Billy Bishop Airport: 80 Years Young
It has been more than 80 years since the first plane landed at Billy Bishop Airport on February 4, 1939, piloted by H.F. McLean from Montreal in his Stinson Reliant.
Since then, Billy Bishop Airport, owned and operated by PortsToronto, has established itself as a world-class airport providing 2.8 million passengers each year with convenient access into and out of Canada’s largest city, Toronto.
In 2017, Billy Bishop Airport was named one of North America’s top regional airports by Skytrax World Airport Awards and one of the best airports globally in the under 5 million category. The airport was also recognized as one of the Top Ten Most Beautiful Airport Approaches by Private Fly for the third consecutive year.
Throughout its history, the airport has served as an important commercial aviation centre, a training ground for both the Royal Canadian and Royal Norwegian Air Forces during World War II, a hub for General Aviation and Medevac services, and as a key driver of Toronto’s economy.
Fly with us down memory lane to see why we believe Billy Bishop Airport is one of Toronto’s great success stories and most valuable assets.
February 4, 1939: First Plane Lands at New Island Airport
H.F. McLean of Montreal in a Stinson SR-9F Reliant piloted the first flight to land at the new Island Airport, on February 4, 1939. Harry Falconer McLean (18 February 1881 - April 1961) was a Canadian railway contractor and eccentric philanthropist. He played a leading role in the construction of much of the trans-Canadian railways, eventually becoming the president of the Dominion Atlantic Railway company. H.F. McLean carried out many large-scale construction projects in eastern Canada and Manitoba during the 1920 – 1940 period and is well-known to railway historians.
Learn more about the rich history of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport here.