Soaring - An Aviation Focus

July 25, 2019

An Ongoing Passion for Flight & Flying Designs

For over a decade, we have actively pursued our perpetual fascination and awe with the ever expanding universe of flight. The following 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

Ethiopian Airlines Airbus A350-900 (ET-AWP) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a warm Sunday morning 2019 - 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 warm Sunday morning 2019. This is a continuation of our ET-AWP study, which includes an additional image in our Soaring Blog. This time, given the rear-facing angle, we feel the need to examine the wheels. The Airbus A350-900 uses two four wheel "trucks" situated beneath the centre fuselage and one two wheel truck towards the nose, totaling ten tires. The A350-1000 differs in that it uses two six wheel trucks beneath the centre fuselage (in both cases, these are referred to as the main landing gear. During touch down, these take the full force of the aircraft). Furthermore, the six wheel main landing gear "bogies" of the -1000 folds into a 4.7 metre (15 foot) undercarriage bay, whereas the A350-900s uses a 4.1 metre (13 ft.) bay. Altogether, the main landing gear of the A350-1000 must support a monsterous 319 t (703,000 lb) maximum take off weight (MTOW). It is truly incredible to recognize that this is accomplished through just tweleve tires with 22 inch diameters. The smaller A350-900 (pictured) must have a main landing array capable of supporting some 280 t (620,000 lb). (But intriguingly, these have a larger 23 inch diameter...) With one of the most overlooked aspects of flight, enjoy the image!

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

Air France Airbus A350-900 (F-HTYD) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Aiport (YYZ) from Paris-Charles De Gaulle International Airport (CDG) on a bright Sunday afternoon 2020. This is a continuation of our F-HTYD study, which emcompasses two additional images in our Soaring Blog - one of which is from the same day (forward facing angle). This time, we shall dwelve into the fascinating Airbus A350 winglets. The A350's winglets - or "sharklets" as named by Airbus - gracefully curve out and back from its superbly engineered wing. (Note, they share a similar geometric shape with the Boeing 787, another 21st century jetliner). In fact, most most modern airliners come equipped with winglets of various designs. Contrary to popular belief, the idea behind winglets predates aviation. They were first conceived and patented in 1897 by an English engineer, Frederick W. Lanchester; subsequently, in 1910, the first functional winglets were patented by Scottish engineer William E. Somerville. However. the winglet as we know it today, including its name, was thanks to NASAs research engineer Richard Whitcomb in the 1970s. In general, winglets reduce the aerodynamic drag of an aircraft by mitigating the detrimental effects of wing vortices produced by all aircraft. This leads to significant fuel savings, lower noise emmisions, increased take-off performance, enhanced aircraft handling, and inproved safety. In all, this contributes to inproved crusing efficiency by upwards of nine percent - potentially saving hundreds of thousands of gallons of fuel per aircaft each year. Those on the Airbus A350 (both -900 and -1000 variants) sweep out five metres, augmenting the aircraft's already impressive wing span to 64.8 metres (212 ft.). Air France's sharklets don a seahorse, paying homage to one of the airline's founding companies. Indeed, the A350 is full of surprises. Enjoy the image!

Air Canada Boeing 777-200(LR) (C-FNND) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a pure blue sky day 2020 - Photo by Robson Smith

Air Canada Boeing 777-200(LR) (C-FNND) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) on a pure blue sky day 2020. This aircraft marks the eighth 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 delivery occured in March of 2007 (it was a 777-300(ER) variant); the first 777-200(LR) came in June 2007; C-FNND (pictured) was received a year later in February 2008 as the second-to-last 777-200(LR) delivery. It was subsequently "reliveried" some years later. Air Canada's comparatively large fleet of 777 aircraft comprises 19 777-300(ER)s and six 777-200(LR)s. What's more, due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, all 777-200(LR) aircraft, including C-FNND, are currenty stored along with eight 777-300(ER)s. In addition, some of the non-grounded B773s have been converted to all-freight cabins to help with the sudden spike in global cargo demand. Furthermore, over its lifespan, three notable incidents have been recorded, all of which were casualty-free. The most interesting occured in December 2016, en route to Toronto's YYZ from Hong Kong Chek Lap Cok International Airport (HKG). East of Fort McMurry, Alberta, a spillage of fluid was recorded over the the audio control pannels in the cockpit of the aircraft (including plane to ground communications). The resulting electrical issues significantly inhibited the aircraft's ability to communicate; in fact, only one fully functioning radio was left unaffected. However, as the damage was contained, the crew elected to safely continue to YYZ where they landed three hours later. Damaged communications panels and electronics were subsequently replaced. What makes this most ammusing (in retrospect) is that the vague "spillage" was likely a hot beverage (coffe or tea, for example), which was inadvertantly spilled - an expensive drink. Note, this is not the first nor last time this has happened. In fact, Airbus has recently reconfigured their flagship A350 flight control panels to mitigate water damage, which has occured on multiple occasions. C-FNNW has quite the history, and we eagerly await its return to the skies. Enjoy the image!

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!

Air Canada Airbus A220-300 (C-GROV) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a glorious Sunday morning 2020 - Photo by Robson Smith

Air Canada Airbus A220-300 (prev. Bombardier CS300) (C-GROV) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Calgary International Airport (YYC) on a glorious Sunday morning 2020. This is the first entry into our Air Canada A220 series in which we aim to capture the company's entire A220 fleet (eight at present - August 23rd). Moreover, astute viewers will note the inconsistency between this aircraft's registration and that of the other Air Canada A220s. "C-GROV" is a completely unique combination; in fact, it was employee-chosen to commemorate Air Canada's President, CEO, and champion of the A220 programme Calin Rovinescu. In December 2019, Air Canada acquired its very first A220-300 (this aircraft) from an initial order of 45 (with an option for an additional 30); all of these will be built at Mirabel, Quebec. This transaction cemented Air Canada's place as the firt North American airline to operate the type, another accomplishment in a long line of firsts for the carrier. These include: first North American airline to operate a turbine powered aircraft, the Vickers Viscount, in December 1954; first Canadian carrier to receive a jetliner, the DC-8, in February 1960; and the first Canadian airline to acquire a Jumbo Jet (Boeing 747) in February 1971. Nowadays, the A220-300, paired with the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis, marks a significant fleet modernization effort as sought out by Air Canada. Upon signing of the letter of intent in 2016, the Canadian carrier was expected to use some of its A220s to replace the ageing Embraer E190 (of which they owned 45). The COVID-19 crisis has forced the acceleration of this retirement, with the last scheduled E190 passenger service taking place in late May, 2020. The situation has also forced Air Canada to pull their 777-200ERs and Boeing 767-300s from service. Furthermore, following the acquisition of Boeing's new 737 MAX 8 aircraft in 2019, the Airbus A320 narrow-body jet was also planned for retirement. Of course, the grounding of the cutting-edge aircraft (737 MAX) in March 2019 pushed the company to postpone these plans, even though the average age of their remaining 39 A320s was 26 years. With a modern manifestation of flight, enjoy the image!

Air Canada Airbus A220-300 (C-GJXE) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a beautiful Tuesday morning 2020 - Photo by Robson Smith

Air Canada Airbus A220-300 (C-GJXE) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Edmonton International Airport (YEG) on a beautiful Tuesday morning 2020. This is the fifth entry into our Air Canada A220 series in which we aim to capture the company's entire A220 fleet (eight at present - September 9th). Of these, C-GJXE was delivered in early February, 2020, making it Air Canada's second A220 (C-GROV was delivered in December of 2019). In general, the A220 familly is expecterd torevolutionize the narrow-body market in the same way the famous Boeing 787 has revolutionalized the wide-body sector. There are many contributing factors to this, including a remarkable economy class providing near unmatched customer sastifaction (it has earned recognition as the "small jet with big jet confort"), stellar fuel economics, and lower mintence requirements. In fact, due to an an optomized maintence program, leading-edge systems intigration, and an advanced engine design, the A220 can operate noticably longer than current competetors without maintence checks. This means the plane can fly longer and more often than last gegneration aircarft while providing a world-class customer experiance. Furthermore, Air Canada, set to become one of the largest operators of the type in North America, has emphatically stated, contrary to popular belief, that they did not purchase the aircraft due to its Canadian roots. From Air Canada's Vice President of Network planning, Mark Galardo, "we are proud to see this bold undertaking by a Canadian firm, but our order is a result of extensive network and finance led annalysis... It was simply too good a product to pass on" He subsequently called the A220 a "game changer". One should note that this is how the Boeing 787 was initially viewed. Enjoy the image!

Air Canada Airbus A220-200 (C-GJYA) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a brilliantly lit Tuesday morning 2020 - Photo by Robson Smith

Air Canada Airbus A220-300 (C-GJXN) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL) on a blindingly bright Sunday morning 2020. This is the fourth entry into our Air Canada A220 series in which we aim to capture the company's entire A220 fleet (eight at present - September 6th). Of these, C-GJYA was delivered on the 26th of February, 2020, making it one of Air Canada's oldest (C-GROV was delivered in December of 2019). With a first flight on February 9th, 2020, it took 17 days for Air Canada to physicaly acquire this A220. Meanwhile, the aircraft underwent a comprehensive testing phase in which a total of four flights, lasting over eight hours, and multiple ground sinerios were examined. On February ninth, a taxi test and RTO trial proceeed the airframe's first flight. The RTO, or "rejected take-off, is often considered the harshest certification trial for an aircraft as it invloves aborting take-off (likely at MTOW, maximum take-off weight) after a maximum acceleration. Impressivly, only thirty minutes elapsed from the successful RTO test and first flight, clearly pushing the aircraft to its limits. February 10th and 11th saw test flights two and three, respectivly, and six days later, on Feb. 17th, a 1.5 hour "customer acceptance flight" was conducted. This was Air Canada's inspection or "test drive", if you will; evidently, no issues were found, and the aircraft was contractually fulfilled soon thereafter. All test flights were conducted at Montreal's Mirabel Airport (YMX). Finally, the physcal delivery flight from YMX to YUL took place six days later (feb 26), and C-GJYN has been flying ever since. Clearly, with such a rigorous certification process, its no wonder civil aviation is is one of the safest methods of travel. Enjoy the image!

Air Canada Airbus A220-300 (C-GJXV) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a beautifully bright Sunday morning 2020 - Photo by Robson Smith

Air Canada Airbus A220-300 (C-GJXV) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport (YOW) on a beautifully bright Sunday morning 2020. Of note, this exact A220-300 was delivered to the Canadian carrier not too long ago in February of 2020, preceeding passenger services on March 7th, literally one week prior to this capture. Complimentary to this, Air Canada's first delivery of the A220-300 transpired in mid December, and although first flown by the airline at this time, the aircraft family would be christened with passenger service in late January. This cements Air Canada's place as the first North American airline to receive the Airbus A220-300, a tremendous indication of the airline's phenomenal growth stratagy and fleet modernization. In fact, by analyzing the serial number of this aircraft, one can deduce that it is likely the 79 A220 family aircraft in the production line. What is more, this aircraft is the company's fourth A220 (all are of the -300 varient), with a total of 45 on order. Once received, the modern jetliner will begin phasing out the aging Embraer ERJ-190s. For all operators of the A220, they experience some 20% less fuel burn (per seat) on average, yielding the ability to profitably connect distant destinations for the "120-160 seat market". Such routes would have been otherwise - and previously - infeasible. Yes, it is an exceedingly efficient little plane. What pleasure it is to welcome the A220 to Pearson - and North America. Enjoy the image!

Air Canada Airbus A220-300 (C-GJXW) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a perfect Sunday morning 2020 - Photo by Robson Smith

Air Canada Airbus A220-300 (C-GJXW) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Edmonton International Airport (YEG) on a perfect Sunday morning 2020. This is the second entry into our Air Canada A220 series in which we aim to capture the company's entire A220 fleet (eight at present - August 31st). With an initial order for 45 Airbus A220-300 state-of-the-art aircraft, Air Canada's fleet will undoubtably receive major gains in economics, so much so that the airline has accelerated the retirement of its ageing A320 aircraft. Moreover, C-GJWX was delivered on May 23rd, 2020, marking the airline's fifth A220 acquisition after a two month delivery halt during COVID-19's peak in Canada. This acquisition also marked the eleventh overall A220 delivery of the year, certainly slowed by the aforementioned health crisis. However, clearly indicative of the airframe's near unmatched economics, Air Canada's entire A220 fleet is currently flying. In fact, few airlines operating A220s have done the contrary; the vast majority of A220 aircraft are in use, despite the tremendous strain on aviation COVID-19 has caused. In comparison, many other jet variants have been partially - and sometimes completly - grounded for the foreseable future due to a variety of reasons. Essentially, the aircraft has faired remarkably well in the pandemic, almost as if it were built with such pressures in mind. In actuality, it is the balanced blend of efficiency, range, and (relatively) low seating capacity which allows the Airbus A220 to excel in these times. With the forerunner of modern, efficient flight, enjoy the image!

Air Canada Airbus A220-200 (C-GJYA) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a brilliantly lit Tuesday morning 2020 - Photo by Robson Smith

Air Canada Airbus A220-200 (C-GJYA) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Calgary International Airport (YYC) on a brilliantly lit Tuesday morning 2020. This is the third entry into our Air Canada A220 series in which we aim to capture the company's entire A220 fleet (eight at present - September 4th). Of these, C-GJYA was delivered on the forth of July, 2020, making it the airline's second newest A220 as of writing (C-GJYC was received two weeks later on the 20th of July); and with 45 of these aircraft on the horizon, the economic gains Air Canada expects to receive are nearly unprecedented. Indeed, with 25% lower fuel burn and emmisions per seat, operators can anticipate around a 25% cost advantage over previous generation aircraft. This is greatly helped by the airframe's impressive Pratt & Whitney PW1500G engines (of the same family used on the A320neo series) and a clean sheet design, both of which were designed with efficiency as a priority. All together, the A220 family is considered to be the most efficient single aisle aircraft in the world; as such, in June, 2020, over 640 orders from some 25 customers had been placed, with more than 100 delivered to seven airlines: SWISS, air Baltic, Korean Air, Delta Airlines, Air Tanzania, EgyptAir, and, of course, Air Canada. Thusfar, globally, over 260,000 flight cycles (take offs and landings) and 385,000 flight hours have been served by the A220, allowing the the jetliner to visit 225 destinations through 380+ routes all the whilst operating upwards of 18 hours and 13 "legs" (take off plus landing) daily. With a brand new (and spotless) aircraft, enjoy the image!

Azores Airlines Airbus A321neo arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Ponta Delgada International Airport (PDL) on a georgous Saturday evening 2020. This stunning aircraft, CS-TSF, was deliered to the island carrier in December of 2017, denoting it as the first A321neo addition to Azore's fleet, painted in the "Breathe" livery. This fleet consists of five total aircraft - two ageing A320s complemented by three modern A321neos. Each of the five has been dubbed a unique title and given a special livery. In chronological order of acquisition, Azores received their first still operational aircraft in February 2016. Branded in the "Natural" livery, CS-TKQ is now a 15+ year old A320, serving under numerous airlines before entering the Azores fleet. Next came CS-TSF in, as mentioned, December 2017; and subsequentely, in March 2018 and July 2019, Azores received CS-TSG, in "Wonder" livery, and CS-TSH, in "Magical" livery, respectively (both A321neos). In between these two acquisitions, Azores fleet was augmented by another A320-200, CS-TKO, in May 2020 (Dream livery). Of note, although all A321 jetliners in operation are "neo" variants (New Engine Model) of the famous A321 lineage, CS-TSH, their most recent "neo" acquisition, is an A321LR (long Range) model. It is still a member of the "neo" family, however, capable of outmatching the already impressive range of the cutting-edge A321neos; more A321LRs will be added in the coming years. Most intriguingly, located on the forward fuselage of this aircraft is the name "Marciano Veiga", who piloted the first Azores commercial flgiht on June 15th, 1947, when the airline was known as "SATA". The special liveries on all Azores A321neos include a QR code directing you to www.azoresairlines.pt - a smart 21st century twist. Enjoy the image!

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!

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!

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!

Lufthansa Airbus A340-300 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a sunny picturesque Tuesday afternoon 2020 - Photo by Robson Smith

Lufthansa Airbus A340-300 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Frankfurt Airport (FRA) on a picturesque Tuesday afternoon 2020. Of note, this aircraft was delivered to the German carrier in May 1996 - over twenty four years ago - and thus, D-AIGL will soon approach its expected retirement. In addition, as with most Lufthansa aircraft, the A340 has been named after a significant German city - Herne of western Germany, in this case. What is more, D-AIGL resides in Lufthansa's diverse fleet of approximentely 200 aircraft (from both Boeing and Airbus); in this case, the majority serve short to medium haul routes, although Lufthansa does have an expansive intercontinental network. From Boeing, twenty-eight 747 aircraft are devided into eight 747-400s and nineteen 747-800Is (denoting the airline as the largest 747-8I operator; they happen to be the type's launch customer as well; and most of all, Lufthansa received the Boeing's 1500th 747 ever produced - a monumental milestone - in 2014 as a 747-8I). Unfortunatly, all 747s, currently Lufthansa's only Boeing product, are to be retired by 2025, replaced by the Boeing 777X; however the COVID-19 crisis will certainely expedite this process. Airbus supplies the majority of their narrow body fleet: twenty-five A319-100s, sixty-two A320-200s, twenty-three A320neos (New Engine Option - the newest offering from Airbus), twenty A321-100s, forty-three A321-200s, and five A321neos. Fifteen wide body A330-300s, fourteen A340-300s, ten A340-600s, and sixteen A350-900s comprise the remainder ot Lufthansa's long haul operations. At last, eight large Airbus A380-800s are flown. To the future, seventy-eight A320neos and forty-three A321neos will be complemented by twenty-seven A350-900s, twenty Boeing 777-8s, and 20 777-9s; therefore, the airlines plans to add another half of its current fleet in the near future. However, as Lufthansa finds istself part of the mammouth Lufthansa Group, some may be reserved by other members. Indeed, the Lufthansa of the future may well be unrecognizable - enjoy the image!

Lufthansa Airbus A340-300(D-AIGP) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a wonderfully picturesque Sunday afternoon 2020 - Photo by Robson Smith

Lufthansa Airbus A340-300 (D-AIGP) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Frankfurt Airport (FRA) on a wonderfully picturesque Sunday afternoon 2020. Approaching its retirement after 22 years in service, D-AIGP entered Lufthansa's fleet on December 30th, 1998. Back then, it was named "Paderborn" until May, 2015, after which it received its current Star Alliance special livery. There is a collector's model of the Paderborn version, even though the jetliner has served a rather uneventful lifespan. This said, in June 2018, a major incident was recorded at Frankfurt Airport, which indirectly involved this plane. A sister Lufthansa A340-400, D-AIFA, also in Star Alliance livery but delivered in 2000, suffered severe damage after a tow tug caught fire beneath the forward fuselage, encrusting the plane in carbon soot. Thankfully, no serious injuries were reported as D-AIFA was unoccupied. However, the damage was so severe that Lufthansa decided to write off the ageing A340. A reserve A340-300 (this plane) was recruited for the scheduled afternoon flight. Moreover, since its first A340 acquisition in the early 1990s, Lufthansa has operated the A340-200 (historic), A340-300 (currently most numerous), and the mammoth A340-600, although the last is currently grounded due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. Furthermore, of 377 A340 aircraft delivered to airlines, the German carrier has received 62 (35 continue to fly; the others have been retired). In all, at 22 years young and carrying upwards of 300 passengers per flight, one can only imagine the stories D-AIGP has to tell. In fact, simple arithmetic shows this aircraft has likely ferried well over one million passengers thus far (conservative!), each having paid approximently 275 dollars just to pay off the $270 million airframe (adjusted for inflation). At this age, D-AIGP can certainly be excused for showing a little dirt. Enjoy the image!

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!

Cathay Pacific Airbus A350-1000 (B-LXI) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a dramatically overcast Tuesday morning 2020 - Photo by Robson Smith

Cathay Pacific Airbus A350-1000 (B-LXI) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok International Airport (HKG) on a dramatically overcast Tuesday morning 2020. Although Cathay has serviced Toronto since time immemorial, prior to October of 2019, this was only avaliable on the Boeing 777-300(ER). Thereafter, three weekly flights (give or take with COVID-19) were to be operated by one of Cathay's 34 (ish) state-of-the-art Airbus A350s. Since then, the A350 has flown proudly between Hong Kong and Toronto. For business and leisure travelers alike, this was a welcome change, for the A350 is consistentely given praise for a near un-matched in-cabin experience. Their fleet is comprised of airbus A330-300s, A350s, and Boeing 777s, denoting all 150+ aircraft as wide bodies split between Airbus and Boeing - their regional subsidary Cathay Dragon handles short-haul operations with appropriate narrow-body jets (A320s, etc). Cathay has a total of forty-six A350s ordered - 34 have been deliveed (twenty-two -900s and twelve -1000s). In 2016, the Hong Kong carrier became the second airline to recieve the A350-1000 and the sixth to launch the A350-900. Qatar Airways had previously inaugurated both variants. Moreover, at the time of Cathay's first A350XWB delivery (a -900 model), the airline placed a firm order for twenty-two A350-900s and twenty-six A350-1000s; however, this statistic has fluctuated in the years following. To supplement the above A350s is an additional twenty-seven A330-300s and sixty-eight of the Boeing 777-300s. This is the only Boeing aircraft to be serviced, split between the -300 and -300(ER) models, which is interesting as it is relatively rare to see airlines still flying the original Boeing 777-300 in lieu of its more popular successor, the 777-300(ER). The freight side of Cathay is composed exclusively of Boeing 747s (six 747-400Fs and forteen more modern 747-8Fs). Indeed, Cathay's fleet is quickly growng to become a world leader - enjoy the image!

Cathay Pacific Airbus A350-1000 (B-LXA) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) on a dramatically sunny Friday morning 2020 - Photo by Robson Smith

Cathay Pacific Airbus A350-1000 (B-LXA) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok International Airport (HKG) on a dramatically sunny Friday morning 2020. Acquired in June of 2018, B-LXA both marks Cathay Pacific's first Airbus A350-1000 delivery and denotes the compmany as the world's second operator of the model (after Qatar Airways). What is more, prior to the delivery of B-LXA, Cathay announced the aircraft would inaugurate a new service from Hong Kong, its principle hub, to Washington DC; specifically, at over 17 hours and 13,100 km (8,140 miles) in distance, the novel non-stop service cements itself as the longest flight operated from Chek Lap Kok Airport (when launched). Although Cathay's fleet places a "meager" fourth in the "largest A350 customer" race (of all variants), excluding orders, the company jumps to a much more prestigious third. Customer-wise, Cathay places behind Emirates, Singapore Airlines, and Qatar Airways. Moreover, as of April 2020, Cathay's A350-1000 fleet joins an exclusive club of six airlines currently servicing the modern aircraft: Air Caraïbes, British Airways, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, and Virgin Atlantic. The accolades continue; derived from the production list of delivered A350-1000s, B-LXA is likely the fifth to be manufactured (excluding various test planes), yet the second to be delivered to an airline (earlier models go to Airbus and Qatar). Therefore, the very acquisition to designate Cathay Pacific as the A350-1000's second customer came to fruition on the world's second commercial A350-1000 plane. With an original Airbus A350, enjoy the image!

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!

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!

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.

Etihad Airways Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner (A6-BLR) "ADNOC - Choose Singapore" livery arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a blissful Sunday afternoon 2020 - Photo by Robson Smith

Etihad Airways Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner (A6-BLR) "ADNOC - Choose Singapore" livery arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) on a blissful Sunday afternoon 2020. Delivered to the Emirati carrier in October 2017, A6-BLR came dressed in Etihad's standard - yet still dazzling - livery. Subsequently, a drastic overhaul was undertaken in November 2019, bringing another addition to the airline's "ADNOC - choose" special liveries (notable others including Italy, USA, and Japan). These works of art - and it truly is artwork - recognize the vital relationship existing between Emirati oil mammoth ADNOC (Abu Dhabi National Oil Company) and various trade partners. For a country investing tremendous funds in the oil sector, it is no wonder the national airline, having built its buisness serving the affluent in opulence - finds its beneficial to promote this. Clearly, such relations are of vital importance to the airline, for each repainted airliner must be temporarly grounded for msny days to receive its new face. (Generally-speaking, when an aircraft is not in the air, it is hemorrhaging money.) Furthermore, included on both sides of the fuselage are four new elements superimposed on Etihad's livery. Only two are visible - a large flower, presumably a take on Singapore's national flower, the Papilionanthe Miss Joaquim (an orchid chosen from a selection of 40 flowers in 1981 and originally created by Miss Joaquim in the 1890's), and a lion rendition. Singapore has been known as the Lion City since 1986; in fact, the name "Singapore" comes from the combination of the Malay words "Singa" (Lion) and "Pura" (City) (even though studies have shown that lions don't really reside in the area). Although YYZ may never have the chance to welcome Singapore Airlines, Etihad's "Choose Singapore" is a spectacular substitute. Enjoy the image!

Etihad Airways Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner (A6-BLS) "ADNOC - Choose Japan" livery arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on an ornate Sunday afternoon 2020 - Photo by Robson Smith

Etihad Airways Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner (A6-BLS) "ADNOC - Choose Japan" livery arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) on an ornate Sunday afternoon 2020. Delivered in December 2017, this aircraft now marks just one of 30 Boeing 787-9 aircraft in Etihad Airways fleet with an additional 12 on order. Subsequently, in November 2019, A6-BLS was repainted into the dazzling array of colouring seen above. Importantly, due to the COVID-19 health crisis, four of the airline's 787-9s are stored (temporarily); however, all of their larger and newer 787-10 aircraft (of which they operate eight with some 22 yet to be delivered) are in the air. Furthermore, this gorgeous livery is doubly special in that it was completed in Abu Dhabi, Etihad's princible hub, by Etihad Engineering, an industry leading aircraft maintence and engineering provider with an impressive resumé. The entire "Choose" family of 787 aircraft have been overhauled by this firm, from early fall of 2019 to present. Most intriguing, a now famous aircraft in the series (presumebly the first - not A6-BLS) underwent the world's first full 787-9 painting outside of a Boeing facility". All subsequent "logojets" have undergone this process as well. Evidently, of the numerous countries recognized by Etihad, pictured is "Choose Japan", acknowledging the strong economic ties shared between the two countries since the 1960s. In fact, the UAE is the world's second largest exporter of crude oil to Japan. Of the numerous nations donned by Etihad's 787-9s, Choose Singapore, Thailand, Italy, USA, and, importantly, Japan (9A6-BLK), can each be found on two different aircraft. This also applies to their "Choose China", which uses both the 787-9 and its bigger brother the 10. Another 787-10 flies as the "Greenliner", displaying the company's ambitious plans to cut emmisions. All of these jets are currently in the air save for one "Choose Saudi Arabia" 787-9 (A6-BLI). The lotus (Suirem, in Japanese), the national flower of Japan, is prominently displayed on the fuselage of this Dreamliner. Indeed, Torontonians have been blessed by the arrival of countless "Choose" liveries from Etihad (this is our fifth). Enjoy the image!

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

Lufthansa Airbus A350-900 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Munich International Airport (MUC) on a picturesque Saturday sunset 2019. 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!

Air France Airbus A350-900 (F-HTYF) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Aiport (on its maiden flight across the ocean) on a summer Friday afternoon 2020 - Photo by Robson Smith

Air France Airbus A350-900 (F-HTYF) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Aiport (YYZ) from Paris Charles De Gaulle International Airport (CDG) on a summer Friday afternoon 2020. First flown under Air France on July 10th, 2020, F-HTYF, named Marseille, marks the sixth A350-900 to join the French fleet, the first of which came in September of 2019. This flight is, therefore, quite special as it marks F-HTYF's first flight into Toronto (and first service across the Atlantic, first flight over any ocean in fact). Moreover, the airline's first three A350s were acquired before the turn of the decade: F-HTYA in September, 2019, (named "Toulouse"), F-HTYB in October (named "Lyon"), and finally, F-HTYC in November (named "Saint Denis de la Reunion"). In 2020, another three were delivered thusfar: F-HTYD in February (named "Nice" - also seen in our Soaring Blog on its first visit to Toronto), F-HTYE in May (named Bourdeaux), and most recentely, F-HTYF in July (this aircraft - named Marseille). In the future, Air France is expected to take delivery of some additional 32 A350-900s, from the original 38 on firm order. Of note, in 2011 when the Air France Group first placed an order for the A350-900, this ammounted to a whopping 50 aircraft; all would now be allocated to Air France following the fleet orginazation of the group (which will see KLM streamline to Boeing and Air France to Airbus products). With a stunning state-of-the-art aircraft on its maiden vyaage across the ocean, enjoy the image!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

Swiss International Airlines (HB-JNH) repatriation flight arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a sublime Friday morning 2020 - Photo by Robson Smith

Swiss International Airlines (HB-JNH) repatriation flight arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Zurich International Airport (ZRH) on a sublime Friday morning 2020. Strikingly unique, this flight is in no way a regularly operated service between ZRH and YYZ; SWISS is seen finishing its third Toronto repatriation flight since the COVID-19 crisis began. What is more, due to the inherently unpredictable nature of these repatriation schedulings, the Swiss carrier may very well never serve Toronto again. Furthermore, although the Swiss national carrier formally flew into service a mere two decades ago, the company has roots dating back nearly a century. Swiss Air was formed from the merger of two former Swiss airlines, Balair (founded in 1925) and Ad Astra Aero (founded in 1919) in 1931 to serve the country of Switzerland. For the better part of 71 years, the airline gained a reputation as the "flying bank" due to its near unmatched financial stability; and as such, it was regarded as the Swiss "national symbol and icon", a rare occurance in the world of national airlines. By the time of its demise (due, in part, to the adoption of a flawed system of over-expansion), Swiss Air operated nearly 75 aircraft serving 157 destinations, making it one of the most significant airlines of Europe. However, it's time had come, and in 2002, a new icon was erected from the ashes of the company. Crossair, founded in 1979 as a regional subsidary of Swiss Air, quickly renamed itself "Swiss International Airlines" following this collapse, adopting most of their assets and staff in the process. Upon this acquisition and with the help of many eager investors and the federal government, Crossair was forced to expand into the international, long-haul market, as served today. In essence, a new airline was built around the remanents of Swissair. Moreover, this was particularly advantageous as the transfer of these assets included international traffic rights, ensuring the airline did not have to reapply for travel permission to each and every international destination (providing a seamless continutation of service under the new name and company), surely expediting the rather cumbersome process of initating a new airline. In the years following, to ensure stable growth, SWISS decided to enter into a global airline group and did so under Star Alliance, accomplished by merging with the Lufthanse Group in 2007, who is a Star Alliance member. And thus, the modern SWISS was born. Their Eurowhite livery, inaugurated in 2011, sticks close to its predecessor, now including the name "SWISS", the stylized title for the air carrier, on the forward fuselage complemented by the classic Swiss flag on the tail. With a last-minute arrival from "Truly SWISS", enjoy the image!

China Eastern Airlines Boeing 777-300(ER) (B-2002) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on an wonderous Friday afternoon 2020 - Photo by Robson Smith

China Eastern Airlines Boeing 777-300(ER) (B-2002) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) on an wonderous Friday afternoon 2020. One look at this eye-catching aircraft demonstrates its significance. Unveiled at Hongqiao Airport on July 2nd, 2020 - weeks before this catpure - B-2002 is seen on its first flight into Toronto since the overhaul. The livery on display recognizes the 2020 China International Inport Expo, being held for the third time this November. In partnership with China Eastern, as one of its "core supporting enterprise, air carier, buyer, and service provider," this B777, according to the airline, now serves to promote CIIE through daily international voyages. Jointly launched by CIIE and China Eastern, the aircraft features the mascot of CIIE, Jinbao, the giant panda, on the rear fuselage and the expo slogan, "New Era, Shared Future", seen on the forward fuselage. These eleents are complemented by a plethora of brightly saturated colours and curves. In addition, this specific Boeing 777 remains special on its own as B-2002 was the second ever aircraft of the Boeing 777ER family delivered to the Airlines (in October of 2014), one month following their first 777-300(ER) acquisition in September (B-2001, of course). Of note, that aircraft inaugurated the new - and cutrent - livery for China Eastern, replacing the then 25 year old design. What a unique treat to see B-2002 in YYZ. 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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

Air Canada Boeing 777-300(ER) (C-FIVS) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) on a gleaming Saturday morning 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

Air Canada Boeing 777-300(ER) (C-FIVS) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) on a gleaming Saturday morning 2019. This aircraft marks the Sixth 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-FIVS (pictured) was received a few years later in February 2009 and has yet to be rapainted in Air Canada's refreshed livery. Since then, the aircraft has been involved in one indecent. In August 2018, during approach to Tokyo Haneda International airport (HND) from none other than YYZ, one of C-FIVS's two GE90-115B engines experienced decreasing oil pressure, eventually forcing its deactivation. Upon arrival, the B777 landed without incident; it did, however, undergo a runway inspection before being granted permission to gate, effectively closing the runway for 15 minutes. In all, maintenence found the underlying cause in a faulty oil pressure line (which ensures enough oil is present to lubricate the engine bearings). This was subsequently rectified. In addition, consider the following: when launched decades ago, the 777's internal engine fans became the first composite design blades in commercial aviation history, measuring more than four feet long yet weighing less than 40 pounds each. Moreover, they deliver double the strength at one third the weight as titanium (traditionally used for fan blades of the past). Most of all, the blades themselves are a piece of art, so much so that, in 2007, a variant of the GE90 fan blade, the GE90 115 blade (on this aircraft), was welcomed into New York's perstigious Museum of Modern Art as "a perfect example of cutting-edge engineering, design, and beauty". Together with the blades and other fascinating engineering marvels, the GE90s individually produces more than twice the horsepower of the mighty Titanic of yesteryear. Enjoy the image!

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!

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!

Air Canada Boeing 777-300(ER) (C-FNNQ) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a hazy Tuesday morning 2020 - Photo by Robson Smith

Air Canada Boeing 777-300(ER) (C-FNNQ) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Auckland Airport (AKL) on a hazy Tuesday morning 2020. This aircraft marks the seventh 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-FNNQ (pictured) was received a few years later in September 2013 and has served an incident free lifespan. A noteworthy event did occur in 2016, however, when C-FNNQ was reconfgigured to seat 450 passengers (the upper end of the B777's max capacity - 314 to 451 pax), making it a true high capacity aircraft. What's more, in April, 2020, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the beaheamoth was further converted to carry only freight, requring most interior cabin components (diveders, seats, etc) to be removed. This creates one massive cargo bay, allowing Air Canada to carry twice the weight of cargo that the 777 can typically handle, translating to 89,390 tons or nine million medical masks! Furthermore, C-FNNU joins three other AC all-freight B777s (C-FIVX and C-FNNU were configured in April as well, with C-FNNW in May) and a number of Boeing 787 Airbus A330 aircraft. Many of these are likely again serving passengers. What makes this more impressive is the frequency at which the Canadian carrier operates these aircraft - between March and April, Air Canada Cargo had flown more tha 1200 cargo only flights, most, if not all, of which relating to COVID-19. Moreover, Air Canada Cargo was awarded the prestigious "Gold Air Cargo Excellence Award" by "Air Cargo World" (ranked by customers based on the airline's preformance in the last 12 months). It the only airline in North America to receive such a reward - and rightly so. Enjoythe image!

Air Canada Boeing 777-300(ER) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a dazzling Tuesday morning 2020 - Photo by Robson Smith

Air Canada Boeing 777-300(ER) (C-FRAM) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Frankfurt am Main Airport (FRA) on a dazzling Tuesday morning 2020. This aircraft marks the eighth 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-FRAM (pictured) was received a year later in June 2008 and has yet to be repainted into Air Canada's updated livery. Of note, C-FRAM was originally assigned the registration number "C-FIVP"; however, before delivery to Air Canada, the aircraft was re-registered as C-FRAM, likely because another aircraft took the original. Over the course the aircraft's ensuing lifespan, two notable incidents would be recorded. The first of which occured in January 2009 - an engine failure forcing the aircrat to divert, after which it landed without incident or injuries. The second occurance made international news on December 30th, 2015, (spoiler alert: always wear your seatbelt!). Around five hours into flight, over the northern Pacific en route to YYZ from Shanghai (PVG), the crew was informed of a region of severe turbulence in their future flight path. 35 minutes before the expected turbulence, in flight services were suspended, the cabin was secured, seat belt signs were activated, and multiple announcements made in English, French, and Manderin. However, many passengers still refused to fasten their seatbelts. The eventual turbulence was severe enough to propel unconstrained individuals into various cabin components, causing 21 passenger injuries, one serious; and although the aircraft was undamaged, C-FRAM was forced to divert to Calgary International Airport (YYC) due to these casualties. But fear not; the Boeing 777 is one of the safest airliners in the air, with only 0.4% of all produced having been damaged beyond repair (compared to, say, the Boeing 747, considered perhaps the most resilient commercial aircraft, at 4%). Enjoy the image!

Air Canada Boeing 777-300(ER) (C-FIUV) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a dazzling Tuesday morning 2020 - Photo by Robson Smith

Air Canada Boeing 777-300(ER) (C-FIUV) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Frankfurt am Main Airport (FRA) on a dazzling Tuesday morning 2020. This aircraft marks the eighth 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-FIUV (pictured) was received a year later in March 2008 and "reliveried" in late fall 2018. In between, 2016 saw the reconfiguration of its interior cabin - a more comfort-oriented approach by the airline, seating about 50 less passengers in three clases. Before this, the 777 was configured to seat 449 passengers in just two classes, a common theme among the company's long haul jetliners at the time. In fact, Air Canada holds the record for highest seating capacity of any regularly scheduled commercial carrier at 458 passengers in the "Air Canada high density layout" - technically more than the 777's "on paper" limit of 451. This has subsequently been scaled back. Of course, with 45 current and five legacy operators, it comes as no surprise that someone has exceeded this limit. Furthermore, of the praised 777 family (dating back to the early 1990s), the Boeing 777-300(ER) is the most successful variant with over 799 deliveries and 844 orders (approximately). As of fall 2019, all 777 models (777-200, 777-300, 777-200ER, 777-200LR, 777-300ER, and 777X) have received well over 2000 orders and 1600 deliveries, designating the B777 as the world's most popular wide body aircraft. In all, one cannot imagine the skies today without the 777. Enjoy the image!

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Air France Boeing 777-200(ER) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from 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!

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Air Canada Airbus A330-300 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Dublin International Airport (DUB) on a dramatically cloudy Saturday afternoon 2019. Although Air Canada operates 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!

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!

Vietnam Airlines (repatriation flight) Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner (VN-A874) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a perfectly sunny Friday morning 2020 - Photo by Robson Smith

Vietnam Airlines (repatriation flight) Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner (VN-A874) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Hanoi Noi Bài International Airport (HAN) on a perfectly sunny Friday morning 2020. Strikingly unique, this flight, VN68, is in no way a regularly operated service between HAN and YYZ; Vietnam Airlines is, thus, seen finishing its third Toronto repatriation flight since the COVID-19 crisis began. What is more, due to the inherently unpredictable nature of these repatriation schedulings, the Vietnam carrier may very well never serve Toronto again. Equally noteworthy is this aircraft. (As a particullarly interesting factoid, note that although the 787-10 is capable of flying non-stop between Hanoi and Toronto, the same is not true for the reture trip, which requires a stop at, in this case, Sapporo, Japan, Japan.THis is partly due to prevailing jet streams - why flying east (HAN-YYZ) is typically faster than flying west (YYZ-HAN)). Delivered in March of 2020, VN-A874 marks one of the most recent additions to Vietnam's fleet; however, more impressivly, its delivery flight (from the production facility in Charleston, North Carolina, to Hanoi) exceeded the theoretical max range of the 787-10 (approx. 12,100km or 7,530 miles). With a flight in excess of 17 hours, VN-A874 actually travelled some 13,900 km, 8,690 miles, although this is a common exercise in the aviation industry (one contributing factor is the absence of passngers and therefore lower weight). The modern Vietnam Airlines dates to 1956, when the North Vietnamese government established a national carrier to service the country, named Vietnam Civil Aviation. Throughout the ensuing decades, the enterprise expanded its operations, launching international services to Beijing and Vientiane, Laos, in 1976; however, due to a trade embargo barring the country from operating American technology (including aircraft), the company relied upon an inefficient Soviet fleet. This notwithstanding, in 1990, Vietnam Airlines attempted to acquire western aircraft, with the Airbus A310 and Boeing 737. Both failed (the A310 used American-made engines). Finally, the trade prohibition was lifted in 1994, after which the airline quickly ordered a plethora of western-designed aircraft, a trend which continues today. Then, in 1995, it was incorporated into the new Vietnam Airlines Corporation. This is the airline's official foundation date. Nowadays, the group possesses one of the most modern airliner fleets in the world; in fact, when they became the second airline to operate the Airbus A350-900 in 2015 (after Qatar), Vietnam airlines cemented its place as the first operator to simultaneously fly both the cutting-edge Boeing 787-9 and state-of-the-art Airbus A350-900. Moreover, their livery, deployed in 2003, coincided with the first Boeing 777-200(ER) acquisition of early 2003. The "Golden Lotus", as it is known, has become the primary identity of the airline, proudly displayed on the aircraft's vertial fin. With their slogan "Reach Further", Vietnam Airlines has indeed demonstrated the power of tenacity through a decades-long crippling embargo. Enjoy the image!

KLM Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner (PH-BKA) "100 Years" livery arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a picturesque Sunday morning 2020 - Photo by Robson Smith

KLM Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner (PH-BKA) "100 Years" livery arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) on a picturesque Sunday morning 2020. On June 30th, 2019, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines welcomed the newest addition to its fleet. The Boeing 787-10 would become the second Dreamliner variant for the airline (the other being the 787-9), able to serve long-haul destinations with increased capacity. Delivered on a Sunday, PH-BKA was greeted with a water salute at AMS, a common occurance for occasions like this, denoting KLM as the first European operator of the type. In fact, KLM became one of the first airlines to ever fly the largest 787 model, for only one year prior in 2018 did the first 787-10 enter into service. An additional seven 787-10s were planned to be delivered at this time, all of which shall be named after flowers - this is "OranjeBloesem". Interestingly, the 787-10 is not just a stretch from the 787-9 (as is often the case with aircraft families). Compared to its predecessor, it shares the same efficient GEnx-1b engines, but due to the use of lighter materials, the aircraft is able to produce less emissions and noise, making it a solid upgrade for airlines already praising the extra capacity. This is a common theme amound Boeing's Dreamliner lineage; each subsequent variant sports increased performance in addition to length; the 787-9 has a greater range than the 787-8 despite being significantly longer (and therefore heavier). Of course, one cannot ingore the striking decal on the forward fuselage. Not only was PH-BKA delivered during KLM's 100th anniversay year (since 1919), it was received exactly 100 days before the anniversary date. As such, the airline has included an appropriate banner in large font with Dutch colours intertwined. (Many KLM aircraft share this decal, only at a significantly reduced scale.) With a striking livery and hidden meaning, enjoy the image!

Vietnam Airlines (repatriation flight) Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner (VN-A879) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on an eye-catching Sunday morning 2020 - Photo by Robson Smith

Vietnam Airlines (repatriation flight) Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner (VN-A879) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Hanoi Noi Bài International Airport (HAN) on an eye-catching Sunday morning 2020. Although this is a repatriation flight serving Toronto, VN-A879 has delivered similar services elsewhere in North America, including San Francisco, as well as more exotic locations like Angola. This fulfills the airline's promiss to provide extensive repatriation services during these unprecedented times. Moreover, Vietnam's 787-10s (including this exact aircraft) have also ferried large quantities of medical supplies to areas in need. Thusfar, the carrier has flown four repatriation flights into Toronto's Pearson; three using the 787-10, one with the Airbus A350-900. The Dreamliner pictured has operated two of these. Transitioning to fleet composition, in August of 2019, Vietnam Airlines welcomed their first Boeing 787-10 (this plane), marking an effort towards modernizing their fleet. Soon thereafter, in October, another 787-10 was delivered, VN-A873, becoming the 100th jetliner to fly with the airline; it dons an appropriate sticker on the rear fuselage. Vietnam's fleet is comprised of Airbus, Boeing, and ATR aircraft, including roughly the following planes. Long-haul routes are served by eleven Boeing 787-9s and four 787-10s complemented by forteen Airbus A350-900s. The rather expansive narrowbody fleet utilizes fifty A321-200s, twenty A321neos (the successor), and three turboprop ATR 72-500s. An additional five A320neo and four 787-10 jets are on order. From our second Vietnam spotting, we eagerly await the next. Enjoy the image!

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!

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!

Hainan Airlines Boeing 797-9 Dreamliner (B-1138) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a crystal clear Tueday afternoon 2020 - Photo by Robson Smith

Hainan Airlines Boeing 797-9 Dreamliner (B-1138) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) on a crystal clear Tueday afternoon 2020. B-1138 was delivered to the Chinses carrier in September of 2018 and currently represents a small portion of Hainan's expansive 200+ aircraft in operation (approx. 221). This fleet, the fourth largest in China behind China Eastern, China Southern, and Air China, is split between Boeing and Airbus aircraft, soon to be joined by the forthcoming COMAC C919 aircraft, China's answer to the narrow-body jet. From Boeing, an impressive 137 737-800s are allocated to short/medium haul routes, supplemented by eleven 737 MAX 8s, although the later are presently grounded. Of course, one mustn't neglect the Dreamliner, of which thirty-eight fly under the airline's prestigious title (ten 787-9 and twenty-eight 787-9s). To this, Airbus adds solely wide-body jetliners: specifically, thirty-three A330s of both the -200 (nine) and -300 (24) models. Most recently, however, Hainan has begun receiving Airbus's prized A350-900. Of note, although the company's first Dreamliner delivery (an -8) occured back in 2013, it would take Hainan three additional years to receive the largest (and currently more widely used) 787-9. When this transaction took place in 2016, Hainan became the first Chinese airline to operate both the Dreamliner -8 and -9. Moreover, to the future, a possible 39 737 MAXs may be delivered; however, given both the extended grounding of the aircraft and COVID-19 crisis, we will likely see this number diminish. An addditional eight 787-9s and 20 COMAC C919s are slated to augument that order. Importantly, in early 2020, the HNA group, in which Hainan resides, announced ongoing discussions with the Chinses government regarding a future acquisition. Recently, exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis, HNA has struggled with bankruptcy... Presently, it is likely that the govenment shall take over the company, distributing many of its assests to other Chinses airlines (think China Eastern and Southern). With a striking livery on a striking day, enjoy the image!

China Southern Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner (B-1169) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a dazzlingly bright Monday morning 2020 - Photo by Robson Smith

China Southern Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner (B-1169) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport (TAO) on a dazzlingly bright Monday morning 2020. China Southern launched in 1988 following the separation of China's former national carrier, CAAC airlines (the airline of the Civil Aviation Administration of China, founded in 1949). That restructuring saw the creation of six new airlines, each named in accordence with the Chinese region they serve. These are as follows: China Southern Airlines (headquartered in Guangzhou, southern China), China Eastern (based in Shanghai, Eastern China), Air China (as the new Chinese flag carrier out of the capital Beijing), China Northwest Airlines (based in Xi'an, north-west of China's most populated zone), China Southwest Airlines (operating from Chengdu, south-west of China's most populated zone), and China Northern Airlines (of Shenyang, northern China). A number of these companies eventually merged with other Chinese airlines to explain why only China Eastern and Southern exist today, two seemingly arbitrary territories (although nowadays, they are arguably the most populated and economically significant). As an overview: China Northwest merged with China Eastern in 2002, China Southwest with Air China in 2002, and China Southern absorbed China Northern the following year. Presently, China Eastern, China Southern, and Air China service not only the the largest fleets in China but some of the largest in the world. A whopping 600+ aircraft from Boeing, Airbus, and Embraer fly with China Southern, soon to be joined by Comac, a Chinese competitor. One Comac ARJ21-700 (ARJ for "Advanced Regional Jet") is currently in service; Embraer adds nine ERJ-190s as well (ERJ for "Embraer Regional Jet"). Therefore, all long-haul jetliners stem from Airbus and Boeing. Boeing supplies fifteen 777-300(ER)s, ten 787-8s, and fifteen 787-9 Dreamliners (all Dreamliners are painted in the "Wings of Dream" livery). To service China's expansive domestic network, an additional twenty-six singly-aisle Boeing 737-700s, 168 737-800s, and twenty-four 737 MAX8s are flown. From Airbus, fourteen A330-200s, joined by thirty-two A330-300s and six A350-900s, complement Boeing's wide-body offerings; and the acquisition of five double-decker Airbus A380-800 denotes China Southern as the only Chinese airline to operates the mamouth aircraft. Narrowbody-wise, ten A319-100s, 111 A320-200s, thirty-three A320neos, ninety-nine A321-200s, and twenty-eight single-aisle A321neos supplement those from the American manufacturer. Moreover, to the future, China Southern is expected to acquire twenty Comac C919s and thirty-four ARJ21-700s with plans to replace their ageing E190s with various Boeing 737 models; as well, the A330-300s shall be phased out from 2019 onwards. In addition, one 777-300(ER), five 787-9s and upwards of 50 737 MAX8s will be augemnted by fourteen A350-900 twin-aisle jetliners, and finally, Sixty-seven A320neos and twenty-one A321neos are also expected. With a stunning livery complementing China Southern's near unmatched fleet, enjoy the image!

Turkish Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner (TC-LLI) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a resounding Sunday afternoon - Photo by Robson Smith

Turkish Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner (TC-LLI) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Istanbul Havalimani Airport (IST) on a majestic Sunday afternoon 2019. Since its foundation in 1933, Turkish Airlines has garnered a number of inpressive accomplishments and earned many prestigious accolades - too many to count, in fact. Recently, for six consecutive years, world renound airline rating site Skytrax has dubbed the company as Europe's best airline (2011-2016). Moreover, in 2013, the company was also voted as the airline of the year by Air Transport News, and in 2017, CEO World ranked them as the worlds 16th best airline for Business travel. Arguably more impressive, Turkish owns their very own flight academy, established in 2006, which operates a fleet of fourteen training aircraft for future pilots. Few airlines operate such a facility. On a tangent, this Dreamliner was received in February of 2020, less than one year after the carrier's first B787 acquisition. That momentous event transpired in June of 2019 (with TC-LLA); since then, an additional twelve 787-9s have been delivered from an initial order of fourteen. Arriving in February, TC-LLI is, therefore, likely the ninth Dreamliner to enter the fleet; subsequentely, in March and July of 2020, TC-LLJ, TC-LLK, and TC-LLM, respectively, have also been obtained. With a new state-of-the-art aircraft and prestigious airline, enjoy the image!

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

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

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

Westjet Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Calgary International Airport (YYC) on an awesome Saturday afternoon 2019. Though Westjet currently operates a majority fleet of 737 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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Korean Air Boeing 787-9 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a magnificent Saturday morning morning - Photo by Robson Smith

Korean Air Boeing 787-9 (HL-8345) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Seoul Incheon International Airport (ICN) on a magnificent Saturday morning morning. Delivered in March of 2019, this jetliner is special in that it is the most recent 787-9 recieved by Korean airlines, supplementing nine others in a total fleet of 177 aicraft. Thus this deliver, completes thier order of ten 787-9s. Presently, all Dreamliners are of this variant; however, they are to be complemented by the larger 787-10 in the future, of which 20 are on order. Regarding this impressively sized fleet, it can be broken down into both Airbus and Boeing aircraft. In the Boeing wide-body family, forty-three 777s (thirteen 777-200(ER)s, four 777-300s, and twenty-six 777-300(ER)s) are augmented by a further tweleve quickly-disappearing 747s (two -400s and ten -8Is). As well, Boeing's 737 aircraft is used for short to medium haul routes; with a total of 29 jets, Korean opted for seven 737-800s, sixteen 737-900s, and six 737-900(ER)s. The balance of their fleet, however, is allocated towards Airbus wide-body options, with ten A380-800s and twenty-nine A330s (eight -200s and twenty-one -300s). An additional ten A220-300 narrow-body aircraft brings their total passenger fleet to 143, short of the afoerementioned 177. The discrepancy occurs when considering the many subdivisions of Korean Air, including buisness/lesiure jets, air ambulence service, and cargo operations. With a sunny welcome from Toronto, enjoy the image!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Condor Airlines Boeing 767-300ER (D-ABUT) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on an immaculate Saturday enening 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

Condor Airlines Boeing 767-300ER (D-ABUT) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Frankfurt Main Airport (FRA) on an immaculate Saturday evening 2019. Delivered to its first customer in 1999, this 767 has seen use under four distinct carriers, notably: D-ABUT was first recieved by Alitala in 1999; a decade later, it transferred to Kenya Airways in 2009; 2011 saw its acquisition by Transaero airways (a now defuncked Russian airline); and finally, Condor took possesion in early 2016. Interestingly, It can then be argued that Condor was only able to acquire this aircraft following the sudden demise of its former operator, thus leaving the aircraft marooned. Other than that, it has seen an invident free lifespan. What is more, this 767 is joined by 50 others in Condor’s diverse fleet of Airbus and Boeing jetliners. Boeing supplies the company with its long-haul, wide-body fleet, notably fifteen 757-300s and sisteen 767-300(ER)s. Although the former is quickly ageing, Condor has set forth no retirement plans for the 757; their 767s shall be phased out by 2024. Of note, the 757 a relatively large aircraft capable of transporting 275; however, those in Condor's fleet are are restricted to one economy class. What is interesting here it that their 767s offer a full three clases configuration despite transporting a similar number of passengers. On the other hand, Airbus equips the airline with its short-haul, narrow-body aircraft, including tweleve A320-200s and eight A321-200s. As a footnote, with the demise of Condor's former parent, the Thomas Cook Group, in Ocrtober 2019, the airline announced a slight revision to their livery. Specifically, the sunny heart logo on the vertical fin is replaced with slimmer "paperclip" decal, as shown on the wingtip of this aircraft. This was executed to eliminate any association with the Thomas Cook Group. With a "lively" livery, enjoy the image!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Air Transat Airbus A310-300 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a superbly cloudy Saturday afternoon 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

Air Transat Airbus A310-300 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a superbly cloudy Saturday afternoon 2019. Of note, this specific plane commenced its operations with Emirates, having received the aircraft in 1992, and was subsequently transferred to Air Transat in 2001, bringing the aircraft near its 30th anniversary. As for the specifications of this dated Aircraft, the A310 was the second airliner produced by the now mammoth aircraft manufacturer Airbus. First flown in 1982 and measuring in at approximately 153ft (47m), it allows for Air Transat's passenger capacity of up to 250, in a two class configuration. Air Transat remains one of the largest operators of the Airbus A310, with 6 presently in service. However, this plane and model will be soon replaced by the forthcoming Airbus A321LRs in early 2020, bringing an end to The A310's eventful yet safe service with the Canadian airline. With over 28 years in flight, C-GPAT (pictured here) has taken a significant place in history, specifically resulting from a critical mechanical failure back in March 2005. Whilst flying from Cuba to Canada, the aircraft experienced a significant rudder issue, in which much of the unit failed and detached from the rear fuselage in mid flight. Following loss of control, the A310 began to "dutch roll" before stabilization by the pilots and returned successfully to Cuba after well over an hour of manual flight without rudder control. Repairs were made, allowing this aircraft to continue its frequent flights, culminating with its arrival at YYZ on this Saturday. As a result of this event, subsequent safety inspection programs were modified to prevent future issues associated with the durability and maintenance of The A310 and similar Airbus models. From a model with such an iconic history, enjoy the image!

Westjet Boeing 737-800 “Magic Plane” arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a dramatic Saturday afternoon 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

Westjet Boeing 737-800 “Magic Plane” arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) on a dramatic Saturday afternoon 2019. C-GWSZ, the 737-800 pictured above, was delivered to Westjet in February of 2010 in standard livery. Shortly thereafter in 2013, however, the Canadian carrier would bring a drastic overhaul to the aircraft’s appeal. Inspired by Walt Disney World, the “Magic Plane” is designed to tell a story along the fuselage in a linear fashion, from tail to cockpit. Showcasing Disney’s famous Mickey Mouse as “Sorcerer Mickey” on the vertical fin, a plethora of magical elements lead the observer to the Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World towards the nose of the aircraft. Interestingly, the Disney magic theme continues throughout the entire aircraft, externally and internally. Passengers receive a special cookie resembling a Disney character without consideration to their route, and the headrests of the cabin seats include a number of bright stars. A typical painting job for an aircraft of this size requires well under a week of time to complete. But since the entirety of Westjet’s 737 needed to be covered in their dazzling display, this painting job took a mind-boggling 24 days to wrap up with a team of 26 specialists working constantly. In addition, an incredible 36 unique colours were used to bring the art piece together, significantly more than would have been required for Westjet’s standard livery. Nonetheless, this is an exceedingly smart decision to woo passengers into flying with Westjet for their next visit to Walt Disney World in Florida. A very worthwhile month's investment to create this magical livery that brings a smile to everyone's face. What a pleasure it is to see such a magical approach to the often monotonous commercial aviation liveries. Psst, there's another Disney livery in Westjet's fleet... Enjoy!

Westjet 737-800 "Frozen Plane" arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a magical Saturday afternoon 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

Westjet 737-800 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) on a magical Saturday afternoon 2019. This 737-800, C-GWSV, was purchased by the Westjet in 2009, and, in 2015, was repainted from the airline's standard livery into the current “Disney Frozen-themed plane”. The design takes inspiration from Dosney's Frozen, a hit annimated film released in 2013, and gradually transitions from cool to warm tones as you move alone the fuselage. Note that the Canadian airline also operates another 737-800 sporting a Disney design, but that livery takes inspiration instead from Mickey Mouse in The Sorcerer's Apprentice. For such a unique painting job (work of art), a team of masters were recruited from Germany, USA, and Canada to dedicate an incredible 21 full days of time to render this exceptional livery. During the process, a whopping 643.5 liters (170 gallons) of paint were used - a significant increase from the typical 130 liters (35 gallons) for a short haul aircraft like the 737. Also, an incredible selection of 23 different colours were used to cover the aircraft, six unique colours alone were used to paint the umbrella. In fact, the livery's artwork was so demanding that an airbruah artist had to be brought in to work on some of the smaller details. Clearly, the airline cut no corners as the cabin of the aircraft also follows the theme of cool to warm with appropriate decals and headrests added for passengers' magical enjoyment. It's awesome, enjoy the magic!

Aeroméxico Boeing 737-800 (N825AM) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a stellar Sunday afternoon 2020 - Photo by Robson Smith

Aeroméxico Boeing 737-800 (N825AM) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Mexico City Benito Juárez International Airport (MEX) on a stellar Sunday afternoon 2020. Established in 1934 as a private air company, Aeroméxico (Aeronaves de México, as it was then known), now stands as Mexico's national carrier, serving numerous international destinations with a diverse fleet of modern, recognizable aircraft. Following its foundation, the next significant event occurred in 1959 when the airline was nationalized. However, suffering from a dated fleet (average of 20+ years) and ineffective management, a brief bankruptcy in 1988 forced the company's demise. Subsequently, a new corporate entity was born under the name "Aerovias de Mexico". Aerovias acquired many of the former airline's assets, including aircraft, select employees, and headquarters, and subsequently underwent a major privatization initiative. (Note, Aerovias de Mexico is the airline's corporate title; it has been known as Aeroméxico since 1972 and branded as AEROMEXICO.) Equally noteworthy is the company's journey through the rich and varied history of aviation, remembered as one of the launch customers of both the McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 (DC-10 derivative and predecessor to the MD-11)) in 1974 and the McDonnell Douglas MD-82 (stretched DC-9) in 1981. 2003 saw the delivery of the Boeing 737 NG narrowbody aircraft, and in 2006, following the acquisition of Boeing's new 777-200ER long-haul aircraft, Aeroméxico became the third airline in Latin America to fly regular flights to Asia. Interestingly, since the demise of both competing carriers, Varig and VASP of Brazil, the carrier remains the sole Latin American airline with regular flights to Asia. Aeroméxico took delivery of its first 787-8 Dreamliner in 2015, and in 2016, the first 787-9 Dreamliner was received, a major leap forward in building a modern, efficient all Boeing fleet. All this culminates with Aeroméxico's current stance as Mexico's largest international airline group. (And lest we forget they were one of the four founding members of the famous Skyteam group in 2000.) Furthermore, given this is Toronto, it should be noted that daily MEX-YYZ flights were only inaugurated in 2015, following a hiatus of service in 2009. Service to Canada was initiated sometime in the 1970s. With a slogan "La linea que nos une" (The line that unites us), one can hardly question Aeroméxico's well-earned dominance of northern Latin America. Enjoy the image!

Westjet Boeing 737-800 (C-FDMB) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a gloriously warm Saturday evening 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

Westjet Boeing 737-800 (C-FDMB) arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) on a gloriously warm Saturday afternoon 2019. Interestingly, this aircraft was involved in a serious accident (no casualties) whilst in the taxiing phase at Toronto Pearson Airport. This made international news on the 5th of January 2018. The story goes as follows: at Pearson's terminal three, arriving from Cancun Airport, Mexico, engines hot, Westjet's C-FDMB found itself waiting in the taxi lane for ground personal to direct the aircraft to is gate, B12. Coincidently, a Sunwing aircraft, C-FPRP, parked in the adjacent gate, B13, was awaiting to be towed to another location at the airport. (Only a maintenance technician, in the cockpit, and two ground workers, operating the tow vehicle, were involved with this airliner). As the apron controller gave the go ahead for pull-back of the gated jet - at their own discretion - the Sunwing 737 began to retire from the gate immediately. Note, there were no mandatory "wing walkers", whose primary responsibility is to ensure that the aircraft avoids all possible collisions during pushback, on hand. This was a disaster waiting to happen. And one very nearly did. Following this ill-executed maneuver, the live APU (auxiliary power unit) of the Sunwing aircraft came into rough contact with the right wing of the now stationary, but still powered, Westjet plane, still waiting to taxi to its gate. This caused a fire to rapidly erupt and was quickly extinguished by airport fire fighters. As all passengers and crew of the Westjet aircraft evacuated safely via the exit doors, the only individual receiving minor injuries happened to be the cockpit maintenance technician of the Sunwing aircraft, who bailed out of the left cockpit window using the supplied emergency rope - a unique but effective way to exit his craft. Both planes are now once again airworthy and flying. In fact, you can find this Sunwing 737-800 aircraft in our Soaring Blog as well. Enjoy the image!

Westjet Boeing 737-700 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a gloriously cloudy Saturday morning 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

Westjet Boeing 737-700 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) on a gloriously cloudy Saturday morning 2019. In this image, Westjet sports a Boeing 737-700, currently 16 years of age and capable of seating some 134 passengers (for Westjet in the standard two-class configuration). First launched by Southwest Airlines in 1993, this popular 737 model measures some 110ft (33.6m) in length, and is Westjet's most popular 737 model, with 52 presently in service, in their predominantly 737 fleet. Interestingly, as the tires fold into the aircraft's belly without coverings, the sides of the tires are perpetually exposed during all stages of flight. For aerodynamic purposes, "hub caps" are observed covering the Boeing 737 wheel wells (the white parts). These are linked to ground speed sensors that interface with anti-skid systems when landing and taking off, and if these items were not exposed, the pilots would be rendered incapable of identifying the relative ground speed of the aircraft. Therefore, the aircraft cannot safely fly without said hub caps, hence the Boeing 737's distinctive and recognizable black, circular marks underneath the fuselage in flight. As the 737-700 is another popular derivative of Boeing's extremely successful short-haul airliner, its fuselage design originates from that of the Boeing 707, first launched in 1957, which includes the optional "eyebrow" windows, located above the cockpit. This aircraft model sports Boeing's "blended winglets", standing eight feet tall and functioning to reduce fuel burn (by lessening "vortex drag"), reduce take off noise, lower engine wear, and increase fuel efficiency by upwards of five percent on select aircraft. This is the third of four generations of Boeing 737 aircraft, known as the Next Generation (or NG for short), and includes the 737-600s, 700s, 800s, and 900s, although the latter is presently not found in Westjet's fleet. Of note, the first generation of Boeing 737s included of the 737-100, 737-200/200A (of which many ruggedized versions are still flying); the second generation was made up of the "classic models”, the 737-300, 737-400, and 737-500; the fourth generation includes the newest MAX aircraft, comprised of the MAX 7, 8, and 9 variants, set to replace the 700, 800, and 900 models, respectively, along with a forthcoming MAX 10 - to be the largest 737 to date - currently under development. As a tribute to Boeing's phenomenal 737 project, note that more than 25 percent of the world wide fleet of "large commercial jetliners" are comprised of the iconic aircraft, a categorically staggering figure. In 2018, Boeing reached production of a whopping 52 of these airplanes per month, each requiring just ten days to complete! From another fascinating Boeing 737 model, enjoy the image!

Westjet Boeing 737-600 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a spectacularly cloudy Saturday morning 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

Westjet Boeing 737-600 arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) on a spectacularly cloudy Saturday morning 2019. Of Westjet's 124 plane fleet, all but 7 are Boeing 737 aircraft, clearly indicative of the company's fondness of this famous design. The 737 in this image is a 737-600 variant, the smallest in Westjet's fleet, coming in at about 102ft (31.2m) and at 13 years of age, is presently one of 13 in service. Launched in 1995 with SAS Airlines as Boeing's "third generation derivative of the original 737", the 737-600 would supercede the 737 “classic models” (the Boeing 737-300, 400, and 500 series), created by the drive for increased fuel efficiency following the well-documented inefficiencies of the previous iterations. Westjet's ’600 models carry some 113 passengers in a two-class configuration. This generation, although currently dated, featured at the time of release numerous avionics advancements and appreciated features, including redesigned wings (sporting larger areas and wingspans), increased fuel capacity, higher max takeoff weight (MTOW), improved engines (CFM 567 series), modern "glass cockpits" (no longer completely analogue), interior redesigns for comfort and practicality, and, of course, culminating with longer flying range. It competes, along with the rest of Boeing's 737s, with similar sized and performing Airbus A320 series. However, this plane does join over 7000 737 NG (Next Generation) aircraft ordered to date, a simply mind-boggling statistic. An equally astonishing feat has the 737-600 joining a whopping 1250 737s (of all variants) flying at any given point in time, with two either departing or arriving somewhere every FIVE seconds, a testament to the sheer popularity and success of Boeing's revolutionary design. Following Westjet's favourable experience with this family, many future plans have arisen, continuing to build upon the 737. Plans have been put forth to acquire 33 Boeing 737 MAX 7 advanced aircraft and 12 MAX 10s, both of which are new high-performance additions to their fleet. An additional nine 737 MAX 8s are slated to be added, complementing Westjet's existing fleet of 13 MAX 8s. From such a cute and stubby plane we always love to catch, enjoy the image!

Air Transat Boeing 737-700, C-GTQP, arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport on a subllime Saturday afternoon 2019 - Photo by Robson Smith

Air Transat Boeing 737-700, C-GTQP, arriving at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) on a subllime Saturday afternoon 2019. Of note, this aircraft is leased to Air Transat from ASL Airlines France (formerly Europe Airpost). Note, ASL is a dual postal service, cargo night time service and daytime charter for other airlines and tour operators. It so happens that this explains the highly unusual livery for Transat; the base colours are that of ASL Airways, and Air Transat simply superimposed their livery elements onto the fuselage and vertical stablizer - this is not Air Transat's standard design. Interestingly enough, from their fleet of 18 737s, ASL dedicates eight to freight operations (737-300F and 737-400F variants), with the remaining given to commercial services. One of these is a 737-300QC (for "quick chage" - able to covert to/from passenger and freight service in under an hour), six 737-700 models, one of these being this aircraft (leased to Air Transat) and two 737-800s. Thus, their fleet is comprised solely of 737 family aircraft. In addition, this plane has flown for a whopping ten different airlines since its debut in 1999 - an impressive feat, indeed! Air Transat has been leasing this jetliner since 2014. Truly, what a pleasure it is to see such a unique paint scheme at YYZ. Enjoy the image!

← 1 2 →