Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter

Items found on the Nordair Facebook group page.

News from Nordair.

(donated by Don Murphy October 27, 2019)

Here we have this photo. 

Part of the text reads as follows:

Nordair extends its scheduled flight service north of the Arctic Circle.

By order # 2229 issued by the Air Transport Board on June 23, 1959, Nordair has been authorized to serve Cape Dyer, N.W.T., under its Class 2 license.

This new point will be served by Nordair as an extension to its flight 41N/42D leaving Montreal, every Thursday morning with return on Friday morning.

Fare one way Frobisher-Cape Dyer $57.00 round trip $114.00.

Fare one way Montreal-Cape Dryer $186.00 round trip $372.00.

Nordair was acquired by Canadian Pacific Air Lines in mid-1986 and was formally merged in 1987, shortly before Pacific Western Airlines acquired Canadian Pacific Air Lines, becoming Canadian Airlines International.

This image was posted on Facebook by Wayne Hamidy on November 6, 2007.

Posted by John Desramaux on January 2, 2013.

Stunning photo courtesy Jacek Romanowski. Notice the aircraft has the original clam-shell thrust reversers. The target reversers were installed in November 1969.

In fact, in this photo and when the aircraft was delivered to Nordair in November 1968 it had a nose wheel ski but was not gravel certified.

From left to right Flight Attendant Anita Barr, Boeing Representative Bob Bogash, Purser Hugh Valence (deceased),

Captain Paddy Szrajer, Flight Attendant Pat Kelly, unidentified Transport Canada Inspector, Flight Attendant Andre Chadourne and Chief Flight Attendant Glorys Valois pose with C-FNAB in March 1969 at Frobisher Bay airport (YFB), now Iqaluit.

Canadian Airlines discontinued B-737 service to Kelowna, Fort St. John, Sandspit and Smithers.

Canadian partner Time Air commenced turbo-prop service coincident with Canadian’s withdrawal, providing aircraft size and frequency that more closely matches demand.

Canadian's withdrawal and Time Air's commencement of service to Kelowna will begin January 13, 1991 and to Fort St. John, Sandspit, and Smithers in April, 1991.

Five A310's left the fleet as planned and six B-737s were sold. This continued to lower the average age of the fleet. Canadian already operated one of the youngest, most fuel-efficient fleets in the world.

Neil Burton contributed this article -

Pacific Western Airlines Sweepstakes – Promotion valid from November 15, 1982 – May 15, 1983.

(The promotional sheet shown in the photos had no year in it but was finally matched to an article, in which a photo of Lorne Perrin, Customer Service Manager, Kamloops, is seen scratching a boarding pass – Kamloops Daily Sentinel – Nov. 9, 1982, Tuesday – page. 13.)

The airline was wanting to win customers away from the competitors. There were 14 major prizes offered:

Seven trips to Las Vegas, included airfare, accommodation, and $1,000 spending money, or 7 books of Quick Tickets, good for 10 one-way or 5 return trips to anywhere on P.W.A.’s scheduled route system.

Total value of the scratch and match instant win and sweepstakes game was said to be over $1 million.

Passengers were given a combination boarding pass/playing card before boarding their flights.

The idea was to match the image on one side of the card to see what they might win. Then, scratch one square on the right side of card to try to match image.

Besides 14 major prizes, P.W.A. was offering hundreds of instant prizes. There were weekends for 2 at selected Westin Hotels, Budget Rent-a-Car rentals, cash, Boeing 737 model kits and inflight vouchers.

The program was said to be brought about because of the decline in air traffic.

Las Vegas was one of the destinations offered through P.W.A.’s charter operations.

Neil Burton,  May 18, 2020.

Neil Burton also sends us this information, as posted at www.pwareunion.com -

The Convair Story -- 1967 - 1978 - by Ruth Cowan.

(Pacific Western Airlines Ltd. – “Speedbird” publication – Vol. 6; No. 2; August 1978)

Attached is a story of Ruth Cowan of the last scheduled flight of P.W.A.’s Convair 640 – C-FPWU, aircraft fin# 642, from Vancouver to Powell River and Campbell River, before returning to the ramp at Vancouver on June 10th, 1978.

I’ve attempted to re-create the published photos as best I could by scanning and then photographing.

The story is being published in June as it will be 42 years since that last scheduled flight.

Below we have a photo of Convair 640 - C-FPWU in 1978. 

Kathleen Palmer posted this memory on Facebook

I remember how we used to chalk the nose gear wheel into 6 sections, put money into the kitty and whichever number it stopped on at the gate / designated spot, the person that had that number won the pot.

Liz Chaston replied - I remember the nose wheel roulette very well, maybe with captain George Brown? All of the district guys were great.

Jetlagged comic by Kelly Kincaid who posted this on Facebook,  May 31, 2020.

Happy International Flight Attendant Day!

If you're on leave, retired, still working or facing furlough, remember that you are still part of an amazing, supportive community of people. Make it a great day no matter what!

Kelly