Toronto Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport | ?m | ?s | Ports Toronto | Arup

[kEiThZ]

I noticed this morning that they had the Blue Angels do a fly-by during the Port Authority AGM (at around 10am). I expect that was to show the potential benefits from allowing jets at the island.

Today proved that jets can fly downtown and no one would notice

+1

It also shows how ridiculous the argument is that having an airport would necessarily attract jet airplane noise. Legally speaking there is zero restriction on jet operations over downtown Toronto or the waterfront. If Air Canada has the money to burn and the will to do it, they could do high speed passes of the beach with a 777 all day long. That may sound far-fetched but it seems to me most people didn't notice the noise when the CF was running combat air patrols over Toronto with fully loaded Hornets for months following 9/11. They even used the Island and Downsview as turn points while conducting patrols (below civilian clearance altitudes). As long as the aircraft operate within rules regarding obstacle clearances, there is nothing stopping any jet aircraft from creating tons of noise at any point over the city. So the argument that an airport in the core would inevitably attract jets and the noise that comes with jets is not necessarily true. That noise could be there regardless. I fully support the restriction on jet operations at the Island. However, the other side should be as truthful that closure of the Island won't necessarily mean no jet noise along the waterfront.

 

[Dan416]

I have no problem with jets at the Island airport. Feel free to extend the airstrip as long as they need

 

[Whoaccio]

How hard would it be to design something Kai Tak or Madeira, or maybe London City, in scale?

 

[kEiThZ]

How hard would it be to design something Kai Tak or Madeira, or maybe London City, in scale?

Not very difficult at all. My proposed 1000 ft extension would put YTZ in the same league as LCY. The only differences would be ramp space, terminal area, etc. Somehow, though, I can't imagine most residents in Toronto supporting something like that. A 1000 ft extension is one thing. Removing the cap on the number of aircraft movements and allowing narrowbody jet airliners, is another story all together.

 

[EnviroTO]

I was able to take off a 777 in Microsoft flight simulator X at the city centre airport.

However you then stall and fall into the lake...

Run it with the tanks near empty... just enough to get to Pearson and I think you will find you can get off the ground easily.

 

[lordmandeep]

oh yeah with tanks near empty or even an empty load you can easily take off a 747 as well then.

 

[kEiThZ]

Run it with the tanks near empty... just enough to get to Pearson and I think you will find you can get off the ground easily.

oh yeah with tanks near empty or even an empty load you can easily take off a 747 as well then.

Too bad Flight Sim is so close yet so far from reality!

 

[Automation Gallery]

Sparks fly over late landings

http://www.thestar.com/article/690866

 

[Automation Gallery]

Matt Gurney on renaming the island airport: Take that, Mayor Miller

What's one guaranteed way to make it hard for Mayor Miller to shut down the island airport? Name it after a war hero. Word has come out that the Toronto Port Authority intends to change the name from the bland if accurate Toronto City Centre Airport to the much more patriotic and memorable Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport.

More......http://network.nationalpost.com/np/...he-island-airport-take-that-mayor-miller.aspx

 

[sjc]

A Porter Airlines plane, advised by the island airport to divert to Pearson, instead landed on the island after an 11 p.m. curfew, when the control tower was unstaffed – raising safety concerns among nearby residents.

Who would be advising the flight to divert if nobody is in the tower? Does the tower need to be open for the runway lights to be turned on? Or do you just land in the dark?

 

[kEiThZ]

Who would be advising the flight to divert if nobody is in the tower?

Toronto Area Control, called Toronto Centre on the radio or the tower authorities before they went offline.

Does the tower need to be open for the runway lights to be turned on?

I believe the island has squawk to light. Just tap on the transmit on you radio a few times and the lights come on after hours.

Or do you just land in the dark?

Could be done but it ain't fun!

 

[kEiThZ]

Run it with the tanks near empty... just enough to get to Pearson and I think you will find you can get off the ground easily.

Forget Giambrone's ferries. We could have air shuttle service from downtown Toronto to Mississauga that takes minutes. Can you imagine the efficiencies from upsizing the aircraft? Now if only we could do this with an A380.

 

[sjc]

Porter is now the 3rd largest airline (counted by available seats) in Canada.

While Air Canada and WestJet are responsible for almost 82% of domestic seat capacity in terms of flights they operate less than 60% of the country’s scheduled domestic services. Twelve other airlines each operate at least 1.5% of all domestic flights with Bearskin Airlines and West Coast Air each operating around 4.4% of flights.

In terms of seat capacity Porter Airlines is the third biggest domestic airline from its base at Toronto Harbour airport.

 

[TOareaFan]

It all makes sense now!!!

Some of us wondered how the opening of Lower Simcoe's connection to Simcoe could have taken so long!!!

Maybe the city delayed it to force Porter into this minor embaressment!


http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/toronto/story.html?id=1954187

 

[sjc]

I expect Porter is glad to be out of there. Even when it was possible to access it, nobody could find it. Next to the Royal York is a much better and much more visible location for their bus.