Departure
98%
vs 95% ▲ 3
MY FS FLIGHTS
MY FS FLIGHTS
Campbell River Airport (CYBL/YBL) sits on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, about 4.5 nautical miles south of the city it serves, and is the main gateway to the Strathcona and Discovery Islands region. It offers a single long hard-surfaced runway with an ILS, making it a useful and interesting VFR or IFR destination for simulator pilots exploring the BC coast. The field mixes scheduled airline traffic with general aviation and on-demand air taxi operations.
Campbell River Airport, identified as CYBL (IATA: YBL), is operated by the City of Campbell River and lies on the east coast of Vancouver Island. It functions as the principal air link for Campbell River and the surrounding Strathcona and Discovery Islands region, handling scheduled airline services alongside general aviation and on-demand charter flying. The airport is classified as an airport of entry, with Canada Border Services Agency officers on hand, though customs clearance at CYBL is limited to general aviation aircraft carrying no more than 15 passengers. For a simulator pilot, the combination of a long runway with an instrument landing system, coastal terrain, and a mix of airline and light aircraft traffic makes it a rewarding stop on a Vancouver Island itinerary.
The airport is located approximately 4.5 nautical miles south of the city of Campbell River on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Arrival and departure control in the surrounding terminal airspace is provided by Comox Terminal on 123.7 MHz, reflecting the airport's position within Comox's area of responsibility. CYBL itself operates as a Mandatory Frequency aerodrome rather than under a control tower, with Campbell River Radio providing the Aerodrome Traffic Frequency service on 122 MHz.
The airport has one physical runway, 12/30, aligned northwest-southeast and measuring 6,506 feet with a hard, lit surface. Runway 12 is served by an instrument landing system, offering a precision approach for pilots arriving from the southeast.
Pilots should call Campbell River Radio on the Mandatory Frequency and Aerodrome Traffic Frequency of 122 MHz for aerodrome advisory service. Comox Terminal handles arrivals and departures in the surrounding controlled airspace on 123.7 MHz. Airport ATIS information is broadcast on 128.55 MHz, and a remote communications outlet to Pacific Radio flight service is available on 126.7 MHz. Runway 12 is equipped with an ILS for instrument approaches.
As a Mandatory Frequency aerodrome, pilots operating in the vicinity of CYBL should establish contact with Campbell River Radio on 122 MHz before entering the MF area and monitor that frequency throughout their arrival, departure or transit. Traffic transitioning through the wider terminal airspace should expect to work with Comox Terminal on 123.7 MHz for arrival and departure sequencing.
The airport lies south of the city of Campbell River and has direct airside access to the Inland Island Highway (Highway 19), which runs close by and can serve as a useful ground-track reference when inbound from the north or south along the island's east coast.
Campbell River Airport has long served as the aviation gateway to the Campbell River area and northern Vancouver Island, and its status as an airport of entry reflects an established role in both domestic and limited international general aviation traffic. Aircraft movement statistics recorded 30,604 movements in 2010, indicative of a steady mix of airline, air taxi and general aviation activity through the field over the years.
Campbell River Airport today handles scheduled services from Pacific Coastal Airlines to Vancouver and a seasonal WestJet Encore service to Calgary, alongside on-demand flying from Vancouver Island Air. Jet A-1 fuel is available on the field, and the airport features a Pilot Lounge offering aviators a rest area with 24-hour access. Airport administration is staffed Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 16:00, while the maintenance team is on site seven days a week from 05:30 to 20:30. Customs clearance through the Canada Border Services Agency is available for general aviation aircraft carrying up to 15 passengers.
