The NetLetter
For Air Canada Retirees
(Part of the ACFamily Network)
February 21, 2014 - Issue 1293
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First Issue published in October 1995!
(over 5,400 subscribers)
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NetLetter Past Issues
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Donation Information
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Send cheques payable to "ACFamily Network" to:
ACFamily Network
#800 - 15355 24th Ave, Suite 523
Surrey, BC V4A 2H9
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Welcome to the NetLetter!
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! 
Terry Baker and the NetLetter Team
Please note that I will be on R&R until the end of March, 2014. So the previously compiled NetLetters will be spaced out a bit more (every 10 days or so, rather than every week or so).
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| Women in Aviation - Compiled by Terry Baker |
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 The Sky's No Limit - Girls Fly outreach events held in honor of Women of Aviation Worldwide Week (WOAW)
On March 8 and 9th, 2014 we are expecting well over 5,000 people from the Township of Langley, the City of Langley and around the Lower Mainland to attend our special outreach event at the Langley Regional Airport.
This community event, is completely free for all participants. The aim is to have no barriers to participation. Everyone is welcome to attend (guys too), but the free flights are for eligible girls and women only (they can't have flown in a small aircraft before - previous airline flights are ok). There is no age limit. Please feel free to spread the word! Partners, Participants and Volunteers are needed too... all can reach out to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. More information at www.girlsfly2.ca
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| Reader Submitted Photos - Compiled by Terry Baker |
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 Reader Submitted Photos - The photos and information below have been submitted to us by our faithful readers.
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 Karoly Wagner has sent us this photo taken at the Radio and navigation exhibition in Paris by Air Canada. The picture was taken around the time when the first Boeing 767 joined the Air Canada fleet in 1983. We believe the person in the photo was the head of the Radio shop (General Foreman), in Dorval and that the photo was taken at the International Airshow at Laborse Airport, France.
(Can anyone help fill in the blanks here? - eds)
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| TCA/Air Canada People Gallery - Compiled by Terry Baker |
 Below we have musings from the "Between Ourselves" and "Horizons" magazine, Air Canada publications from years gone by, as well as various in-house publications. The NetLetter has been fortunate enough to have our readers donate vintage Trans-Canada Air Lines and Air Canada publications from as far back as 1941 to share with you. These have been scanned and are being prepared for presenting in a special area of the ACFamily Network for archival and genealogy research.
1978 - 28th July - Canadian Transport Commission (CTC) agree to Air Canada's intention to purchase Nordair Ltd. The CTC approved Transair Ltd to suspend services east of Winnipeg allowing Nordair to take over the routes.
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 Operations and Sales personnel in Calgary have a better understanding of each others problems after their experience.
W.Bevan, Telecommunications Agent, left, had spent three days studying reservations procedures with H. Zakala and S.H. Pearce, Reservations Supervisors. On the extreme right is Passenger Agent T.Thompson.
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Issue dated - November 1958
Some items gleaned from the "Between Ourselves" magazines.
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 CURRENT TRENDS in London UK and district were discussed by Passenger and Cargo Sales Manager John Wotton, right, with sales representatives Dick Bradbear, Bill Williamson, Rex Records and John Petry.
Also a sales rep in London is Ted Sayers and all had been with TCA for more than eight years at the time.
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Issue dated - August 1978
Some items gleaned from the "Horizons" magazines.
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 In-Flight base announced for Calgary
Shown during a press conference held at Calgary to announce the opening of a new In-Flight Service Base there are, from the left: Ross St. John, Manager, Quality Assurance & Service Integration, In-Flight, Dorval; Bev Dawson, Route Operations Manager. In-Flight, Vancouver; Howard Pailiefer, District Manager, Calgary; Dunc Laing, Vice President, Western Region; Jack Kantor, Senior Director. In-Fight Service, Dorval and Ross Alger, Mayor of Calgary. Scheduled to open early next year, the base will be home initially for 100 flight attendants rising to 250 by mid-year.
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 Talk about "those magnificent men in their flying machines" ... this "flying" machine was part of the Canadian Invitational Bed Racing Championship in Vancouver during the summer of 1978.
The Nighthawks, shown with their super-racing-bed are, from the left: Gerry Ingram, Art Bourassa, Ron White, Michelle Hughes, Mike Swabuk, Paul Oliver, Judy Clarke, Glen Wyse and Doug Garey.
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| Alan's Space - by Alan Rust |
 Air New Zealand has partnered with Sports
Illustrated® Swimsuit to celebrate 50 knockout years
with their latest in-flight safety video. Pay attention
to the stunning Christie Brinkley (now 60 years old), Jessica Gomes, Chrissy Teigen, Hannah Davis and Ariel Meredith.
Comment from Norman Hogwood who used to work for TCA and Air NZ "As you can imagine, the new Air NZ safety video is receiving mixed reviews from the public. It's a bit out of left field isn't it? One letter in today's paper asks if the men watching it will be able to focus on its basic intention!"
Below we have the video and below that, we have the "making of the video". Enlarge to full screen for better viewing, it sure makes you want to visit the Cook Islands!
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| Safety in Paradise - Air New Zealand |
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| The Making of Safety in Paradise |
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Canadi>n/CP Air/PWA, Wardair, etc. People & Events
- Compiled by Terry Baker
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 News and articles from days gone by gleaned from various publications from C.A.I.L. and its "ancestry" of contributing airlines. 1978 - 28th July - A CP Air application to add Thunder Bay between Winnipeg and Toronto to its trans-continental route was denied by the Canadian Transportation Commission |
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Issue dated - June 1983
Items from the "CPAir NEWS" magazine -
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 AN INSTRUCTIONAL design and techniques workshop for training personnel from airport, reservations, ramp and dispatch drew staffers from 11 bases to Vancouver in April.
The course was developed and conducted by the Services Training section of Human Resources. Future courses were scheduled for the fall of 1983 and throughout 1984. Seated, from left, Brian Walsh, Prince George airport; Greg Nemish, Calgary airport; Rick Berryman, San Francisco airport; Don Mcintosh, Ops control, Vancouver; Silvio Leo, Dorval airport; and Tom Maters, Edmonton airport. Back, from left Gerry Morier, Winnipeg airport; Pat McDonald, Vancouver services training; Paul Gatschene, Fort St. John airport; Billie-Jean Hobkirk, Vancouver res; Randy Abel, Vancouver ramp; Bruce Benner, Grande Prairie airport; Jack Plain, Terrace airport; Iris Cattier, Los Angeles airport; Bob Gendron, Ottawa airport; and Peter Testemale, John Zerbin and Eleanor Thielke, all services training.
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 CP Air's Pionairs held their fifth annual luncheon on May 12th, 1983 with some 525 Pionairs and their wives in attendance.
Fred Flak, Pionair chairman, gave a breakdown on the membership with a total of 893. At that time 753 resided in B.C., 92 elsewhere in Canada, 16 in the U.S., 6 in Australia, 5 in England, 4 in Holland, 2 each in Argentina, New Zealand, Mexico, Denmark and Israel with 1 each in Japan, Peru, South Africa, France, West Germany, Portugal and in Andorra was Aubrey Weatherbe who was a recent retiree.
The caption on this photo was Hey guys, let's check out the prize! Peering into the door prize barrel, from left: Harry Stiling, Edmonton; Gus Campbell, Toronto; Harvey Randell, Melbourne; Lyle Langpap, Toronto; and Jack Munro, Horncastle, Lincolnshire, England.
(The prize winners turned out to be Neil Lyon, Cy Charter and Harvey Young of Vancouver and Maryon Weiss of Winnipeg.)
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 The caption for this photo was "Yes, they care!" Flashing a 'V' for victory, these Pionairs say they still think about us at work during these tough economic times.
Back, from left, Walter Greenhaigh, Richmond; Leard Clarke, Vancouver; John Wood, Tuelon, Man.; and Emie James, Richmond. Front, Jack Haddon, Richmond; Fred Mitchell, Richmond; Joseph Horne, Vancouver; and Dora Wood, Teulon, Man.
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| Reader's Feedback - Compiled by Terry Baker |
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.
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Jim Miller has sent us this copy of a request he received from William Grenier.
I have finished my book and it is in the hands of the editors for publication this spring. In one chapter I recount an incident on the B-747 where the undercarriage hung up in one wheel well on retraction.
We crossed pond with one door open and partial retraction of the wheel. The Captain was Ken Main and he became quite ill right after takeoff. I cannot find the name of the S/O on that flight and would like to credit him as he was superb in his efforts during the whole situation.
Could you publish this transmittal and see if anyone recognizes themselves as the individual or maybe you heard the story from the S/O. The flight was 857 out of London and was about the first year we had 747's (1975). A response back to me via email would be perfect at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Thanks much, William Grenier.
(If anyone can cast any light on this episode, please communicate with Jim Millar This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and William Grenier, with a copy to the NetLetter for our readers. - eds)
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Odds and Ends.
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 Sometimes we receive articles and information that just doesn't fit in our other areas. This is where it goes!
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The conclusion of the Prestwick story started in NetLetter nr 1290, 1291 then 1292.
Farewell to Prestwick. By Roddy McPhee, Customer Services Manager, Prestwick from the "Between Ourselves" magazine issued October 1996.
Air Canada transferred the last of its presence in Prestwick to Glasgow this past August 16th, 1996.
Air Canada's first transatlantic flight to this Scottish town left Montreal on July 22nd, 1943 arriving the following day. The first flight's crew was commanded by Captain Ron George including Navigator John R Gilmore (who would later serve as Presswork's Station Manager in the 50s and 60s), and Radio Operator Graham Nettlelon. We were pleased to have Graham in attendance when we celebrated our 50th anniversary on July 23, 1993. In the year that followed, Prestwick received North Stars, then the Super Constellation, and eventually DC-8, B-747, L1011 and B-767. Although many European destinations came along, Prestwick's number one station in history was secured.
Prestwick has the distinction, I believe, of having the first employee TCA hired outside North-America, Miss Marion MacDonald. She will not want me to remind people that she started with TCA at Prestwick on November 22nd,1943 and retired as the station's longest serving employee after more than 40 years. TCA and later Air Canada provided continuous service to Prestwick until May, 1990 when passenger operations were transferred to Glasgow. Freighter service remained until the freighters were withdrawn in March 1994. Since then there has been a continueing cargo presence in Prestwick. The entire cargo operations was opened in the new Glasgow warehouse. This consolidation will present opportunities to grow the cargo business in Scotland and better serve many of the existing cargo customers. Lang may oor lum reek (a Scottish expression wishing continuing prosperity and meaning,
literary, long may our chimney smoke!)
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 We bid a fond farewell to Prestwick. Your place in Air Canada history is forever secure.
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 In this photo are some of the Prestwick staff taken in the Commissary Department with John R. Gilmore, TCA Station Manager. (circa late 1950's)
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Terry's Trivia and Travel Tips - by Terry Baker
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 If you are vacationing in the U.K., an alternate way of traveling could be by the National Express Bus System. If you are 60+ you can get reduced fares. The Senior Coachcard allows you to save 1/3 on all standard fares, for just £10 for one year. Plus, all these other great benefits:
- £15 day return on Tuesdays, when you book 3 days in advance
- Exclusive offers just for you at hotels, restaurants, attractions, theatres and garden centres across the UK.
- Money back guarantee.
- Priority phone line.
- Free journey if your coach is delayed over an hour.
- Exclusive competitions
Click on this link for further information
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Continuing the short history of London's Heathrow airport (LHR)
started in NetLetter nr 1290
70's
- 22nd January 1970 - Following an gpd11m upgrade of facilities, Heathrow welcomes the first B-747 jumbo, a Pan-Am flight carrying 380 passengers.
- 21st January 1976 - Concorde's first passenger flight from Heathrow flying to Bahrain.
 18th December 1977 - The London Underground link is opened by the Queen. Heathrow is the first airport in the world to open a rapid rail link to the city centre.
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| Smileys - Compiled by Terry Baker |
As we surf the internet and back issues of airline magazines we regularly find airline related jokes and cartoons. Below is our latest discovery.
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 Our cartoon. by F.G.Freeland, appeared in "Between Ourselves" magazine issued March 1956, with the caption "Better step on it Charlie, the Service Observer's got his eye on you".
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The NetLetter is an email newsletter published (usually) once a week 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!
We hope you have enjoyed this issue of the NetLetter, see you next week!
Sincerely,
Your NetLetter Team
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Disclaimer: Please note, that neither the NetLetter or the ACFamily Network necessarily endorse any of the airline related or other "deals" that we provide for our readers. We would be interested in any feedback (good or bad) when using these companies though and will report the results here. We do not (normally) receive any compensation from any companies that we post in our newsletters. If we do receive a donation or other compensation, it will be indicated as a sponsored article or link.
E&OE - (errors and omissions excepted) - The historical information as well as any other information provided here is subject to correction and may have changed over time. We do publish corrections when they are brought to our attention.
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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 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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