Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter

Pacific Western Airlines had been formed as a bush-flying enterprise in 1946 named Central British Columbia Airlines. Between 1949 and 1952 it acquired seven other bush-flyers and became PWA in 1953. True operation as a scheduled regional airline (one of five) began in 1959 when Canadian Pacific transferred route authority for 18 services from Edmonton to Northern Alberta and the Northwest Territories. This was just the start and PWA would grow not only to become the most successful of the five regionals but also to eventually take over CP Air and join the big time.

PWA acquired a reputation for innovation and aggressiveness with their Airbus which began in May 1963. The 'Chieftain Airbus' operated on the same principle as Eastern's shuttle in the USA. Operating from Edmonton Industrial airport, close to the city centre, to Calgary. Every passenger was guaranteed a seat even if it meant putting on an entire plane for that passenger. The service began with a three times daily DC-4 but grew by 1973 to a thirteen times daily 737-200. This initiative had helped drive passenger growth of 20% per annum on the route.

Source: www.yesterdaysairlines.com

From 'CP Air News' magazine

Issue dated May 1971

Mel Knox Climaxes His Career Using New Navigation System.

When flight 324 nosed to the loading bridge at Vancouver on March 14 it signaled the end of a 42-year flying career for Chief Overseas Pilot Mel Knox.
 

This flight from Honolulu to Vancouver was the first Canadian commercial overseas flight to operate without a navigator, using the inertial navigation system (INS). Installation and M.O.T. approval had just been completed prior to this flight from Honolulu to Vancouver on a DC-8-63 in four hours and 48 minutes.

Shown left to right with Captain Knox are: Bill Roxborough, Director of Flight Operations; Ken Grott; Craig Stevenson; Dennis Harland; Tom McCloy; Ted Randall; Gordon Scott; Tom Gale; Lloyd Moffatt; Don MacLean; Jack Reed and Rick Wiley. 

From the "InfoCanadi>n" magazine.

Issue dated March / April 1996

The business delegation that accompanied the Prime Minister on the four-country, 14-day mission during 1996, traveled aboard a chartered Canadian Airlines B-767. The airline was awarded the charter through a sealed bid process conducted by Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs & International Trade. Canadian bid for the charter because of the opportunity it represented.

The trade mission met with business and government leaders in Bombay and New Delhi, India; Islamabad, Pakistan; Jakarta, Indonesia; and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Making technical stops in Rome and Tokyo the charter flew more than 23,000 miles over eight flight legs. More than 2,000 meals were served by the three inflight crews and thousands of litres of bottled water were served.

The Trade Mission crew beginning at the top step. from left to right: Antonios Yiouvris, Maintenance Engineer, Rome; Dann Cantley, OSM, Montreal; Jim Green, Catering Supervisor, Vancouver; Mary Ann Gardencius, Flight Attendant Edmonton; Gail Voermans, Calgary; Micheline Shirriff, Toronto; Donna Kyliuk, Winnipeg; Maxine Elson, Halifax; Diane St. Jean, Montreal; Dave Ellerbeck, Captain, Vancouver; Madeleine Beaulieu, Flight Attendant, Vancouver; Bernie Duperron, Captain, Vancouver; Mike Sawyers, CSD, Vancouver; Fulvio Pasquale, Flight Attendant, Vancouver and Ross Currie, First Officer, Vancouver.