Toronto spotting - 3/22/2008

[tipek]

Hi Guys,

I left Saturday morning (read 20 minutes past midnight on Friday) from DC to Toronto with two other spotters.
First airport on our list was YHM (Hamilton, ON)
Around 10 727s scatered around the airport. Not a big change from last year visit.
Purolator started putting winglets on their 727s. Also Air Inuit 737-200 stripped to the bone.

http://home.comcast.net/~tipek/6azvbhm.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~tipek/purowing74mh.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~tipek/cargoalbinhm.jpg

Next stop was YYZ. We had hard time finding spots for runway 6L so we've decided to catch arrivals on rwy 05. Few shots from YYZ:

http://home.comcast.net/~tipek/yyac7731.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~tipek/yyaca67bir.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~tipek/yyafranc343.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~tipek/yyaperten72.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~tipek/yypriv34.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~tipek/yysun38.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~tipek/yywes36.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~tipek/yyac7732.jpg

We got bored with YYZ and one hour before we went back to US, we've decided to visit Bombardier's Toronto factory. They had a lot of planes parked outside the hangars, but the thing is that photography of that ramp is only possible only in the morning.
How lucky you have to be to get Dash 8-300 on a test flight on a Saturday evening?
I guess we were really lucky. Not only we've got it flying but the value is in the airline name. Air Philippines DHC-8-Q300!!!!
Few pictures:

http://home.comcast.net/~tipek/bophilipq300.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~tipek/bophilipq8300.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~tipek/boflybeq400.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~tipek/borampa3.jpg


And side note: Today when I went to IAD to return rental car I've got this Detroit Pistons DC-9
http://home.comcast.net/~tipek/iaddetpist.jpg

Take care,
Rafal

[njgtr82]

Great stuff Rafal, where in Toronto is the Bombardier factory? I was up there a few weeks and was only able to hit the airport for a few hours but would love to go back for the Cubana Tu-204.

Bill

[tipek]

I don't know where exactly that factory is, but you can find it on the map. Its called Toronto Downsview Airport YDZ. I have followed my GPS from YYZ to YDZ and it took us 15 minutes to get there.

Rafal

[SengaB]

Nice shots Rafal,
Was N880DP repainted it looks blue now...I shot it years ago when it looked to be brown.

Senga