The largest airport in Canada, and 21st busiest airport in the world, is Toronto Pearson International Airport, in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
Its IATA code? YYZ. (I'll let you debate whether it's Why-Why-Zee or Why-Why-Zed)
I've been to every Tim Hortons at that airport. It's a great airport.
In the early days, Canadian airports were identified by two letter codes - and Toronto's main airport was YZ. This was used for ease of communication between airports. If an airport was open and not closed due to weather, it was easy to send a Y - for yes - and the two letter code via Morse code, and quickly communicate their status.
In the 1940s, as more airports were being opened worldwide, all airports were forced to adopt a 3-letter code. So, every Canadian airport - since they already had the protocol in place - just added the Yes signal to the beginning of all their airport codes. It's why they are the only country to consistently name all their (commercial passenger) airports with IATA codes all beginning with the same letter.
You've learned something today. Maybe.
Alex Lifeson didn't learn anything today, because he already knew Morse Code - because in addition to being the guitarist for Rush, he's also a commercial pilot. So, he heard - . - - - . - - - - . . - Y Y Z - quite a bit. One day, when he was flying the band into Pearson, he introduced the rhythm of that airport code to the band.
An instrumental classic, written by Neil Peart and Geddy Lee and NOT Alex Lifeson, was born. You can hear that morse code, that rhythm that stuck with them, from the very beginning of the song - that's the odd-sounding rhythm you hear at the start.
We couldn't not include a live version of this, eh? Yes, there is an extended Neil Peart drum solo, and you're welcome.
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