The Hook

VANCOUVER - Forget about showing off your model airplane to Olympic visitors in 2010.

The hobby is on a list of airborne activities banned within a vast, figure-eight-shaped area of southwest B.C. and northwest Washington airspace from Jan. 29 to March 24, 2010, according to a July 2 NAV Canada advisory.

"I had no idea about it until you told me," said Radio-Controlled Flying Club of B.C. president Scott Esplen. "I'm surprised they wouldn't send out any information to the clubs that would be affected."

The two so-called Olympic rings are within a 30 nautical mile radius of Vancouver International Airport and the Whistler Olympic Village and include all airports, heliports and floatplane bases between Pemberton and Ferndale, Wash.

Scheduled flights in the smaller control zone will need point-to-point flight plans and all people aboard screened.

Balloons, blimps, parachutes and gliders are banned.

Same with sightseeing, training, crop-dusting and banner advertising flights.

Airspace above venues is restricted to emergency, security and authorized essential service and media flights.

Unauthorized flights are subject to military interception.

NAV Canada is expecting 500 to 600 non-scheduled take-offs and landings daily.

Reservations begin on a first-come, first-serve basis for Vancouver, Abbotsford, Boundary Bay and Victoria airports Sept. 15.

Vancouver 2010 Integrated Security Unit did not fulfill a request to interview Insp. Barry Nickerson, officer in charge of transportation planning.

Bob Mackin reports for Vancouver 24 hours.