Painting Air Canada Boeing 747

 

The air hostess made an announcement saying we were going to land in Toronto in 45 minutes.

Excitedly, we fastened our seatbelts.

As we started descending, and circling, I looked out of the window and saw so many lakes.

And the lakes had boats in them. 

So I thought to myself, there's a lot of outdoor activity here.

 

Ah those good 'ol days of flying ...

I have travelled by air across Africa, Europe and Asia for more than thirty years.

Still remember flying in the Boeing 707, 727 & 737.

Also remember flying BOAC before they became British Airways.

One of the most memorable moments 

Was seeing the mountain peaks of the Swiss Alps from the cockpit of a Boeing 747.

Yes, in those days my dad and I would step into the cockpit of our flights to say hello to the pilots!

 

Don't even think of it today 😊

Flying is now a nightmare, especially within North America

 

This was our first flight on Air Canada, from London Heathrow to Toronto Pearson.

That was 18 years ago!

And my favourite aircraft is still the Boeing 747

Minutes later, the pilot landed the aircraft so gently, I didn't even realize we had touched down.

This was the smoothest landing I had ever experienced!

We were on one of the last flights of the Air Canada Boeing 747.

A few months later all their Boeing 747's were retired.

This is the most beautiful aircraft ever built!

 

Air Canada, Boeing 747

20"x30" oil painting on canvas

Planespotting

 It was a gloomy day with grey skies

And I really wish I could find a place closer to the runway to take photos. 

This place is 4 kilometres away from where I'm standing!

C-GKWA Boeing 737-800

West Jet Flight WS717 headed to Vancouver

The FedEx apron at Pearson International Airport

 

C-GUAC 

Air Canada Airbus A220-300

 

Flair Airlines flight F8 102

Boeing 737 MAX 8

Just landed a few minutes ago in Edmonton

China Southern flight CZ 8118 headed to Guangzhou, China

B-1242 is a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

Although it's a day with grey skies, it's great to see more air travel

Parked and getting ready for departure to Dubai is EK242

The Airbus A380

Check out these photos of the Emirates A380 I took from 12 kilometres away,

From home

 

Airbus A380-800 takeoff from Toronto Pearson International Airport

Cloudy, about 11 degreec C and it's a cool afternoon.

From Danville park, Terminal 1 is more than 5 kilometres away 

(all distances as the crow flies)

Either I find another spot closer to the runway, or 

I get a camera like the Nikon P1000 for better photos.

Today's sole purpose,

is to take photos of the Airbus A380-800, and 

Emirates EK 242 is parked right there! 

(5 kilometres away)

☺

The CN tower is 23 kilometres away

Air Canada jet landing on runway 23.

The same runway that the A380 will use to depart YYZ

6.5 kilometres away is 

The Marilyn Monroe towers in Mississauga

The flight to DXB is ready to taxi and is slowly backing up from the Terminal

Taxiing to runway 23

Meanwhile here's an Air Canada Airbus A321-200 

C-GJWI

Flight AC 115 headed for YVR

EK 242 is waiting for clearance for take off on runway 23.

There's a plane approaching to land on the same runway

Cleared for take off ...

... increase throttle ...

... Lift off ...

... Airborne ...

About 320 kilometres per hour

Check out the exhaust smoke ...

Retracting the landing gear after takeoff

I knew it would turn left,

And fly above our home!

(12 kilometres away, as the crow flies)

Have a nice trip!

Plane spotting

The runway is not visible from here, 

but finally found a place where it's easy to park your car 

and do some peaceful plane spotting while having a cup of tea!

This is Emirates A380 EK 242 just after take off now from Pearson International Airport, 

from YYZ to DXB.

It's about 12 kilometres away ...

Now it's almost above me but it's so fast ...

approximately 150 knots (275 kilometres per hour) 

and I'm holding my heavy lens free hand

From this photo you can probably guess where I am ...

And it's gone!

I know it's time for my evening walk when I see my Lufthansa flight 

LH 471 YYZ to FRA

Boeing 747-400

More plane spotting here

Plane Spotting at Danville Park

Went to check out Danville Park to see if I could take photos of aircraft landing at Pearson International Airport.

Although the viewing location is about 25 metres above the surrounding area, 

the distance to the edge of the nearest runway is about 3 kilometres! 

See the plane landing on runway 05

This viewing location is way too far to capture photos of aircraft as they taxi, land or take off.

Wish they consulted plane spotters before investing in this viewing location :)

Here's a little history of the airport

With a 600 mm lens, this is the best I could capture of the smoke when the tires touch the tarmac

Here are more photos taken from a location much closer to the airport

That moment when the tires touch the tarmac on landing!

Happy plane spotting!