FVRD board to consider 5-year lease renewal with longtime local helicopter company at Hope airpark
CHILLIWACK — The Fraser Valley Regional District board will consider a motion at its meeting this week to renew a five-year lease agreement with a longtime helicopter company operating out of the Fraser Valley Regional Airpark in Hope.
According to the text of agenda item 11.3, FVRD staff are recommending that FVRD board members approve a five-year lease renewal with Valley Helicopters Ltd. The hangar land lease for Valley Helicopters expired October 31, 2024.
Valley Helicopters Ltd. describes itself as a charter helicopter operator providing services to Southern British Columbia and Western Canada. It operates an impeccably maintained fleet of Bell light and intermediate helicopters from bases in Hope, Merritt and Kamloops. Fred Fandrich, the founder of Valley Helicopters, launched his helicopter career in 1968 in Northern Canada as an engineer/pilot at Klondike Helicopters on the Bell 47. Fred Fandrich founded Valley Helicopters Ltd. in 1985, moving to its current location on Flood Hope Road in 1991. Valley Helicopters currently operates with one Bell 206L4, three Bell 206 Jet Rangers and two Bell 407s
The Fraser Valley Regional Airpark, located about five kilometers west of the town of Hope, is situated on approximately 106 acres. Besides the turf runway, the airpark consists of a flight centre building featuring a public lounge area, an observation deck, Wi-Fi and washrooms; it also contains rental tie-down areas that can accommodate approximately eight aircraft, fuel dispensing facilities for certain aircraft, and gliding membership and lessons available from airpark tenant Vancouver Soaring Association.