Today I decided to go spotting after the weather cleared up a little which is a nice change from the glum overcast thats been clinging to the city for the whole winter. Runway 33L was being used for landings and 33R for takeoffs, I arrived later than I hoped to thanks to some people's uncooperation. So the start wasn't too good, pulling up to the hill where the best 33L spot is, I noticed that the dirt road and parking spaces at the top of the rugged hill were still covered in 2 or more feet of snow from last week's storm. What's worse, there was a heavy (777) approaching fast and I needed to get into position. So we headed up the hill, got about halfway up and then got stuck in a snowy trench. Etihad 141 from AUH landed behind me while the car was stuck, it took a while to get out but atleast we got out. We parked at the bottom of the hill where the snow isn't as deep and I trudged through knee-high snow and tripped a couple of times just to stand on the top of the hill and freeze my arse off while watching stupid regional jets and such pass by. I got a few shots of some narrowbodies.
This Canjet 737 looked much better in this scheme:
I realized I had missed quite a few of the Afternoon arrivals (BA, AZ, OS, TK) so I walked back to the car to thaw out. I decided to cross the road and shoot arrivals through the fence. Took a few pics and then decided to head back to the car before me and the camera froze. I stepped through the 3 foot high snow bank next to the fence, over the metal guard rail, crossed the road, over another guard rail, tripped and fell into another massive snowbank and got into the car. The things I do to take pictures of airplanes...
I saw 3 sets of landing lights on approach, the 3rd one in line looked promising so when it got close I dragged myself back over to the fence, nearly falling over again. I identified the mystery aircraft as a 777, a -300ER. I figured it was Air Canada but as it got closer to 33L I saw it had a white body and a grey belly. Can you take a guess?
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
If you guessed Turkish you are correct! I figured it out and got really excited, this is my first time seeing TK's new 777 here at YYZ since they replaced the A340/A330 on this route. I am proud of the shot, the light and background were awesome with the dark clouds. I was overyjoyed to see this plane. Here is TC-JJC
Satisfied with my shot of Turkish, I crossed the first guardrail and then the street. I came to the second one, lifted my leg over it, banged my left knee on the metal rail, muttered an expletive and fell into the snowbank infront of me.
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Just before 4:00Pm, it's KLM time. Naturally, when KLM appears on the Horizon, I prepare myself for extreme disappointement, but I still try. I set myself up by the fence, so far things were going good, there was nothing the Spotting Gods or PH-BFM could do to screw me at that point. The 747 flares in front of me and I snap a picture. This is my best shot of KLM to date. I love it, again with the backdrop and the angle. The score is now: Orion: 1 KLM: 7
I returned to the car to view my KLM picture. Then stepped out and turned on the cam to snap a few more. It was on for all of 3 seconds when it died. I tried turning it on again and it would last 2-3 seconds and then die suddenly. I was pretty sure I charged the batteries for what seemed like a good 40 minutes. I decided to go to the gas station down the street to buy 4 AAs, and it worked fine after that. When I returned to the same 33L spot. Arrivals had switched to 24L with some on 24R and a few on 33R. I decided to try a new spot I had been thinking of for a while, which was spotting 24 arrivals from the end or 24R or beggining of 06L. When the planes exited the runway I snapped photos of them taxiing to the terminal. I could also see 24R departures over my head. I rushed to the fence to see that Lufthansa 470 had landed on 24L, exited, and was holding short of 24R while another aircraft departed on 24R. I took a few pictures through the fence as it started to roll.
The one RR engine on the left side is from a Hainan A346, the original shows the LH A343 and HU A346, I will re-crop and post it here as wel.
Kicking up snow as it heads for T1
These are my best LH pics to date. I was pleased to take these.
I knew AF was arriving next, most likely on 24L, so I waited a bit, still taking pictures through the fence which was not too pleasant. Then something interesting happened. My spotting instincts kicked in and I took notice of the 8 to 10 foot high snow bank right next to me and positioned perfectly behind the fence. I climbed up and stood at the top, I could now see over the top of the fence with ease ! I love this spot and It's onw of the few things mother nature has done for me when spotting that has been positive. Here is a shot of me atop the snowbank (my shadow) and my new field of view!
5 Minutes later, this other spotter comes by and decides to try my spot as well, he was taller and I think he loved it! The sun sat behind us and I took a shot of the UA/CO Q400 with new UNITED EXPRESS titles.
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
My fellow spotter and I stood 9 feet higher on the snowbank, still taking pictures or 24 traffic while the sun set behind us. We were peering through our viewfinders when 2 guys in a CLS Airline Catering truck drove by on the rode behind us and yelled: "WHOOOOO!!!!" and honked the horn. It was pretty funny, we waved back at them as they headed for the infield. 5 Minutes later an army of about 25 massive orange plows and snow removal trucks lumbered down the service road that runs the perimeter of the south side (24s/06s), the road is very close to the fence, there was nothing arriving or departing at the time. We put our cameras down as the trucks drove by, we could see the drivers clearly and about 18 of them waved at us and 4 or 5 honked their horns, they were all in good spirits and were pleasantly surprised to see us standing at their eye level. It was pretty great, the ground crew at YYZ have been nothing but friendly to me when spotting. They wave and honk, always with smiling faces.
We saw AF land, F-GLZH is still in the old colours, but still clean.
Another arrival and two more departures
Operated by Caribbean Airlines
So that's it. I only included some shots from Today, still editing some. I think this was my best spotting trip of the winter and best of 2011 so far!Hope y'all enjoyed my story.
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Congrats on capturing that TK 773ER! Gorgeous shot Too bad you missed the Etihad Was that LH A343: D-AIGH "Koblenz"? Cannot wait for this summer!!!!! Especially Saturday afternoons!
Congrats on capturing that TK 773ER! Gorgeous shot Too bad you missed the Etihad Was that LH A343: D-AIGH "Koblenz"? Cannot wait for this summer!!!!! Especially Saturday afternoons!
Thanks Freak! Yes, LH470 was flown by D-AIGH today . I too am excited for spring and summer spotting, especially the new schedules and airlines.
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Nice shots man!! Love the Turkish, the light made it all great! Such a shame these boys took a different route than over my house, would have captured them as contrails "sigh" ...
Good light on the shots once again! Also curious what settings you used to take the shots. I've noticed you improved
That United is actually looking good, caught her January 5th
Nice shots man!! Love the Turkish, the light made it all great! Such a shame these boys took a different route than over my house, would have captured them as contrails "sigh" ...
Good light on the shots once again! Also curious what settings you used to take the shots. I've noticed you improved
That United is actually looking good, caught her January 5th
Thanks Jan. I Hope you can catch a few contrails on their way to YYZ or other destinations.
Here is what I used yesterday:
ISO Auto (200)
Programmed AE Setting
Program Shift F2.8
Dual IS
High Speed Shooting Function
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cathay Pacific B-HKD
Wow, I never knew LH operated 343s to YYZ. Looks like you've finally managed to take a shot at the KLM 744.
No CXs this time??? I thought that white body grey belly would be a B-KP* 77W.
The first CX flight, CX828 arrives between 11:30am and Noon. The return, CX829 leaves between 1:30 and 2pm usually. I got there around 3:30 so CX829 had already left. But that doesn't mean I didn't see a CX plane.
It was around 5:45pm, went to get the car washed at Petro Canada by Runway 23, which was being used for arrivals. So we were waiting in line when this massive CX 777 pops out from behind a snowbank in front of me, I had maybe 3 seconds to turn on the camera and attempt to focus it. It was huge and seemed really close, I was directly beneath it. This was the second flight, CX826, arriving about 45 minutes early. The shot was blurry so I decided to mess around with the artistic effects in Photoshop and came up with this:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kozmania
Fantastic work, Orion! Crisp shots and as mentioned above, congrats on the THY T7!
Also love the Caribbean (9Y-TJR) I caught her in St. Maarten a year ago this week. Great shots! Well done!
Thanks for the comments, Koz!
I've seen many Hybrid 737s at YYZ, a lot of ex Thomsonfly, TUI, HapagLloyd, Travel Service and Viking aircraft. All flown by Caribbean, Suniwng and Canjet.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Delta747
Really awesome photos Orion. I also enjoyed reading your commentary, hopefully your camera was fine after falling into the snow bank.
Thanks Willie! I didn't fall completely into the snowbank, so the camera, which was around my neck was alright.
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
I'm just wondering is there a thread on various locations for where to spot at YYZ? I only know the Wendy's/Petro Canada spot.....ANy help PLEASE? THANKS
Did you know that on the 12th there was a Cathay Pacific diversion to Toronto, from New York? So that day there would have been three Cathay Pacific jets at YYZ during the course of the day.
Thanks Jan. I Hope you can catch a few contrails on their way to YYZ or other destinations.
Here is what I used yesterday:
ISO Auto (200)
Programmed AE Setting
Program Shift F2.8
Dual IS
High Speed Shooting Function
Very nice then! What I do suggest ( sorry...) is going up to f/8, that is what most aviation photographers use when it's nice and sunny o close to that.
Cheers
Very nice then! What I do suggest ( sorry...) is going up to f/8, that is what most aviation photographers use when it's nice and sunny o close to that.
Cheers
Giving out professional photographic advise already Janek?
I'm just wondering is there a thread on various locations for where to spot at YYZ? I only know the Wendy's/Petro Canada spot.....ANy help PLEASE? THANKS
Won't be "summer-ish" for at least another 4 or 5 weeks.
Quote:
Originally Posted by C-FITL
Very nice then! What I do suggest ( sorry...) is going up to f/8, that is what most aviation photographers use when it's nice and sunny o close to that.
Cheers
Thanks Jan. I had it set for the last few times I went spotting, when the weather and light were not as good. But I will change it next time.
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Won't be "summer-ish" for at least another 4 or 5 weeks.
It can't get here soon enough! Apparently we're going to get a couple of days of Spring this week - Thursday and especially Friday! ... and then it's right back to Winter on Saturday!
__________________
Jo-Anne To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Yyz 2.12.11
Re: Yyz 2.12.11
! I love this spot and It's onw of the few things mother nature has done for me when spotting that has been positive. Here is a shot of me atop the snowbank (my shadow) and my new field of view!
Too bad you missed the Etihad 
Was that LH A343: D-AIGH "Koblenz"? 
Cannot wait for this summer!!!!! Especially Saturday afternoons!
sorry...) is going up to f/8, that is what most aviation photographers use when it's nice and sunny o close to that.
