under realistic situations. This is just a continuation of a really good, long-standing partnership.”

Safety is a shared responsibility at YVR. By continuing to invest in regular training and working closely with partners like Pacific Coastal Airlines, we are helping ensure our teams are prepared, our plans are tested and our airport community remains ready.