The NetLetter
For Air Canada Retirees
(Part of the ACFamily Network)
March 30, 2014 - Issue 1296
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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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Sponsors
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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
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People Finder! - compiled by Alan Rust
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 Looking for Dave Allen
(submitted by Norm Budd)
I have also have been unsuccessful trying to relocate an old buddy of mine. In fact, he was the Best Man at my wedding in 1971. His name is Dave Allen and we first met back in Place Ville Marie when he was the Office Boy (gopher) in Finance and I was the gopher in the Law Branch.
It's sometimes hard for young married guys to keep up with friends who are still single.
Slowly but surely we lost touch with each other until one day (in the early '90's), while on a business trip to YVR promoting our new Skytel Seatfones, I ran into Dave who I believe by then was working for Flight Ops at the airport.
Norm Budd
 Still looking for Karen Kaufman
Note: Please reply to this NetLetter if you can assist in locating these people. The NetLetter is happy to act as a messenger but gives out anyone's email address or any other information without their permission.
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2014 Pionairs AGM and Reunion! - compiled by Alan Rust
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2014 Pionairs AGM & Reunion
April 26th to 28th, 2014 |
It has now been confirmed that Air Canada President and Chief Executive Officer, Calin Rovinescu will also be speaking at this event.
Visit this page or click on the image above for more information.
We are inviting all Pionairs members to come and visit the city of Calgary and attend our 37th Annual General Meeting.
All members from TCA, AC, PWA, CP and CAI and their constituent airlines are welcome to join us.
Not a member yet? - You can join by following this link.
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| CAHS Meeting - Montreal - Compiled by Alan Rust |
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 Hugh Halliday, author of many books and articles on the RCAF and Canadian airmen, will speak on the role of Canadian pilots in the Battle of Britain at the April 17 meeting of the Montreal Chapter of the Canadian Aviation Historical Society.
Meeting is at 365 St. Louis Ave., in Pointe Claire and starts at 11:00 AM. Voluntary contribution of $5.00 is requested to cover the light lunch provided. Anyone interested in the history of civil or military aviation is welcome. For further information call 514-481-8786.
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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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 Aubrey Winterbotham sends us a photo taken in the 1980's of the Power Plant Engineering group outside the Power Plant facility in Dorval. I cannot remember all the names but here are a few: Blair Jones, Ken Mitchell, Dick Hovey, Norm Thomas, Frank Henn, Charlie Philp, Ted Zeis, Richard Jackson, Adam Clark, Peter Morahan, Jose Tome and of course yours truly standing beside Blair Jones.
In the background is the Rolls Royce Conway engine that powered our early DC-8's.
Regards, Aubrey
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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 - October 2nd - Airvelop, the flat rate courier service introduced May 1st in selected cities, became available to all of Canada.
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Issue dated - January 1959
Some items gleaned from the "Between Ourselves" magazines.
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 MEET THE BERMUDA STAFF standing at the counter of the new office on Front Street, Hamilton, Bermuda.
The new offices were officially opened November 29th 1959.
In our photograph from the left: Gil Minorgan, Manager Bermuda; Dorothy Hudson, Secretary; Walter Jones, Manager Traffic Sales; Matti Rogan, Passenger Agent; Harry Younger, Supervisor - Ticket Counter; Kay Davis, Passenger Agent; Bob Irwin, Licensed Mechanic; Bob Bernard, Station Controller.
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Issue dated - October 1978
Some items gleaned from the "Horizon" magazines.
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 Fun in Antigua
Ever since Eugene Gonsalves moved from Antigua to Toronto in 1973, he has been taking groups of his fellow passenger agents "home" to learn something about one of the destinations they sell.
The year 1978 was no exception and 24 agents from Toronto Airport trouped off to the island for six days of fun in the sun. Met on arrival by Eugene and his wife Dale, the group was greeted with complimentary rum punch to the strain of a calypso steel band. In the photograph some of the Toronto passenger agents visiting Antigua are shown before boarding their flight home.
Those identified in the background are, from the left; Barry Cuss, Linda McDougal, Ann Scott, Lynn (last name not provided), Ernie Turner, Malcolm Holt and Mary-Ann Doll.
Standing in the foreground are, from the left; Sandy Hackson, Nancy (last name not provided) and Stewart McDougal.
Kneeling from the left are, Bud Fisher, Hugo Peters, Rick Lenson and June Boyd. |
 At the Old Home Week celebrations in Prince Edward Island August 7-12, the staff at Charlottetown donned special T-shirts for the occasion to welcome tourists and visitors.
In the photo from the left, front row, are: John Dowling, Janet Drysdale, Les Stuckless. Charlotte LeBlanc and Michael Corwe.
Back Row; Wayne Handren, Gary Turnbull and Jim Crowe. Missing when photo was taken were Dave Spence, Traff Allman, Len Durden and Linda Murphy.
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| Alan's Space - by Alan Rust |
Lidia Recovery - Antarctica (Dec 2013 - Jan 2014)
(submitted by Bill Wood, retired, CPAir)
Amazing work by the salvage team in repairing "Lidia" in situ on the Holtanna Glacier, Antarctica to fly her back home to Calgary (Jan 2014).
C-GEAI sustained substantial damage during takeoff on December 20, 2012 during a tour operation. A salvage team returned one year later and spent nearly two months in the field repairing the aircraft so she could be flown home.
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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. |
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Issue dated - January 1985
Items from the "Flightlines" magazine -
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 In September 1984, when Pope John Paul II visited Canada, Pacific Western Airlines was designated as the "back-up" carrier for his trip to Fort Simpson.
Procedures required that there be two different airlines fully catered and prepared in the event of mechanical failures. On September 18th, with odds placed at one in a hundred, "The Competition" was given the opportunity to show their true colors when the Air Canada B-727, the designated carrier for the Pope's tour, went mechanical in Edmonton.
Purser Madeline Arnett, and Flight Attendants Daniela Taylor, Terry Weir, and Laurie Rackliff had the opportunity to shuttle His Holiness Pope John Paul II to the north and then on to Vancouver. Paul Mansueto supplied this photo to "Flightlines" of His Holiness Pope John Paul II greeting the crowds in Yellowknife on September 17th, 1984.
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 Here we have this photo of the 1984 retirees from P.W.A.-
Back row - left to right; Don Scott, Darrel Smith, Ross Wilkinson, Ian Bootle, Don Wine, Martin Heisler, Bitl Hodges, Wally Detroye, Harold Johnson, Odd Reidulft, Art Yeates, Stan Samson, Ernie Krahulec, WiIf Giles, Lars-Gunnar Almroth, Charlie Stewart, George Thompson, Bob Petryk, Bill Dobm, AI Corbett.
Middle row - left to right; Vern York, Tom Murphy, Morley Sponagle, AI Pearson, Aki Asai, Jack Harada, David Lowe, Fred Dudych, Don Davis, George Warnock.
Front row - left to fight; Constance Bailey, Pam Morecroft, Helen DeHod, Adeline O'Sullivan, Jean Rombough, Betty Peebles, Jack Armstrong, Jessie Champion.
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Issue dated - January 1978
Items from the "Blue Skies" magazine -
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 On May 4th, 1959, the first of CPA's Bristol Britannia turboprops launched the airline's transcontinental service. The "Whispering Giants" flew regularly between Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg and Vancouver.
Flight 1 westbound took 9 hours while Flight 2 eastbound took 55 minutes less. Restricted for years to one return flight per day, then progressively increasing to 25% of the transcon market. CP Air improved and expanded its services greatly over the years with the introduction of all Jet equipment. Additional service to and from Calgary, Edmonton and Ottawa improved frequency and numerous Inter-city non-stops. The "Whispering Giant" was at the gate at the old Vancouver Airport powered by four Rolls Royce turboprop engines. She was among the most comfortable planes aloft in her day.
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 Jeanette Sylvestre prepares the first class meals.
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 The service was "first class" all the way of course. CPA was the first Canadian airline to offer trolley service.
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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. Memories from a reader who wishes to remain anonymous - As the name Ron Vigars appears in NL 1291: many many years ago when I had a young family, Ron spent an evening at my house while his Hotel Accommodation was 10-12 miles away; we had an ale or three, some food, and much laughter! Came time for Ron to go and as I was afraid to drink and drive, I offered Ron my car! Question: did he take it or call a CAB??? Fond memories of days in the EAST! Ron and I shared much over our years with TCA/AC... including the odd pint of RUM as we built an outdoor rink in YJT. |
 Ken Pickford has sent us this information - Three minor things noted in NetLetter nr 1290:
- In the CP Air Whitehorse reunion group photo, one name reads "Marlle Field". First name should be "Marlie". (We apologize to Marlie for including a capital letter i in her name - eds)
- Re - the LHR history item, the last "A" in BSAA's name was Airways (like the A in BOAC and BEA), not Airlines.
- "Peoples Express" should read "People Express". For advertising and aircraft livery purposes they used "PEOPLExpress", but People Express was their legal name.
Re - the CP Air 737 in the photo (FIN #704, CF-CPE), here's a photo of the same aircraft with People Express (the one taking off), at Newark November 1986, about 3 months before they merged with Continental Airlines when People Express was on the verge of going bust.
The CP Air registration CF-CPE was ironic, since it became N434PE at People Express (PE was their IATA code). |
 And for the record, the same aircraft in its last year or so of service with Continental (registered N14233), also at Newark September 1998, almost 30 years after CP Air took delivery of it in December 1968.
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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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 Early photo of Vancouver Airport sent in by Doug Robinson.
Construction began in April 1930 on a single runway (730-meters long), a small wood frame two story administration building, at a cost of $22,000, and waiting room crowned with a control tower, two concrete hangars, a float plane harbour and other associated services for $300,000.
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Terry's Trivia and Travel Tips - by Terry Baker
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 After seeing the badges in a recent NetLetter, Reg Baily sent us a copy of the logo which was on the back of the parkas' worn by ramp personnel in the 50's
RJ Bailey, retired.
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 Remember when? Here is the first Olympic Lottery to help cover the costs of the Montreal Olympics. Remember Montreal Mayor Drapeau promised to have a baby if the costs over ran? What is it with the mayors of Montreal and Toronto?
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 And then Canada got on the band wagon with this lottery.
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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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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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