AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2024 - 16

ON COURSE
CN Tower, half mile
Flying to Toronto's island airport
BY KOLLIN STAGNITO / Editor in Chief
AOPA Foundation Legacy Society member
" AT YOUR 9 O'CLOCK, a half mile, is the CN Tower, " said the Billy
Bishop Toronto City Airport (CYTZ) controller a second time as
she issued instructions for an unusual right-hand traffic pattern
for Runway 26. She needn't have said it twice. At traffic pattern
altitude I had a hard time focusing on anything other than that
1,815-foot-tall spike-the tallest freestanding structure in the
western hemisphere-projecting from Toronto's skyline.
" After passing the CN Tower, turn left to follow the shoreline, "
said the controller, " then turn right base around the three smokestacks
at the wastewater treatment plant, and then turn a 4-mile
final over the harbor for Runway 26. " It was a lot to absorb in one
transmission as my student pilot son, Tony, and I quickly became
task saturated trying to silence repeated obstacle avoidance warnings
coming from my navigator, spot traffic, and navigate using
foreign landmarks in this compact maneuvering area.
The final minutes of the flight, however, with stunning views
of the city to our right, boats bobbing on the Inner Harbour below,
and a unique airport-on-an-island ahead, made it all worthwhile.
After taking the as-advertised " one of the shortest ferry rides
in the world " from the airport to the mainland (397 feet on an
electric-powered ferry boat), Tony and I were soon airplane
spotting from the CN Tower observation deck. As we enjoyed our
lofty view from Toronto's top tourist attraction, I contemplated
the extensive prep work required for a GA pilot to fly from the
United States to Canada.
Besides bringing a passport and the normal pilot and
aircraft documents, Canada requires pilots obtain a restricted
radiotelephone operator permit (which never expires) and a
radio station authorization for the aircraft they are flying (valid
for 10 years). These documents can be purchased on the Federal
Communications Commission website for $170 and are emailed
to you within a few days.
You'll also need a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
aircraft decal, available for purchase at the CBP Decal and
Transponder Online Procurement System (DTOPS) website. The
decal enables unlimited border crossings in a calendar year. At
$34.83, it's inexpensive, but takes about two weeks to receive in
the mail. Arrive back in the United States without the decal affixed
to your airplane (or proof you purchased one) and you'll have an
unhappy CBP agent and a possible fine (see " For the Record: The
16
AOPA PILOT / September 2024
Elephant, " p. 24). Pilots flying in Canada also must have an FAA
medical certificate. Canada doesn't yet accept BasicMed, but we're
working on it.
There are several options for navigation. Although paper
navigation charts are available from Nav Canada, I chose to
purchase a Canadian data subscription for my electronic flight
bag as it included charts, supplements, and airport information.
Since I was flying VFR and only staying for two days, I chose to
forego any Canadian data for my installed avionics.
Finally, there are flight plans to be filed and phone calls
to be made. Two separate CBP electronic Advance Passenger
Information System (eAPIS) flight plans are required-one for
the flight to Canada and one for the return flight. Using eAPIS is
free, although you will need to enroll online. A call to Canpass will
inform the Canada Border Services Agency of your arrival time
and location in Canada, and a call to CBP at your airport of entry
back into the United States will ensure a customs officer is present
for inspection. Some customs offices are closed on weekends, so
make sure to call during business hours to arrange an arrival time.
Lastly, you must be on an active flight plan, in contact with ATC,
and squawking a discrete transponder code when crossing the
U.S.-Canada border in either direction.
There are a lot of steps to take to fly GA to Canada, particularly
for first timers. And while the process may feel tedious, as with
many things in life the second time is easier than the first since you
know what to expect. All the requirements and steps mentioned
above-and more-are explained in detail online (aopa.org/travel/
international-travel/Canada). Our Pilot Information Center staff
will be happy to answer any questions you have about flying
to Canada at 800-USA-AOPA so you can feel confident you're
prepared for a stress-free trip.
A few weeks after you return from Canada, expect to receive
an invoice in the mail. Landing fees and user fees for air traffic
control services are a reality up north. My Toronto City Airport
" arrival fees " totaled 30.85
Canadian dollars. I'll keep
the bill as a memento of a
spectacular flight to the biggest
city in Canada.
kollin.stagnito@aopa.org
KOLLIN STAGNITO, AOPA
senior vice president of media,
is a commercial pilot, ground
instructor, and owner of a
1953 Cessna 170B.
http://www.aopa.org/travel/international-travel/canada http://www.aopa.org/travel/international-travel/canada
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2024

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