BC Aviation Museum Visit

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.