Why Banff Airport Exists 

Parks Canada concluded grass airfields in Jasper and Banff are inappropriate for a park but dozens of ski runs, resort hotels, 4-lane highways and town structures for 15,000 people are perfectly okay.

Had to make a Diversionary landing at Cyba Back in 2005. Weather closed in on Springbank and i was not IFR Capable. Could have probably made it back to golden but would have been into my reserve fuel by then. Landed @banff the park warden picked me up and we had lunch together. He let me use his computer to check that the weather had cleared @ Springbank. Once it had he gave me another lift to the airfield and watched me depart.

The grassy open field of the “airport” impedes animal movement, but the fenced busy highway right beside it doesn’t?!?!

Funny how they could state that a rarely used landing strip is a barrier to wildlife, while at the same time doubling a highway that runs along beside it. I lived in Banff and IMHO, the wildlife pretty much went where it wanted to.

Had a friend survive a crash just after taking off from the Banff runway in the mid 80's. They took off and almost immediately crashed and caught fire. They were lucky they had crashed into the army cadet camp nearby and were pulled out of the fire by some cadets. Though severely burned, both him and the pilot survived. He is forever grateful to the cadets for risking their lives to save his and the pilot.

I’ve made the drive from Calgary to Banff. Such natural beauty, makes you feel so insignificant next to the mountains

Parks Canada: "The use of National Parks for anything except bureaucratic uses is to be discontinued."

During the floods of 2013 we tried to donate our corporate helicopter to parks and Banff’s mayor. Got threatened with arrest if we attempted landing at CYBA. That was for free rescue flights. Crazy. We ended up flying a lot for the city of Calgary as their helicopters and crews were running out of hours and crew day. Since we were multi engine we did a lot of low level scouting. Some of the best flying since 408.

This begins to explain why they quoted me and my family some insane price, like $3000, to fly from Vancouver to Banff in 1986. Kinda glad we changed our minds!

Very sad story.We do need a small airport there!

Well, when Parks Canada rips up or buries the four lane Trans Canada highway; then I might see a case for closing the airport. Compared to some 500 km of highways in the mountain parks the two airports are 1/250th of the wildlife migration barrier compared to the highways.

Have to laugh at the impeding wildlife part. How about that huge freeway right next to it?

This airstrip also was very useful when it came to the canmore floods, seen it used as emergency headquarters. I live 3 minutes away from this! It’s surreal to see it like that.

Thank you for this history and current status on CYBA, Alex! I learned out of Springbank and overflew Banff plenty but my last time was probably 10 years ago. It's an airfield filled with rumor and hearsay amongst pilots and it's neat to get a proper history lesson as well as a current update. Sad to hear all the buildings are now torn down but that was certain to happen - surprised it took so long actually.

I took a Mountain Flying course with Chinook Aviation at this airport in 1967 and landed there with my Cessna 140 a few times. It is a challenging one way airstrip and frequently the wind socks at each end point in opposite directions.

Why?? If it is already there for diversionary purposes, why not just use it. You still have to maintain it, why not let people use it?

When a man stopped and landed at the airport for a piss, and got like a 5k fine. True story

No wonder it takes 500 years for stuff to get done in this country

Dude Absolutely Great Video! Loved It!

The wonders of government bureaucracy . Canada was a can do country now its an undo country .

ya cause the massive road next to it doesn't effect the wild life

Used to fly into Banff regularly when I went to flying school in Calgary in the 90’s. It was an awesome place to go, and I actually did an emergency landing there when I was trapped in the valley due to snow squalls on both ends. It was short sighted to close this amazing airport. “Impact on wildlife”?!? Really?! What about the giant highway right beside it? Look into the Idaho Backcountry flying, where the conservationists and airmens association work together to maintain a vast network of airports in the backcountry, even building more.

Nice video! I have driven by both Jasper airport and Banff airport numous times as my family goes skiing in these mountains lots, definitely a weird sight to see! Keep up the good work man.

Too bad the feds took it off the market for general aviation.

Here’s a tidbit for you Alex. I am currently reading vertical reference the life of Jim Davis written by Cathy Calvert. I won’t give much away but there’s a reference to the closing of Banff airport on page 124. It is a pretty fascinating read regardless

Alex: Postings featuring airports in Canada or anywhere is an excellent idea well done. It would be great to see more especially the smaller, rural and challenging too access. Additionally if possible inside terminals and control towers!!!. I just love airports. Thanks excellent posting, thanks.

The funny thing is that I just flew from Kelowna to Calgary

That used to be one of the best spot to see elk

Excellent presentation Alex, those views make me wanna do some GA flying out west some time wow

I remember as a teenager going down to the old airstrip in Grande Cache Alberta to whip donuts in my buddy's mercury. I don't think that airport had anything land on it in my lifetime, there's a wikipedia entry for it with absolutely zero information on it.

Awesome video! You should consider doing one on the Ram Falls airstrip as well :)

I lived in Calgary and was taking my instrument rating (never completed) at Calgary International when Sheila Copps, the cabinet minister responsible, closed the airport. The 1996 study was badly flawed - deliberately so, I suspect. There was a fenced off buffalo paddock at one end of the strip, and an army cadet training camp at the other. Instead of considering the impacts of these separately, the government "scientists" lumped all three of them together and concluded that - taken as a single unit - they indeed constituted an obstruction to wildlife travel. They never gave any consideration to the possibility that if they removed the buffalo paddock and the army training camp, the grass airstrip constituted no more of an impediment than any flat grassy field. There were several pilots living in Banff who owned and operated privately-owned GA aircraft from that airfield. Many of them were volunteers with CASARA (Civil Aviation Search and Rescue Association), and were an invaluable resource for any search and rescue operations in the vicinity. These pilots were forced to move their planes to Springbank or Golden, or get rid of them entirely, which most of them did .

I think they are placing to much value on the impact to wildlife that these two airstrips pose . But what to you expect from parks Canada

I have vivid memories of this airstrip. Some years ago my husband and I were driving by there on our way back to Calgary. We were slowed right down in heavy traffic, almost stopped, when we happened to look over to the left and stared directly at a pilot in a small plane right at the edge of the highway and headed straight for us. He hit the edge of the highway and went right over us and crashed in the ditch on the other side, the pilot was okay. As we shakily got out of the car, a couple in a motorhome in front of us came over and the guy said: " I looked in my mirror and saw the plane and saw the car and said to my wife omg thise people aren't going to make it" . Apparently a wind gust caught the plane and left us with a good holiday anecdote!

Back in the early 80’s when I lived in Canmore. I was driving by the Banff airport, when I saw a well dressed lady standing outside her late model Mercedes. She looked very upset , I pulled over and asked if everything was ok ? She said I’m supposed to meet my husband here. At this airport I said ? Oh yes, we have a Lear jet !! I politely suggested she book a room in Banff for the night.

"Oh no, I think I'm running low on AvGas, better divert to Banff!" 😂

Drinking game: Every time "Emergency and Diversionary" comes up take a shot :D

There is a runway just like this one in the Cariboo where I live, there is not much air traffic in the area, but last summer(2021) there was a sudden shift in visibility, down to 0, and there was emergency landing for an helicopter on it. I have walked down to the strip and ''saved'' the crew from having to stand in the field for clear weather to return, offering them shelter, coffee and telephone for them to call their base. That was the highlight of the year in the area. In other local news, a black bear walked across the road(onto the runway without transport Canada's permission), as two deers stood there and watched him. These runways ARE NEEDED for emergency, NOT for any type of commercial activity. Oh, and yeah, ARREST THE BLACK BEAR, what is the RCMP doing?!?

I've flown in and out of this airport at least a dozen times (as a passenger) , it was used at least weekly in the nice weather back in the seventies, I personally was only flown in and out on CH-47 Chinook helicopters (In employment of the Army Training Camp that was located across the road.) But there are stories that more than once C-130 Hercules have landed there, and that's the reason the strip had never been reduced to less than 3000 feet I honestly don't know if that's true, you know old Army stories :) Another note right by the front windsock used to be a full baseball diamond (softball), I played there for our team dozens of times :) One last note and I just checked this one it's true, despite the conditions and wind shear etc, there has never been an aircraft accident reported at the airport.

nice job ... imagine in dash 7 service to banff and jasper would have been allowed to parks !!!

The hell?! I lived in Calgary for a decade and had no idea this airstrip existed...

So apparently, a flat, open, 1/2 mile long grass field impedes the movement of wildlife; but a 4 lane, 4645 mile long highway doesn't. Then on top of that, they go on to say "Numerous Gopher Holes and wildlife on runway"... So it impedes the movement of wildlife, while also harboring wildlife, wow. 🤯 That may be the biggest big brain argument I have ever heard in my life.

This was very interesting...note the lenticular cloud at the 18 second mark....thanks for posting.

In 1972 & 1973 I ran Trans-Continental "Air Dashes" for antique & classic aircraft across North America. As most had no radios & ranges of ~150 miles, it would have been impossible for most (myself included) to fly from Airdrie to Golden. And - without Banff - even those with a bit longer range would have NO alternate airstrip to land on if the weather turns bad (which it does - frequently - in the mountains). It is NOT easy to fly in or out of this strip (due to its high altitude & frequent heavy turbulence), but it has unquestionably saved numerous Pilot's lives over the decades (not to mention their Passengers...). Note: Imagine they decided to close the ONLY service station where you could re-fuel during a drive through the mountains. Overnight, all passenger cars would be unable to make the trip and Canadians would be unable to drive coast-to-coast across our own country. Does that strike you as fair? Now I realize most people think ALL Pilots must be rich, but most light aircraft Pilots are anything but. We do without a lot of the basics most people take for granted - just so we can own & fly our planes over this BIG country. BTW: We have NEVER paid more than $10K for ANY of the planes we've flown over the past 55 years (and most were under $5K!)

During my aviation mountain training, we did a few approaches in a 172 down to about 500' AGL into CYBA. Tricky bit of flying on a hot summer day!

Gotta love Federal Government waste as they see saw back and forth on the fate of a grass airstrip over multiple decades.

My husband & I used to fly into the Banff airport in the 70s. We would walk into town and have a Brownie Conspiracy at Melissa’s Missteak, then take a cab back to the airport. Unfortunately, those days are long gone.

Didn’t even know it existed lol

Going on the comments, on here from the locals, saying the very existence of airstrip is a hindrance to wildlife, but not the highway next to it is at best a dramatic exaggeration. In reality the local wildlife couldn't care less about it. Sounds like someone in Ottawa doesn't have much to do! Human facilities removal Manager: We need to remove an asset in Banff. Senior manager: Oh and would that be the town then? Human facilities removal Manager: Nope Senior manager: The railway Human facilities removal Manager: Nope Senior manager: The fence next to the railway separating if from the highway? Human facilities removal Manager: Nope Senior manager: The highway Human facilities removal Manager: Nope Senior manager: The fence separating it from the airstrip? Human facilities removal Manager: Nope Senior manager: Ok what then. Human facilities removal Manager: The unfenced grass airstrip, it's severally hindering the passage of wildlife though the area.

its just a runway, i seen runways with more buildings in a farm

Disgusting that Banff National Park is permitted to get away with this. The BS that it is bad just does NOT hold up, when a major highway is right beside it. Shame on Parks Canada that this is permitted.

I land here in MS Flight Sim all the time. Great approach lol.

So, I’m the only one who’s going to point out that Banff played Manchester United (2:13)?

When you state that the airstrip was shortened at both ends it would've been helpful to have said why, particularly if it was to enable a highway expansion.

If you are in a Cessna and need to do an emergency landing, you have the paved interstate...

When I was a kid my family lived in Calgary we'd go to Banff every weekend in the 70s. Never saw a plane take off or land, but I have a memory of planes there.

Can you do a video on why most airports in Canada begin their 3 letter call signs with Y i.e Windsor YQG, Toronto YYZ, Montreal YUL, Edmonton YEG, Calgary YYC, and Vancouver YVR?

*-> **5:00** Yeah, but NOT the 2 intersecting Twin Lane divided Highways, complete with Cloverleaf. NOR "the fencing" -> **2:57** Oh and NOT the nearby secondary Road JUST the little used, grass runway "airport" and its' few outbuildings.*

Restricting Jasper and Banff was a ridiculous exercise in politics and PR for the politicians involved to 'win' some favorable press as "champions of the environment." As many others have mentioned, somehow a multi-lane Trans Canada Highway and double-track CP mainline rail are deemed acceptable. AT LEAST the Banff restrictions should be edited to allow for private GA useage while restricting commercial - bringing it in line with the Jasper strip. (Just this one ticked off pilot's opinion. meh... )

Had to make a precautionary landing there in May of '15 due to weather. It was great to have that option that day. Sad to see the state of it, gophers have really done a number on it, we used to fly in there regularly back in the day it was a great but you had to use great respect for the wind. Once saw the windsocks were straight out and pointing at each other. The park ranger was waiting for us when we landed, he said his phone lit up with local greenies calling in. Did some paperwork with him, had some lunch in town and were on our way once the weather moved on.

We have to protect the nature of the area and close this airport… proceeds to build a 2 lane highway and interchange right next to the airport while still trying to shut it down….

Living here for the last 20 plus years. Have seen about 3 planes there.

I wonder how much tax dollars were wasted on figuring out if a flat grassy field was harming animals. This country is ridiculous.

i lived in banff in 2011-2012 and i walked up here from the lakes whose names escape me up to some lower slopes of cascade mountain fairly often. i think we cut through a bit of this airfield on our walks. it's funny, until you mentioned the buildings weren't removed until recently i wouldn't have been able to tell you there were any buildings. funny how your memory fails you, even something as familiar as that walk i must have done a dozen times. i remember gates and signs and a big cleared area near the mountain slopes, and i definitely remember views from just short hikes up cascade (we were pretty soon limited by impassable/impractical scrambles). i can almost see the direction the trains would snake along towards calgary (saskatoon, medecine hat, hudson bay etc.). but that clear memory still has holes.

It is like travel insurance- you hope you will never need it, but if the occasion happens where you do, then it will be a life saver, so Parks Canada- just remember that.

Thanks for the information on Banff's' runway. I was always curious about it. Do you plan on doing similar vids about Springbank and old McCall field as well?

Thanks Alex. Lots of effort went into this video, research, fly by, Sulpher, driving. Excellent story with unbiased facts. I have heard the windsocks don’t always show the same wind direction there. Why two socks I wonder? Migration is a subjective observation. The elk mostly occupy any meadow they can find in the Sunshine. They graze and sleep in my front yard in Canmore. No migrating, just hanging out eating all year long except rut. The stock control fencing along the hiway pretty much assures no migration here. There is a choke point at the base of Cascade Falls where you probably parked. Seasonal opening might make sense. Great story!

I think we should remove the highway as it impedes the movement of wildlife at the base of the mountain far more.

This question has been bantered around for 50 years. Parks Canada has been trying to have the airport closed since the early 70s because of false claims it disturbs the wildlife until pictures of elk were seeking refuge from rain and sun under the shade of airplane wings. The airport was established as a rest stop while flying east to west and vice versa through the mountains. It was also purposed as an emergency landing area for aircraft having difficulty as well as a place to put down in the event of crappy weather. The federal government have been successful in preventing the left wing nuts and tree huggers from closing the airport and indirectly placing aircraft operating in the area in danger. There are a few in every crowd who think their agenda is way more important than the safety or concerns of others.

Interesting video. Shows how slow, stupid and useless our government is.

Curious the last plane to land there, and why

7 studies and 3.7 million dollars later the 2 flat grass airstrip are saved.

I always assumed that rich people always get whatever they want.

You’re burying the lead here. At 2:22 there’s a line in the paper about Manchester United Football Club playing Banff.

I have landed there a few times in the nineties. There is no way that would ever be a good location for scheduled commercial service, environmental reasons not included. If the windsocks (one at each end of the strip) are still there you can frequently see them pointing at each other. That’s what happens when you put an airstrip at the junction of two (argualbably three) valleys not to mention the turbulence right down to the deck…you often had to carry an extra 5 or 10 knots just to account for stalls related to the sudden changes in wind direction. Even when it was fenced there were often animals on the strip.

I am guessing so planes can land there.

Really don’t like what happened to it. Banff needs a commercial airport! Calgary is too far away. Vail has its own airport, Banff should too.

AWesome, thank you for making this video! I have always been intrigued by the Banff Airport and the history behind it.... Now if Microsoft Flight Sim would just put it in the right place lol

If some guys mow the lawn every few weeks things should be OK. As far as migratory wildlife is concerned the powers that be should close the damned road and banish everyone to go and ride motorcycles

Could it have been kept during the Cold War as a place for dispersal of a few military aircraft? I think no because it didn't get paved.

I remember riding (racing) horses down the airstrip, when I lived there- trying to avoid those same gopher holes!

Hmmm given the state of it the hwy looks almost more tempting. And covers most of the route with emergency “merging” options.

Wonderful post. I grew up in Banff ...God's country, we called it!

Interesting video, it would be great to see similar video about the Jasper airport.

You need an area such as that to stage out of for forest fires, not only for a number of Helicopters but fixed wing tankers if necessary. For instance we used Sherman Meadows south of Grande Prairie for fires in the mountains. And yes the animals will still go were ever they want.

well that was incredible, I always wondered what was up with it. learned a bunch today. I am honestly surprised knowing Banff's tourism setting that they didn't try and re-create it as a tourist lodge with the old hangers or structures. Since it is tuff to expand in the town site, they still love to make money. This also then leads into the reno's done at the station, entrance and surrounding areas, that part of Banff still has rich history even if you could'nt fly in, but still have lunch at an old building.

I flew part time for Chinook Flying Service Instructing and Charters from 1959 through the 1960’s and remembered the fun weekend picnic fly-ins that we had to BA. BBQ’s and food was mandatory. Some would do competition spot-landings, while others would pay for an airplane and instructor and fly the mountain ridges getting experience at mountain flying and short field landings. If my memory serves me correctly most aircraft back then that used BA did not require prior permission. Some just contacted Parks Canada to make them aware they were using it with the date and time. There was a military building in the clearing to the NE end of the runway. I believe it was also used for the Cadets summer camp. Once or twice a year the military flew their C47 in to BA which I expect was with military Brass for the cadet program and to give the cadets airplane rides in the Dak. As this was a well used valley route for civilian aircraft flying from the west coast to Calgary and return, there were many that went overdue in this area. The military also used the C47 for spotters for mock search exercises. They would land at BA and feed the spotters lunch at the cadets mess-hall, whether it was a practice or an actual search. Back then there was a pay telephone between the highway and runway for aircraft that had to land due weather, to phone Air Radio (now known as FSS) to close or extend their flight plan. BA was one of the few grass airports that was maintained, so many aircraft owners would fly to BA to get their first experience landing on something else beside asphalt. My career was ATC. Many times there were passengers getting off Airlines and Private Company aircraft from elsewhere. After landing they would immediately board either a company, or charter a light twin with a destination to a fancy hotel in BA for their holidays. The aircraft would return to pick them up weeks later, then back to Calgary and they would depart on Airlines or a Co aircraft back to the USA. There were times before a fence around the airport was built that Elk would graze on and around the runway. which gave the pilot an excuse to do a low and over to try to scatter them. They were the good old days. JH

Awesome Banff. I went here in Sep 2019. Amazing place!

CYBA. Shame. If the B was replaced with K... but I bet CYKA is already taken. Yup, CYKA is taken, Kamloops airport. LOL!

Great idea to keep the airport open. Much safer than landing on the highway during an emergency.

Same ol', Same ol, Same ol, Special interest steps in & throws a wrench into the works. If a small plane needs to make an emergency landing they can land on Trans Canada hwy. !

They want peasants to stay in expensive "campsites" and lodgings, not fly in/out unless real citizens like Trudeau and the King.

I would like to see Parks Canada's logic - they just push theories without any explanation, but do they actually have merit? I understand the need to keep all traffic within the parks under control - otherwise it would grow very quickly. Banff could quickly become a hop for Springbank students with their touch and goes.

Lot of information on this airstrip! Thx Alex.

Used. Had to make an emergency pee!

Interesting subject ruined by hard-to-listen-to monotone robotic voice. I bailed out half way through.

Metics. Metrics. Metrics. Please put the numbers in metrics for the other 7 billion people on earth who aren’t Americans.

I used to live in Banff alberta it's quite simple why there is an airport in Banff because of natural state of that area is why so many people are attracted to come to Banff alberta also its quite isolated especially in the winter months and road conditions can be dangerous at times

That was interesting. Would one on Jasper be worthwhile?

It's a rockin' rnuway! Glad it's there. Only the knarly pilots need apply! ACTUALLY, telling the pax we may or MAY NOT get in there based on weather and runway condition, and WHEN we can't, CALGARY is our clear alternative is the preferred professional pilot approach. But when the stars and planets align, it is a GLORIOUS approach (then get the hell out of dodge, reposition and tell them the safest place to depart from is the MAJOR airport) is both prudent and safe.