Any "must-visit-airports" in Canada?

[GazDeLuxe]

Since I will make a few hours for my CPL I am planning to do a few trips throughout Canada, maybe together with someone, I was wondering if some of you have favourite destinations. Airports that are worth visiting, maybe for a nice approach(procedure), nice areas, or whatever. Also, any do-not-go-there suggestions are welcome.

I am curious after your experiences. Also northern USA ideas are welcome, I am based Montreal St Hubert CYHU but a far trip is also considered. Thanks! :ok:

[pgelinas]

Well, definitely CYUL if you're from CYHU. La Tuque (CYLQ) has a nice approach over the St-Maurice valley over a hydroelectric dam and beautiful scenery. Charlevoix (CYML) has great scenery. Kingston (CYGK) gets you flying over the beautiful Thousand Islands area. Toronto City Centre (CYTZ) has spectacular views of downtown during the approaches. Quebec city (CYQB) has a decent restaurant and terrace in the Ailes Québécoises building. Ottawa Rockliffe (CYRO) is fun and you can visit the great Aviation Museum. Ottawa Intl is fun too but there are landing fees (about 12$?) Anywhere in the Saguenay / Lac St-Jean area is very pretty (CYRC St-Honoré). Flying into CYMX at night will all the lights turned on feels like landing on a Christmas tree. Ile aux Coudres and Ile aux Grues in the St-Lawrence are nice.

There are other suggestions on the "Ailes Québécoises" web site here: http://www.ailesquebecoises.com/aeroportsdivinsvilains.php

[sameraindrop]

GazDeLuxe check your PM

[spencer101]

If you like the fall colours then a trip to Manchester KMHT (just north of Boston) or Provedance KPVD would be nice the last week in September or October.

[Jerricho]

A flight into Winnipeg in the middle of winter certainly is an experience. ;)

[sepia]

Surely YPM and JL4 would be on everyone's must see list. Experience the exotic nightlife while you're there!

[GazDeLuxe]

Thanks all, this is good!
The Ailes Quebecois also very nice informing site, great!
Sepia define exotic nightlife...! ;) We want to know..!

Further recommendations are welcome and I promise to add some comments and photos when having visited the airports.

:ok:
Gazdeluxe

[IHL]

Interesting airports to visit while building time:
1)Ottawa Rockcliff CYRO; home of the National Aeronautical collection.
2) Morrisburg CNS8. Adjacent to Upper Canada Village; a park portraying Ontario in the 1860s definitely worth a visit.
3) Hamilton ON. CYHM home of the War Plane Heritage Museum. Many WW2 airworthy aircraft. Do home work in advance prior to penetrating the busy Toronto (CYYZ) airspace.
4) Winnipeg MB. Another Aviation museum on the field+cheap hotels and friendly service.

[2R]

Yarmouth- Best lobster on the planet at Rudders Beer is good too ,Tea drinkable
Tofino - Long Beach is one of the most beautiful places on the planet.Resterauant on beach is seasonal but the Salmon is really great.
What kind of airport are you interested in?

[jeff748]

Swallow hard, pick a nice day and go to Iqaluit through LG-4, POV and YVP. If you're feeling really lucky go up to YXP, Pangnirtung, then, on the way back, apply for a job, since now you have "Arctic time".Good Luck.
Bring a parka, boots, and 3 dogs.:ouch:

[GazDeLuxe]

Keep up the good stuff guys, it all sounds really nice. Hope I am able to chose from all these options given. But since I have quite some hours to go it might be fun to try as many as possible. And I hope others will also make use of these must-visits from all of you.

Also if you know or had a real difficult time in regard to approach procedures (Toronto airspace, thanks IHL), thats always welcome. Any experiences in flying and from Canada to USA or vice versa? Reindeer on the runway? Whatever, just let us know if you want to share ;)

Thanks :ok: all
Gaz

[herc driver]

Alert CYLT
Eureka CYEU
Inuvik CYEV

Go during the summer .... when the sun is up.
Dress appropriately

[pgelinas]

Flying to the USA from Canada and back is not that complicated. You have to file a flight plan (VFR or IFR) and be in contact with ATC before crossing the border. Your first point of landing in the US must be one with customs service, and you must notify them of your ETA before taking off from Canada. From CYHU, the easiest place to clear customs is KBTV (Burlington, Vermont). From there you can fly onwards to your US destination. You can also clear customs at your final US destination, but bear in mind that if you have to divert enroute because of weather, you will have a ton of problems if you land at a non-customs airport or one where they are not expecting you.

US customs charges 25$/year for a customs user fee which is shown by a decal applied to the aircraft. If you're renting, check if the aircraft already has a current customs decal, otherwise bring 25$ cash in US currency with you. I've had a friendly US customs agent waive the decal fee when they saw I was renting the aircraft.

On your way back to Canada, you must call Canadian customs with your ETA before take-off. You must land at an authorised airport on your way in (CYHU is one) and wait for Customs agent to show up on the ramp before leaving the aircraft. If they are not there, you must call them again. Sometimes they will just ask questions on the phone and give you a clearance number.

I found a very detailed guide to these procedures linked from the Rockliffe Flying Club (Ottawa) web site here:

http://ca.geocities.com/[email protected]/WebDocuments/Canus.pdf

If you are flying to the US from Montreal, Boston is about 1.5 to 2 hours and the approach into Logan airport is spectacular (over the water on the bay, near downtown). As I recall, landing fees are not too expensive if you don't land at peak time. About 1 more hour's flight is Cape Cod, with many resort towns and beaches, including Provincetown (KPVC) where the airport is next to the public beach. You can also fly to New York City (about 3 hours in a C172) and land at Kennedy airport (KJFK) where they also have reasonable off-peak landing fees. There is a useful site where you can find info about US airports, where to park, costs, etc. at www.airnav.com

[GazDeLuxe]

Yesterday I went to to Toronto City Centre and Kingston (together with Sameraindrop, also in this forum). Thanks Pgelinas, these ware real nice airports and approaches. I will certainly make the trip again, maybe visiting Hamilton as well then.

Some pictures of TCC you can see on my weblog Vliegmetmemee ******** (http://www.vliegmetmemee.********.com) it's in Dutch but sometimes also in English.

I will try to choose and fly some of the recommendations in this forum for the coming month :ok:

Cheers, Gaz