Vesta's Corner
Another year has come and gone and we are very proud of the fact that we have published over 1,000 issues of the NetLetter. We'd like to thank you, our readers, for all the wonderful feedback and articles that keep us going. We now have over 4,000 readers which is quite an accomplishment for us with more signing up with us each week. If you have friends that may want to join us, please send them to www.thenetletter.org where they can sign up at the top of the page. Cover page of "Between Ourselves" issued December 1946. We hope you have been enjoying the photos and articles we have been pulling out of the back issues of "Between Ourselves" for the past few months. We are still working on archiving all of these issues and placing them on our web site. This will take some time, but when finished we hope to have a complete searchable collection of all the issues published from 1941 on. Stay tuned for more information regarding this. Postcards This week's postcard is of Madrid, Spain Madrid
Note: for our new readers, I have been collecting postcards from our travelling NetLetter "family" for many years. If you are away and have a minute, I'd be delighted to get one from you as well. You can obtain my address by sending an email to |
Found on the Internet
Airlines all over the world are being warned to check to make sure there's actually oxygen in their aircraft oxygen systems after an embarrassing mix-up by Qantas Airlines at Melbourne International Airport. For ten months, crews have been filling airliner oxygen systems from a nitrogen cart that's supposed to be used to fill tires. The mistake went unnoticed until a couple of weeks ago when an observant aircraft engineer spotted service workers using the cart. "He was walking around the plane and asked what they were doing. When they said they were topping up the oxygen, he said, 'No you're not, that's a nitrogen cart,'" So long Connies -The distinctive Lockheed Constellation, with its graceful curves and triple tail, represents a golden age of flight to many aviators, but now the U.S. will lose three of the remaining fleet to a buyer in Europe. The airplanes were sold recently at auction for $748,000. The buyer was a division of the German airline Lufthansa, which once flew the Connies. Intentions for the aircraft were not announced but the group has restored aircraft to airworthy status in the past. |
Readers Feedback
After reading the article in the latest NetLetter about the DC8 being pressed into Rapidair Service in 1978 between YYZ and YUL, I couldn't help reminiscing about the time I spent on it doing Rapidairs. I remember that it held 198 passengers, sixteen of which were first class and the flying time was anywhere between an hour and ten minutes to an hour and twenty minutes, depending on which way the aircraft was vectored but, the actual time for in flight purposes was really about fifty minutes. In those days we did full meal services with breakfast being the easiest because there was no bar service before noon. Masking tape, the savior of In Flight, was adhered onto the fridges in both mid cabin galleys. On these strips we placed as many pouches of instant coffee as possible so as to have them at our fingertips. In those days, there were no coffee makers. All coffee and tea was made with boiling water from four hotcups which, because of altitude, just couldn't seem to get the water hot enough for some of our passengers. All meals were delivered by a collapsible trolley that held four containers of meal trays, each of which held twelve trays. A typical lunch or dinner service involved at least seven flt. attendants. and sometimes eight, if we were lucky. Just as soon as the seat belt sign went off, frequently during climb out because then, people wanted to smoke but couldn't until seat belt signs were turned off, we sprung into action, often walking up hill to get to the galleys. First a bar service followed by hot meal delivery. Then the hot beverage service which also included seconds in bar followed by pick up and seconds in hot beverages, all within the fifty to fifty five minutes. Passengers barely had time to consume what was offered and many times we ended up pulling the tray away because of time constraints. If one does the math, you get the idea of how many trolley movements were involved in such a service. Occasionally, due to being short crewed or some other circumstance, we couldn't do the pick up in time which forced the In Charge to go into the cockpit to request a "go around", something that was certainly not appreciated by the pilots. We just couldn't land with over half the trays out on the passengers' chair tables. MOT would not be happy about that. The one time I had to request it, I got a thunderous "ARE YOU SURE!" To which I replied an equally emphatic affirmation. These were not the most pleasant flights to work. Often stuck in blocks as fillers, they helped top up our flying time. But, there were some blocks that consisted of these flights entirely. We all felt sorry for those of us not senior enough to bid something else. I've just got to say it. I just can resist. Today's attendants have it easy. BarCart |
Terry's Travel Tips
become the first in Canada to sell the naming rights to terminals, gates and parking garages. That means that when you fly into YWG, you could be greeted one day by the flight attendants at the Tim Horton Terminal or leave your car at the Mazda parkade. Interline Deals To Go Hawaii from $299* 3 nights with confirmed air! Christmas Shopping made easy and priced right! Friends and Family are eligible! 1 800 422 3727 Caesar Hotels Airway Vacations announces Hawaii Vacation Sale
These deals move quickly...CALL TODAY! 1 800 422 3727 |