Aviation in Ontario

[TwinHuey]

That's right, Rob. I totally forgot about Dini Petty and the pink chopper!

Something else I forgot was what it was like to take photos in sunny weather! I captured EK242 passing through 5600 feet over Erin Mills today about two minutes after a YYZ runway 23 takeoff this afternoon.
View attachment 533471

Dini started flying / reporting in 1967. By the time I started flying helicopters in 1975, she had moved on and been replaced by Dianne Pepper.

Helicopter pilots were a small community and we all knew each other. Dini came back to fill in when Dianne was on vacation and because her licence had lapsed, I was her traffic report pilot a couple of times. She was quite nice, but always late.

Dianne eventually got checked out on the Bell 212 and was Canada's first female EMS helicopter pilot.

Dianne Pepper

 

[Tim MacDonald]

Dini started flying / reporting in 1967. By the time I started flying helicopters in 1975, she had moved on and been replaced by Dianne Pepper.

Helicopter pilots were a small community and we all knew each other. Dini came back to fill in when Dianne was on vacation and because her licence had lapsed, I was her traffic report pilot a couple of times. She was quite nice, but always late.

Dianne eventually got checked out on the Bell 212 and was Canada's first female EMS helicopter pilot.

Dianne Pepper

View attachment 533480

That's a great bit of GTA history there, Rob. Fantastic!

 

[SubHuman]

Downsview Airport's Final Departure

Bombardier’s final Global 7500 from Downsview takes flight - Skies Mag

Toronto plane spotters gathered in sub-zero temperatures on March 23, 2024, to capture photos of the aircraft at a milestone moment.

skiesmag.com

 

[TwinHuey]

April 14.

On Comstock just west of Warden.

I drove by this yesterday and took the drone there today to try to capture shots of the cockpit.

@Tim MacDonald is UT's resident jet expert who can identify this old bird.

 

[Tim MacDonald]

Beauty photos of that old Delta 727-200. Great shots of the flight deck! This old bird has seen better days. One thrust lever is gone but otherwise it seems to be a relatively complete cockpit. They really should close the FO window though.

 

[lenaitch]

That'll buff right out. Coming to a budget carrier near you.