What flies over me and why?

If you live in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), chances are you are exposed to at least one of the four flows of air traffic coming in and out of Toronto Pearson. Given the population density of the GTA today, it is not possible for aircraft to take off and land without flying over some residential areas.

Generally speaking, how much concentration of air traffic there is in your area is determined by where you live in relation to the airport.

For example, if you live in an area that is in line with a runway or close by, you are under the final approach when that runway is active for arrivals. When the runway aligned with your area is active for departures, you are under the initial departure path.

Alternatively, you may be under a path used before the final approach for arrivals – called the base leg or downwind leg – or under a path used for departures, depending on the flow. The interactive map below shows samples of typical flight paths used in the different flows of air traffic, both during the day and at night. Your location is indicated by the house icon.