A little over a week ago, I had to take a trip down to the north end of Mississauga. Instead of rushing back home, of course, I spent some time watching planes at Toronto Pearson International Airport. Being around 3pm on a Wednesday, there was plenty of air traffic. It turned out to be an interesting couple of hours.
United Express Embraer E175
The plane above is an Embraer ERJ-175 belonging to United Express with the registration number N86311. The plane was inbound from Houston, Texas and the George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH).
With the wind coming out of the east and the planes landing from the west, I found myself on a short side street off of Dixie Road called Director Gate, just south of Derry Road. This spot puts you right near the end of runway 05-23, the longest runway at the airport.
You could sense something special was going on with a handful of serious plane spotters with tripods set up and ready to go. Handheld radios hummed with activity from the tower. There was an intensity that could only mean that the arrival of an Airbus A380 was imminent.
United Airlines Airbus A320
Above is an Airbus A320 belonging to United Airlines with the registration number N451UA. This flight was inbound from Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD).
After just two planes flew over, just before touching down, suddenly the direction changed and planes were taking off into the west. The wind had switched. There was panic. Afterwards, I realized why. Indeed, on Wednesday’s at around 3:30pm, the Airbus A380 belonging to Emirates makes an appearance. With the runway being the longest, it typically will always land on it.
Tires squealed and cars ripped away, trying desperately to travel the distance of the airport, during the start of rush hour, in order to make it to the other side before the double decker marvel landed.
U.S. Airways Express CRJ-200
Above is a Canadair CRJ-200 belonging to U.S. Airways Express. This jet was inbound from Charlotte, North Carolina’s Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT).
Well, with most of the traffic rushing down Derry Road, I saw no reason to rush. Instead, we went along the south side of the airport so the three year old in the back seat could get a good look at the airport while we drove.
Sure enough, as we got to the east side of the airport, the unmistakable form of the Airbus A380 with the bold Emirates colours came in for a landing. Unfortunately, we were still in transit. Anyway, we were headed to the wrong runway.
This week, we were down in Georgetown at the VIA/GO train station and planes were once again landing from the west. When they do, they circle right at Georgetown before their final approach. Sure enough, at exactly the same time as the week before, the Emirates A380 came by.
Delta Connection CRJ-900
Above is a Canadair CRJ-900 belonging to Delta Connection with the registration number N348PQ. This flight was inbound from Minneapolis – St. Paul International Airport in Minnesota.
We got to one of our favourite spots during the week (when parking can be iffy close to the airport) at a Tim Horton’s /Kelsey’s parking lot off Airport Road, near the 401. There was no lack of traffic but, as you can see from this article, most were smaller commuter jets.
With the wind direction change right at rush hour, there seemed to be a bit of confusion in the air. One smaller plane did one hell of a zig zag in the sky with possibly a mistaken runway assignment.
Later on, when we’d moved over to the empty back lot of the International Centre, we got to witness first hand an aborted landing by a WestJet Boeing 737. He did circle around and eventually land safely.
Air Canada Express Beechcraft 1900D
Above is a Beech 1900D belonging to Air Canada Express with the registration number C-GZGA. This claustrophobic machine is inbound from Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut (Hartford)(BDL).
I was oblivious to the fact that a place called Windsor Locks existed. That is, until recently when a contestant on The Bachelorette came from there. Shawn, one of the two finalists in pursuit of Kaitlyn Bristowe is a personal trainer from this Connecticut city.
As for the aforementioned International Centre, this is a great multi-modal spotting location. The Malton Go Station, is directly adjacent to the back of the convention centre parking lot. The lot is bordered by the CNR lines that carry GO passenger trains, VIA passengers trains and CNR freight trains. When the wind is blowing from the west, the planes for runway 05/23 land just to the south of the parking lot.
This is a great place to safely park for free and not worry about your car getting towed. To walk to the end of the runway on Airport Road is no more than five minutes from this parking lot.
Westjet Boeing 737-700
Above is a Boeing 737-700 belonging to WestJet with the registration number C-GTWS. This plane is inbound from Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ) in Nova Scotia.
Air Canada Beech 1900D
Another Air Canada Express Beech 1900D, this one registered as C-GORN. This little fella was inbound from Kingston Airport (YGK) in Ontario, no more than a three hour drive from the airport by car.
Air Canada Jazz CRJ-900
You would assume that this Air Canada Jazz Canadair CRJ-900 (C-GKEJ) would be inbound from some other Canadian location, no further away that somewhere else in Ontario or Quebec. In fact, it was coming in from Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) in Louisiana.
Air Canada Airbus A330-300
One of the bigger planes of the day and close to the one coming from the furthest. This Air Canada (Star Alliance) Airbus A330-300 with the registration number C-GHLM was inbound from Rome, Italy’s Leonardo da Vinci – Fiumicino International Airport (FCO).
Air Canada Express Bombardier Dash 8 Q400
This Air Canada Express Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 with registration number C-GGNW is inbound from Fredericton Airport (YFC) in New Brunswick.
Air Canada A330
Yet another Airbus A330-300. This one belonged to Air Canada with the registration number C-GFAH. This airplane, capable of flights of nearly 12,000km, was coming all the way from Montreal, Quebec’s Pierre Elliot Trudeau International Airport.
Westjet Boeing 737-700
The backend of a WestJet Boeing 737-700 with the registration number C-FWSX. This plane was coming in from Florida’s Tampa International Airport (TPA).
Air Canada Express CRJ-100
This Canadair CRJ-100 belonging to Air Canada Express is inbound from Indianapolis, Indiana (IND). The plane is registered as C-FWRR.
Westjet Boeing 737
Another WestJet plane on the way back from Florida. This Boeing 737-800 is coming in from Orlando (MCO).
Air Canada Express CRJ-700
Like many during the day, this Air Canada Express Canadair CRJ-700 (C-FJJZ) is coming in from Newark, New Jersey (EWR).
Air Canada Boeing 777-200
Well, I didn’t photography the Airbus A380 and I missed one or two Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners. That would make this Air Canada Boeing 777-200 one of the biggest planes of the day. This one, registered C-FIVK, was inbound from Vancouver, British Columbia (YVR).
Air Canada Airbus A321
Another one from the west, this Air Canada Airbus A321 (C-FGKN) is inbound from Calgary, Alberta (YYC).
Air Canada Airbus A320
It would probably have been much cheaper for these folks to fly Southwest Airlines into Buffalo. This Air Canada Airbus A320 (C-FGJI) is inbound from San Francisco, California (SFO).
Air Canada Express Embraer ERJ-170
Inbound from Boston, Massachusetts (BOS), this Air Canada Express Embraer ERJ-170 is registered as C-FEKD.
Sunwing Boeing 737-800
I can’t say that I’d have any use for a vacation in Cancun, Mexico (CUN) during the month of July. But, enough people must have for this flight to run. This Boeing 737-800 belongs to Sunwing Airlines, a Canadian sunshine destination charter.
As if Air Canada’s Boeing 777 wasn’t enough, WestJet had their own flight from Vancouver arriving at nearly the same time. This Boeing 737-800 is registered as C-FBWI.
Toronto Pearson Airport Planespotting Video
