Quebec City Jean Lesage International Airport - Photography, aviation and flight simulation

Air Canada 777-300ER airborne from Québec airport

During summer 2025, several large aircraft scheduled to land at Montreal Airport had to divert to Quebec City Jean Lesage International Airport (CYQB). Numerous thunderstorms disrupted arrivals and departures at the main airports in the province of Quebec.

The extreme weather in the west gradually moved eastward. This delayed and even cancelled the departure of many planes in Quebec City.

When most of the storms finally passed over Quebec City airport in the evening, an Air Canada Boeing 777-300 ER took off from runway 24 to fly its passengers back to Montréal.

In the background, Air Transat aircraft can be observed. The Swiss Air logo can also be noticed on an Airbus A330-343. It had come from Zurich and was further diverted to Quebec City, along with an Air France Boeing 777-228 LR and a few others.

Below, we see the Boeing 777-300 ER refuelling at a time when extreme weather conditions have not yet reached the airport. Two Avjet tanker trucks are standing near the aircraft. The height of each truck is less than the internal diameter of the Boeing’s engines. For several years, this aircraft held the record for the largest engines on a civil aircraft. Now, the Boeing 777X has taken the crown.

Air Canada B777-300ER refueling at the Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport.

Photography Technique

Both photos required some compromises. Everything works if you accept being completely soaked and working with both feet in the water along a metal barrier with lightning flashing here and there. For some photos, the session lasted two hours.

I took the shots from a hole in the airport fence. My Canon EF 300 mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens was protected by a plastic bag tightly wrapped around the lens hood.

A frequency scanner provided data about air traffic. A controller informed an Air France pilot that such a situation of aircraft diversions during extreme weather had not been seen in several years.

I set my full-frame camera to produce only RAW images. Focusing was done in SERVO mode. I reduced the depth of field to optimize speed and limit the size of the photographic grain (ISO).

When selecting photos, I preferred the one showing the Boeing taking off, but where the Swiss airline’s logo is still visible. It was important to highlight the aircraft’s presence in Quebec City.

Click on the link for more aviation-related photos on my blog. There is also a drop-down menu with several photo galleries dedicated to aircraft.

First visit of the Canadian search and rescue Kingfisher aircraft at Quebec Jean-Lesage intl airport

In July 2025, Quebec City Jean Lesage International Airport (CYQB) welcomed its first visit from the Canadian CC-295 Kingfisher. This is the Canadian Forces’ new search and rescue aircraft. Sixteen units of the aircraft have been ordered.

The Kingfisher is equipped with sensors that can locate objects or people up to a distance of 40 kilometers, even in low light conditions. Its range allows it to remain in flight for over 4,500 kilometers.

Photography tips

I arrive too late at Quebec City airport: the plane is already parked. However, information obtained from the pilots indicates that takeoff is scheduled within the next hour on runway 06.

Ground traffic provides excellent opportunities to photograph an aircraft while benefiting from an interesting background. The photography technique required for this first visit by the Kingfisher is really basic.

Communications with the control tower indicate when the CC-295 is starting up. It will stop just before entering runway 06. A 200mm telephoto lens would normally do the trick, provided the ISO is not too high. But today, I am trying out a recent acquisition: a Canon EF 300mm f/2.8 L IS II USM fixed telephoto lens.

In the middle of the day, a photographer deals more with the quantity of light than its quality. However, the goal here is not to capture a bouquet of flowers or a wedding, so the harsh light should be fine. The flamboyant color of the aircraft will distract attention from the lack of interest in the ambient light.

With the shutter speed reduced to 1/125 and the ISO set to 200, I wait for the moment when the Kingfisher is opposite the control tower. This will provide a high-quality background. Twenty photos later, the plane is nothing more than a memory.

Click on the link for more aviation-related photos on my blog.