Plane Spotting at Danville Park in Mississauga

The city of Mississauga along with the Greater Toronto Airport Authority (GTAA) have created an airplane viewing platform that photographer’s can take advantage of in Danville Park. You won’t get the thrill of having the plane fly directly overhead but you will get some good shots from this location and you don’t have to worry about being chased away by the police.

The site is at the top of a 25m hill, which gives you a good 360 degree of Mississauga. At the top, you will find seating as well as free binoculars to view the surrounding area as well as the planes. The hill is located between Runway 05, Runway 06L and Runway 06R on the West side of the airport. This location can also be used to shoot sunrise or sunsets. If you are driving south on Highway 410, past the Derry Road exit you might have seen the windsock and a triangle structure at the top of the hill.

Keep in mind that the direction of the wind will determine which runways are in use by the planes meaning that this location as well as the others might not be good options all the time.

Address:

6275 Danville Road,
Mississauga, ON
L5T 2S6

GPS: N 43° 38.908 W 079°40.760

Cost:

Free

Hours of Operation:

There were no signs noting the hours of operation for the park. There is a gate at the park entrance which might be closed overnight.

Lens Suggestions:

Planes

If you are going to shoot the planes than I would suggest a 75-300mm at a minimum.

The Landing Pad

If you want to shoot the airplane structure up close than you will need a wide-angle lens, I used a 10-20mm.

Tips:

• The landing pad is better for taking shots of planes arriving or departing on Runway 05. For Runways 06L or 06R you will want to move further away from it.
• There are no streetlights on the path up to the top of the hill. Bring a flashlight if you intend on going up early or late.
• There are no washrooms that I could see in the park.
• If you go up at sunset, you might end up shooting into the sun as the planes fly past if they are taking off or landing on Runway 05.