BC Aviation Museum is located in three hangars right on
the side of Victoria International Airport. It has numerous cool
airplane and other models, old photos and aviation artefacts, and
several real airplanes, including the world's first
pressurized turboprop aircraft, which was flown commercially in Canada by
Air Canada's predecessor, Trans-Canada Airlines. It is possible
to go inside with a tour guide and check out the cockpit and the cabin -
a very cool experience.
There are also many very fine mannequins of (mostly)
pilots here and there, and numerous photographs from years past. There
is also a children play area, where they can sit inside toy airplanes
and even a helicopter, try a flight simulator, and imagine being pilots
one day.
1. Here is a Google Maps location of BC Aviation Museum.
2. We are on
Canora Road in North Saanich BC, with Norseman Road (BC Aviation Museum
access) on the right side ahead.
Canora Road North Saanich BC
3-4. Here is
that sign up close.
BC Aviation Museum Sign
British Columbia Aviation Museum sign
5. Having made a right turn, we are
now on Norseman Road. It's about 300 meters from here to the museum.
Keep to the left.
Norseman Road North Saanich BC
6. Isn't this cool - Norseman Road has
been turned into a runway! Hopefully, no one would actually use it to
land an aircraft :-)
Norseman Road looking like a runway
7. At the end of the runway (Norseman
Road, that is) is BC Museum of Aviation.
British Columbia Aviation Museum
8. If the parking lot (free parking)
is full, make a left turn for additional parking.
9. Here it is.
BC Aviation Museum Overflow Parking Lot
10. Even if you don't need to use this
overflow parking lot, it might be a good idea to go there anyway to
check out this "Foam Boss" aviation firefighting apparatus. It's behind
a chain link fence, so we stuck a camera through the fence to take this
picture.
Foam Boss apparatus
11. The gate in front of the museum
with several messages.
British Columbia Aviation Museum exterior
12. The museum itself is located in
three hangars. The first hangar houses the front desk and the gift shop,
and the other two have all those fine exhibits.
Vancouver Island BC Museum of Aviation
13. The reception desk, where you buy
your tickets and get a quick briefing on what's where. The museum is
run by volunteers.
BC Museum of Aviation Reception Desk
14. BC Aviation Museum gift shop.
British Columbia Museum of Aviation Gift Shop
15. All museum hangars are attached to
each other, so it's a matter of walking through a door to the exhibition
floor. Going to the left would lead to Memorial Room,
covered on page 2.
Through the hangar and to the right is
the second hangar (partially visible in the photo below).
BC Museum of Aviation exhibits
16-17. There
are many very well-made mannequins in BC Museum of Aviation, and the
flying boat in the photo above has this fella as a pilot.
BC Aviation Museum Mannequin
18-20.
Another mannequin is up in the ceiling, operating what appears to be one of
the first flying contraptions invented by humans.
21. Also up in the ceiling is this
Norseman V model.
Norseman V airplane
22-26.
Speaking of mannequins, two ladies and one gentleman represent a scene
from a Link Trainer flight simulator training session.
Link Trainer Flight Simulator BC Aviation Museum
27. BC Aviation Museum children play
area is located near the entrance to the second hangar.
British Columbia Aviation Museum
28. A flight simulator is available as
well.
BC Aviation Museum Flight Simulator
29. Numerous small model airplanes are
on display.
BC Aviation Museum airplane models
30. Here is another flying boat, and a
man flying a glider.
Flying boat BC Aviation Museum
31. Airplane models of medium size are
here too.
Aviation Museum British Columbia Canada
32-33. One more pilot mannequin at the
BC Aviation Museum.
Mannequin BC Aviation Museum
Our BC Aviation Museum Visit Trip
Report Continues on Page 2.
Other Trips in
Victoria BC Area: