Story ID: 
Vancouver FBOs Celebrate Olympic Success
By: Matt Thurber
Caption: Canada’s Vancouver International Airport had its “busiest day in history” when general aviation travelers departed after closing ceremonies of the 2010 Win
Word Count: 190
Canada’s Vancouver International Airport had its “busiest day in history” when general aviation travelers departed after closing ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics on Sunday, according to Scott Harrold, general manager of Landmark Aviation’s Vancouver FBO. “It was quite an experience,” he said, “and it will always live with me and our team.” Harrold and his colleagues spent two years preparing for the influx of traffic and handled nearly 150 departing aircraft. Million Air chief branding and business development officer Sandy Nelson spent 10 days at the Million Air Vancouver FBO, helping shepherd nearly 300 arriving and departing aircraft, including Olympic athletes and more than one torch. “Everything went smoothly,” she said, aided by 40 employees brought in from other Million Air FBOs to staff two weeks of 24-hour shifts. “Once it started clicking and all the plans worked,” she said, “there were no hiccups and it got to the point where it was synchronicity; it was beautiful.” Sales and marketing specialist Farah Faruqi said that Avitat Vancouver handled more than 300 total movements during the Olympics. “It was high-paced and intense,” she said, “something we’ll have memories of for a long time.”