A Campbell River company that repairs and refurbishes airplanes says the cheap Canadian dollar means business has never been better.
Bill Alder’s company Sealand Aviation specializes in repairs and restorations of de Havilland aircraft.
But Alder says all types of planes are coming in to his hangar from as far away as Oregon and Alaska.
“With American airplanes all at once, this is the busiest we’ve ever been, yes,” he said. “The cheap Canadian dollar has attracted a lot of American customers to us. They come here for good service and the low dollar makes it economical for them.”
Business is booming so much that Alder said he could easily use a second hangar to store aircraft.
A few years ago, Sealand expanded its paint shop and it has since become a key part of business, he said.
“We’re painting a lot of planes out of Alaska right now because nobody paints in Alaska,” he said. “All the shops are having a really difficult time getting people to come in and do the work.”
The company is expanding its staff as well, recently hiring two new employees, but Alder says they could always use more staff.
That could be good news for trades students like Evan Moreau, who’s hoping to graduate from a structural aviation course at North Island College.
“I’m very hopeful, I’ll try hard. If I can’t get straight into Boeing or Lufansa I’ll try working at Sealand or somewhere local just to get the experience,” he said.
As Alder’s business continues to take off he’s keeping a close eye on the Canadian dollar, currently worth $0.77 USD, and is hoping his wings don’t get clipped by America’s new president Donald Trump.
“It’s crossed my mind. I mean, I really don’t know. If he closes the border and says ‘hey, buy American,’ maybe these guys won’t come here,” he said. “And I don’t know where they would go if they can’t.”
In the meantime, he’s hoping word-of-mouth and great customer service will keep the Americans coming back.
With a report from CTV Vancouver Island's Gord Kurbis
