Tue Dec 23, 2008 5:46 pm
#692278
As part of a flying trip in August 2008, I flew from Niagara International (USA) to Toronto City Airport, along the shore of Lake Ontario past Hamilton. On paper, this may look a bit daunting, with lowering concentric circles of Class C controlled airspace protecting Toronto International, but in practice, it was very easy. You will need the Toronto VFR Terminal Area Chart (1:250,000 scale).
I made contact with Toronto Centre on 133.40 at St Catherines at 3500’ and they gave me a service and gradually reduced my altitude to 2000’ as I approached Toronto City and handed me off to the tower with five miles to run. There is a Toronto City ATIS which you should pick up before you contact them.
Toronto City airport is on Centre Island right in the heart of downtown Toronto. Apart from the free ferry trip across about 100m of water, you are right there by the CN tower and Ontario Place downtown. There is a free shuttle bus that takes you from the ferry terminal on the mainland side to the Royal York Hotel.
There are three runways, all plenty long enough for light aircraft. The runway in use when I was there was 08, which is the preferred runway.
Toronto City Airport plate
The approach takes you close to the noise sensitive Ontario Place. Noise sensitive areas are clearly marked on the approach plates.
Approach plate and noise sensitive areas
This is an incredibly scenic approach to a big city and there really aren’t many of these left now. This one is really well worth doing!
Fantastic approach to runway 08 flying in from the west along the shores of Lake Ontario
There is only one operator on the airport and that it Porter – they own just about everything on Toronto City airport. I was directed to taxi to their stand. It is pretty obvious as there is a line of light aircraft and a huge hangar on the left hand end with a large ‘PORTER’ on the hangar. If in doubt, ask the tower – I fell foul and parked in the wrong place.
They are very hot about people wandering around and you must walk directly to the Porter entrance on the extreme left of the left-most hangar. Once inside, the FBO staff cannot be more helpful and pleasant. They normally have a shuttle bus to save you the agonising 100m walk to the free ferry terminal, but when we arrived, they had stopped for the day, so we walked as indicated by the red line below.
Aerial view of the Porter hangar and route to the ferry terminal
Landing, handling and overnight parking came to $CAN35 – expensive by USA / Canadian standards, but cheap by UK standards.
Departure was still using 08 and we were routed out along the lakeshore with a stated maximum height (1500’ IIRC). They handed us off to Toronto Centre. It was very easy.
A highly recommended destination with plenty of interesting aircraft airside.
I made contact with Toronto Centre on 133.40 at St Catherines at 3500’ and they gave me a service and gradually reduced my altitude to 2000’ as I approached Toronto City and handed me off to the tower with five miles to run. There is a Toronto City ATIS which you should pick up before you contact them.
Toronto City airport is on Centre Island right in the heart of downtown Toronto. Apart from the free ferry trip across about 100m of water, you are right there by the CN tower and Ontario Place downtown. There is a free shuttle bus that takes you from the ferry terminal on the mainland side to the Royal York Hotel.
There are three runways, all plenty long enough for light aircraft. The runway in use when I was there was 08, which is the preferred runway.
Toronto City Airport plate
The approach takes you close to the noise sensitive Ontario Place. Noise sensitive areas are clearly marked on the approach plates.
Approach plate and noise sensitive areas
This is an incredibly scenic approach to a big city and there really aren’t many of these left now. This one is really well worth doing!
Fantastic approach to runway 08 flying in from the west along the shores of Lake Ontario
There is only one operator on the airport and that it Porter – they own just about everything on Toronto City airport. I was directed to taxi to their stand. It is pretty obvious as there is a line of light aircraft and a huge hangar on the left hand end with a large ‘PORTER’ on the hangar. If in doubt, ask the tower – I fell foul and parked in the wrong place.
They are very hot about people wandering around and you must walk directly to the Porter entrance on the extreme left of the left-most hangar. Once inside, the FBO staff cannot be more helpful and pleasant. They normally have a shuttle bus to save you the agonising 100m walk to the free ferry terminal, but when we arrived, they had stopped for the day, so we walked as indicated by the red line below.
Aerial view of the Porter hangar and route to the ferry terminal
Landing, handling and overnight parking came to $CAN35 – expensive by USA / Canadian standards, but cheap by UK standards.
Departure was still using 08 and we were routed out along the lakeshore with a stated maximum height (1500’ IIRC). They handed us off to Toronto Centre. It was very easy.
A highly recommended destination with plenty of interesting aircraft airside.