The NetLetter
 For Air Canada Retirees

 (part of the ACFamily Network)

 


 

February 19, 2011 - Issue 1154
First Issue published in October 1995!
(over 5,400 subscribers)
In This Issue
CAHS Upcoming Events
Pionair Meetings and Events
Other Upcoming Events
Our first 70 years
Air Canada Related News.
Star Alliance News
Reader Submitted...Photos
TCA/Air Canada People Gallery
Alan's Space
Canadi>n/CP Air/PWA, Wardair, etc
Reader's Feedback
Odds & Ends
Terry's Trivia
Smileys
Web Site Information

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Greetings!
Terry Baker

We welcome you to allow the NetLetter to be your platform, and opportunity, to relive your history while working for either TCA, AC, CPAir, CAIL, PWA, AirBC, Wardair. etal. and share your experiences with us!

The NetLetter is an email newsletter published every weekend and contains a mixture of nostalgia, current news and travel tips. We encourage our readers to submit their stories, photos and/or comments from either days gone by or from present day experiences and trips. If we think that the rest of our readers will enjoy it, we will publish it here

We also welcome your feedback in regard to anything we post here. Many readers have commented with additional information, names and personal memories from the photos and articles presented here.

The NetLetter, which is free, is open to anyone that wishes to subscribe but is targeted to retired employees from Air Canada, Canadian Airlines and all the other companies that were part of what Air Canada is today. Thanks for joining us!

Terry & your NetLetter Team
CAHS Upcoming Events - Compiled by Alan Rust
 
CAHSWe have a listing below of all the CAHS (Canadian Aviation Historical Society) upcoming events that we are aware of.

If you are at all interested in Canadian aviation history, then we encourage you to attend a meeting or visit their web site at: www.cahs.ca

Ottawa - February 24, 2011: Stephen Quick, Director-General of the Canada Aviation and Space Museum (CASM), details the history and recent restoration of the Museum's Travel Air 2000, CF-AFG.  Join us for what promises to be a most interesting evening.


Toronto - March 12, 2011: "Postwar Canadian Lancasters" Speaker: Author & Historian, Richard Banigan


CAHS National Convention

Edmonton - June 22th to 26th - Mark your calendars for the CAHS 48th annual convention where they will explore the rich aviation history of Edmonton, the province of Alberta, and Canada's North. 

Presentations will range from civil and military aviation topics, to how regional heritage institutions are promoting this fascinating history, to creative ways authors are bringing these subjects to new audiences.

 

See: www.cahs.ca/events/convention.html for more information as it becomes available.

Pionair Meetings and Events - Compiled by Alan Rust

Pionairs LogoThe Air Canada Pionairs have ongoing Coffee Club Meetings in the following Districts; Vancouver Island, Vancouver, Okanagan, Edmonton, Calgary, Man-Sask, SW Ontario, Central Ontario, Ottawa, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia - P.E.I., Newfoundland, UK - E.C. and the USA - Caribbean. For full information, click here.

 

Meetings provide an opportunity to meet old friends, learn the latest news regarding Air Canada and your  pensions or hear a variety of guest speakers speaking on topics of interest to retirees.


AGM 2011 VancouverThe 34th Annual General Meeting/Reunion of the Pionairs will be held in Vancouver from April 12 - 14th, 2011. Mark your calendars, more information coming soon.

Other Upcoming Events- Compiled by Alan Rust

ACRA System Golf
ACRA  LogoRetirees Welcome! 

Steve Kerwin, organizer for the annual ACRA System Golf Event has found a venue with outstanding value for this years event. Rates include 4 nights room, golf, dinners, and breakfasts from $326.00 - $400.00 per person.


Barbara Pearce Obituary Follow-up - by Alan Rust

Last week we asked our readers if they had any memories of Barbara Pearce (1935 - 2011) to aid her family in writing her obituary.

 

Due to the efforts of Gerry Crouse (retired LAX) who used to work with Barbara, we have received several memories and have forwarded them to the family and posted them on the ACFamily Networks obituary area. To view the comments that were submitted, please follow this link. Some interesting stories mentioning Cary Grant, Rod Serling, Donald Sutherland and Frank Sinatra.

 

We ae still looking for a photo of Barbara if anyone has one.

Our first 70 years - Compiled by Terry Baker
Trans-Canada Air Lines/Air Canada


1963 - May 25th - Halifax maintenance base officially     opened
           Aug 12th - Viscount service introduced to Three Rivers (Trois Rivieres) daily..
1973 - May 4th - PWA lease the reservation system.

 

Air Canada Related News - Compiled by Terry Baker
Air Canada News





Announced the launch of daily, seasonal, non-stop flights between Gander, NL and Toronto, starting June 18, 2011.Flights will be operated using 93-seat Embraer 190 aircraft.
Star Alliance News - Compiled by Terry Baker
 
Star Alliance
Star Alliance
We have compiled a list of all the airlines within the Star Alliance below.

 

star-2
star-3
star-4
Reader Submitted Photos - Compiled by Terry Baker

Readers PhotosReader Submitted Photos - The photos and information below was sent to us by our faithful readers. If you would like to send us some old photos you have lying around. we will consider them for publication in a future NetLetter. We prefer good quality airline related photos, with descriptive text included with the submission.





Len Kruller sends us this - 

Hi Folks,
I consider myself very lucky to have received this e-mail from a close friend of mine.   Even though I have seen this Airship at its base site in Moffet Field, CA.  (former Naval Air Station) and have taken numerous pictures of it while seeing it in flight over the S.F.O. Peninsula, I have not actually experienced the enjoyment of flying in it.   

 

Viewing these pictures gave me this immense enjoyment without having to pay the fare.
I am sure that all of the Netletter readers will enjoy it likewise!!  

 

Click on the Link below, fasten your seat belt and enjoy!! WOW!!!! View of San Francisco Bay From a Blimp (Zeppelin). If you had to pay for a flight it would have been at least $425 per seat. 


At least with this one you can look at it again, and again and again.
Enjoy. 

Zeppelin Rides 


MAKE SURE YOU WATCH THE ADDITIONAL PHOTOS click on the image above or the link here:  http://home.comcast.net/~bzee1b/Zeppelin/Zeppelin.html

TCA/Air Canada People Gallery - Compiled by Terry Baker
 
TCA/Air Canada LogoMusings from the "Between Ourselves" and "Horizons" magazine, an Air Canada publication from years gone by, and various in-house magazines.
Issue dated - January 1955
Extracts from the "Between Ourselves" magazine -

dartprogramThis group represents 4 E.S. of the Dart Training Program in Winnipeg.

 

Shown from the left are: (Front row) Walter Levs, Lennie Borecky, Gordon Findlay, Vince Schmidt, Armand Bottistuzzi, Al Foster and Harvey Hutton, all of line shop. Back row: J. B. Giiiings, WG Training and Publications Thomas Daniel, Fred Parker, Will Missler, William Braschuk, Chas. Leah and Geo. Hunko, all of WG Engine shop; Al Ewing, Capital Airlines; Roland Tremblay, Bart Bell, WG Engine shop; and Loren Simonson, WG Training and Publications.

mtcecourseThis group of 13 employees represents the first group to take the Maintenance Course covering the new Vickers Viscount. The courses are being conducted at Winnipeg, where the first propeller-turbine aircraft is.

 

Shown here from the left are: (Back row) R. WaIler, S. Purves, W. Anders, A. Arnkvarn, all of Winnipeg; G. Meyers, Toronto; D. Campbell and J. Kenyon, YWG. Front row: N. Penner, D. Green, both of YYZ; D. Lovat, WG; G. Gallop, YYZ; H. Robinson, YWG; and C. Clissold, YYZ.


Issue dated - June 1963

smallworldIT'S A SMALL WORLD and at the new Montr�al A�roport Hilton hotel you are only a step away from 17 countries. Seventeen airlines cooperated to bring in flagstones and paving stones from around the world to be placed in front of the fireplace in the hotel foyer.

 

Stewardess Suzanne Laplonte of Trans-Canada Air Lines presented a stone from Tower Hill, near the Tower of London, representing TCA's overseas services. H. J. O'Connell, left, and Mr. Conrad Hilton, extreme right, co-owners of the new hotel, admire the Company's stone pointed out by stewardess Laplonte and the Airline's Beefeater.
(Anyone know if these paving stones still exist? - eds) 

yulteletypeDorval's Telecommunication Centre - This is the local distributor and Concentrator Telecommunications Agents (air/ground radio) at far end of room.

 

Teletype operators shown from the left to right are: Beverley Karzeniewski, Regina Munik, Judy Robichaud, Fran Erving and Rachel Gallant.

nodelaysNO SALES DELAYS were incurred during the month of April at the Quebec Airport Sales desk. The perfect record was set with 279 Company departures for the month.

 

From the left, the personnel at the Quebec Airport are: R. Parsons, K. Pappas, P. Cloutier, B.Fragasso, G. Melanson, G. Tremblay, J. Gaucher, Airport Passenger Office Supervisor; and R. Trepanier

Missing is A. Duval from the Quebec Airport staff.


Issue dated - January 1973
Extracts from "Horizons" magazine" -

halifaxblindIt was "Hats Off" for three Company pilots recently when they visited the Halifax School for the Blind. The pilots lost their hats (and their hearts) to the enthusiastic young students early in their visit to the school during the recess. 

The visit was arranged through the Halifax Public Relations office following a call from the schools Guidance Counselor. He wondered if someone from the Company could go to the school to pat a young boy on the back for having done such a good job" on a seven-foot model of a DC-8. Captain Max Stefansson, and First Officers Andr� Normand and Claude Fortin all of Dorval gave up their layover time in Halifax to visit the boys, along with Paul Emmerson of Halifax Public Relations.


The model was built by a seventeen-year-old student at the school despite sight, speech and hearing problems, and the visitors were most impressed with the workmanship of one so handicapped. Constructed of wood and paper mache the model is to scale using photos and descriptive literature provided by the Halifax District office. The interior has seats and is lit, and a loading ramp and baggage carts complete the scene.

pasadenaQueen, Melanie Lee Irwin (blonde) and her court will carry Company flight bags during their numerous public appearances across the United States promoting the New Year's Day Pasadena Rose Parade and Rose Bowl football game.

 

Presenting the flight bags to the girls were Gord Froede, District Manager Los Angeles, left and Sales Rep. Jack Reid.

copenhagenThe Copenhagen Reservations and City Ticket Offices received face lifting recently prompting some of the staff to pose in front of the decorative bits of Canadiana adorning the walls.

 

Shown here, from the left, are: Anna Andersen, Clerk-Stenographer, District Sales; Finn Christensen, Reservations & Sales Office Supervisor; Anne-Lie Friberg, Clerk-Stenographer, Airport Passenger Office and City Ticket Office Passenger Agents Gail Petersen and Holger Frederiksen.


Issue dated - November 1985
Extracted from the "Parts & Pieces" magazine

powerplantThat's the total years of service amassed by six long serving Dorval Power Plant Stockkeepers and one Expediter.

 

Portrayed here on the occasion of their 25 and 30 plus years anniversaries, posing in front of an RB-211 and flanked by their jailers for the day (extreme left Tom Anderson and extreme right Erv Williston and Alec Dimitraki) are Les Lovasz, 27 years Mike Kukla, 25 years Yves Monahan, 25 years; Leo Beauchamp, 25 years, Ricky Michelli, 28 years; John Day, 32 years and Joe Nagy 33 years.

Alan's Space - by Alan Rust
Alan's Space
Alan Rust
Buffalo Airways - Possibly the Last DC-3 Pax Operations
 
Buffalo Airways still operates a daily scheduled DC-3 passenger service for residents in Canada's Northwest Territories and is likely the last airline to do so...
  
Take a look at the spare parts operation in their parts room!
  
Submitted by Ken Bjorge
Buffalo Airways
Click on image for video
 
Canadi>n/CP Air/PWA, Wardair, etc. People & Events
- Compiled by Terry Baker
CAIL TailsNews and articles from days gone by gleaned from various publications from C.A.I.L. and it's "ancestry" of contributing airlines.
Issue dated - March 1998
Extracts from the "Canadi>n Flyer" magazine -
teamcanadaIn NetLetter nr 1120, we had this article and photo -
"Team Canada 1998" 

teamOn January 11th, a charter left YOW with 400 business executives for mission to establish commercial contacts in Mexico City, Brasilia, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, and Santiago. The mission was dubbed "Team Canada '98" Here we have a photo of the crew of the B747. (But no identifications - anyone care to try -eds)

 

We did not get any id's from our readers. However, in a subsequent edition of this magazine issued April 1998 we noticed this item by Lorne Paterson -
I am very disappointed that the picture on the front page of the Canadian Flyer featured only the flight crew of the aircraft. I am certain that at the time this photo was taken all the onboard participants in the crew were available or close by.


There were several key participants in this crew who spent many more hours on and around the aircraft who deserve the same recognition for their efforts. I don't think it is enough just to say that it was a team effort.


Certainly many of us spent long hours preparing for the operation but those who carried the ball on board and at the stations deserve special recognition. From my standpoint, I speak particularly about the two Engineers, Mary Skelton and Ron Shaw. who spent many long hours living with the aircraft while it sat on the ground at the stations.
Clockwise from top left: Jim Green, Sarah Popp. Ron Shaw, Mary Skelton and Trevor Devine. Missing: Richard Hole.

kjarsgaardWho can forget the time when employees were encouraged to sign their names on the DC-10 aircraft used for publicity purposes? Here is a selection of employees pictures in the "Info Canadi>n" magazine issued October 1993 - Toronto first officer Karl Kjarsgaard calculates 30,000 signatories so far.

alvaresYVR mechanic John Alvares makes sure he has signed the DC-10.
alvares-1And here is John actually signing.

Issue dated - October 1993
Extracts from the "Info Canadi>n" magazine -

processEmployees developed a series of process improvements which increased the shop's delivery performance by 49 per cent.

 

Process improvement team members include, front from left, Wayne Butler, Tom Whiffin, Richard Gilker and, back from left, John Coustey, Brian Simcoe, Brian Drysdale and Ron Tutte. Also contributing to the project were John Pineo and Steve Bahen.

customerDisplaying just a fraction of the customer feedback Customer Relations receives, actions, analyzes and distributes are Customer Relations employees.

 

From left, Azim Bhimji, Pat Delair, Kathy Stille and Len Morgan.

Reader's Feedback - Compiled by Terry Baker
Reader's Feedback
Every week we ask our readers for their stories or  feedback on what they have read here in previous issues. Below is the feedback we have received recently.

In NetLetter nr 1153 under "Odds & Ends" we published the information on YouTube sent in by Nattanya Andersen, and we received this comment from David Bellamy - As someone pointed out in YouTube, AP surprisingly mis-stated Sullenberger's first name as "Chester".  It's Chesley. Keep up the great work with Netletter. I really enjoy this fine piece of journalism.
David Bellamy, Brodhead, Wis
 
Kenneth Swartz, referring to the article by Alan Winks in NetLetter nr 1152, sends this information -
I believe that Conair Aviation's DC-6Bs water bombers CF-PWA and CF-PWB were also ex-CPAL but re-registered once sold to PWA in the 1960s. One (CF-PWB?) crashed in the interior of BC in the late 1970s or early 1980s and the second, CF-PWA was retired 1985-1986 and was last seen in Convair's graveyard at the southwest corner of the airport (west of the current YXX terminal) until scrapped.
  
Kenneth I. Swartz

maintenanceCarol Bell spotted our error in NetLetter nr 1153 -
Sure enjoy reading about the "old" times at AC In the #1153 issue regarding the L1011, I believe the Supt. MOC's name is Bill Lavers not Layers.Keep up the great work, Carol Bell (Folkes)


(We rechecked the "Horizons" magazine and Carol is quite correct - eds).

Here is a correction.
Maintenance men gathered in Palmdale for a first-hand look at the TriStar, under the guidance of Lockheed's resident Montreal Manager, Bob Beck, fourth from the left. Others pictured are, from the left: Colin Lelliott, Supt. Line Mtce., Halifax; Doug Fairbairn, Supt. Line Mtce., Vancouver; Al Hunt, Manager, Mtce. Central; Bob Peterson, Director, Line Mtce.; Walt Bailey, Director, Ground Equipment and Facilities Program; Bill Lavers, Supt. MOC Programs; and Ron Campbell, Regional Mtce. and Aircraft Services Manager, Toronto.


lancasterAlan Evans, who lives in South Africa received this information and photo from Michael Joyce who lives in Australia and passes it along with this comment

 

Mike Joyce ex RCAF and Canadian MOT now living in Australia.
Here is Michael's information -
Hi Guys. Happy New Year with good Health. I was looking through some old photos and came across this one. Pure nostalgia. I took this photo when on an RCAF Arctic Survival course at Resolute Bay in 1960. The number is 839 and maybe 10 Sqn. Maritime Command used these for weather recon but I gather from the crew that they also used to sneak up on the Russians at low level to see what they were up to. Those were the days! Cheers Mike Michael Joyce
 


In NetLetter nr 1151, under the banner of "Back in the old days" Captain A.N.Onymous provided his memories of the North Star. Now he/she has come up with a story about the Viscount which you may enjoy -


Now on to the turbo-prop "Viscounts", or "Dog Whistles", so named for  their ability to convert jet fuel into noise; a high pitched, teeth gritting whine just below the audible frequency at which dogs and other animals are able to detect.

 

It was often said by pilots, when referring to F/A's, that at least turbine engines stopped whining when they shut down at the ramp. No need for F/A's to get their knickers in a knot because the truth be told it was usually the F/A's that had the last laugh. They, after all, were the last people to handle the pilots' food and drink before it went down their gullets so woe betide any mean spirited pilots who, by provoking the wrath of their fellow ship mates, provided means, motive and opportunity for ugly retaliation!


A pilot friend, to whom his early career had been kind, and thus who appeared much younger than his true age would suggest was on his first flight as Captain on a Viscount trip from WG to YC via QR. As was the custom on such flights as soon as the wheels clunked safely into their up-locks the F/A's would enter the cockpit to take drink orders. This was nothing in the way of deferential or preferential treatment for pilots rather the F/A's wisely learned to take care of the pilots first so that they wouldn't be bothered with a cockpit request half way through their meal service. Coffee was usually the beverage of choice as it was on this particular morning and much to the sprog Captain's chagrin the F/A first handed the F/O his coffee, careful so as not to spill any on the radio console, then with much exaggerated aplomb presented the Captain with a baby-bottle filled with milk, topped with a rubber nipple on a tray that also contained..... a diaper!


But it wasn't over yet for this intrepid aviator. It was mid August and the calm morning presaged a hot muggy day. In spite of the fact that the company had only recently relented to allow pilots to be in public sans tunic they even went so far as to allow short sleeved shirts. Since the flight left before office hours our boy hadn't been able to get his four-striped epaulets to put on his shirt; he'd only finished his final check out the evening before. In spite of the hot weather he decided to wear his tunic anyway on this, his most important day. He had managed to badger his over worked wife into sewing an extra ring on the tunic which she had to laboriously remove from his extra F/O's tunic. Meanwhile upon arrival in QR it's time to go into the radio room for the en-route weather. Naturally our boy wanted to stroll slowly through the terminal and proudly display his newly earned four stripes but hang on! He couldn't get his arms into the tunic. It turns out the F/As had surreptitiously sewn the sleeves together en-route to QR and this, being before the company had introduced gold marijuana leaves on captains' hats, he had to slink rather than strut through the terminal..... rank-less! 

It still wasn't over for this hapless lad for on the QR-YC leg....... Back in the day the company provided chocolates for the passengers in neat little boxes and pilots, most of who have a sweet tooth often were offered the leftovers by the F/As. Where they obtained them no one knows but the two F/As, little scamps that they were, had obtained plastic replicas of said chocolates and when our unsuspecting friend bit into the first one instead of the wonderful mellow taste of chocolate, he broke a filling..... Ouch!
(Captain A.N.Onymous  will continue this story in NetLetter nr 1155 - eds)

Odds & Ends - Compiled by Terry Baker
 
Odds & EndsSometimes we receive articles and information that just doesn't fit in our other areas. This is where it goes!

The British Airways Concord that is presently 'stored' at Heathrow LHR could find a new home in the centre of London - near to the London Eye. It could be part of a planned floating exhibition. British Airways has stipulated that all Concords should be stored under cover. (source Airliner World Dec 2010)

b777The 900th Boeing 777 produced by Boeing has been delivered to Ethiopian Airlines. The B777 reached this milestone faster than any other twin-aisle aircraft in history.
Terry's Trivia and Travel Tips - by Terry Baker
Terry Baker
Terry Baker
WestJet, in a bold challenge to Air Canada in the country's lucrative "eastern triangle" business travel market, announced late Monday it will offer 10 flights each business day between Toronto and Montreal and nine flights each business day between Toronto and Ottawa, beginning May 2 

AET Offers = Airline Employee Travel Offers - Are special bonuses for booking with us! Call us at 800 250-5229! If you are having any trouble getting thru to us on our phone lines (we are busy right now) just email us at [email protected] with your contact info and what you are wanting to book and we will call you back ASAP!

 

Cancun All Inclusive Resorts
Club Med Cancun - 3 Star Resort - Rates from $95pp - Special AET offer - Book 3 Nights or More by Feb. 28 and get free roundtrip airport transfers from the Cancun Airport for up to 2 adults!
Gran Caribe Cancun - 4 Star Resort - Rates from $93pp - Special AET offer - Book 3 Nights or More by Feb. 28 and get free roundtrip airport transfers from the Cancun Airport for up to 2 adults!
Riu Cancun - 4 Star Resort - Rates from $107pp - Special AET offer - Book 3 Nights or More by Feb. 28 and get free roundtrip airport transfers from the Cancun Airport for up to 2 adults!
Riu Caribe - 4 Star Resort - Rates from $95pp - Special AET offer - Book 3 Nights or More by Feb. 28 and get free roundtrip airport transfers from the Cancun Airport for up to 2 adults!
Riu Palace Las Americas - 4 Star Resort - Rates from $128pp - Special AET offer - Book 3 Nights or More by Feb. 28 and get roundtrip free airport transfers from the Cancun Airport for up to 2 adults!
The Royal in Cancun - 5 Star Resort - Rates from $155pp - Special AET offer - Book 3 Nights or More by Feb. 28 and get roundtrip free airport transfers from the Cancun Airport for up to 2 adults! 
Those of you who are enrolled in Air Canada's Aeroplan, TAM's Fidelidade or US  Airways' Dividend Miles can exchange miles for an upgrade. Upgrades are allowed for one class of travel, either from economy class to business class or from business to first Class. Upgrades from certain types of fares are not possible.
(Another reason why our standby travel is getting harder - eds)
Hotels in Cologn, Germany now apply a 5% tax called a Culture Tax. 
PASSENGERS on board a Ryanair flight were forced off the plane after a scuffle broke out over the cost of carry-on baggage, more than 100 passengers were taken from the plane on Saturday, shortly before it was due to leave Guacimeta Airport on the Spanish island of Lanzarote for Charleroi in Belgium. It is understood the disruption happened when Ryanair tried to charge a passenger extra for carry-on baggage and his friends on the plane 'mutinied'.
  
The pilot radioed for police support and the plane was evacuated. Of the 168 passengers taken off the plane, only 64 were allowed to reboard. "Following disruptive behavior, the police required for security reasons that this group be refused travel," Ryanair said.
(source Irish Independent)
Smileys - Compiled by Terry Baker
Smileys
As we surf the internet and back issues of airline magazines we regularly find airline related jokes and cartoons. Below is our latest discovery.
 
cartoon Here is another cartoon by Jim Bruce.
pilotsrules Vern Swerdfeger has sent us some cartoons, here are two of them -
captain-1

We hope you have enjoyed this issue of the NetLetter, see you next week!
 
Sincerely,

Your NetLetter Team
 
First published in October, 1995
  • Chief Pilot - Terry Baker, Nanaimo, B.C.
  • Co-pilot - Alan Rust, Surrey, B.C.
  • Flight Engineer - Bill Rowsell, Londesboro, Ontario
To contact us, send an email to [email protected]