Soaring - An Aviation Focus

July 25, 2019

An Ongoing Passion for Flight & Flying Designs

For over a decade, we have actively pursued our perpetual fascination and awe with the ever-expanding universe of flight. The following portfolio reflects this with the spectacular diversity of airlines, their liveries, history, and aircraft.

Following our passion for local photography, the images in this blog are exclusively captured at Toronto’s Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ), the 2nd busiest international airport in the Americas by passenger count. It's quite an astonishing feat, and by way of reference, this equates to 49.5 million passengers per year, just over ten million short of New York’s JFK International Airport passenger volume. Originally named Malton Airport, it received its first passenger flight on August 29th, 1939, bringing it near to its 80 year anniversary. The modern name change occurred in 1984, honoring Lester B. Pearson, Canada’s 14th Prime Minister and a recipient of the Nobel Peace prize in 1957. With two terminals and five active runways, Pearson served close to a whopping half-million aircraft movements in 2018. True to its location, Pearson sports the world’s largest de-icing facility, a quintessentially Canadian feat.

Furthermore, our adventure expands beyond these images. We have included a story behind each aircraft that highlights the unique history and set of circumstances that guide the aircraft to YYZ, completing this voyage of discovery.

Enjoy,

Robson and David

*Note, you can visit our resources page on our site at Aviation References

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Boeing 747-400M (PH-BFV) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a beautifully sunny winter Saturday 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Boeing 747-400M (PH-BFV) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) on a beautifully sunny winter Saturday 2019. With an age of some 20 years, the Dutch national carrier took possession of this particular Boeing 747-400M in 1999, and the iconic jumbo jet has flown faithfully throughout. A minor disturbance, however, did occur in winter 2019, whilst the jetliner found itself in the push-back phase of departure at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (KLM's principal hub). During this maneuver, executed in conjunction with an adjacent KLM 787 Dreamliner, the 747 suffered noticeable damage to its right wingtip following a short collision between the two aircraft, requiring the temporary grounding of both planes. Specifically, the starboard wing tip of the 747 struck the starboard horizontal stabilizer of the 787-9 Dreamliner. Although experiencing a relatively significant blow to its aerodynamic structure, KLM's 747-400 returned to the skies a mere three days later, inflicting no casualties from the accident, a testament to the survivability of Boeing's iconic design - the personification of reliability indeed. Although KLM has had the privilege of servicing the Boeing 747 since 1971 (a 747-200 variant originally), the airline has announced plans for a total retirement of all 747s by 2021. This would see its three 747-400s and 5 747-400Ms (“M” representing “combi” variant - transporting both passengers and freight concurrently) removed completely from their fleet, set to be succeeded by more recent jetliners. Interestingly, the combi version of the 747-400M was launched in 1989 with KLM; KLM was the launch customer of this particular aircraft and will have flown it for some 30 years. The retirement of the 747 is a growing theme among modern airlines, due in part to the increased ETOPS limit of modern twin engine aircraft, rendering the 747s 4 engine set-up as an inefficient design, comparatively speaking. ETOPS is an acronym in aviation - Extended-range Twin-engine Operational Performance Standards - referring to an aircraft's maximum legal flying time away from the nearest suitable airport in the case of only one engine functioning during an emergency situation. The current ETOPS top ratings allow for the likes of the Airbus and Boeing family of twinjets to be certified with limits allowing upwards of 5 plus hours. For reference, a low ETOPS rating requires a flight to follow a strict route, frequently requiring adjustments to the flight path in order to never stray more that the specified ETOPS time limit from an airport. This creates flight routes with longer distances and rarely provides a direct route. With high ETOPS rating, a more direct, shorter route can be taken, saving both time and fuel in the process, a major gain to airline customers (such as KLM in this case). In all, the 747 originally possessed the advantage here, with four engines, allowing for some of the best ETOPS equivalent ratings), however, current technologies has caught up in the twin engine category. The 747 still proves great for cargo airlines, however, given 4 engines can lift a tremendous amount of cargo weight - hence why many retired passenger 747 will be converted to freight operations. With the closing chapter of this iconic jumbo jet on the horizon, The Queen of the Skies continues to inspire those who stop and observe its design. Enjoy the image!

Air Belgium A340-300 (OO-ABB) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a gloriously stellar Saturday afternoon 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

Air Belgium A340-300 (OO-ABB) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from London Heathrow International Airport (LHR) on a gloriously stellar Saturday afternoon 2019. This is the same wet-leased aircraft we have observed on numerous occasions flying for British Airways in order to provide lower disturbances to the British carrier's operations due to inspections of the global Boeing 787-9 aircraft TRENT 1000 Rolls Royce engines which comprises a significant portion of their long-haul fleet. The A340 family was designed with four iterations. The initial model (in this image) became the A340-300, which launched in 1987 and entered into service during 1993 at 209ft (63.7m). Developed and launched side-by-side was the shortest model, the A340-200, measuring in at 193ft (59m). A few years later came the the A340-600 at a whopping 246ft (75m), almost 40 feet longer than the -200 variant, and the A340-500 (superseded by the A350-900) at 223ft (68m). These models were concurrently developed in 1997 and simultaneously launched in 2002. Of note, European airlines Lufthansa and Air France became the first launch customers of the A340 aircraft in March of 1993. Lufthansa launched the A340-200, while Air France first received the A340-300, which became a very special transaction as it marked the 1000th Airbus aircraft delivery to a customer. In addition, the launch customer of the A340-600 was Virgin Atlantic in 2002, and although Air Canada was expected to become the launch customer of the A340-500, its entry into creditor protection in 2003 led to the Emirati airline Emirates grabbing this title. Emirates would launch their A340-500 on a Dubai-New York route on its first route to the Americas. With four engines and a testament to the distance capabilities of this aircraft, in 1993, the A340-200, called "World Ranger", departed from the Paris airshow en route to Auckland, New Zealand, in 21 hours and 31 minutes. This marked the longest non-stop flight at the time (measuring in at 19,277km), breaking 6 world records of various topics during the process. The plane returned to Paris a few hours after touchdown, clocking in at a stellar return-trip time of 48h 22m (including the stop over). That round-trip record held until 1997 when a Boeing 777-200ER flew some 20,000km from Seattle to Kuala Lumpur. Although not seen from this perspective, it should be noted that the winglets of the A340 stand tall at an impressive nine feet, however, this becomes hardly noticeable when compared to the gigantic wingspan of the jetliner (of any model). Interestingly, this aircraft variant also includes a unique and rare centre wheel mount on the bottom of the fuselage in between the two wing struts. Known as a three-leg main landing gear, due to the three wheel sections descending from the centre belly, this setup is frequently referred to as the "twin boogie" by manufacturers and pilots alike. As one of 379 A340 exemplars ever built, enjoy!

Air Canada Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport overhead en route to runway 23 - Photo by Robson Smith

Air Canada Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) overhead en route to runway 23. This aircraft was delivered to Air Canada in May 2017 and is currently serviced as one of 38 Boeing Dreamliners in their fleet, 29 of which are 787-9 models. On the underbelly of this aircraft, Air Canada's new livery is on full display, now including a retro black design and a new and prominent red Canadian flag (Air Canada's Rondelle) surrounded by the retro black. The engines on this Dream liner are General Electric's GEnx-1B, the most powerful of this engine family, offering quieter and more efficient fan blades. This engine is also used on the Boeing 747-800 and surpassed one million flight hours in 2017 (two years before this capture) on a Cargolux 747-8 freighter. Truly, a different view of this aircraft's belly yields a new appreciation for these modern engines (they're loud — but nowhere near as loud as they used to be). Enjoy!

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Boeing 747-400(M) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a dazzling Saturday morning 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Boeing 747-400(M) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) on a dazzling Saturday morning 2019. Interestingly, note the unique logo on the fuselage resembling the number "100" with a banner in Dutch colours intertwined, representing KLM's 100th anniversary this year. The airline was founded in 1919 as KLM, denoting the company as the first airline in the world to reach its centennial operating under its original name. Also celebrating another global milestone, Boeing's 747 family of aircraft is commemorating its 50th anniversary since the inaugural flight in February of 1969, a testament to the aircraft's phenomenal capabilities. Colloquially known as the "Queen of the Skies", the 747, with six million parts, is incredibly still in production and will retake its throne as largest passenger airliner still in production once the Airbus A380 is phased out entirely due to its planned production termination in 2021. Coincidentally, the first 25 Boeing 747 orders (747-100 model) were placed on Boeing's 50th anniversary in 1966 by PAN AM Airlines. The variant of the 747 in this image, the 747-400, has been in operation for 30 years now, another remarkable number, since 1989. Importantly, although KLM was not the first airline to use the 747-400 model, they were first at operating the combi (passenger and freight) variant of the 747-400 in the same year. All five of KLM's 747-400s are named after famous international cities, this plane is named after Johannesburg. Also on this plane, KLM's updated livery is on full display, sporting a similar design to its predecessor but with a tweaked fuselage top. Now, the "drop nose" is being used to add flow to the livery instead of a linear and non dynamic design. See the other KLM aircraft in the "Soaring Blog" for the older livery. With its fascinating versatility and history, we implore all to stop and enjoy the sight of the only true iconic jumbo jet. Enjoy!

Lufthansa Boeing 747-400 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a thrilling Saturday afternoon 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

Lufthansa Boeing 747-400 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Frankfurt Airport (FRA) on a thrilling Saturday afternoon 2019. Currently, Lufthansa operates a whopping fleet of 32 747s, 13 of which are 747-400s, the rest are 747-8Is. This denotes the company as the largest operator of the Boeing 747-8Is. Although this specific 747-400 has been flying since 1997, the "Queen of the Skies" 747 family has been in operation for 50 years, and the 747-400 variant has been in the air for 30. Apropos of Lufthansa's fleet, the airline has the distinction and honour of receiving Boeing's 1500th 747 ever built, certifying the aircraft as the first ever wide bodied plane to reach the 1500 milestone, a testament to the incredible lasting and useful design of the 747. Indeed, the 747 operates as the most successful jumbo jet on the market, with rival company Airbus terminating production of their closest counterpart, the A380, by 2021 - just over a decade after that plane was unveiled. To note the immense size of the 747, take into consideration the six million parts that are built into the aircraft, three million of which are fasteners, making the plane intrinsically one of the most resilient and structurally robust ever built. Also note the 275 km of internal wiring, further adding to its colossal 183 500 kg (over 700 000 pounds) weight. Requiring 14 crew members and accommodating nearly 400 passengers, Lufthansa's 747-400s are to be retired from passenger service by 2025, replaced with Boeing's latest 777-9s. However, due to the versatility of the 747 family, these planes, even when retired from passenger operations, will likely continue to operate as freight only planes, extending the life of the jumbo jet even further. Despite its impressive record and list of accomplishments, at the heart of the 747s success, by its chief engineer, Joe Sutter, "safety is the prime design objective of the 747... it shall be given first priority in all design decisions", a very admirable and proven statement. On a final note, the 747 has carried millions of people and umpteen tons of cargo to all corners of the earth, across all oceans and over both poles - to the benefit of all. Enjoy!

Emirates Airlines A380-800 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a remarkable Sunday morning 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

Emirates Airlines A380-800 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Dubai International Airport (DXB) on a remarkable Sunday morning 2019. Unusually so, this Airbus A380 was Emirates' second aircraft flying into Pearson Airport on this day, Sunday, July 21st, 2019, an increase from the scheduled single flight. This was due to safety precautions taken as a result of experienced engine troubles of the previous day on Emirates' A380 returning to Dubai. One of the super jumbo's four engines experienced a catastrophic failure, forcing the flight crew to shut down the engine and return to Toronto just over 20 minutes into the flight. As the damaged engine would require significant time for a replacement, Emirates dispatched another A380, arriving the following day in addition to their regular A380 flight, in order to recover the stranded passengers. This additional A380 is also sporting Emirates' special Dubai Expo 2020 livery, which can be found on 40 of their aircraft. The circular designs located on the mid fuselage are blue on this aircraft but also include green and orange on Emirates' other aircraft sporting this livery. Each colour represents one of the three main themes for the Dubai 2020 Expo: blue for mobility, green for sustainability, and orange for opportunity. Significantly, the logo of the Dubai Expo 2020 is inspired by a ring found at a 4000-year old archaeological site in the UAE. Of which, the logo is located near the front of the fuselage next to the English title. Amazing to have an extra A380 "rescue" plane for the day, don't you think? Enjoy!

Emirates Airways Airbus A380-800 (A6-EUK) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a magnificently sunny Sunday morning 2020 - Photo by Robson Smith

Emirates Airways Airbus A380-800 (A6-EUK) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Dubai International Airport (DUB) on a magnificently sunny Sunday morning 2020. Interestingly, for such a global airline serving an impressive 150 destinations, spanning 80 countries on all six inhabited continents, Emirates operates a fleet of only Boeing 777 and Airbus A380-800 aircraft. For a total of 259 jetliners in service, 144 of these are the Boeing 777 (with 134 777-300(ER)s and 10 777-200L(R)s), and a whopping 115 are reserved to the A380-800s (cementing the airline as the largest single operater of the Airbus Superjumbo). Looking to the future, Emirates is inevitably slowing down with regards to the A380, with only eight orders remaining. Also, no interest has been put forth for any aircraft of the original Boeing 777 family; however, a mind-boggeling 115 modern Boeing 777Xs are planned to be delivered from 2021, save from, of course, any production delays of the larget 777 model. To augument these wide-body jets, Airbus will begin to deliver some 50 A350-900s during 2023, and Boeing will follow suit with 30 787-9s in the same year, brining quick modernization to the fleet. Emirates, since its foundation in 1985, has continued to excell in the aviation industry; is the world's fourth largest airline by "scheduled revenue passenger-kilometers flown", aka paying passengers, and its growth has never fallen below 20% annually. With 3600 flights per week, all from Dubai International Airport, its hub, the airline is denoted aa the world's largest 777 and A380 fleet by far. And best of all, all this originated from a company that began with a paltry $10 million in start-up capital. In addition, it should be noted, for fun, that Herpa, a German company, has produced a 1/500 model of this exact aircraft. This seems to be a famous plane. Enjoy the image!

Air Belgium Airbus A340-300 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on an elegant Saturday afternoon 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

Air Belgium Airbus A340-300 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from London Heathrow International Airport (LRH) on an elegant Saturday afternoon 2019. As a quick recap, this Air Belgium A340 (OO-ABB) is flying to Toronto under British Airways. The British national carrier leased the jetliner to minimize the disruption to their long haul flights resulting from precautionary inspections on the Rolls Royce Trent 1000 engines equipped for their 787-9 aircraft, a global safety mandate by the engine manufacturer. Air Belgium, a new airline founded in 2016, took to the air in March 2018 with a fleet of four Airbus A340-300s. Currently, two of these planes are wet leased to other airlines — LOT Polish Airlines and, of course, British Airways. The airline has to date been unsuccessful as a scheduled and charter airline, hence the availability and mutually beneficial arrangements between Air Belgium and the companies it leases to. On the other hand, behind this colorful livery lies a neat story with an unorthodox ending. At the turn of 2018, Air Belgium had received four used A340-300s from their previous operator, Finn air, and these four engine jets were being sold by Airbus, the manufacturing company, in full white livery. Prior to flying as an airline, Air Belgium understandably wished not to fly with these nondescript white liveries. However, time is paramount for launching airlines, and the company was unable to find the adequate combination of time, space, and livery specialists for the painting jobs. Consequently, they were forced to consult an innovative supplier, the BCO Aviation Team, who offers a new type of aircraft livery. In lieu of standard aviation paint, the company uses an ultra-high performance, micro-perforated adhesive film, treated to allow for long term, extreme operations and environments. And, best of all, the BCO Aviation Team was able to complete the job in under 30 hours, down from days for standard painting, and in the hangars where the planes were stored — no transportation was required, a monumental benefit. Thus, this plane does not sport the typical (and perhaps boring) hyper accurate paint job we've come to expect — it uses "stickers". In closing, we hope Air Belgium is able to surpass its current issues and fulfill its aspirations of flying to Asia, but, in the interim, it is a pleasure to welcome them to Toronto. Enjoy!

British Airways (BA) Airbus A350-1000XWB arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a crisp and beautifully sunny mid-winter Saturday afternoon 2019.

British Airways (BA) Airbus A350-1000XWB arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from London Heathrow International Airport (LHR) on a crisp and beautifully sunny mid-winter Saturday afternoon 2019. Thirty days new and the third of 18 British Airways A350 model 1000 aircraft to be delivered sometime within the early 2020s, this jetliner proudly flies the Heathrow-Pearson route for the third month since its inaugural A350-1000 flight this October. (Previously, British Airways operated this route flying the Boeing 777-200ER.) The aircraft pictured, G-XWBC, marks a significant fleet redesign choice as sought out by the British carrier, now over 100 years mature. With deliveries occurring in rapid succession; their first A350-1000 was acquired on the 27th of July 2019, the second in September, and third (this aircraft) in late November. The fourth (and most recent purchase) was launched five days prior, on December 26th, to this capture. Furthermore, BA's fleet is comprised of both Airbus and Boeing products, with over 280 total aircraft. A significant portion of which is composed of 140 A320 family planes (including 28 “neo” variants, "New Engine Option", for the A321s and A320s) and over 50 Boeing 777 aircraft (primarily 777-200ER variants). Moreover, the "Queen of the Skies" Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet presently holds roughly 30 places in the company's fleet. This iconic jetliner is planned to be retired by 2024, however. To the future, British Airways has placed a multitude of orders for the upcoming Boeing 777-300 successor, the 777X, with an order for approximately 24 options, to be received in 2022. These will replace the "Queen of the Sky" 747s. On order is an additional 10 Boeing 787-10 planes, deliveries to begin in 2020, in order to complement their present 12 787-8s and 18 787-9s. All in all, with such a young aircraft flying such a new route, enjoy the image!

Air France Airbus A350-900 (F-HTYD) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Aiport (YYZ) on a bright Sunday afternoon 2020 - Photo by Robson Smith

Air France Airbus A350-900 (F-HTYD) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Aiport (YYZ) from Paris-Charles De Gaulle International Airport (CDG) on a bright sunday afternoon 2020. Quick recap: this Air France Airbus A350-900 was the fourth delivered to the French carrier of the A350 series, in February of 2020, a few weeks before this capture, and this exact aircraft, F-HTYD, is the 350th A350 ever delivered to any customer - a major milestone indeed. Astute viewers may note that, although F-HTYD is officially classified as the 350th, the production number/manufacturing serial number is labeled as 381. Clearly, the actual aircraft deliveries for the A350 do not correspond with the product line units. Importantly, as an integrated multi-country engineering, manufacturing, and assembly operation, numerous locations are involved with the production of the Airbus A350. The company relies on Germany's imput for select fuselage and vertical tail sections (for all Airbus aircraft), and all wing assembly occurs in North Wales, UK. In Spain, where aeronautical production and assembly takes place, a delivery centre is used prior to shipping to the final assembly lines (in Toulouse, France, and Hamburg, Germany) for all planes except the A380. In other words, this is the A350's final facility visitation before its full assembly in France. In addition, Airbus has a total of nine final assembly lines (FALs) at five locations worldwide for the full range of narrow and widebody jetliners. The most prominent country with the greatest quantity of FALs is, unsurprisingly, France, with four. All of which are in the regions of Toulouse; the first is dedicated to the production of the A320 narrow-body series, a second for the A330 wide-body family, another, of course, for the A350 XWB, and a final for the A380 superjumbo. Hamburg, Germany, has one final assembly and test line, comprising four production facilities, for the A320 aircraft. In Tianjin, China, Airbus has situated one FAL, again for the A320 family. To the West, Mobile, Alabama, U.S.A., is allocated two FALs from the European giant. One assembles the A320 and another the A220 family narrowbody jet. Finally, at Mirabel, Quebec, Canada, there is one FAL for the A220 family. It should be noted, too, that Toulouse is the original final assembly line for Airbus; it still sees the vast majority of the company's productions. At the FAL in Toulouse for the A350 XWB, some 1500 employees are required when in full prodution. That is quite a complicated construction system - a unequivocal, logistical nightmare mastered by the Airbus team. Enjoy the image!

Air France Airbus A350-900, F-HTYD, arriving on its maiden flight across the ocean to Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Aiport (YYZ) from Paris-Charles De Gaulle International Airport (CDG) on a dreary late Saturday afternoon 2020 (Feb 15th). With such a wonderful livery, this extraordinarily exciting aircraft is made even the more memorable, for this YYZ approach marked a finale to the aircraft's fifth flight ever since received by the French carrier on February 12th 2020. Prior to the 15th of February, F-HTYD flew on the 13th from Paris to Seoul, Paris to Cairo on the 14th, and finally, as mentioned, to Toronto, marking its first trans-atlantic crossing, a unique occurance. This all translates to this beautiful A350 being, at the time of capture, only three days young, operating only 2 previous round trips! Furthermore, our plane marks the fourth A350-900 ever delivered to Air France and, as a special treat, is also the 350th Airbus A350 ever, a milestone in history and justifiably flying under the French colours. Aptly named Nice, after the French Riviera city, this tradition of naming jetliners from Air France has only been reinstated with the A350 series; the other three from the airline have been titled Toulouse, Lyon, and St. Denis de la Réunion. Furthermore, four of the company's 38 A350-900 orders have now been received with this aircraft, slowly working towards completing a future long-haul fleet makeover. Of note, Air France only began acquiring A350 aircraft in September of 2019, with the first commercial flight taking place in late October to none other than Toronto's Pearson Airport (this was operated on "Toulouse"). However, although Toronto marked a first, the French airline will pull their A350s from the CDG-YYZ route in early spring as the summer schedule will see the reconfiguration of their destinations served by the jet - Toronto's loss. Enjoy this image!

Philippine Airlines (PAL) Airbus A350-900 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a heavenly Sunday sunset 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

Philippine Airlines (PAL) Airbus A350-900 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Manila (MNL), on a heavenly Sunday sunset 2019. The A350-900 wide-body, long-haul jet pictured in this image finds a special place among the six A350s in Philippine Airlines's fleet. The company began acquiring these aircraft in July of 2018 - one year prior to this capture - and, as this specific plane marked PAL's fifth A350 when delivered in February 2018, it received the iconic "Love Bus" decal, proudly displayed on the nose of the jetliner. The decal commemorates PAL and manufacturer Airbus' 40 year partnership anniversary, a relationship that goes back to the purchase of the Airbus A300B4, the derivative of which was Airbus’s first commercial jetliner ever, in 1979 on behalf of Asia's oldest airline. The Philippine national carrier uses its A350s for long-haul routes to New York and Toronto, utilizing its impressive range of 15,000km, and has a larger goal of replacing its aging A340-300s with the modern plane. In addition, it has expressed interest in the Airbus A350-1000, through an option to acquire six A350 aircraft (either -900 or -1000 models) on top of their current planes, bringing further modernization to its fleet. Indeed, these airplanes bring significant advancement to any fleet operating them, with carbon fibre reinforced polymer making up the majority of the wings and fuselage, near unmatched range (especially the A350-900ULR), and incredible Rolls Royce Trent XWB engines with thrust capabilities of 84,000 lbf and 97,000 lbf for the A350-900 and A350-1000 respectively. With such a beautiful sunset and plane, what a treat we were given at YYZ on Sunday. Enjoy!

Ethiopian Airlines Airbus A350-900 (ET-AWP) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a fabulously bright Sunday morning 2020 - Photo by Robson Smith

Ethiopian Airlines Airbus A350-900 (ET-AWP)arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD) on a fabulously bright Sunday morning 2020. Of note, this very aircraft marks an extremely new addition to the Ethiopian carrier's fleet. Delivered to the airline in mid-Decmeber of 2019, only a few months prior to this capture, ET-AWP finds itself as one of approximately 14 A350s flying undet Ethiopian. What is more, Ethiopian only began servicing this modern aircraft model for the ADD-YYZ route in fall of 2019, denoting yet another recent milestone for Africa's largest fleet. In addition, the serial number for this aircraft is 375, denoting this exact jetliner as the 375th A350-900 on Airbus's production line, a categorically impressive feat. Named "Paris", this plane is, thus far, the last Airbus A350 to be delivered to Ethiopian airlines, with some ten more on order. The company accepted the delivery of their first A350-900 in summber of 2016 and has been flying to Pearson for around eight years. On a tangent, photographed at Toronto's Pearson airport, it should be noted that the sole incident recorded for this aircraft dates to the 28th of January, 2020, at none other than YYZ. Approaching runway 23 under the morning sun, ET-AWP was prepped for an uneventful arrival. Unfortunately, however, the previous aircraft to land on the ashphalt exited in a delayed fashion, causing the flight tower to order the Ethiopian jet to execute an abort and attempt a "go around", again for runway 23. All was succesful the second time, and this class of incident is denoted as an "undershoot/overshoot". This is hardly an infrequent turn of events, and the aircraft is otherwise incident-free. Enjoy the image!

Lufthansa Airbus A350-900 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a picturesque Saturday sunset - Photo by Robson Smith

Lufthansa Airbus A350-900 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Munich International Airport (MUC) on a picturesque Saturday sunset 2019. Lufthansa was founded in 1953 and quickly grew in size and reputation to become the famous airline it is today, awarded the exclusive Skytrax 5 star certificate for excellence. Though this is an Airbus A350 model, Lufthansa has historically used a multitude of Boeing aircraft too. In 1967, the airline became the first foreign launch customer of a Boeing airliner. The aircraft, a 737-100, was the first commercially available 737, making Lufthansa the world's first customer to receive a 737, the world's most successful airplane ever. Germany's national carrier is also credited as being one of the five founding members of Star Alliance in 1997 - the second largest airline alliance in the world by passenger count (750m+ in 2018). Furthermore, the airline finds itself as part of the Lufthansa Group, which includes Brussels, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, and others for a whopping combined fleet of over 700 aircraft, designating the group as one of the largest global fleets. Interestingly, Lufthansa has a tradition of naming most of their aircraft after cities, towns, and federal states, the far majority being German. This A350 is named "Bonn", after the large western German city. In fact, the relevance of the route or plane type flown roughly equates to the size, importance of the city from which it takes its name. The livery depicted is a pre-2018 version, which continues the stylised crane in a yellow circle, from the 1918 design by Otto Firle. Their slogan says "Say Yes to the World", and we say "Thank You, Lufthansa, for saying yes to Toronto". Enjoy!

Ethiopian Airlines (ET-AUC) Airbus A350-900XWB departing from Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a dynamic Saturday morning 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

Ethiopian Airlines Airbus A350-900XWB departing from Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) en route to Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD) on a dynamic Saturday morning 2019. Carrying some 300 passengers, Airbus' newest wide-body aircraft competes directly with Boeing's 777ER family of aircraft, and the A350-900 variant (pictured) is most comparable in size to the 777-200ER, the smallest 777. Statistically, at this point in time, the A350-900 has seen some 783 orders, with 298 deliveries, and of 176 A350-1000 (the "big brother" of this plane) orders, 33 have been delivered. Hence, 959 orders with 331 deliveries - so close to 1000! Moreover, only in July of 2017 did the aircraft reach its 100th delivery, indicative of rapid growth and capabilities. From Airbus, "the combination of these advantages [to the A350] result in 25 percent lower operating costs, fuel burn, and CO2 emissions when compared with previous generation aircraft - showing Airbus' commitment to protecting the environment while remaining at the cutting edge of travel". To this, the European manufacturer is referring to the incredible adaptive wing design, inspired by birds, the usage of over 70 percent advanced materials (53% carbon composites augmented by titanium and modern aluminium alloys), and the superbly effective and powerful Rolls Royce Trent XWB engines of the A350. These engines were designed exclusively to power this model, first flying on the A350 in June 2013 and a culmination of six generations of Rolls Royce turbofans, based upon 70 million hours of Trent (engine) family experience and dubbed the world's most efficient aeroengine - and for good reason. The set-up possess a multitude of internal fans, 22 to be exact, approaching three metres, nearly 10 feet, in diameter (larger than the fuselage of the Concord - in fact, each Trent XWB must be partially disassembled in order for transport as the structure simply cannot fit into the world's major air freighters, the Boeing 747F and 777F) and providing between 84 and 97 thousand pounds of thrust. The unit intakes up to a whopping 1.3 tons of air, the equivalent of all the air in a squash court, every second during take-off, a monumental figure. Also during take-off, the force is equal to nine london buses hanging off each blade, or 90 tons. However, the feats get better: the high-pressure turbine blades inside the engine rotate at 12,500rpm, and extraordinarily so, the tips of these blades reach twice the speed of sound (1200 mph, almost 2000kph). At takeoff, each of the sixty eight high pressure blades generates about 900 horsepower, equalling about one Formula-One race car on each blade, totalling 50,000 horsepower per unit. Finally, just for fun, the air leaving the rear nozzle of the engines travel only some 1000mph/1600kph. That's quite an extraordinary set of accomplishments for such a new engine. It is so reliable, in fact, that "only" after having accumulated 2.2 million flight hours did its first in-fight-shutdown occur during September 2018, a full five years since its inaugural flight - the epitome of engineering indeed. As far as we are concerned, the unsung heroes of aeronautics truly are the wing and engine engineers. A bright future exists for both the Airbus A350 family and the Rolls Royce Trent XWB engine, as well as Ethiopian Airlines, who, in June 2016, became Africa's first operator of the A350XWB. Enjoy the image!

Westjet De Havilland Canada DASH 8 Q400 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a brisk Sunday morning 2020 - Photo by Robson Smith

Westjet De Havilland Canada DASH 8 Q400 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) (likely from Québec City's Jean Lesage International Airport, YQB) on a brisk Sunday morning 2020. First launched in 1984 by De Havilland Canada, the DASH 8 series has morphed, ownership-wise, between a number of companies and corporations, culminating with its famous mark today. Subsequent to De Havilland's success with the design in the 1980s, the company was purchased by Boeing in 1988. However, ownership of the DASH 8 would soon revert to a Canadian company in 1992 by Bombardier, headquartered out of Quebec. It was at this stage that the aircraft was rebranded as the "Bombardier" DASH 8, alligning with their brand. The DASH 8 is best known by this title. Moreover, following the divestiture of this aircraft family from Bombardier in 2019, the new owners, Longview Aviation Capital, another Canadian company, would gain rights to this famous aircraft lineage. Of note, having acquired the original company brand (De Havilland) in additon to the actual aircraft's rights and manufacturing facilities, Longview Aviation Capital is able to revive the De Havilland Canada brand with the DASH 8, some 30 years later. The roots of this ubiquitious plane stem from the DASH 7, whose program commenced in the 1970s as a short take off/landing "STOL" prop plane with four engines. However, airlines, unsurprisingly, were more interested in operational costs rather than short field performance. This led to the DASH 8's inception, whereby two engines would be used in lieu of four. The airliner entered service in 1984, with NorOntario. With this, timing was excellent as many older aircraft (from the 1950 and 1960s) were nearing their respective retirements. Boeing then aquired DeHavilland, as mentioned, but did this in an attempt to facilitate an advantageous position to compete againts Airbus for large sales to then crown corporation Air Canada. Airbus won, and as a result, Boeing sold the unit to Bombardier. The rest is, as they say, "history". Variation wise, The Q series is the name given to all those of the family manufactured after 1997, toting active noise control systems (the "Q" stands for "Quiet"). The -400 model is not the only variation in service, but it remains the only one still in active production. It is, indeed, a fascinating aircraft and history. Enjoy the image!

Air India Boeing 777-300(ER) (VT-ALS) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a gloriously crisp Sunday morning 2020 - Photo by Robson Smith

Air India Boeing 777-300(ER) (VT-ALS) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) on a gloriously crisp Sunday morning 2020. As of March 2020, the DEl-YYZ service is relatively new, with non-stop service only recommencing in September of 2019 (on World Tourism Day, to be exact, September 27), some 4 months prior to this capture. Air India once operated the same route; however, the Indian carrier severed India's only direct connection to Pearson through a native airline around 2012. For the re-inaugural flight in September, Air India launched with a new special livery, dubbed "Celebrating India", both commemorating the YYZ service renewal and paying respect to the tremendous diversity the country of India has to offer. The new route marks the first time that the previous operator of this route, Air Canada, has had to deal with stiff competition, even though both airlines find themselves in the same globsl airline alliance, Star Alliance. In addition, this is a 14 hour flight, operated thrice weekly, with room for some 348 passengers in Air India's configuration (the Boeing 777-300 can, in theory, carry upwards of well over 500 under specific circumstances!). Regarding the airline, Air India serves as the flag carrier of India, was formed in 1932 before taking to the skies in 1946 under the modern name, and currently operates a fleet of around 127 aircraft of various sizes and makes. Originally formed by a Tata family member, the airline was given the title Tata Air Services in 1932 (later renamed to Tata Airlines in the late 1930s). Its inaugral flight, captained by the aforementioned founder, flew between Karachi and Mumbai (Bombay at the time) in 1938 and was, in fact, only operating air mail in lieu of passenger services. Following the second world war, and recommencement of commercial services, Tata Airlines became a publically traded company and was rebranded as the modern Air India (truthfully, anthough trading under Air India, the full name was Air India International - this would not be truncated until 1962). Subsequently, following independcene in 1947, a significant 49% of the airline was acquired by the Indian government (it would, however, eventually become a majority government-owned entity in 1953). Interestingly, Air India would become known as the first asian carrier to operate a jet airlcraft, the Boeing 707 in 1960, and in 1962, the company cemmented its place as a global airline of leadership, now recognized as the first "all jet" airline in the world. In terms of the company's standard livery, most recently launched in 2007, the colour scheme is, undoubtably, red and white/ivory, with each window stylistically outlined in a "Palace-style" design. Note, on the starboard aide, our side, the airline's title is in English and Hindi on the vertical stablizer. This is reversed on the port fuselage. The window scheme reflects their slogan, "Your Palace in the Sky", whereas the flower pedal like design on the tail represents a swan with the wheel shaped "Konark chakra", a symbol of India. At last, note the name "Mizoram" given to this aircraft (front of fuselage), after the Indian state in the landlocked eastern region of the country. Enjoy the image!

Etihad Airways Boeing 777-300ER arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a gloriously crisp winter Saturday 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

Etihad Airways Boeing 777-300ER arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) on a gloriously crisp winter Saturday 2019. This Boeing 777-300ER was delivered to the Emirati National carrier in 2013, exactly ten years after the airline's foundation, and currently represents a small portion of its total fleet size of approximately 111 aircraft (including six Boeing 777F cargo planes). Along with the aircraft pictured, there are 19 passenger 777-300ERs serviced along with 30 Boeing 787-9s and seven 787-10 aircraft. To finish up Boeing's side, numerous Dreamliner purchases have been put forth (37 in total with 12 787-9s and seven 787-10 variants), along with six of the forthcoming 777-9s. For Airbus, on a regional scale, the A320 series accounts for 20 planes (19 A320-200 and 10 321-200 models), allowing the airline to operate its entire short-haul fleet with European aircraft. For the future, 26 orders for the new A321neos have been placed, most likely in order to replace the aging A320 aircraft. In order to complement the longer range platforms, ten A330-200 are serviced and an amazing ten Airbus A380-800 superjumbos are used frequently as well. Interestingly, although with 20 A350-1000 orders placed with deliveries starting in 2019, only five have been confirmed, and an even smaller three received (yet stored). In a forward thinking manner, Etihad Airways shows much interest in the future of biofuels, launching the first commercial aircraft, a Boeing 787, using locally produced bio-fuel derived from the Salicornia plant in January of 2019. This move parallels an effort to become much greener and "an even more sustainable airline". The flight lasted for a worthy seven hours. Denoting themselves as "one of the most advanced fleets in the world, with the latest entertainment and mouth-watering food", Etihad has certainly lived up to their vision of extravagant in-flight service, Enjoy the image!

Turkish Airlines Boeing 777-300(ER) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a wondrous Sunday afternoon 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

Turkish Airlines Boeing 777-300(ER) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Istanbul Havalimani Airport (IST) on a wondrous Sunday afternoon 2019. The 777-300(ER) aircraft pictured was delivered to the Turkish national carrier in June of 2016 and finds its place along with a total of 33 Boeing 777-300(ER) long-haul jets, which themselves make up one tenth of Turkish's fleet. However, as the world's largest airline by passenger destinations (excluding subsidiaries), Turkish's fleet extends well beyond this figure. The airline operates a diverse fleet of a 319 aircraft from both Airbus and Boeing, the leading manufactures in the aviation industry. The two most numerous aircraft in this fleet both serve as narrow body, short to medium haul aircraft and derive from the two manufacturers Boeing and Airbus. Operating 68 Airbus A321-200s and a whopping 98 Boeing 737-800s, the company allocates half of its fleet to just two aircraft models. Looking ahead to the future, Turkish Airlines, in terms of narrow-body planes, is expected to purchase 84 Airbus A321-neos (New Engine Option) and 63 Boeing 737 MAX 8 and 9s, augmenting their already impressive fleet by 147 new aircraft. Also on order, but in terms of wide-body, long-haul aircraft from Airbus, is a sole A330-300 (to join their existing fleet of 39 A330-300s) and a whopping 30 new A350-900s. Not to be undone, 26 new Boeing Dreamliners (in this case, the 787-9 model) will join their fleet of four current 787s, providing the airline with an equal number of ultra-long range, state of the art, wide-body aircraft from both Boeing and Airbus. 60 of these planes (30 A350-900s and 787-9s), along with the airline's other orders, will, by 2023, bring the fleet size to a total of just over 500 passenger planes, before any retirements. With their slogan "Widen Your World", Turkish is clearly aiming for more planes, more flights, and wider smiles. Enjoy!

Cathay Pacific Boeing 777-300(ER) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a striking Saturday afternoon 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

Cathay Pacific Boeing 777-300(ER) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok International Airport (HKG) on a striking Saturday afternoon 2019. The plane pictured in this image is of the 777 family, the first entirely new Boeing airplane model in over a decade when released in the mid nineties. The plane was the first ever Boeing "fly-by-wire" aircraft, allowing it to operate exclusively through "computer mediated controls". As a bonus, the 777 project was the first ever jetliner to be designed 100% digitally and was also "preassembled digitally" — no model mockups were required whatsoever, a first for the commercial aviation industry. At the time, as the next largest aircraft to the 747, another Boeing design, the 777 could seat upwards of 380+ passengers and in subsequent models could reach up to an astonishing range of some 9,400 miles or 17,400 km. Although the 777 family is celebrating its 25th year anniversary (since the release of the 777-200 in 1994), the proven plane continues to evolve, pushing boundaries in manufacturing, technology, efficiency, and comfort. In the soon to be released 777X, Boeing sports composite wings and the latest in integrated technologies. In our image, the model is a 777-300(ER) and was delivered to Cathay Pacific in 2015. However... Cathay's history with Boeing goes back much further — as far back as 1970. The company was the first launch customer for the 777-300 in 1998, and, throughout their relationship, Cathay Pacific has also been the launch customer for two other significant Boeing aircraft: the iconic 747-400 and the 777-200. The success of the 777 has been without peer, with more than 60 customers, over 1600 deliveries, and a whopping 2030 orders to date, making this the most popular wide bodied aircraft ever produced by any company, surpassing that of even the 747. Moreover, of eight possible models, the most popular variant is the 777-300(ER), with over 800 deliveries and shown above proudly arriving in Toronto. Enjoy!

Air Canada Boeing 777-300(ER) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a Striking Saturday evening 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

Air Canada Boeing 777-300(ER) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Seoul Incheon International Airport (ICN) on a Striking Saturday evening 2019. As Canada's flag carrier, Air Canada has certainly earned its title as Canada's largest airline, serving some 48,000 million passengers annually, equating to just under 50 million annual travelers seen at Pearson — the second largest international airport in the America’s. The airline was founded in 1937 as Trans Canada Air lines (TCA), then a subsidiary of the Canadian National Railroad (CNR) under federal legislation mandate. The company, as Air Canada's precursor, was later rebranded to the modern "Air Canada" in 1965. However, as serving a bilingual country, Air Canada"s French title has always been known as "Air Canada", even before 1965. Critically, and effective 2001, Air Canada acquired Canadian Airlines, then Canada's second largest airline, further augmenting the operational scale fleet size of the company. In addition, Air Canada's 777 in this image is shown sporting their new and updated livery, a redesign that coincided with the airline's 80th anniversary and Canada's sesquicentennial since Confederation in 2017. The new retro design takes inspiration from the airline's numerous liveries from its past; the black band surrounding the cockpit was used on Air Canada's very first livery after the rebranding in the late 1960s, and the black tail with a prominent maple leaf (rondelle) is reminiscent of a design from the 1990s. Plus, as a side benefit, this clean logo/livery makes for an easy plane to clean. The overhaul was designed by the International design firm Winkreative, led by Canadian Tyler Brûlé, and will be included on all of Air Canada's 300 planes by 2021. Through a rich and varied history, Air Canada continues to appeal on every landing we watch. Enjoy!

China Eastern Airlines Boeing 777-300(ER) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a sublime Sunday afternoon 2019

China Eastern Airlines Boeing 777-300(ER) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) on a sublime Sunday afternoon 2019. The 777-300(ER) aircraft pictured above was delivered to the second largest airline in China in April of 2017, although China Eastern's ties with the aircraft date back to 2014 when they received their very first 777-300(ER) in September of that year. The plane also makes up a sizable portion of the airline's 20 777-300(ER)s in their fleet of over a whopping 550 passenger planes. With a split between Airbus and Boeing jetliners, this fleet makes use of both short and long-haul aircraft and includes significant plans for expansion in the future. Interestingly, China Eastern Airlines was the first Chinese airline to place an order with Airbus, and these planes continue to have significant influence on their operations. The backbone of the entire fleet is the Airbus A320 series (including the Airbus A319, A320, and A321 aircraft), and, when taking into account all variations of all models, accounts for 316 planes, with another 46 modern A320neos on order. On the Boeing side, the most popular jet is the 737-800 with 111 in operations, however, when including all variations of the 737 series, this number jumps to 153. Hence, 469 planes, representing the vast majority of their fleet, is made up of just two aircraft series, servicing the domestic and local routes. For long-haul services, the wide-body Boeing 777-300(ER) and the Airbus A330 serve as the most popular, with the newer Boeing Dreamliner to eventually supplement the 777 and the Airbus A350-900 to complement the A330. It is also important to note that the airline has shown interest in the Chinese COMAC C919, which should act as a Chinese competitor to the Airbus A320 and the Boeing 737 families. China Eastern is slated to be the launch customer for this plane in the early 2020s. All in all, as one of the 50 most valuable Chinese brands, China Eastern has a bright and promising future in global flight and service. Enjoy!

China Eastern Airlines Boeing 777-300(ER) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on an outstanding Sunday afternoon 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

China Eastern Airlines Boeing 777-300(ER) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) on an outstanding Sunday afternoon 2019. Note that China Eastern Airlines is one of the "China Big Three", the three largest airlines in the country; Air China, China Southern Airlines, with China Eastern Airlines as the second largest behind China Southern. Interestingly, and a switch from thirty years ago, these airlines are projected to overtake the U.S. "Big Three" (Delta, United, and American Airlines) in fleet and occupational size in the coming years and decades. Indeed, China Eastern Airlines has grown immensely in influence as well as size, now recognized as one of China's top 50 most valuable brands. Their livery and logo, on the other hand, incorporates a famous swallow design by Bang Strategic Brand Design. This swallow was designed with a great degree of care, with the wings of the bird (the red) depicting a sky bridge and the tail (the blue) resembling the Huangpu River that flows by Shanghai - the airline's principal hub and headquarters. Furthermore, the wings and tail of the swallow together roughly form the China Eastern initials: C.E. As vibrant and dynamic as China Eastern Airlines is, never do they lose their focus as "World-Class Hospitality with Eastern Charm", or so the reviews say. Enjoy!

Air Canada Boeing 777-333(ER) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a stylish Saturday evening 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

Air Canada Boeing 777-300(ER) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) on a stylish Saturday evening 2019. Air Canada’s 777-300(ER) pictured in this image was delivered to the airline in 2009 and presently represents one of 25 Boeing 777s in the carrier’s fleet, a fleet with a much larger total count of close to 300 aircraft, counting those in their airline's group (excluding Air Canada Rouge). In addition to the company’s 777s serving their wide-body, long-haul aircraft fleet, they also operate six Boeing 767-300(ER)s. However, these late twentieth century jetliners are to be phased out by 2020 and superseded by the Airbus A330-300, of which the airline currently operates ten with five more on order. Moreover, balancing out their somewhat dated long range wide-body planes is Boeing's 787 Dreamliner from the 2010s, with the airline servicing a significant 37 as of summer 2019 (29 B787-9s and 8 B787-8s). Plus, since the company is in the process of transitioning their aircraft to more modern counterparts, it is important to note the other airplanes being phased out: Embraer ERJ-190 short-haul jets are being replaced by a combination of the Airbus A220-300 and the Boeing 737-MAX 8s, although the latter aircraft is grounded and currently pending updates before any additional deliveries can take place. In fact, the only completely new plane to be joining their fleet is the brand-new Airbus A220, arriving within a year. Furthermore, as a vast airline, note that the aforementioned fleet statistics do not include Air Canada’s largest subsidiary, Air Canada Rouge, a significant Canadian airline operating a further 64 aircraft with little plans for fleet expansion. On a tangent, this aircraft is sporting the company’s previous incarnation of their livery, which was in service from 2005 to 2017. Air Canada continues to grow, nationally and internationally, positively exemplifying their growing focus on flying the world. Enjoy!

China Southern Airlines Boeing 777-300(ER) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) on a marvelous Sunday afternoon - Photo by Robson Smith

China Southern Airlines Boeing 777-300(ER) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ), on a marvelous Sunday afternoon 2019, from Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN) — the company's headquarters and principle hub. China Southern Airlines is one of the "China Big Three", comprising the three largest airlines in the country; Air China, China Eastern Airlines, with China Southern Airlines as the largest. China Southern is currently riding on record growth; with plans to operate 1000 planes by 2020 (hundreds more than their present ~750 aircraft), this represents some 33% growth in fleet size in under three years. In addition, China Southern's Vice Chairman and President Tan Wangeng has gone on record stating plans to manage a fleet of 2000 jets by 2035 (equaling a three-fold increase in just over 15 years), a testament to China's phenomenal growth. Indeed, China and its aviation industry demonstrate unprecedented expansion, with Chinese airlines predicted to purchase well over 7500 new aircraft worth over $1.2 trillion throughout the next 20 years. Note: on the livery, the Kapok flower (located on the blue tail) is the city flower of Guangzhou, which adds beauty to their slogan "Fly into your dream". Enjoy!

Etihad Airways Boeing 777-300(ER) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a terrific Sunday afternoon 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

Etihad Airways Boeing 777-300(ER) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) on a terrific Sunday afternoon 2019. Comparatively, this is a new airline, with a founding date just under two decades ago in 2003. Since then, however, Etihad has not failed at maturing into one of the busiest airlines, flying over 1000 flights a week, as well as one of the world"s most renowned. The company has consistently scored in the top ten by the SKYTRAX World's top airlines ranking over the past decade and has received nearly universal praise for their luxurious and opulent in flight experience. And if "Remarkable" is the airline's concept, their livery does not fall short in the slightest. Presented with an award or two, the design pictured above is Etihad's updated variant, sporting a colourful tessellation of gold and brown on the tail fin and golden hues present throughout the fuselage. Created by global leader in brand design Landor, this design is inspired by Emirati patterns, desert colours, and grains of sand. With their slogan "From Abu Dhabi to the World". a remarkable aircraft is brought to Toronto. Enjoy!

Etihad Boeing 777-300(ER) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on an astounding Saturday afternoon 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

Etihad Boeing 777-300(ER) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) on an astounding Saturday afternoon 2019. Etihad, the airline pictured which acts as the national flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates, operates a 777 fleet of 19 aircraft, with each capable of carrying 412 passengers and flying a range of some 15,900 km (9,880 miles). Etihad's fleet is further supplemented by a cargo fleet of six 777-F freighters, each with a reduced range of 9,000 km (5,590 miles) but the capacity to carry in excess of a whopping 100,000 kg (220,000 lbs) of cargo. Powered by General Electric's superlative GE90 engines (specifically, the -115b model), Etihad's 777-300(ER)s and 777 freighters are at the helm of some of the most advanced pieces of hardware available to the aviation industry. At the time of their release in 2009, the GE90-115bs were proposed-designed to fly the 777-300ER and boasted the highest thrust capabilities on the market. Moreover, these remarkable feats of engineering had the distinction of being one of the quietest in their class per pound of thrust with superior fuel efficiency and lower overall emissions compared to previous designs. Although the above specs of the GE90-115b engine are dated by a decade, some or all may still stand today, denoting its impressive ahead-of-the-game engineering. Also in 2009, the engines reached over two million flight hours, a testament to their phenomenal and proven capabilities. Note, while the 777s fuselage is 620 cm (244 inches) wide, the GE90-115b is some 340 cm (128 in) in width — equating to over half the diameter of the aircraft it serves! However, the engine doesn't halt here; the nacelles, or aerodynamic coverings, for the power unit brings the total diameter to an astounding 420 cm (166 inches), augmenting the footprint to about three quarters of the diameter of the 777's fuselage. Unsurprisingly, this engine holds the title as the largest in history, only to be superseded by GE's future successor and derivative, the GE9X. In fact, the engine is so large that, unless the large fan blade is removed, it cannot fit into a 747 freighter, one of the largest aircraft in its class. Historically, GE's outstanding hardware has broken numerous records and has accomplished extraordinary feats. The engine is rated for 115,000 lbf (pounds of force), allow it to power a Boeing 747-100 in actual flight for three hours (test!). It also held the record for the highest thrust ever recorded for a commercial engine at 127,000 lbf, only marginally surpassed by the GE9X in 2017. However, all of this means nothing is not safe. IFSD (in-flight-shutdown-rate) is a mere one in one million flight hours, of which the GE90 series has accumulated more than 50 million, with over eight million on-off cycles in its twenty years of history. Now, that's engineering in flight, Enjoy!

British Airways Boeing 777-200(ER) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a captivating Saturday sunset 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

British Airways Boeing 777-200(ER) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from London Heathrow International Airport (LHR) on a captivating Saturday sunset 2019. Unsurprisingly, British Airways, the flag carrier, is one of the oldest operating airlines in the world, approaching its centennial next month (August 2019), and requires an in-depth look at its history for full appreciation; starting on August 25th, 1919, when Air Transport and Travel (AT&T) launched the world's first scheduled commercial international service from Middlesex, UK, to Paris. However, this company later shut down in 1920 and was consequently merged with Daimler Aviation, who in turn merged with three other air companies in 1924 to form Imperial Airways. In 1940, British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC), which would serve destinations that were, well... overseas to Great Britain, was created to take over the same Imperial Airways and British Airways Limited. Please take note of another two companies that were formed later in the decade. British European Airways (BEA), flying to European and domestic cities, was formed in 1946. Simultaneously, British South American Airways, or BSAA, was launched to fly to South American and the Caribbean, augmenting Britain's already impressive global reach in air travel. Also note that in 1946, London Heathrow Airport opened, and the facility is still in operation to welcome this 777-200 back on the returning flight, BA98. Following the mid 1940s, BSAA merged with BOAC for all overseas destinations. Finally, in 1974, the British Airways we all know and respect was created through the merger between British Overseas Airways and British European Airways, closing the complex early chapter of British air history. On a tangent, the colour scheme is of 1974 with a stylised Union Jack on the tail fins, named the "Chatam Dockyard Union flag". Here's to a hundred years of "To Fly. To Serve". Enjoy!

Air France Boeing 777-200(ER) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on an appealing Sunday afternoon 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

Air France Boeing 777-200(ER) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Charles de Gaulle International Airport (CDG) on an appealing Sunday afternoon 2019. The 777-200(ER) aircraft pictured above is capable of carrying some 300 passengers depending on specific configuration and finds its place among 68 Boeing 777s in Air France's fleet, with 25 of these being the 777-200(ER). Although 68 is by many accounts a large fleet, the figure represents only a small portion of the airline's total fleet size of 220 passenger aircraft from both Boeing and Airbus. The large majority of these planes are narrow-body, short to medium-haul aircraft. Specifically, the Airbus A320 series accounts for 114 planes, translating to the company allocating over half of its fleet to a single narrow-body family. In addition, the company is currently in the process of significant modernization, with the ageing/inefficient Airbus A340 and A380 long-haul jetliners to be replaced with 28 new A350-900s. The A350-900 is also slated to go a ways in replacing the 777-200(ER). 60 new Airbus A220-300 models are also on order to supplement the existing fleet of A320 family aircraft. Furthermore, it is important to note that, as a two party company, Air France and KLM are both looking to simplify their fleet operations and logistics. Going forward, KLM will move with Boeing wide-body jets (specifically the Boeing 787 Dreamliner), and Air France will purchase equivalent Airbus models (like the aforementioned A350-900). The simplification comes as a result of both respective airlines wishing to stick with their most popular manufacturer; KLM already operates a majority Boeing fleet, so future orders from the American manufacturer allow for similar maintenance operations and smoother transitions to newly received aircraft, and the same applies to Air France with Airbus. Hence, as a move that is not often seen with large fleet airlines, the company has no plans for Boeing 787 aircraft to complement their A350s. Indeed, this is an interesting situation, and, as the future is just as important as the past and present, we avidly look forward to France's revised fleet and operations. Enjoy!

Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) Boeing 777-200(ER) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) on a phenomenal Saturday afternoon - Photo by Robson Smith

Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) Boeing 777-200(ER) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Boryspil International Airport (KBP) on a phenomenal Saturday afternoon 2019. This route, currently operated as PS241, was recently launched, offering a unique direct flight to Ukraine's capital, Kiev - the airline's headquarters. Formerly Ukraine's national carrier and now privatised, UIA commenced operations in November 1992, following the fall of the Soviet Union. The 777-200(ER) wide-body long-haul aircraft pictured above, acquired by the airline in mid 2018, is one of three of the same model in a total fleet of 45 planes. These 777s are being used to replace UIA's older 767 model aircraft, with an aim to increase on board passenger comfort and fare value. Note UIA's livery, which incorporates an abstract bird in yellow surrounded by blue, representing Ukraine's national colours. Welcome to Toronto, Ukraine International!

AeroLogic Boeing 777-FZN arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on an impressive Saturday afternoon 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

AeroLogic Boeing 777-FZN arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Frankfurt Main Airport (FRA) on an impressive Saturday afternoon 2019. Founded in 2009 as a joint venture with an unique 50/50 split between Lufthansa and DHL, the latter of which is celebrating its 50th anniversary, Aerologic is currently celebrating their 10 year anniversary. Within DHL’s 50% split, AeroLogic is part of the DHL group of six aviation companies, all members of the mammoth Deutsche Post DHL company - the world's largest logistics company, moving over one billion parsecs per year and employing over one half million workers in all divisions. AeroLogic operates one of the world's most modern freighter fleets with eleven advanced Boeing 777-F cargo aircraft. Logistically, this airline splits operational use between the two partners (DHL and Lufthansa) at different times during the week. Lufthansa retains the use over the weekends on behalf of Lufthansa cargo, typically flying to America - or Canada in this case - and DHL Express's network to Asia is served during the weekdays. The livery is a simple design: printed is Aerologic's title, half of which is coloured yellowish-orange - a colour that both parent companies sport in their respective liveries. Not just passenger planes arriving but some great freight operators and their planes too. Enjoy!

Pakistan International Airlines Boeing 777-200LR arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) on a magnificent Sunday afternoon - Photo by Robson Smith

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Boeing 777-200LR arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) on a magnificent Sunday afternoon 2019, en route from Karachi's Jinnah International Airport (KHI) - the airline's headquarters. Formed in 1946 as Orient Airways, PIA has a long and rich history. The airline became known as Pakistan International Airlines in 1955, becoming the flag carrier of Pakistan in the process. Of note, PIA was Boeing's first launch customer for the 777-200LR aircraft in 2006 (this image is of that same aircraft in new livery - meaning this was the world's first commercially operated 777-200LR). This accomplishment also benefited Boeing as it positively influenced the success of the Chicago-based company's 777-200LR model. Today's livery was created in 2010, sporting a large Pakistan national flag on the tail and the text "Pakistan International" in gold underneath the large "PIA" on the fuselage. Enjoy the image from "Great People to fly with", PIA!

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Boeing 777-200(ER) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on an exceptional Sunday morning 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Boeing 777-200(ER) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) on an exceptional Sunday morning 2019. Note that KLM stands for "Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij", which unsurprisingly translates to 'Royal Dutch Airlines". KLM is the flag carrier of The Netherlands, using the Schiphol Airport as its hub, and was founded in 1919. This makes it the oldest airline in the world still in operation, nearing its 100th anniversary as of October 2019. Furthermore, during its establishment, the airline received the royal blessing and status by then Queen Wilhelmina, providing the airline with the emblem of the crown and cross on its logo/livery and the rare "Royal" component to its full name": KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The livery also uses the well known "Dutch Blue" colour, which flows in linear fashion along the upper fuselage, despite some calling this livery design "dated". In 2004, KLM merged with Air France, resulting in the world's largest airline group. Interestingly, the phrase "The Flying Dutchman" (located on the rear of the fuselage) was KLM's former frequent flyer's program and shares its name with a famous old sailor's legend. From avid plane spotters worldwide to KLM, congratulations for 100 years fulfilling your slogan "Journeys of Inspirations". Enjoy!

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Boeing 777-200LR (AP-BGY) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a superbly bright Sunday afternoon 2020 - Photo by Robson Smith

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Boeing 777-200LR (AP-BGY) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Karachi's Jinnah International Airport (KHI) on a superbly bright Sunday afternoon 2020. The exact aircraft pictured above represents the very first Boeing 777-200(LR) delivered to a customer, in this case Pakistan International Airlines. As such, this marks the first ever aircraft of this model flown for commercial operations. To complement this exceptional jetliner, the airlines operates some 31 aircraft and, as of late last year, has placed only one order, this being an A320-200 model. Compositionally, PIA's long haul aircraft have been exclusively allocated to the Boeing 777 family: two 777-200(LR)s, six 777-200(ER)s (with one rocking a retro livery recalling the airline's livery in the 1960s), and a final four 777-300(ER)s. As mentioned, the company was the launch customer for the Boeing 777-200LR in early 2006, denoting the airline as one of a select few to accomplish such a historical transaction. With regards to domestic and regional service, PIA operates a total of seven ATR family regional propellor-props, augmenting this with 12 Airbus A320-200 single aisle jets (two of the latter are currently painted in retro liveries for the 1660s as well). With consideration for the future, three models are under examination (all long-haul, wide-body): the Boeing 787, Airbus A330neo (New Engine Option), and the Airbus A350. With this, the Pakistani carrier is aiming to add approximately eight complementary aircraft. In addition, since its inception, PIA continually serves high-ranking govermment officials of the country for all international affairs; this is offered exclusively by the airline. Rapidly approaching their 75th anniversairy, what a pleasure it is to such a historical aircraft at YYZ after an immense 11600 kilometre flight - a flight operating since 2006, subsequent to the delivery of the 777-200(LR). Enjoy the image!

Air Canada Airbus A330-300 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a dramatically cloudy Saturday afternoon 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

Air Canada Airbus A330-300 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Dublin International Airport (DUB) on a dramatically cloudy Saturday afternoon 2019. Although Air Canada operates quite diversely, with Boeing, Airbus, and other manufactures, the Airbus A330 long-range model as seen in this image is comparatively unique among its fleet, with only 10 of these jetliners currently in service. Moreover, this specific aircraft has been in their fleet since 2001, with the airline currently putting forth no retirement plans. In fact, Air Canada's A330s have planned deliveries through 2020 and are presently set to replace their ageing and similarly sized Boeing 767 aircraft in the future. Additionally, the livery supported on this aircraft is slightly out of date, with Air Canada now refreshing their fleet to an updated retro livery. The livery here, however, has no historical component and was inaugurated just under a decade and a half ago in 2005. Interestingly, as this aircraft has been serving under Air Canada since the turn of the century, it has already undergone two unique liveries and will soon be repainted once again to fit in with the rest of its fleet, a unique situation to observe, indeed. Although we adamantly admire the Boeing 777, of which Air Canada operates a plethora, it is always a pleasure to view such a unique aircraft among their gigantic and fast growing fleet of some 200. Enjoy!

Eurowings Airbus A330-300 arriving at Toronto LEster B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Brussels Aiport (BRU) on a dramatically cloudy Saturday afternoon 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

Eurowings Airbus A330-300 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Brussels Airport (BRU) on a dramatically cloudy Saturday afternoon 2019. Note that Eurowings was founded in 1990 in Germany, bringing the airline close to its 30th anniversary, and currently uses the appropriate "Eurowings" callsign for their operations. As a recap, the unique A330 aircraft pictured in this image was, at the time of capture, being operated by Brussels airlines (hence the Brussels Airlines flight number) as the two are closely interlocked in an alliance, an alliance led by the Lufthansa Group. The Lufthansa Group declared in summer of 2019 that all long haul flights of Eurowings would be operated by other airlines of the group, such as Brussels. Equally interesting. this aircraft represents one of 161 commercial aircraft in Eurowing's large fleet and, specifically, one of 11 A330 models all told (split into two models: 7 A330-200s, serviced by sister company SunExpress Deutschland, and 4 A330-300s, operated by Brussels Airlines, which is, of course, reflected in this image). The fleet of the European mammoth is solely composed of Airbus aircraft and, in the future, will be skewed towards Airbus A320neo model planes (20 on order) to satisfy the company's new mandate of servicing only short-haul destinations. Significantly, the balance of the fleet is wet leased (leasing whole aircraft including pilots and crew), and these aircraft are again predominantly Airbus. The German company has additional plans to phase out 16 wet leased Bombardier Q-400s and 6 Boeing 737-800s from their operations. It appears that, although Eurowings has historically flown numerous long-haul routes, the airline is aiming towards becoming a full-out discount, shout-haul airline in the Lufthansa Group family. Simply told, the organizational structure of the Lufthansa group (including Eurowings) has become quite convoluted in recent years, is and will continue to be subject to continuous optimization in business, with considerable competetit complexities, which is always a blast to follow. Enjoy!

Hainan Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on an enthralling Saturday afternoon 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

Hainan Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) on an enthralling Saturday afternoon 2019. Founded in 1989, Hainan Airlines has matured to become the fourth largest airline in China by fleet size (behind the "China Big three"), the largest independent airline in mainland China, and has received phenomenal recognition for nearly unmatched quality in all aspects. In 2019, Hainan received the SKYTRAX World's 5-Star Airline rating for the ninth consecutive year, and the airline has placed 7th in the SKYTRAX "World's top 10 Airlines" list for both 2018 and 2019, cementing its place as a global Airline of superlatives. Historically, Hainan took its first name as Hainan Province Airlines, denoting its headquarters and founding location on Hainan Island, southern China, before rebranding to the modern Hainan Airlines in 1996. Of note, this 787-9 Dreamliner was delivered to the company in late June 2019, weeks before this image was captured, and, on this subject, Hainan has on order an additional eight Boeing 787-9s, balanced by a further nine A350-900s from Boeing competitor Airbus. From their motto, 'Fly your Dreams", this beautiful Dreamliner completes their colourful livery. Enjoy!

El Al Israel Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a fantastic Sunday afternoon 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

El Al Israel Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) on a fantastic Sunday afternoon 2019. Formed in 1948, El Al Israel Airlines initially operated a wide range of aircraft models and makes, however, the airline transitioned in the 1970s with a final goal of utilizing a modern fleet of solely Boeing aircraft, of which they have accomplished. Of course, this does not affect their relatively new fleet of 43 aircraft with an average age of approximately 10 years. The 787-9 in this image is one of 11 Dreamliners in El Al Israel's fleet (currently all -9 models) and was delivered to the airline in October 2018. There is one other 787-9 on order for the airline along with four 787-8s as of July 2019. Interestingly, the Israeli national carrier has a tradition of placing the name of a city in Israel on the nose of the majority of their planes. The size of this city is meant to correspond with the size of the aircraft on which it is placed. The city on the front of this plane's fuselage is Be'er Sheva, the eighth most populous city in Israel with roots dating back 4000 years, even though this aircraft has yet to be in service for one. In addition to the classic blue stripe running along the aircraft fuselage and the distinctive flag of Israel remaining prominently displayed on the tail fin, El Al has retained their classic logo with minor tweaks near the front of the aircraft, denoting the airline as one of only a few airlines that do not include an English title on their liveries.

Westjet Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on an awesome Saturday afternoon 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

Westjet Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Calgary International Airport (YYC) on an awesome Saturday afternoon 2019. Though Westjet currently operates a majority fleet of 737 aircraft, the airline has made significant progress towards global expansion through the acquisition of long range aircraft. In 2015, Westjet began operating four 767-300(ER) aircraft as an interim step, and in early 2019, Westjet begins acquiring Boeing's 787-9 Dreamliners to eventually replace the older 767-300(ER)s. The Dreamliner in this image was delivered in January 2019, months before this image was captured. Furthermore, to be delivered in 2021 and 2022 respectively (pending updates on Boeing 737 MAX 8 and 9 groundings and setbacks in Canada), Westjet will also gain 737 MAX 7 and 737 MAX 10 aircraft, bringing further modernization to the fleet and route expansion possibilities. As this Dreamliner is a new aircraft for the airline, it sports Westjet's new livery, unveiled in May 2018. Most notably, this new version tweaks the "Westjet" text on the fuselage and includes in smaller text "The Spirit of Canada" (on the port side — our side) and "L'esprit du Canada" (on the starboard side), with a modernized maple leaf displayed on the tail. With their slogan "Love where you're going", we look forward to where Westjet chooses to fly next and on which aircraft they use to get there. Enjoy!

LOT Polish Airlines Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on an extraordinary Sunday afternoon - Photo by Robson Smith

LOT Polish Airlines Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport (WAW) on an extraordinary Sunday afternoon. As part of LOT's 787 family of aircraft (model eight and nines), this Dreamliner was delivered to the company in June 2017 and is one of eight 787-8s in a total fleet of 14 Dreamliners — the other six are 787-9s. Furthermore, the bulk of LOT Polish Airlines’ fleet consists primarily of Boeing 737 aircraft for short haul flights, with the entirety of their long haul fleet originating from American manufacturer and designer Boeing. In regards to the Boeing Dreamliner, it is noteworthy that the tail height, 17 metres, and wingspan, 60 metres, is shared between all models of the aircraft (787-8s, 787-9s, and 787-10s), despite significant variance in size and passenger capacity throughout. Of note, LOT Polish Airlines has the distinction of being the first European operator of the 787-8 Dreamliner, which provides a range in excess of 13 600 km to the airline, allowing the company to fly round trip from Poland's capital to Toronto... almost. With the nine and eight models of LOT's Dreamliners in our collection, we eagerly look forward to adding the balance of LOT's other fleet members in the future. Enjoy!

Air Canada Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a magnificantly sunny winter Saturday afternoon 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

Air Canada Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from London Heathrow International Airport (LHR) on a magnificently sunny winter Saturday afternoon 2019. Interestingly, this particular plane, C-GHPQ, has been iconicsized by Hogan, a miniature model company, who has created a 1:200 scale exact model of this aircraft, likely acknowledging that this jetliner was the very first Dreamliner Air Canada received in May of 2014. Clearly, this unassuming Dreamliner is a popular one. In addition, although returning from London, England, a rather underwhelming route from the perspective of a YYZ planespotter, this hardly sums up Air Canada's expansive route network with the Boeing Dreamliner, utilizing both 787-9 and 787-8 variants. The Boeing 787 aircraft was first launched by Air Canada five years ago in 2014 with this very plane, which, at the time, served two destinations. Since then, the fleet has grown to 37 787s; these modern aircraft visit five continents encapsulating 31 destinations, with some 27 languages spoken throughout the system. As a testament to Air Canada's rapid growth in both fleet quantity and quality, in 2019, it was announced by SKYTRAX that Air Canada would receive the prestigious "2018 best airline in North America" certificate and is also the only North American international airline to receive a four-star ranking on the site. A good looking resume, indeed. From such a beautiful and modern aircraft offering such versatility to any operator choosing to fly it, of which over 65 have so chosen, enjoy the image!

Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a wonderfully crisp Sunday morning 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD) on a wonderfully crisp Sunday morning 2019. Having received the SKYTRAX World Airline Award for the best airline in Africa, Ethiopian Airlines has cemented its place in the modern world of aviation. Founded in 1945 with scheduled operations the following year, the airline would grow to become a leader in African aerospace, serving more African destinations than any other. Moreover, the company went international in 1951 (prior to this, the airline exclusively serviced destinations in Ethiopia), only half a decade after operational commencement, allowing Ethiopian to become the world’s fourth largest airline by countries served in 2019. It is important to note that the Ethiopian carrier was founded under the title "Ethiopian Air Lines". However, When the airline, wholly owned by the Ethiopian government, transitioned to a share company in 1965 (shares were now available, but the enterprise was still government owned), its name was changed to the modern "Ethiopian Airlines". An important milestone was met in 1968, when Ethiopian became a member of the Africa Airlines Association (AFRAA), a trade association of African air companies. The airline also joined Star Alliance in 2011, one of the largest global airlines organizations. In a forward-thinking manner, too, the year 2010 brought forth a 15 year vision for the airline, dubbed "Vision 2025", whereby the carrier would expect to carry 18 million passengers with 17 thousand employees by 2025, coinciding with a plan to augment their training capacity to handle over four times the current volume of trainees at the time of announcement. Certainly, Ethiopian has met the financial side of this goal, designated as Africa's most profitable airline in 2011 (as well as other years) and has received a similar award at the turn of the century, also becoming the 18th most profitable airline in the world through the operating year of 2013-2014. Such history exemplifies how the aviation industry can become highly lucrative following a well managed business plan with great vision and execution. Moving to the livery, the current version of which was introduced in 2003 with a Eurowhite style foundation, the design includes a tri-colour emblem on the tail composed of the country's national colours of green, yellow, and red. The livery also sports both the local Amharic word for Ethiopian and English counterpart (all letters in red). Note on the front of the fuselage of every Ethiopian plane there is a yellow stylized lion standing on its hind legs and is based upon “The Lion Of Judah” that used to adorn the Ethiopian flag. This symbol has been one of "prestige and strength" associated with the country for centuries. With a slogan "The New Spirit of Africa", enjoy the image!

LOT Polish Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, SP-LSE, arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a beautiful Sunday evening 2019 - photo by Robson Smith

LOT Polish Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. SP-LSE, arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport (WAW) on a beautiful Sunday evening 2019. The stunning Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner in this image was delivered to the Polish national carrier in April of 2019, just months before this capture - hence the fresh paint - but would only see half a year of service before being taken out of the skies. Due to the onging global issues revolving around the Rolls Royce Trent 1000 engine (powering many Boeing Dreamliners - but not all), the inspection of all such engines has been mandated, requiring the removal from service of any aircaft using them. For this plane, its last flight before grounding was, according to reliable source Flightradar24, to Toronto around October (very appropriate). SP-LSE also joins two sister planes (787-8 variants), SP-LRB and SP-LRE, on the ground. Furthermore, and resulting from this disruption to LOT's operations, the company has been forced to lease commercial aircraft on routes that would have otherwise been served by 787s, one such plane being an Air Belgium A340-300. This A340 sees service to the WAW-YYZ route daily and draws remarkable parallels to a similar situation with British Airways. The British carrier was also forced to lease additional aircaft in early summer due to similar inspections of their Dreamliner engines. BA leased an Air Belgium A340-300, too, for the LHR-YYZ route. (This has now been replaced with one of their brand-new A350-1000s). With a beautiful sunset and aircraft, enjoy the image!

Air Transat Airbus A330-200 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a magnificently cloudy Saturday morning 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

Air Transat Airbus A330-200 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) on a magnificently cloudy Saturday morning 2019. The colourful Airbus A330-200 long-haul jetliner pictured above (at 17.5 years, matching with the average fleet age of its airline) represents one of 39 total aircraft in Air Transat's fleet. Specifically, the Montreal-based company has organized their operations to reflect a split between both Airbus and Boeing manufacturers. On the side of Airbus, a significant 20 A330 long-haul airliners are serviced, denoting the company as having allocated over half its fleet to one aircraft make. In more depth, 16 of these are A330-200 variants, with 4 of the larger, slightly shorter ranged A330-300, and during peak winter season, three A330-200s are leased to the European Condor Airlines. To supplement these aircraft are 6 A321 short-haul planes of various models, with a further 13 on order, mainly A321LR (Long Range) models. These will be replacing the current and ageing fleet of 6 Airbus A310-300s, the final flight of which is planned for April 2020. With Boeing, a total of six planes are operated, one 737-700 and 5 737-800s, with no future orders. Note, as Air Transat is presently in the process of translating to an Air Canada division, following its purchase by the Canadian national carrier, the future fleet of Canada's leisure airline may indeed differ from these detailed expectations. Recognizing success, we wish Air Transat all the best regarding their new voyage with Air Canada. Enjoy!

Alitalia Airbus A330-200 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on an astounding Sunday afternoon 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

Alitalia Airbus A330-200 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Rome Leonardo da Vinci International Airport (FCO) on an astounding Sunday afternoon 2019. From Alitalia's fleet of 97 active aircraft, this Airbus A330-200 was delivered to the airline in 2012 and now represents one of 14 A330s in their fleet. The present Italian national carrier also utilizes 12 Boeing 777 aircraft for long-haul operations, and these 777s represent the only assets from American manufacturer Boeing in Alitalia's operations. Consequently, the far majority of the fleet is made up of narrow-body, short to medium-haul planes from Airbus, with the A320 series accounting for a total of 71 aircraft. The airline, therefore, allocates over three quarters of its fleet to just one aircraft family, albeit a very proven aircraft family, and purchases nearly 90 percent of their jetliners from one manufacturer. This is slated to change in the near future as the airline has announced orders for the Embraer ERJ-175 and ERJ-190 to supplement their current all Airbus fleet of short-haul aircraft. On a tangent, the A330-220 pictured in this image not only offers insight into the company's fleet operations but also into its past, sporting Alitalia's outdated livery. Similar to the modern incarnation (which can be seen on another Alitalia image in our Soaring Blog), this design makes use of the Italian national colours throughout the fuselage and vertical fin. Whereas the current livery uses an Eurowhite design and eliminates completely the classic linear line in green that extends from the rear of the fuselage to the front, the "cheat line", as it was called, is to be seen on the old livery - a very common addition in past livery designs. Although the company solely operates a fleet of three aircraft families, Alitalia is proud of their focus on modern flying platforms, benefiting passengers enjoyment and operational efficiency. With old liveries and new planes, viewing pleasure is all the more enhanced. Enjoy!

Aer Lingus Airbus A330-200 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a delightful Saturday afternoon 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

Aer Lingus Airbus A330-200 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Dublin International Airport (DUB) on a delightful Saturday afternoon 2019. This aircraft, of course, belongs to the Irish national carrier and proudly flier the Irish Shamrock on its vertical fin. Uncoincidentally, Aer Lingus has made use of the shamrock as their commercial aviation callsign, a nod to its cultural significance. On another note, the specific A330-200 in this image, with an age of nearly 20 years, represents one of 57 aircraft in the Irish fleet, of which there are a 13 Airbus A330 jetliners (5 -200s and 8 -300s). Additionally, the carrier has plans to complement their existing A330-300 fleet with four more of the same model, and, importantly, the fleet will be refreshed to exclusively Airbus models in the near future. This is thanks to the retirement of Aer Lingus' lonely 2 Boeing 757 models in the new year. Presently, the airline operates the Airbus A320 model for short-haul destinations (6 in total with both the A320-200 and A320LR, Long Range, variants). Going forward, the fleet will be augmented by an additional 5 A321 models, with the company also awaiting the new A321XLR, Extra Long range, variant (the distance champion of the A320 family). The XLR is not scheduled until 2023, however, whereas all other orders seem to be relatively imminent. In other words, Aer Lingus, with an average fleet-age of 13 years, has a total of 15 aircraft orders (give of take) and some retirement plans in order to bring operational modernization. After all, this will give Aer Lingus an exclusive Airbus fleet (save for the Avro aircraft operated by Aer Lingus's CityJet). On a tangent, an equally intriguing fact has the air company achieving 50 years with no crash fatalities and all the while supplementing their colourful aircraft liveries with a unique title, in this case, "St. Thomas." From the official airline of the Irish rugby team, Enjoy!

Condor Boeing 767-300(ER)(WL) retro livery arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on an awesome Saturday afternoon 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

Condor Boeing 767-300(ER)(WL) retro livery arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Frankfurt Main Airport (FRA) on an awesome Saturday afternoon 2019. In the image, notice Condor's unique retro livery proudly showcased on their 767-300, denoting the airline's long history since its founding in 1955. Currently, Condor operates at least two aircraft sporting a retro design, and the particular livery in this image pays homage to Condor's operations in the 1970s. During this respective time period, Condor's livery would have been considered typical, incorporating a cheat line running in linear fashion down the fuselage (blue dash) and a black nose cone - both of which were very common in the 1970s. On another note, the 767 aircraft in this image was delivered to the airline in 2012 and represents a sizable portion of Condor's relatively small fleet of 16 Boeing 767s (with one on order) and 41 total aircraft. However, the company graciously makes up for this when taking into account the group in which it finds its home - the Thomas Cook Group, which operates over 100 combined aircraft. In addition, the Frankfurt-based airline's fleet size is further augmented by the supplementary aircraft it leases during peak holiday seasons from other airlines. When the company was still referred to as the Deutsche Flugdienst in 1956, the airline operated a lonely three aircraft seating 36 a piece. Growing quickly, however, to purchase a competitor airline, Condor Luftreederei, in 1961, the modern name, Condor Flugdienst, was born. With memories of aviation flying today and tremendous aspirations for tomorrow, what a wonderful moment to treasure at YYZ. Enjoy!

Aer Lingus Airbus A330-200 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a sensational Sunday afternoon 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

Aer Lingus Airbus A330-200 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Dublin international Airport (DUB) on a sensational Sunday afternoon 2019. Founded in 1936 with a standard livery in use as of the post-war 1940s, we find Aer Lingus' livery to be one of the most recognizable among the aviation world. In 1949, the green livery was first used but in a different form than we see today. Today's green top was introduced in 1956, and in 1965, the large green shamrock was launched on the vertical tail fin. The next significant lasting change was in 1974, when a new livery brought a combination of blue and green colours (both still in use) and the elimination of the "international" from the airline's title. This A330-200 aircraft is expected to be repainted into Aer Lingus' updated livery (unveiled in January 2019) by 2021 along with the rest of their fleet of 51 aircraft. The new livery includes a somewhat controversial eurowhite design (appreciated by us) with teal replacing green as the primary colours. The famous shamrock is not thrown away, however, and is still shown predominantly on the tail fin, a nod to its significance and use for 80 years as part of Aer Lingus's look. Smart liveries, smart looks, and smart routes, Aer Lingus follows true to their slogan "Smart flies Aer Lingus". Enjoy!

Air Transat Airbus A330-200 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a charming Saturday sunset 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

Air Transat Airbus A330-200 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Leonardo da Vinci International Airport (FCO) on a charming Saturday sunset 2019. As the current third largest Canadian airline, Air Transat was founded in 1986 and began its journey into the sky a year later. The company provides seasonal routes to southern destinations during the Canadian winter season and transitions to mainly European destinations during the summer. Although "only" Canada's third largest, Air Transat certainly has earned its positive reputation, being dubbed the World's Best Leisure Airline in 2018 by the Skytrax World Airline Awards, after some 20 million passengers voted on their satisfaction. Oh, and they also received this certificate of excellence and superlatives in 2019, a testament to the airline's phenomenal service records and operations. On this Airbus A330-200 aircraft, Air Transat sports their new and updated livery, an update which coincided with the airline's 30th anniversary in 2017 since their first flight in 1987. The new livery is designed to stay true to Transat's promise "to brighten the everyday with the joy of vacations" (symbolized by the grey star on the tail) and brings brighter and more saturated colours to the vertical fin, representing Air Transat's destinations by the sea. Where the bright blue tail meets the white of the fuselage, a silver band is included to recall the airline's first aircraft, sporting a metallic fuselage - an addition to honour their anniversary. This new livery was created by Loic Musellec Vanasse. In addition, this exact aircraft was repainted into a Pride special livery in recognition of the International Pride Month of 2019, denoting Air Transat as the fourth airline to recognize this celebration. Unfortunately, we seem to have missed the temporary design change this time. Truly, Air Transat has solidified its place as a global airline of inclusivity and superlatives, bringing with it a phenomenal growth story to service it motto "Vacation is Calling". Enjoy!

Air Italy Airbus A330-200 arriving at Toronto Lester B., Pearson International Airport (YYZ) on a glorious Sunday afternoon - Photo by Robson Smith

Air Italy Airbus A330-200 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) on a glorious Sunday afternoon 2019. This flight, IG923, is a newly launched (as of summer 2019) non-stop route from Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) to Toronto Pearson, operating six times weekly. Air Italy itself is a recently founded airline too, established in February 2018 and in business as of March. Air Italy, now Italy's second largest airline, was created to eventually replace Alitalia as the country's future flagship carrier due to Alitalia's ongoing issues with insolvency. Note Air Italy's intriguing logo on the vertical fin and engines - Maroon and Mint Green colours incorporate a specially designed letter "Y" to look similar to a bird. Enjoy!

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