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Learned to fly out of the Island while working in Toronto. Used to live on a sailboat in the Center Island Marina and fly out of the Island airport. It was good livin'!

Toronto has to take everything. Billy Bishop, arguably the British Empires no 1 flying ace of WWI was from OWEN SOUND. Thats why the airport in OWEN SOUND is called Billy Bishop and was called that first. So good job Toronto, you couldnt think up something original and had to steal OWEN SOUND's airport name.

This is for those that have complained about the expensive parking rates at the airport above aka Toronto City Center Airport or YTZ.

I recently had to catch a flight out of Porter and parked at 19 Bathurst St, just behind the Amsterdam Brewery, which happen to only be a short 5 minute walk to the terminal. And at only $20/day, it was a no brainer. Especially when you consider that Porter airport charges a whopping $38/day!

Cheers

Piero

Frequent Flyer

Thanks for the comment! I'm glad you also like my favourite airport. I think the Island Airport will seem busy if you're used to a quiet, GA-only airport like (say) Smith's Falls, Brampton or Burlington, but will feel quiet and relaxed (and almost rustic) if you're used to to busier airports like Montreal or Ottawa.

I'd also give it a high grade - 9/10 (reserving one mark because the Porter FBO, while great, is a bit too expensive).

THIS AIRPORT IS VERY COOL WITH 6 RUNWAYS AND A COOL LAYOUT AND IT IS A COOL CHALLENGE TO LAND BECAUSE OF SO MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF AIRCRAFT!

10 OUT OF 10!

Landing was great , even though it looked somewhat scary.

The boat ride was 1-2 minutes

Excellent !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Some useless trivia... the ILS glideslope for runway 08 is 3.5 degrees (PAPI 3.9 degrees). The ILS glideslope for runway 26 is 4.8 degrees (as is the PAPI). The PAPI angle for runway 15 is 5.5 degrees, which is the same as the ILS at London City Airport (EGLC). The steepest ILS that I could find is at Lugano, Switzerland (LSZA); the ILS glideslope is 6.65 degrees.

Reply to @dazuppa: it's not hard to bring a Cherokee in on a 6+ deg glidepath - I'm guessing the ILS 26 isn't quite that steep.

I've got my wings at CYTZ, so am sort of insider here... :-) Let me share some hopefully useful information:

- There are two flight schools at the aeroport, Island Air and Canadian Flyers, with certain rivalry between them. Don't tell one of them that you've talked to the other;

- Flight training out of CYTZ is challenging, with lots of traffic and radio work. C150 and C172 have to be "plugged in" between the Porter Dash-8, medevac choppers and sneaky PC-12. And if you think those are fast, look if you can catch up with a Piaggio Avanti!

- ATC is 50/50 affair. Sometimes those guys are super-friendly and useful, other times it is hard to describe their attitude without using the expletives. Like a lottery. Also, they tend to do some training in the tower, and when a student pilot meets a student controller, things go fun quickly;

- Runway 33 is legally usable (except for NOTAMs), but in reality it's one-way - especially now when Concord built a pack of highrise condos right in front of it. I am curious what will their residents think seeing a plane taking off straight to their balcony...

- Gibraltar Point NDB is sort of weird, I personally treat it as a thing of historic interest, not an actual navaid;

- ILS approach for 26 is good for Guinnes record - very steep! Unless you are flying the Dash-8, you'll probably won't be able to enjoy the "right" papi lights;

- Noise sensitive areas - houses on the island. Crash sensitive areas - downtown towers, including CN one, and the hearnstacks on the East;

- If there was a Porter landed or took off right in front of you and the winds are blowing in the right direction, you can ask for runway 24 instead of 26 instead of overshooting. If approaching from the West, things get even better, as you'd be right in front of the apron after landing on the 06, leaving the busy 08 for Porters;

- If you have a crappy radio, prepare for a blast of radio-roar on the base and crosswind - CN tower is really powerful;

- Druxie's stuff is not eatable. Or at least not recommended. If you have any time, jump on the ferry and cross the channel. There will be a free Porter bus (you may act as a client, as the airport is pretty much a Porter property anyway! :-) next to the terminal - jump in it and go Downtown. Plenty of excellent restaurants and other fun stuff there;

- Everything about CYTZ is expensive. Eve-ry-thing.

Hope that helps! :-)

There's a Druxy's Deli in the old (white, wooden) airport terminal.

I'm told there's no place to eat at the airport? Do you have to take the ferry to get a bite to eat.

I suspect that porter will be breaking the 1 million passenger mark this year sometime.

According to http://www.centreforaviation.com/news/2010/04/30/porter-airlines-ipo-document-reveals-red-ink-but-management-sees-lots-of-blue-sky/page1

They served 912,613 passengers in 2009.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2009/09/03/airport-bishop.html

Victor's crew is always warm & friendly to fly-in visitors, despite the fuel issue.

Porter is trying to build a tunnel to replace some of the ferry service.

http://www.thestar.ca/news/gta/article/685512

There are often taxis waiting for fares by the mainland ferry dock, especially if a Porter flight is due in.

When Trans-Capital sold Esso fuel, it used to be a great deal for parking. Now, unfortunately, the parking charges are virtually the same as Porter's. Updated by phone 2009-06-29, confirm by calling Trans-Capital at (416) 361-1100. All prices Canadian:

Ramp fee (under 20 minutes, single-engine piston): $20

Ramp fee (over 20 minutes, single-engine piston): $25

Overnight parking (single-engine piston): $35

Trans-Capital no longer sells fuel, but the Porter FBO fuel truck will come over and fuel your plane there. No point, really, since you might as well just park at Porter.

Updated by phone 2009-06-29. Call the Porter FBO at (416) 203-2424 for confirmation. All prices Canadian.

Fuel (100LL): $1.60/litre + GST (CA $6.06/US gallon)

Ramp fee (single-engine piston): $25

Overnight parking (single-engine piston): $35

Note: parking and ramp are mutually-exclusive -- you don't have to pay both.

The airport is very scenic, especially at night. The ramp and fuel prices are tough to swallow though. The airport closes at 11pm, and the last ferry runs at midnight.

Phone: (416) 203-2424

Fax: (416) 203-9592

Email: customer_service@flyporter.ca

Web: http://www.flyporter.com/

Unicom: 123.35 MHz

This airport is a short walk from Skydome (now the Rogers Centre), where the Toronto Blue Jays play -- you could probably watch a bit of a game from your plane on short final when the roof's open (check out the satellite picture).

The airport closes some time around 11:00 pm (no takeoffs or landings allowed except medevac) and the ferry across the channel stops, so unless you can track down a water taxi you're stuck for the night. A few years ago I talked to one pilot who landed late, didn't get away in time, and ended up sleeping in his plane.

I have frequented the Porter (City Center Aviation previously) for the past year and a half and would say that the staff here really make the difference. I know of the cost issue with ramp fees and expensive fuel but go to any major US city (Boston loves to give it to GA) and it is not as bad you might think.

One of the nicest spots to stop into within walking distance to Starbucks, Sushi restaurant, Tim Hortons, Quiznos, Subway and a few hotels. I walk rather quickly so take that with a grain of salt :)

Compared to Pearson or Buttonville this is where I would rather land then no matter were I was going in Toronto.

This airport is great to fly into at night, beautiful view of the city.