SpottersWiki

Toronto Pearson International Airport

Revision as of 17:53, 22 October 2010 by Steelhead (talk | contribs) (→‎FedEx Hill)
Continent: North America Country: Canada Region: Ontario
Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport
Location Toronto, Ontario
IATA code YYZ
ICAO code CYYZ
Airport type Commercial
Website http://www.gtaa.com
Overview map Google Maps
Communications
Tower 118.350, 118.700
Ground 121.650 (north)
121.900 (south)
119.100 (center)
Clearance
Approach 132.800 (Main Arr), 124.475 (Secondary Arr), 125.400
Departure128.800 (Main Dep - South Dep), 127.575 (Secondary Dep - North Dep)
ATIS 120.825 (primary)
133.100 (secondary)

Toronto Pearson is Canada's busiest commercial airport. Air Canada is the dominant airline together with its regional subsidiary Air Canada Jazz. The airport is located West of the City in Mississauga and can be accessed from several major highways (401, 410 and 409) and there is a coach link from the downtown area. At present there is no rail link from Toronto to the airport.

The airport has 3 parallel East/West runways (23,24L,24R and 05,06L,06R) as well as two parallel North/South runways (33L,33R and 15L,15R). There are three terminals, most International flights operate from Terminal 3, with Air Canada using Terminals 1 and 2. Major International airlines using Toronto Pearson include British Airways, KLM, Lufthansa, Air France, Cathay Pacific, Korean Air, United, Continental, Northwest and Delta.

The airport can be quite slow at times and movements are dominated by A319/320s and Embraer and Canadair Regional Jets. There are numerous good spotting/photo locations and hassle from the Police is very rare (But not unheard of - especially when El Al flights are due in or out).

Official Spotting Locations

Terminal 1

Note there is no "official" spotting area at YYZ, it is tolerated in some places within the airport. There is a smoking area on the departures level roadway with views over the AC Jazz Dash 8 and CRJ ramp. The light is best for photography in the mornings.

Other Spotting Locations

FedEx Hill

10/2010 - this point is still accessable, but the old "hill" is no longer there (removed). Parking and viewing is still possible on the Bramelea road. With a "thin" lens (52 mm)it is still possible to take good pictures of arriving and departing aircraft - best time in the afternoon after 4 p.m. Also good pictures possible of all aircraft parked on the FedEx-ramp. *Note this location is not accessible anymore*

This location is best for all runway 23/05 spotting

From Hwy 427 North/South take Derry Rd. exit and head west at the intersection. Follow Derry Rd. for approximately 5 kms past the Connie Restaurant . FedEx is at the next light at Bramalea Rd. Turn left on Bramalea and follow the road to the end. The hill is on the right.

From Hwy 407 East/West take the Bramalea Rd. exit and head South. You will cross Derry Rd. Once on the ramp it will split into to ramps Terminals and Airport Rd. Take the Airport Rd. and follow the road to the end. The hill is on the right.

From Hwy 401 East/West take the Dixie Rd exit and head North. Turn right on Derry and continue until you see the FedEx facility. Turn right and continue down past the FedEx entrance.

From Brampton/North/Hwy 410 exit the 410 at Derry and turn left to head East and continue until you see the FedEx facility. Turn right and continue down past the FedEx entrance. Ensure you park on the right side of the road only to allow access to the crash gate at the end of the road and please do not block access to the crash gate.



FedEx is only suitable from early afternoon onwards as the Sun is facing in the morning. Good touchdown and approach shots can be had for 05 and it is excellent early evening when 23 is in use as it is located roughly where most heavies rotate on departure. Police have been known to check this location occasionally and it does get very popular on Summer weekends. I have not seen anyone getting moved on unless they are obstructing the crash gate or parking on the left side of the road. Be careful if you are taking kids, there is a police firing range right beside the hill, which is often in use.


The approach to 05 at sunset

View of the airport from FedEx

Rotation from 23

Airside Spotting Locations

Terminal 1

If you are flying with Air Canada you can obtain a boarding pass from the machines or online up to 12 hours before departure, this means that anyone with an evening flight can spend all day using the departure lounge windows. Bags can not be checked in until nearer departure time however there are storage facilities on the check in level. There is no problem exiting the departure lounge via the arrivals channel.


Locations to Avoid

Location

Regular Traffic

The GTAA website has up to date info on flight arrivals and departures.

  • Aeroflot: Moscow, 4 times weekly with a Boeing 767-300 Mon,Wed,Fri,Sun
  • Aeromexico: Cancun, Saturday only 737-700
  • Aerosvit: Kiev, twice weekly with a Boeing 767-300 Tue and Sun
  • Air Canada: Main hub hundreds of daily flights to/from Canada,USA,Central America,Caribbean,South America,Far East,Asia and Europe.All types in their fleet are seen. Airbus A319/320/321/330, Boeing 767-300, Canadair RJ, Embraer 175/190
  • Air Canada Jazz: Hundreds of daily flights to/from Canada and the USA. Fleet features Canadair RJ 100/200/705 and Dash 8-100/300
  • Air France: Paris CDG, Daily with an Airbus A340-300
  • Air India: Delhi via Birmingham and Amritsar, 6 times weekly with a Boeing 777-200 Daily except Tues
  • Air Jamaica: Kingston, Daily with an Airbus A321
  • Air Transat: Multiple daily flights to the USA,Caribbean and Europe using Airbus A310 and A330s
  • Air Wisconsin (US Airways Express): Daily flights on US Airways Express route network using Canadair RJs
  • Alitalia: Rome FCO and Milan, twice daily with Boeing 767-300
  • American Airlines: Numerous daily flights from Chicago,Miami,Dallas,New York and Los Angeles using MD80 and Boeing 737-800s
  • American Eagle: Numerous daily flights from New York and Boston using Embraer 135/140/145
  • Austrian Airlines: Vienna, Daily using Airbus A330/340
  • British Airways: London Heathrow, 3 times daily using Boeing 747-400,777-200 and 767-300
  • BWIA West Indian: Port of Spain and Antigua, twice daily with Boeing 737-800
  • Canjet: Halifax, New York, Calgary, Moncton, Sarasota, St Johns and St Petersburg many flights per day with Boeing 737-500
  • Cathay Pacific: Hong Kong via Anchorage, Daily with Airbus A340-300
  • Chautaqua Airlines (United Express): Multiple daily flights for United Express using Embraer 145/170
  • Comair (Delta Connection): Multiple daily flights from/to New York and Cincinnati using Canadair RJ
  • Condor: Summer charters from Hannover via Moncton bi-weekly with a Boeing 757-300 and weekly from Frankfurt with a 767-300
  • Continental Airlines: Numerous daily flights from New York and Houston with Boeing 737-500 and occasionally 700 or 800s
  • Continental Express (Express Jet): Multiple daily flights with Embraer 145 and 145XRs with winglets
  • Cubana: Havana, Cayo Coco, Cienfuegos, Holguin, Varadero: May weekly flights with Airbus A320
  • CSA Czech Airlines: Prague via Montreal, 3 times weekly with Airbus A310 Mon, Thur and Sat
  • Delta Connection (ASA): Atlanta and New York, multiple flights daily with CRJ 100, 700 and 900 aircraft
  • El Al: Tel Aviv and Los Angeles, daily except Fri, Sat with Boeing 767-200 and 300
  • Etihad Airways: Abu Dhabi via Brussels, 3 times weekly with Airbus A330-200 Mon, Wed and Fri
  • Finnair: Helsinki with Summer charters, usually a Saturday flight but days/times vary with Boeing 757-200
  • KLM: Amsterdam, daily with Boeing 747-400 or 777-200
  • Korean Air: Seoul, 3 times weekly with Boeing 747-400 Tue, Thur, Sun
  • LACSA: San Salvador, 2 times weekly with Airbus A320
  • LOT: Warsaw and Krakow, 4 times weekly with Boeing 767-300
  • LTU: Dusseldorf, one or two weekly charters using Airbus A330-200
  • Martinair: Amsterdam, Summer charters usually two or three weekly flights using Boeing 767-300
  • Mesa Airlines (US Airways Express): Several daily flights using Embraer 145
  • Mexicana: Mexico City, daily using Airbus A318/319 occasionally a Boeing 757-200
  • MyTravel Airways: London Gatwick, Manchester, many weekly Summer charters with Airbus A330-200
  • Northwest Airlines (Delta Air Lines): Minneapolis, Detroit DTW, many daily flights using DC9 and Airbus A319/320
  • Olympic Airlines: Athens via Montreal daily using Airbus A340-300
  • Pakistan Airways: Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore some flights via Manchester with Boeing 777-200LR Tue, Fri and Sun
  • Piedmont (US Airways Express): Pittsburgh, daily flights with Dash 8-200
  • US Airways: Phoenix and Las Vegas twice daily with Airbus A319/320


Cargo Operations:

  • Air Canada Cargo: Frankfurt, Anchorage, several weekly flights with Gemini MD11 and DC10s and World MD11s
  • DHL: Daily flights with DC8 operated by ABX
  • FedEx: Many daily flights with DC10, Airbus A300 and Boeing 727
  • Martinair Cargo: Amsterdam, multiple weekly flights with MD11F
  • UPS: Daily flights with Boeing 757-200

Facilities and Transportation

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