Flying Around the CN Tower in Toronto in a Cessna 172

This is me flying a C-172 from Brampton airport to Toronto, Ontario, Canada for downtown sight seeing around the CN Tower.
The video was made and edited by my good friend Kasper Piatkowski. Made in the summer of 2003.

From www.cntower.ca
Astounding
Celebrating the History of Canadas Architectural, Engineering and Construction Wonder

Defining the Toronto skyline, the CN Tower is Canadas most recognizable and celebrated icon. At a height of 553.33m (1,815 ft., 5 inches), it is the Worlds Tallest Building, a Wonder of the Modern World, an important telecommunications hub, the centre of tourism in Toronto and a first class dining and event centre. Each year, approximately 2 million people visit the Canadas Wonder of the World to take in the breathtaking view and enjoy all of the attractions the CN Tower has to offer.

After 40 months of construction, the CN Tower was opened to the public on June 26, 1976 and it was well on its way to becoming the countrys most celebrated landmark. It is the centre of telecommunications for Toronto serving 16 Canadian television and FM radio stations, the workplace of 550 people throughout the year, and one of Torontos premier entertainment destinations.

Although the CN Tower inspires a sense of pride and inspiration for Canadians and a sense of awe for foreign tourists, its origins are rooted in practicality. The 1960s ushered in an unprecedented construction boom in Toronto transforming a skyline characterized by relatively low buildings into one dotted with skyscrapers. These buildings caused serious communications problems for existing transmission towers, which were simply not high enough to broadcast over the new buildings. Signals bounced off the buildings creating poor television and radio reception for residents. With its microwave receptors at 338 m (1,109 ft.) and at the 553.33m (1,815 ft., 5 inches) antenna, the CN Tower swiftly solved the communications problems with room to spare and as a result, people living in the Toronto area now enjoy some of the clearest reception in North America.

The Antenna

Once the pouring of the concrete was completed on February 22, 1974, the final stages of building the world's tallest Tower were about to begin.

The last thing to be added to the Tower was the 102 metre (335 foot) steel broadcasting antenna, consisting of 44 pieces - the heaviest weighing 7.26 metric tonnes (8 tons).

Before the antenna could be lifted, however, the giant crane used for four years of round-the-clock service to build the Tower would have to be dismantled and brought down.

To do all this moving, "Olga" - a 10 ton Sikorsky helicopter used primarily for industrial lifting - was flown to Toronto.

And on her first trip, tragedy almost struck.

As Olga was removing the first piece of the boom, the crane lurched, twisting and seizing the supporting bolts.

Now hovering about 1500 feet up, Olga was basically attached to the Tower, with 50 minutes of fuel (the job was supposed to take only 12 minutes). The crane couldn't just be released, either. The operator was still inside.

Steel workers scrambled up and burned off the bolts, finally releasing the crane from the Tower.

Olga landed with about 14 minutes of fuel left.

After this brush with danger Olga performed the rest of the work flawlessly.

As each piece of antenna was raised, workers would stand at the top and help manoeuvre the new piece and bolt into place. And all this where the Tower is only 5 feet in diameter and with gusting winds and freezing temperatures.

It took more than 3 1/2 weeks before the final piece of antenna was secured by high rigger Paul Mitchell on April 2, 1975.

He even danced a little jig to celebrate. 1815 feet above the earth. To view a movie about the topping of the Tower just click here. Film available for sale in The Marketplace retail shop.

Today, the antenna broadcasts over 30 Toronto television and FM radio signals across Southern Ontario in addition to wireless paging and cellular telephone signals.

But more importantly to us, the antenna makes us the tallest building on the planet.

http://www.pilotspassion.com/

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[casper1119]

This video is greatttttt. thanks for posting

[peterp696]

@casper1119: I'm glad you liked it...

[gairero]

did he died

[peterp696]

What are you referring to?

[einsteinbrothers]

lousy music

[baddam95]

How much is it to have a tour on a plane.

[janmadytay]

We did this long ago flew in from Niagara but it was at nite, cool stuff.

[henrymartinlederman]

Love the video and music. Great job!

[tasev1]

Oooh - HSQ. I thought I had the only video of her until now!!! BFC lost that plane a couple years ago. I have the last footage of it the summer before it crashed.

[Toronto324]

If toronto skyline was turned around toward the fromt of the lake it would be A very big skyline @ 4:40

[gairero]

Welcome to the internet, kisses...