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 folio reflects this curiosity with the spectacular diversity of airlines, liveries, history, and aircraft.
Reflecting our passion for local photography, this blog has been exclusively captured at Toronto’s Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ), one of the busiest international airports in the Americas by passenger count. By way of reference, this equates to 49.5 million annual passengers, nearly ten million short of New York’s JFK International. Originally named Malton Airport, YYZ received its first passenger service on August 29th, 1939, marking its 80th anniversary last year. Moreover, the modern name change occurred in 1984 to honour Lester B. Pearson, Canada’s 14th Prime Minister and recipient of the 1957 Nobel Peace prize. With two terminals and five active runways, Pearson served close to a whopping half million aircraft movements in 2018; and as a quintessentially Canadian feat, Pearson sports the world’s largest de-icing facility (Canada, eh?).
In keeping with our euthuasiam, our adventure expands beyond the images. We have included a story behind each aircraft that highlights the unique history and set of circumstances which guide the planes to YYZ, completing this voyage of discovery. (Note: these “write ups” and the information they contain is only as up-to-date as the image’s publication date.)
Enjoy,
David and Robson
*Note, you can visit our resources page on our site at: Aviation References
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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. At 20 years old, the Dutch 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 was in the push-back phase of departure at AMS (KLM's principal hub). Following this maneuver, executed in conjunction with an adjacent KLM 787 Dreamliner, both aircraft were temporarily grounded. Specifically, the starboard wing tip of the 747 struck the starboard horizontal stabilizer of the 787. Although experiencing noticeable damage to its aerodynamic structure, however, the Jumbo Jet returned to the skies a mere three days later, a testament to Boeing's iconic design. No casualties were recorded. 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 by 2021. This would see its three 747-400s and five 747-400Ms (“M” represents “combi” variant, which transport both passengers and freight) removed completely from their fleet, to be succeeded by more modern aircraft. The retirement of the 747 is a growing theme among today’s airlines, due in part to the increased ETOPS ratings of modern twin engine aircraft, rendering the 747’s four engine set-up comparatively inefficient. ETOPS is an acronym in aviation - Extended-range Twin-engine Operational Performance Standards. This refers to a twin-engine aircraft's maximum legal flying time away from the closest suitable airport in the event of an engine failure. Modern ETOPS ratings allow upwards of 5-6 hours. For reference, a low ETOPS rating requires a flight to follow a strict route, making frequent adjustments to never stray more than the specified ETOPS time limit from an airport. This creates circuitous - and expensive - flights. With a higher certification, more direct, shorter paths are used, saving both time and fuel. Of course, at its inception, the 747 possessed the advantage here. With four engines, it provided some of the best ETOPS equivalent ratings; however, current technologies have caught up in this regard. Regardless, the 747 is still excellent for cargo airlines, given the tremendous amount of weight 4 engines can lift. Accordingly, many 747s will be converted to the freight industry. 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. Enjoy the image!
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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. The A340 family, in which this aircraft resides, was designed with four complementary models over the span of 15 years. The initial variant (in this image) became the A340-300, at 209ft (63.7m), which launched in 1987 with service in 1993. Developed and launched concurrently was the shortest model, the A340-200, measuring 193ft (59m). Subsequently came the A340-600 at a whopping 246ft (75m) and the A340-500 at 223ft (68m). The latter variants were developed and launched simultaneously in 1997 and 2002, respectively. Moreover, this famous lineage was inaugurated by European airlines Lufthansa and Air France in March of 1993. Lufthansa launched the A340-200, while Air France christened the A340-300; and the latter of which became a very special transaction, for it marked the 1000th Airbus customer delivery. A near decade later, the “big siblings” entered into service with Virgin Atlantic in 2002, under the A340-600, and although Air Canada was expected to do likewise with the A340-500, its entry into creditor protection in 2003 allowed Emirates to grab this title. The Emirati airline inaugurated their A340-500 on their first service to the Americas, Dubai-New York. Furthermore, to demonstrate its unprecedented capabilities, in 1993, an A340-200, dubbed "World Ranger", departed from the Paris airshow en route to Auckland, New Zealand, in 21 hours and 31 minutes. That time cemented this as the longest non-stop flight ever (19,277km), breaking 6 world records in the process. Upon arrival, the aircraft swiftly returned to Paris, which clocked the entire voyage at a stellar 48h 22m (including stop over). That round-trip record held until 1997 when a Boeing 777-200ER flew some 20,000km from Seattle to Kuala Lumpur. Interestingly, the A340 also comprises a unique centre wheel mount situated on the underbelly. 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 A340s ever built, enjoy!
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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. Air Canada received this aircraft in May 2017, and C-FRTG is currently serviced as one of 38 Dreamliners in their fleet, 29 of which are 787-9s. To complement the novel aircraft, Air Canada's new livery is on full display, now composed of retro black and a prominent red Canadian flag (Air Canada's Rondelle). The engines on this Dreamliner, also exceedingly cutting-edge, are General Electric's GEnx-1B, offering quieter and more efficient fan blades. This hardware is also implemented on the Boeing 747-800 and recently surpassed one million flight hours on a Cargolux 747-8 freighter (20170. Truly, a different view of this aircraft's belly yields a new appreciation for these modern thristers (they're loud — but nowhere near as loud as they used to be). Enjoy!
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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. Representing KLM's 100th anniversary this year, note the number “100” with Dutch colours intertwined on the fuselage. The airline was founded in 1919 as KLM, denoting KLM 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. Colloquially known as the "Queen of the Skies", the 747, with six million parts, is incredibly still in production, soon to retake its throne as largest passenger airliner in production once the Airbus A380 is discontinued due to its planned production termination in 2021. Coincidentally, the first 25 Boeing 747 orders (747-100 variant) 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 figure, since 1989; and although KLM did not launch 747-400, they did inaugurate the combi (passenger and freight) variant in the same year. All of KLM's 747-400s are named after famous international cities; this is “Johannesburg”. Also on the fuselage is KLM's updated livery, sporting a similar design to its predecessor, with a tweaked dorsal fuselage. Now, the "drop nose" is employed to add flow to an otherwise instead of a linear and non dynamic design. With its fascinating versatility and history, we implore all to stop and enjoy the sight of the only true iconic jumbo jet. Enjoy!
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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, with the rest being 747-8Is. Lufthansa is thus denoted as the largest single operator of the Boeing 747-8Is. Fleet-wise, Germany’s flag carrier gained the distinction and honour of receiving Boeing's 1500th 747 ever built, which certifies the aircraft as the first ever wide bodied plane to reach such a milestone. 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 its unveiling. In addition, consider the six million parts to this titanic machine; and with three million fasteners, the plane is intrinsically one of the most resilient and structurally robust ever built. Another 275 km of internal wiring casually flow through the superstructure, further augmenting the colossal 180 000 kg (700 000’ +) mass. 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, they will likely shift to freight operations, extending the life of the jumbo jet even further. At the heart of the 747s success, however, as eloquently described by its chief engineer, Joe Sutter, "safety is the prime design objective... It shall be given first priority in all design decisions", a very admirable - and proven - statement. In all, the 747 has carried millions of passengers and umpteen tons of cargo to all corners of the earth, across all oceans and over both poles - to the benefit of all. Enjoy the image!
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. Surprisingly, this Airbus A380 was Emirates' second Super Jumbo arrival into Pearson on July 21st, an increase from the daily flight. Such an unusual situation owes itself to safety precautions taken after engine issues of the previous day on another Emirates A380. On its return flight, one of the super jumbo's four engines experienced a catastrophic failure, forcing the flight crew to terminate the turbine and return to Toronto just over 20 minutes into the flight. As the damaged machinery required 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 is that flight. Moreover, Emirates is also sporting their special Dubai Expo 2020 livery, which can be found on 40 of fleet members. The circular designs located on the mid fuselage are blue on this aircraft, but others include green and orange. 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. This emblem is situated 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!
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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. Surprisingly, for such a global airline serving an impressive 150 destinations in 80 countries on all six inhabited continents, Emirates operates a fleet of only Boeing 777 and Airbus A380-800 aircraft. Totaling 259 jetliners, Emirates allouds 144 to the Boeing 777 (with 134 777-300ERs and 10 777-200LRs) and a whopping 115 A380-800s (cementing the airline as the largest single operator of the Airbus Super Jumbo). Looking to the future, the Emirati carrier has only eight A380 orders unfulfilled; after this, the famous machine will begin its premature global discontinuation. Also, no interest has been put forth for any aircraft of the original Boeing 777 family; however, a mind-boggling 115 cutting-edge 777Xs are planned to be delivered from 2021, save from, of course, any production delays. To augment these wide-body jets, approximately 50 A350-900s will begin delivery in 2023, and Boeing will follow suit with 30 787-9s.Moreover, Emirates, since its foundation in 1985, has continued to excel in the aviation industry; it 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 the world's largest 777 and A380 operators by far. And best of all, this originates from a company whose inception balanced upon a paltry $10 million in start-up capital. It should be noted, too, for fun, that Herpa, a German company, has produced a 1/500 model of this exact aircraft (A6-EUK); this seems to be a famous plane, indeed. Enjoy the image!
Air Belgium Airbus A340-300 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on an elegent 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. Critically, this Air Belgium A340 (OO-ABB) is flying to Toronto under British Airways, who leased the jetliner to minimize the disruption to their long haul flights. This is due to precautionary inspections on the Rolls Royce Trent 1000 engines equipped on their 787-9 aircraft, a global safety mandate by the engine manufacturer. Air Belgium, founded in 2016, took to the air in March of 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 to which it leases. On the other hand, behind this colourful livery lies a neat story with an unorthodox twist. At the turn of 2018, Air Belgium had received four used A340-300s from Finnair in full white livery. Prior to passenger operations, the company understandably wished not to fly with these nondescript fuselages. However, time is paramount for launching airlines, and the company was unable to find the adequate combination of time, space, and specialists for the painting jobs. They were consequently forced to consult an innovative supplier, the BCO Aviation Team. 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. Best of all, the overhaul was completed days quicker than traditional methods in the same hangers where the aircraft were stored. 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!
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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 winter Saturday afternoon 2019. Of note, G-XWBC had been aloft for only 30 days in this image; it was flying the Heathrow-Pearson route for the third month since its inaugural A350 flight this October. (Previously, BA operated this service with the Boeing 777-200ER/A340 leased from Air Belgium.) G-XWBC also represents the third of 18 A350 model 1000 aircraft to be delivered sometime within the early 2020s. 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 operates over 280 aircraft from both Boeing and Airbus, a significant portion of which stem from 140 of the small Airbus A320 family (including 28 “neo” variants, "New Engine Option") and over 50 long-haul Boeing 777 aircraft. The Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet adds another 30; unfortunately, the iconic jetliner is planned for retirement by 2024. In this area, orders have been placed for the upcoming Boeing 777 successor, the 777X, with approximately 24 options by 2022. These will replace the 747s. Also on order is an additional ten Boeing 787-10s to complement their twelve 787-8s and eighteen 787-9s. All in all, with such a young aircraft flying such a new route, enjoy the image!
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Air France Airbus A350-900 (F-HTYD) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (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 Airport (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. As an integrated multinational engineering, manufacturing, and assembly operation, numerous locations are involved in the production of the Airbus A350. The company relies on Germany's input for select fuselage and vertical tail sections, and all wing assembly occurs in North Wales, UK. At last, in Spain, the A350 visits its final facility before full assembly in France. Moreover, Airbus has a total of nine final assembly lines (FALs) at five locations worldwide. France, unsurprisingly, has the most, with four, all in the region of Toulouse; the first is dedicated to the production of the A320 narrow-body series; the second for the A330 wide-body family; another, of course, for the A350 XWB (in which some 15000 workers are employed); and a final for the A380 superjumbo. Going down the list: Hamburg, Germany, has one final assembly and test line for the A320 aircraft; in Tianjin, China, Airbus has situated one FAL, again for the A320 family; to the West, Mobile, Alabama, has two FALs (one assembles the A320 and another the A220 narrowbody jet); finally, at Mirabel, Quebec, one FAL works on 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. Wow. That is quite a complicated construction system - an unequivocal, logistical nightmare mastered by the Airbus team. Enjoy the image!
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Qatar Airways Airbus A350-900 (A7-ALJ) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a dramatic Tuesday afternoon 2020 - Photo by Robson Smith
Qatar Airways Airbus A350-900 (A7-ALJ) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Hamad International Airport (DOH) on a dramatic Tuesday afternoon 2020. Particularly noteworthy is the fact that this DOH-YYZ service is practically brand new - this was the second ever Qatar Airways commercial flight into Pearson (excluding last-minute repatriation/freight services seen during the COVID-19 crisis). The route's inaugural flight was operated on Saturday, July 4th, 2020 - three days before this capture. Regarding the airline, Qatar was founded in 1993 as a flag carrier of the Middle-Eastern peninsular nation of Qatar. It has quickly grown to become one of the word's most renound airlines, earning numerous accolades from countless sectors. In the last decade, these include, but are not limited to (there are literally too many to list): the prestigious Skytrax Best Airline of 2019, 2017, 2015, 2012, and 2011 certificates in addition to Skytrax's World's Best Business Class 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2014, 2013, and 2011. What is more, with 20 years as a Skytrax 5 Star airline (essentially since the programme's establishment in 1999, comsidered the definitive standard of excellence), Qatar is remembered as one of the world's first to receive this stellar recognition. An arguably more impressive accomplishment, however, transpired when Qatar Airways became the launch customer for the cutting-edge A350-900 (and it big brother - the A350-1000), inaugurating its first A350 serrvice on Januray 15th, 2015. This A350-900 was delivered the following year in 2016. Qatar's current livery, unveiled in 2006, incorporates a stylistic oryx, the national animal of Qatar, in burgundy contrasted with a grey background on the vertical fin. This theme is continued throughout the fuselage. Moreover, on both sides of the forward aircraft appears the burgundy coloured QATAR letters, with the word Al Qataria in Arabic script over the wings. A special day, a special plane - enjoy the image!
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Etihad Airways Boeing 787-9 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) on a dramatic Sunday afternoon 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith
Etihad Airways Boeing 787-9 (A6-BLI) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) on a dramatic Sunday afternoon 2019. This exceedingly unique aircraft was delivered to the Emirati carrier in July of 2016, and at the time, it came dressed in Etihad's standard livery. In 2020, however, the inspiring jet flies not only this striking geometric scheme but a truly special livery as well. Seen as the blue accent on the fuselage, it is one of many "Choose [insert nation]" liveries in the company's fleet, paying tribute to their many vital partners. The others aircraft sporting the designs represent Singapore, China, Japan, Thailand, the USA, and Italy. Evidentely, pictured is "Chose Saudia Arabia", celebrating the UAE's close historical ties with the Kingdom of Saudia Arabia, expressed through the aforementioned yet still dazzling blue Islamic caligraphy. The entire artistic rendition, the first "Choose" livery, was unveiled in September 2019 to coincide with Saudi Arabia's 89th anniversary of its modern name change in 1932 (called "Saudi National Day"). In addition, on the Dreamliner's engines can be found the Acronym "ADNOC" (Abu Dhabi National Oil Company), recognizing the importance of the Emirati oil company to the airline and UAE.(Note: only the blue script and like elements compose the "Chose Saudia Arabia" livery - the stunning gold geometric shapes stem from Etihad's most recent livery refresh of late 2014). One may also chose to consider the ominious storm clouds brewing in the distance. The very elements which add most to the image soon displayed their intrinsically unpredictable nature; minutes following this arrival, Toronto witnessed severe flash flooding and power outages from the ensuing squall. In 30 minuets alone, the city recieved more rainfall than typical of the entire month of July. Indeed, Etihad's remarkable aircraft is made even the more impressive by Mother Nature's unrivaled beauty.
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. Founded in 1953, lufthansa quickly grew in size and reputation to become the famous airline it is today. Along its journey, the carrier took part in a number of historical achievements, arguably the most significant of which came in 1967. Here, the company launched the 737-100, the original variant of the most successful commercial aircraft lineage in history. What is more, this was the first time Boeing used a foreign launch customer. Speaking of firsts, the company is also credited as one of the five founding members of Star Alliance (1997), now the second largest airline alliance by passenger count (750m+ in 2018). Even more impressive, the Lufthansa Group, to which Lufthansa belongs, shares a combined fleet of 700+ aircraft, an appropriate figure for such an influential airline. Moreover, the German carrier traditionally names their aircraft after (mainely German) cities, towns, and federal states. This A350 is "Bonn", a western German city; and for Lufthansa, the relevance of the route/aircraft model flown roughly equates to the size and importance of the city from which its name derives. Finally, the livery depicted is a pre-2018 version, which continues the stylised crane in 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!
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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 Ethiopian’s fleet. Delivered in mid-December 2019, only a few months prior to this capture, ET-AWP finds itself as one of approximately 14 A350s in the fleet. Named "Paris", this plane is thus far the most recent Airbus A350 to be accepted into Ethiopian airlines, with some ten more on order. The company accepted their first A350-900 in summer of 2016, approximately four years after commencing their service to YYZ. That notwithstanding, the airline waited until late 2019 before modifying their ADD-YYZ route on A350 (previously, they used a Boeing 787 and 777). Furthermore, 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 when the previous aircraft to land exited the asphalt in a delayed fashion, forcing the Ethiopian jet to execute an abort and attempted "go around", again for runway 23. All was successful the second time, and this class of incident is referred to as an "undershoot/overshoot", hardly an infrequent turn of events. The aircraft is otherwise incident-free. Enjoy the image!
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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 plane 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 originates with Philippine Airlines’ purchase of the Airbus A300B4 in 1979, the derivative of which became Airbus’s first commercial jetliner ever. The Philippine national carrier uses its A350s for long-haul routes such as Manila to New York and Toronto, utilizing its impressive range of 15,000km, with a larger goal of replacing their aging A340-300s. On this subject, the airline has expressed interest in the larger A350-1000, through an option to acquire six A350 aircraft (either -900 or -1000 models) in addition to their current deliveries. Indeed, the A350 appeals to many airlines yet to modernize their operations. With near unmatched fuel economy, stellar range, and incredible thrust capabilities of 84,000-97,000 lbf (model dependent), the jetliner has cemented its place as the aircraft of the future. With such a beautiful sunset and plane, what a treat we were given at YYZ on Sunday. Enjoy!
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Air France Airbus A350-900, F-HTYD, arriving on its maiden flight across the ocean to Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Paris-Charles De Gaulle International Airport (CDG) on a dreary late Saturday afternoon 2020 (Feb 15th) - Photo by Robson Smith
Air France Airbus A350-900, F-HTYD, arriving on its maiden flight across the ocean to Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Paris-Charles De Gaulle International Airport (CDG) on a dreary late Saturday afternoon 2020 (Feb 15th). With such a wonderful livery, this exciting aircraft is made even more memorable, for this YYZ approach concluded its fifth flight ever since delivery on February 12th, 2020. Prior to the 15th, F-HTYD flew on such notable routes as Paris-Seoul (Feb 13th) and Paris-Cairo (Feb 14th); both were round trips, denoting this CDG-YYZ service as the A350’s first trans-atlantic crossing. Moreover, F-HTYD is the fourth A350-900 delivery to Air France, with a total of 38 expected, signifying a gradual fleet modernization effort. Furthermore, Aptly named Nice, after the French Riviera city, Air France’s tradition of naming jetliners has been reinstated with the A350 series; the other three have been titled “Toulouse”, “Lyon”, and “St. Denis de la Réunion”. Although acquired in September 2019, the company’s first A350, Toulouse”, would not be not christened with commercial service until late October when it flew to none other than YYZ. Unfortunately, however, the ever beautiful A350 will be pulled from the CDG-YYZ route in early spring as the summer schedule will see the reconfiguration of AF’s A350-operated destinations - Toronto's loss. Enjoy this image!
Ethiopian Airlines (ET-AUC) Airbus A350-900XWB departing Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a dynamic Saturday morning 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith
Ethiopian Airlines Airbus A350-900XWB departing Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) en route to Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD) on a dynamic Saturday morning 2019. As of this capture, the A350-900 has seen over 780 orders, nearly 300 deliveries, and of 176 A350-1000 orders, 33 have been received by customers. To complement this, only in July of 2017 did the aircraft family reach its 100th delivery, truly indicative of rapid growth. This is perhaps due to a number of cutting-edge innovations, resulting in 25 percent lower operating costs, fuel burn, and CO2 emissions when compared to previous generation aircraft. Such is made possible by an 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 powerful Rolls Royce Trent XWB engines, providing between 84 and 97 thousand pounds of thrust. These engines were designed exclusively to power the A350, and with each turbofan approaching three metres, nearly 10 feet, in diameter, they exceed that of the Concorde fuselage. In fact, each Trent XWB must be partially disassembled for transport in the world's major air freighters due to this colossal footprint. Consider this: at take-off, each unit intakes up to 1.3 tons of air, equal to all the air in a squash court, every second, during which the force on each internal blade approaches nine London buses or 90 tons; the tips of these blades reach twice the speed of sound and rotate at an astonishing 12,500rpm; this generates about 900 horsepower, or one Formula-One race car, on each blade, totalling 50,000 horsepower per engine; and finally, at the end of this process, the air leaving the rear engine nozzle is expelled at 1000mph/1600kph. Quite impressive, indeed. The Trent XWB is so reliable, however, that "only" after having accumulated 2.2 million flight hours did its first in-fight-shutdown occur in September 2018, a full five years since its inaugural flight. 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 Ethiopian Airlines, who, in June 2016, became Africa's first operator of the A350XWB. Enjoy the image!
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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 A350-900 departing from Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) en route to Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD) on a bright Saturday morning 2019. Delivered in late 2017, this Airbus A350-900 has been flying the Addis Ababa-Toronto service for just over a month since the route's inaugural A350 flight in November 2019. ET-AUC has recently made news following a minor and casualty-free tarmack incident. In March of 2018 whilst on the ground at Kinshasa-N'Djili Airport (FIH), Democratic Republic of the Congo, a delay of approximately eight hours occurred as the right-hand winglet (visible in this image) scraped the horizontal stabilizer of a Serve Air Boeing 727 in the taxiing phase. Thankfully, damage was minimal. Impressively, in June of last year, Ethiopian took delivery of its 100th aircraft (a Boeing 787-9), the first African airline to do so. As of December 2019, their fleet numbered 117, 13 of which operate cargo, and an additional 60 orders have been placed. In detail, the airline operates 23 Bombardier DASH 8-400 turboprop, short-haul aircraft; the vast majority of the fleet, however, has been allocated towards Boeing. Sixteen 737-800s and ten 737-700s are used to complement their short-haul network. The expansive wide-body fleet carries more weight; six 767-300ERs and ten 777 aircraft in both the -200ER and -300ER configurations are complemented by 23 Boeing Dreamliners, predominantly nineteen 787-8s with four 787-9s. Ethiopian Airlines has also shown significant interest in their 12 A350-900s. Leapfrogging to the future, 28 737 MAX 8s are on order; currently their four 737 MAX 8s are grounded, however. This is the largest purchase put forth by the airline. Seven 787-9s and 12 A250-900s are expected as well. At Pearson, what a treat to observe this A350, enjoy!
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 since undergone frequent ownership transitions. Subsequent to De Havilland's early success with the aircraft, the company was purchased by Boeing in 1988. However, ownership would soon revert to a Canadian company, Bombardier, in 1992. It was at this stage that the aircraft was rebranded the "Bombardier" DASH 8, by which it is best known. At last, following the DASH 8’s divestiture from Bombardier in 2019, Longview Aviation Capital, another Canadian company, gained rights to the famous aircraft lineage. This is the most current ownership change. The roots of this ubiquitous plane stem from the De Havilland DASH 7, whose program commenced in the 1970s as a short take off/landing "STOL" four engine prop plane. Understandably, airlines became more interested in operational costs than short field performance, which led to the DASH 8's inception, whereby two engines were equipped in lieu of four. The airliner then entered service in 1984, with NorOntario, and timing was excellent as many older aircraft (from the 1950 and 1960s) were nearing their respective retirements. Boeing then acquired DeHavilland, as mentioned, but did this in an attempt to facilitate an advantageous position to compete against Airbus. Boeing “lost” and thus sold the unit to Bombardier. Variation wise, The “Q” series is the name given to all DASH 8s manufactured after 1997, when active noise control systems were integrated (the "Q" stands for "Quiet"). The Q400 remains the only model still in active production; many other variants are still operational, however. A fascinating plane, indeed. Enjoy the image!
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Air Canada Boeing 777-200(ER) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) on a brilliant Sunday morning 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith
Air Canada Boeing 777-200(ER) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from somewhere else on planet Earth (unknown) on a brilliant Sunday morning 2019. Delivered to the Canadian carrier in 2007, this aircraft has seen two significant incidents in an otherwise standard lifespan. Moments after take off from YYZ in 2012, C-FITW experienced a “contained” failure on its starboard GE-90 engine, ejecting turbine parts through the exhaust. Although no damage was sustained by the aircraft, debris inflicted significant harm upon several ground vehicles. This notwithstanding, no casualties, on ground or in air, were recorded. Moreover, following the quintessential “loud bang” heard by passengers and crew, General Electric’s thus far proven engine was immediately deactivated, and the 777 proceeded to dump fuel for the next hour before returning to Pearson (a tense hour for all onboard, indeed). Later analysis found a likely cause in the manufacturing process (subsequently rectified). Additionally, in 2007 at Hong Kong’s Chek Lap Kok International Airport, the aircraft’s aft fuselage underside made contact with the runway, following an unexplained roll to starboard, which created a dangerous combination of fast descent and high nose angle. C-FITW subsequently underwent a major repair process; however, again, no injuries were recorded. From a beautiful aircraft with quite a 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. The DEl-YYZ service recently recommenced on World Tourism Day, September 27, 2019, four months prior to this capture. That flight operates thrice weekly, a monumental 14 hours each way, with room for an impressive 348 passengers (give or take) in Air India's configuration on the 777-300ER. As India’s flag carrier, the airline was founded in 1932; it then took to the skies in 1946 and currently operates a fleet of around 127 aircraft. Originally launched by a Tata family member, a prominent Indian business family, in 1932, the airline was given the title Tata Air Services (later simplified to Tata Airlines in the late 1930s). Its inaugural flight flew between Karachi and Mumbai (Bombay at the time) in 1938, a mail only service. Following the Second World War, Tata Airlines became publicly traded and was rebranded as the modern Air India. Subsequent to Indian independence in 1947, however, a significant minority share was acquired by the Indian government (India gained a majority share in 1953). Subsequently, the company cemented its place as a global airline of significance when it became the first Asian carrier to operate jet aircraft, the Boeing 707 in 1960; two years later, it became the world’s first “all jet” fleet. Most recently launched in 2007, the company’s standard livery stylistically outlines each window in a "Palace-style" design, reflecting their slogan, “Your Palace in the Sky”. On the starboard side, the airline's large title is in English and Hindi on the vertical stabilizer. This is reversed on the port fuselage. In addition, the flower petal on the vertical fin represents a swan with the wheel shaped "Konark chakra", a symbol of India. What is more, this aircraft is named "Mizoram", after the landlocked eastern Indian state. From a colourful arrival, 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. Delivered to the Emirati carrier in 2013, exactly ten years after their foundation, this 777-300ER represents a fraction of Etihad's 100-plus aircraft operation (including freight). In this fleet, both Boeing and Airbus aircraft are used. Under Boeing, Etihad operates nineteen 777-300ERs complemented by thirty Boeing 787-9s and seven 787-10s, both of which are very modern. With Airbus, the famous A320 short-haul series accounts for nearly 30 planes (nineteen A320-200s and ten A321-200s); however, in order to meet long haul requirements, ten A330-200s and an outstanding ten Airbus A380-800 superjumbos are also flown. To the future, 34 Boeing Dreamliner orders have been put forth (twelve 787-9s and twenty-two 787-10s). These will be augmented by six of the forthcoming Boeing 777-9s. Airbus will supplement this with twenty-six state-of-the-art A321neos, likely to replace the aging A320; and although twenty A350-1000s are expected beginning in 2019, only five have been confirmed and an even smaller three received (currently stored). In addition, Etihad Airways has consistently proven their commitment to environmental stewardship. In january, 2019, the company launched the first commercial aircraft, a Boeing 787, to use special locally produced biofuel. The flight lasted a worthy seven hours, paralleling the airline’s effort to become a greener and "even more sustainable” enterprise. In all, Etihad has certainly lived up to their vision of extravagant in-flight service, Enjoy the image!
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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. Delivered in June of 2016, this long-haul aircraft finds its place among 33 Turkish 777-300(ER)s; however, as the world's largest airline by passenger destinations (excluding subsidiaries), their fleet extends well beyond this figure. With a diverse 319 aircraft from both Airbus and Boeing, the two most numerous components to this fleet serve as narrow body, short-medium haul aircraft: 68 Airbus A321-200s and a whopping 98 Boeing 737-800s. With this, the company allocates half of its fleet to just two aircraft models. Looking ahead, Turkish Airlines 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 is a sole A330-300 (to join their existing fleet of 39 long-haul A330-300s) and a whopping 30 cutting-edge A350-900s. Not to be undone, 26 new Boeing Dreamliners (787-9 variant) will complement their existing 787s, providing the airline with a near equal number of ultra-long range, state of the art, wide-body aircraft from both Boeing and Airbus. With their slogan "Widen Your World", Turkish is clearly aiming for more planes, more flights, and wider smiles. Enjoy the image!
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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, delivered in 2015, is of the 777 family, the first entirely new Boeing model in over a decade when released in the mid nineties. A few years later, in 1998, Cathay became the first launch customer of the 777-300 (derivative of our model), and throughout their relationship, Cathay Pacific has also launched the iconic 747-400 and the 777-200. When first released, the 777 family saw a number of commercial aviation firsts, notably: a "fly by wire" system, allowing it to operate exclusively through "computer mediated controls" - no antiquated analogue dials; a 100% digital design; and a "digitally pre-assembled" manufacturing process - no model mockups whatsoever. What is more, although the 777 family is celebrating its 25th year anniversary in 2019 (since the release of the 777-200 in 1994), the proven plane continues to push boundaries in manufacturing and efficiency, shown in the soon to be released 777X, sporting composite wings and the latest in integrated technologies. Indeed, the success of the 777 has been without peer; with more than 60 customers, over 1600 deliveries, and a whopping 2030 orders to date, this the most popular wide bodied aircraft ever produced; and of eight possible models, the most popular is the 777-300(ER), with over 800 deliveries and shown above proudly arriving in Toronto. Enjoy the image!
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Air Canada Boeing 777-300(ER) (C-FIUL) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) on a dynamic Saturday morning 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith
Air Canada Boeing 777-300(ER) (C-FIUL) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) on a dynamic Saturday morning 2019. This aircraft marks the first additon to our "Air Canada 777" study in which we strive to capture all of the company's 25 Boeing 777s. The very first Air Canada 777-300ER delivery occured in March of 2007; C-FIUL (pictured) was recieved a few months later in June 2007. Since then, the aircraft has been involved in one incident. During December of 2019, while in the push back/towing phase at none other than YYZ, the 777's port wingtip clipped the vertical fin of a parked Air Canada Airbus A321 (C-GJWO), inflicting significant damage upon both aircraft. The force of impact between the two jetliners caused the much smaller A321 to pivot approximately 45 degrees from resting position. As both planes were unoccupied by passengers, however, no caualities were reported. It should be noted, too, that at the time of collision, C-FIUL was sporting Air Canada's updated livery. Tom Podolec Aviation's Twitter has a fantastic recording of the riveting collision. On a tangent, when developed in the 1990s, the now ubiquitious 777 featured an "all glass" cockpit (in which digital screens replaced their analogue alternatives), complementing the state-of-the-art long-haul aircraft design with which Boeing wowed the world. That modern cockpit was relatively new for the time, but nowadays, the system is just as unbiquitious as the 777. In fact, some modern aircraft are building on its foundations by transitioning to touch displays - perhaps the next revolution in cockpit design. With the true beauty of the skies, enjoy the image!
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Air Canada Boeing 777-300(ER) (C-FIVR) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a intermittently cloudy Saturday morning 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith
Air Canada Boeing 777-300(ER) (C-FIVR) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) on a intermittently cloudy Saturday morning 2019. This aircraft marks the second additon to our "Air Canada 777" study in which we strive to capture all of the company's 25 Boeing 777s. The very first Air Canada 777-300(ER) delivery occured in March of 2007; C-FIVR (pictured) was recieved a few years later in February 2009. Since then, the aircraft has served an incident free lifespan. It has yet to be rapainted in Air Canada's refreshed livery. Regarding Boeing's outstanding 777 series, it is surely one of the world's most widely produced long-haul, wide-body aircraft, with an exceptional 1600+ deliveries compounded by a staggering 2000+ total orders. With the 777-300(ER), Air Canada's pax (passenger) configuration offers 40 business, 24 premium, and 336 economy class seats for a total of no less than 400 passengers. And thus, perhaps its phenomenal combination of experience and capacity is the primary contributer to the family's near unprecedented popularity. What is more, the aircraft demands an impressive 10,000 feet (3,050 metres) of runway during take-off; this is due, in part, to a base mass of 155 metric tons, incresed to 353 tons (750,000 pounds) under MTOW (Max Take Off Weight). Once in the air, the 777 continues to impress as it can reach a ceiling height (highest possible flying altitude) of over 43,000 feet (10,000+ metres), although typical operational altitude rests at 35,000-40,000 feet. In all and with a prime life expectency of 20+ years, the 777 family will undoubtably fly the skies for many, many years to come. Enjoy the image!
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Air Canada Boeing 777-300(ER) (C-FIVR) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a blinding Saturday morning 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith
Air Canada Boeing 777-300(ER) (C-FIVR) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) on a blinding Saturday morning 2019. This aircraft marks the third addition to our "Air Canada 777" study in which we strive to capture all of the company's 25 Boeing 777s. The very first Air Canada 777-300(ER) delivery occured in March of 2007; C-FIVR (pictured) was recieved the following year in December 2008. Since then, the aircraft has served an incident free lifespan and has yet to be repainted in Air Canada's refreshed livery. With reference to Boeing's phenomenal family of 777 aircraft, consider one astonishing conponent to its design: the landign gear. Collectively known as the "main landing gear", the 777 requires two sets of six tyres below the centre fuselage. Each tyre possesses a diameter just shy of 1.35 metres (53 inches) - the largest when revealed in the 1990s - weighing in at 120 kg (260 pounds); and although inflated to a standard pressure of 220 PSI, studies have demonstrated the ability to withstand pressures approaching 800 PSI in each wheel (for reference, a typical car tyre contains 32 PSI of pressure). What is more, as the six-wheel sets are individually rated to handle upwards of 32.8 metric tons (72,300+ pounds) - the most resistant of any commercial aircraft - tyres must be replaced every 300 cycles to prevent exccess strain. In total, the 777 has 14 landing wheels: 12 in the centre fuselage and an additional two at the fuselage front - and all this for a "meager" $5000+ USD per tyre. (Fun fact: aircraft tyres are typically inflated with inert nitrogen gas to minimize the effects of expansion and contraction intrincic to air travel.) The wheels are certainly one of the most overlooked aspects of aviation - enjoy the image!
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Air Canada Boeing 777-300(ER) (C-FJZS) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) on a shining Saturday afternoon 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith
Air Canada Boeing 777-300(ER) (C-FJZS) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) on a shining Saturday afternoon 2019. This aircraft marks the fifth addition to our "Air Canada 777" study in which we strive to capture all of the company's 25 Boeing 777s. The very first Air Canada 777-300(ER) delivery occured in June of 2007; C-FJZS (pictured) was received a few years later in April 2016. Since acquisition by Air Canada, the aircraft has been involved in just one notable incident. When departing YYZ in March 2020, C-FJZS narrowly avoided a collision with an Air Canada Embraer ERJ-190 (C-FMZW). Both aircraft were intructed to take off on the same runway; however, upon reaching 06L first, the ERJ accelerated in front of the 777, who was taxiing onto the tarmac, awaiting clearance. Moments later, the ERJ-190 suffered a bird strike (not major), forcing the narrow-body aircraft to abort. Unfortunentely, Air Canada's B777 had already received take-off clearence and commenced accelerating towards the aborted (bot still moving) ERJ-190 (unbeknown to the 777 pilots). Upon observing the aborted ERJ, however, the crew immediately aborted take off as well to avoid a collision, slamming on the brakes at a dazzling 200 KPH (126 MPH)speed (155 MPH/250KPH for the ERJ). Shortly thereafter, both planes exited the runway safely; although, due to the immence heat produced by the 777's brakes, C-FJZS required a leisurely 45 minutes to cool down. The ERJ resumed service in seven hours and the B777 in five hours. On the subject of the Boeing 777, note that the wings span a length of 64.8 meters (212 feet), an area of 436 square meters (4700+ square feet), and a wing "sweep angle" of 31.64 degrees; and for a maximum fuel volume of 181,000 L (47,800 US gallons), the wings house a good portion of this. With a beautiful plane and glorious wings, enjoy the image!
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Air Canada Boeing 777-300(ER) (C-FIVW) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a shining Saturday afternoon 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith
Air Canada Boeing 777-300(ER) (C-FIVW) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) on a shining Saturday afternoon 2019. This aircraft marks the fourth addition to our "Air Canada 777" study in which we strive to capture all of the company's 25 Boeing 777s. The very first Air Canada 777-300(ER) delivery occured in June of 2007; C-FIVW (pictured) was recieved a few years later in June 2013. Since acquisiton by Air Canada, the aircraft has been involved in just one notable incident. In 2007 at Hong Kong’s Chek Lap Kok International Airport (HKG), en route from YYZ, the aircraft’s aft fuselage underside roughly contacted the runway, following an unexplained roll to starboard (after a number of other, more minor roll deviations) earlier on approach, which created a dangerous combination of fast descent and high nose angle. C-FIVW subsequently underwent a major repair process due to its resultant unserviceability; however, no injuries were recorded. On a more positive note, let's dive into the 777's phenomenal engines. At just shy of four metres (13 feet) in diameter, each of the 777's two GE90s exceeds the size of of a Boeing 737 cabin. With this, the turbine could house six passenger seats across its 13 foot width. The engine's length, too, is not insignificant at nearly 24 feet (7+ m)- equivalent to a mini schoolbus - and with a weight approaching 19,000+ pounds (8,700 Kg), they are no slouch when it comes to power - only surpassed by their successor, the GE9X of the forthcoming 777X (the 777-300ER/200ER's replacement). With a beautiful plane and stellar engines, enjoy the image!
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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 the country’s largest airline, serving some 48,000 million passengers annually.The airline was founded in 1937 as Trans Canada Air lines (TCA), then a subsidiary of the Canadian National Railroad (CNR) under a federal legislative mandate. TCA was later rebranded as "Air Canada" in 1965; however, even before this date, the French title has always been "Air Canada ''. More recently, effective 2001, Air Canada acquired Canadian Airlines, then Canada's second largest airline, a move which severely reduced native competition in Canada (a major reason for disproportionately high air fares in the country). In addition, Air Canada's 777 in this image is shown sporting their updated livery, a redesign that coincided with the airline's 80th anniversary and Canada's sesquicentennial in 2017. The new retro design takes inspiration from past liveriess; the black band surrounding the cockpit was used on their 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. The overhaul was designed by the International design firm WinKreative, led by Canadaian 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!
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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!
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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!
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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!
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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!
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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!
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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!
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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!
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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 Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon 2019. France's national carrier flew into operation in 1933 following a merger between five significant companies, with one specific memmber, Compagnie Générale Transaérienne, having the distinction of being the oldest air transport company in France (1909). Significantly, June of 1945 brought the nationalization of the airline, when it became the state owned flag carrier of France. A few decades later, in 1974, Air France moved its principle operations to the brand new Charles de Gaulle Airport, the same aiport in which the airlines finds its modern hub. Additionally, in 2000, Air France became a founding member of the SkyTeam Alliance, one of the world's largest airline networks, promoting "high quality and seemless service". Interestingly, shortly thereafterm, Air France merged with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, effective 2004, which became known as the Air France-KLM Group and effectively privatised the airline once again - adding to Air France's already impressive history of air company mash-ups. The otherwise simplified eurowhite livery of 2009 retaines a seahorse, to be found on the engine, from Air Orient, one of the company's five founding members. The plane pictured is just one of 70 Boeing 777s in Air France's fleet and was delivered to the airline approximentaly 17 years ago, which, as it flies over our cameras, brings literal truth to their slogan "France is in the Air". Enjoy!
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Pakistan International Airways (PIA) Boeing 777-200(LR) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a splendid Saturday morning 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith
Pakistan International Airways (PIA) Boeing 777-200(LR) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Karachi's Jinnah International Airport (KHI) on a splendid Saturday morning 2019. Of note, this aircraft has quite the history with Toronto’s Lester B. Pearson Airport; since its delivery in 2006, AP-BGZ has been subject to two noteworthy incidents at YYZ. In December of 2015, seconds before arrival, engine failure was suffered following a bird strike. No casualties were recorded whatsoever; however, as the damage sustained by the engine rendered the long-haul jetliner inoperable, PIA was forced to dispatch additional aircraft, a 777-300(ER) - the 777-200(LR)’s “big sister” - to retrieve the stranded passengers for the return flight. (Toronto seldom welcomes this aircraft model.) Subsequently, in March of 2019, the aircraft’s wing (either starboard or port - unrecorded) contacted the passenger boarding bridge at its arrival gate - again at Pearson - during the taxiing phase. This was a much cleaner accident as only minor damage was sustained and no casualties recorded. Furthermore, this route, KHI-YYZ, sees a number of weekly flights from the Pakistani carrier but is primarily operated by just two aircraft - the one pictured and PIA’s only other 777-200(LR), AP-BGY. That aircraft can be found in our Soaring Blog as well. An interesting set of events, indeed. Enjoy the image!
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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!
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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!
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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!
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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!
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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 a very diverse fleet of Boeing, Airbus, and other aircraft, the Airbus A330 long-range model as seen in this image is comparitevly 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 retierment plans. In fact, Air Canada's A330s have planned deliveries through 2020 and are presently set to replace their ageing and similarily sized Boeing 767 aircraft in the future. Additionally, the livery sported 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. 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) on a stellar Sunday morning - Photo by Robson Smith
Eurowings Airbus A330-300 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) on a stellar Sunday morning 2019. Despite the livery, this is actually Brussels Airlines flight SN551 originating from Brussels Airport (BRU) en route to Toronto Pearson. It is important to note that Brussels Airlines and Eurowings are both part of the Eurowings Group, which is itself a subsidiary of the larger Lufthansa Group. As part of this arrangement, Brussels Airlines has been chosen as the long-haul competency partner, responsible for all long-haul flights of this group. Consequently, Brussels Airport will become the hub of all future long-haul flights for the Eurowings Group, and as the Brussels-Toronto route is considered a long-haul destination, Brussels Airlines is the registered operator of this Eurowings aircraft. Enjoy the image!
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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!
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KLM Boeing 787-10 (PH-BKG) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a delightfully sunny Tuesday 2020 - Photo by Robson Smith
KLM Boeing 787-10 (PH-BKG) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Amsterdam Schiphol International Airport (AMS) on a delightfully sunny Tuesday 2020. In responce to the unusually clean underbelly, one may conclude that this is a very young aircraft, and indeed, they would be correct. PH-BKG was delivered to the Dutch carrier in February of 2020; however, KLM's first 787-10 was received in early summer 2019 - exactly 100 days before the company's 100th aniverasry in October of that year. PH-BKG, named "Bluebell" or "Hyacint" in Dutch, represents the fifth -10 Dreamliner recieved by the airline (and newest); and with the acquisiton of these state-of-the-art jetliners, KLM aims to modernize their quickly ageing fleet (composed of both Airbus and Boeing aircraft). The balance of this fleet lies with Boeing, including KLM's cargo fleet. On the Boeing side, KLM's primary long-haul operative is the 777 family, with a total of 29 in service (fifteen 777-200ERs and fourteen 777-300ERs). Complementing these are eighteen Dreamliners (thirteen 787-9s and - as mentioned - five 787-10s). It should also be noted that, as of April 2020, KLM's famous fleet of passenger 747 aircraft has undergone a premature retirement resulting from COVID-19 impacts. The "Queen of the Skies" originally posessed a retirement date many years in the future, and prior to April, five 747-400s and twenty 747-400Ms were flown. ("M" likely stands for "mixed" as these aircraft transport both passengers and freight - three of these "combi" varients are currently reinstated for cargo operations related to COVID-19.) To support their expansive short-haul network, an additional complement of fifty-two 737s are serviced: sixteen 737-700s (to be retired by 2022), thirty-one 737-800s, and five 737-900s (a much rarer, extended aircraft). With Airbus, the A330 wide-body family encompasses thirteen aircraft - eight A330-200s and five A330-300s - competing with Boeing's 777 series. The A330, however, will be phased out by 2025 (or sooner), and no short-haul aircraft from the European manufacturing giant are flown. To the future, two Boeing 777-300(ER)s are to be delivered, and an option for an additional ten 787-10s may be fullfilled. With a glorious and cutting-edge aircraft at Pearson, enjoy the image!
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Xiamen Air Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner (B-7838) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a cloudless Tuesday morning 2020 - Photo by Robson Smith
Xiamen Air Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner (B-7838) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport (XMN) on a cloudless Tuesday morning 2020. This is an exceedingly unusual flight - Xiamen Air does not currentely operate regular flights to YYZ. The once-in-a-blue-moon occurance was lilely a repatriation service for Canadian and Chinese citizens due to COVID-19. As such, this may be Xiamen's first ever flight into Toronto (although it is possible other repatriaition flights were operated in prior months). Founded in 1984, Xiamen Air (then Xiamen Airlines) was established as a domestic carrier aiming to connect the province of Fujian to the rest of China. Since then, helped greatly by the addition of the Dreamliner (both -9 and -8 models), the company has expanded operations to other Asian nations, North America, Oceania, and Europe, for a total of 70 destinations and some 350 flight routes. The airline acquired its first Dreamliner in late August of 2014, and as mentioned, this allowed the carrier to execute its goals of truly international travel. (Of note, when Xiamen recieved this aricraft, it was the only airline in China to service a Boeing exclusive fleet). In 2020, this fleet accounts for over 200 aircraft. Arguably more impressive, however, is from Xiamen's average fleet age of 6 years, making it "one of the youngest fleets in the world", according to the airline. Moreover, a number of noteworthy accomplishments have occured over the years. On July 26th, 2016, Xiamen's first intercontinental flight flew to Amsterdam, Netherlands, and the first North American flight launched exactly one year later on July 26th, 2016 to Vancouver. To this day, Vancouver is the only Canadian city to welcome regular service from the airline, likely due to its relative proximety to East Asia. In addition to expansive destinations, Xiamen Air is consistentely voted one of the best airlines of Asia; Carnock.com, and Asianic aviation site, rated them the best airline in mainland China for nearly five consecutive years (evaluated quarterly). Elsewere, the airline has garnered immense praise as well. Their livery uses an egret/crane commonly seen on Xiamen Island, "the Egret island", as a logo - found on the vertical fin. The Egret's association with, well... flight made it an indeal choice for Xiamen; this liver was released in 2012 to coincide with their 28th anniversary. With their slogan "Flying Farther, Flying Outword", we welcome Xiamen to Toronto. Enjoy the image!
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 aifcraft, 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 intrum 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 of 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 starbord side), with a modernized maple leaf displayed on the tail. With their slogan "Love where you're going", we look forward to to where Westjet chooses to fly next and on which aircraft they use to get there. Enjoy!