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Kinshasa's other airport
According to an interesting article in Vanity Fair's July 2007 issue ("Congo from the Cockpit" by pilot/writer William Langewiesche) this aiport lies in the centre of town. When he lands, there are people walking across the runway, carrying items on their heads, apparently oblivious to the plane landing. People grow vegetables in the grass near the runway, soldiers have taken over some of the empty hangars, and their children play among the moving airplanes, unconcerned about the danger. A very interesting article.
Designated Emergency Landing for US Space Shuttle
According to an article in Vanity Fair's July 2007 issue ("Congo from the Cockpit" by pilot/writer William Langewiesche) the single, 15,420-foot runway, is designated by the US as an emergency landing strip for the space shuttle. According to Langewiesche, the ramp is crowded with "decrepit jets that are too fragile for the country's dirt strips, but can manage the paved runways of eastern and southern Congo." Interesting article to read.
Friendly FBO
Comfortable FBO ... not much food, but my kids were excited by the small bags of Fritos in the vending machine (can't buy them in Canada). They had a number of DVDs available for viewing, if you were stuck there for a while.
Very efficient
Like many things in Germany, this airport was efficient. Visited it in 1991, first time on the Continent, and I was shocked to see peach-fuzz faced boys in uniform casually holding Uzis, leaning against a wall keeping an eye on everyone.
I was disappointed not to get a stamp on my Canadian passport, as the customs officials just waved us through, possibly glancing at the cover of my passport with its regal coat of arms and assuming I was British, and therefore an EU citizen.
Awesome downtown airport!
This is a great airport if you are visiting Toronto. You land on the island, right next to downtown. The approach gives you a dramatic view of the CN Tower, the baseball stadium, and the downtown core. A quick ferry ride takes you to the mainland. Hop public transit, or grab a cab, and you're in the core in a matter of minutes. The city is quite walkable and has fabulous public transit. No need to rent a car to visit the main sites in Canada's largest city.
Pearson (Toronto's major Int'l airport) is way out in the west end - there is no efficient public transit into the downtown core, and a car/cab ride is going to take at least 45 minutes, if the highways aren't jammed with traffic. The smaller airports (Buttonville, etc.) are great if you're visiting the 'burbs, but not so great for downtown.
Very busy airport
For a small airport, it certainly is busy. Very active flight school, with lots of people training.
My Home Base
After being based at YOW for a few years, we now tie down at Rockcliffe. Take a drive west along the parkway, for stunning views of the Ottawa river. Governor General's residence is nearby, as is 24 Sussex (PM's residence), and the Byward Market (for a wide selection of restaurants). Check out Piccolo Grande (55 Murray Street, just east of Sussex) for good homemade gelato in a variety of seasonal flavours (pumpkin, cinnamon, lychee, as well as more standard chocolate raspberry, etc.).
Trudeau's legacy
Flew out of Mirabel once, on my way to Italy (via Amsterdam). Huge beautiful terminal. It has since been closed to passenger planes, now strictly used for freight (UPS, FedEX, etc.), I believe.
Canada's PM at the time, Pierre Elliot Trudeau decided that Montreal was going to be the largest city in Canada some day (Toronto ended up winning that title), so confiscated farmland north-west of Montreal to build the airport. It never had the anticipated traffic, and was closed a number of years ago to passenger traffic.
Ironically, the power's that be decided to re-name Montreal's commercial airport, Dorval, to Pierre Elliot Trudeau, after Trudeau died.
My favourite airport!!!
This is truly my favourite airport. Not only can one consider it the gateway to beautiful Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, but I had the best reception ever, walking into the "terminal". This is a very small operation ... but a number of the local men (airplane enthusiasts all) were just hanging out there, chatting away, happy to talk to me about our plane, the flight, their planes and so on. We really had to tear ourselves away, as I think they would have chatted with us well into the night ...
A foggy place
Landed here in our four-seat plane. Very cool to be in line in between huge jets, some landing after a trans-Atlantic flight. Halifax proper is very foggy, and even at the airport, the early morning can be a bit iffy. There is a Tim Horton's (coffee/donut shop) just outside the terminal, maybe a 5-minute walk, tops.
The best way to get to Gaspe!
Gaspe is a beautiful part of Canada, but it's so far away!!! Flying over the interior, all one sees are a few logging roads ... most of the settlement is on the shores of the peninsula. The airport staff were helpful ... the place was not busy at all. Car rental at the airport was no problem.
Scary take off
As a reluctant small plane flyer, I found the landing, but particularly the take off a bit scary at this airport. There is a very tall rock formation (cliff?) at one end of the runway, and one has to climb quickly, and navigate past it. Coming in to land, we executed a number of steep turns to position ourselves, and I really hate that tilty feeling ... Still, when you land, you're in Canadian Shield topography, with a beautiful view all around. Don't miss the ice cream at the Dairy on the far side of town!!!
Nice Airport
Landed here in 1997 ... flying with two children under 5. I was half asleep, but remember the bathrooms being very clean, and the terminal being very easy to navigate.
Fond memories
Gatwick was the first airport I ever landed at outside of North America. It was my first time flying overseas, and we flew Wardair (a Canadian airline, sadly no longer in business). I remember the excitement of seeing the green fields of England after the long trans-Atlantic flight. When the plane landed, I started to clap, and all of the passengers joined me in spontaneous applause.
Almost 20 years ago, I remember the access to the tube to get into London was good, as was access to the south, where we were headed.
Easy Manhattan Access
Yes, the FBO will drive you to the LIRR station, and it's only an hour or so into Penn Station. Allows you to ease into the craziness of NYC. And who can resist taking a picture of the "Hicksville, USA" sign when the train stops there???
If I recall, the landing fee was something ridiculously low. $2 US or so.
Great Airport for Visiting Manhattan
We have flown to Teterboro the past few years on our annual trip to Manhattan. While we feel out of place landing in our four-seat plane surrounded by business jets, it's very convenient to get into NYC.
The staff, from the ground crew to the desk people are universally kind and attentive (even the customs officers were friendly!!!). They make us feel like royalty. My kids love the toiletries in the women's bathroom.
It's only a 30-minute cab/car ride to Manhattan (depending on time of day and where in the city you are headed).
Druxy's on site
🔗 Thu, 09 Aug 2007
— @Bonnie at Buttonville Municipal Airport, Canada
There is a Druxy's (deli chain) in the FBO. The food isn't too bad, standard deli stuff like smoked meat sandwiches, bagels, and salads. Not gourmet, but it's better than Subway, and it's easy if you're stopping at Buttonville.