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Since October 1995, Vesta Stevenson and Terry Baker have been issuing an email newsletter for those ex Air Canada types who have provided us with their email addresses. The Newsletter was created by Vesta, who gave the name 'NetLetter' and added 'Between Ourselves' - a TCA periodical with which you are probably familiar with from the 50's and 60's. It was then changed to "Between Yourselves" to avoid confusion when "Horizons" resurrected the name. Then finally simplified to just "The NetLetter".

We believe that our NetLetter, which originates from Vancouver Island, was the FIRST to use this medium to disperse information for retirees of Air Canada.

The NetLetter contains airline related information such as anecdotes or stories supplied by some of the recipients, Internet tips, travel news, cheap... excuse me, "inexpensive" accommodations, tours, interline travel, and, in some small way, we help keep our Air Canada family together and in touch.

Our 'NetLetter' is NOT sponsored by any Pionair group, nor are we seeking any financial support, only the Internet email addresses of those who would like to receive our 'NetLetter'. Please forward this to other retirees who can then subscribe right from the forwarded link at the bottom of this email.

We now estimate that the NetLetter is read by over 2709 retirees when counting our email distribution and those that print the NetLetter and give them out to their friends.

To get in touch with either the Editor/Pilot or Co- Pilot our email address is still This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

To make changes to your e-mail address or to unsubscribe, please see the links at the bottom of the page for "Update Profile/Email address" and SafeUnsubscribe. This is now automated so that you can remove yourself from the list or change your email address (or name) without our assistance. We will still do this manually if you have any difficulties.

Many of our members are having difficulty finding these links. You will need to scroll to the bottom of the page, the link in similar to the following image. (The image below doesn't work but your links at the bottom will).

Thank you

Alan Rust - ACFamily Administrator

The new Check-in times are:
Check-in Deadline | Recommended Check-in Time
- Domestic (Canada) 30 minutes/60 minutes
- Transborder (to/from USA) 45 minutes/90 minutes
- International (to) 60 minutes/120 minutes

I am still researching the TCA North Star crash on Mt. Slesse - what a story it is turning out to be! My primary focus has been to recreate the flight from interviews, documentation, etc. in this regard, locating the conversation tapes from TCA and ATC would be invaluable - but no luck so far. I am also looking for a photo of the recording equipment used by company radio operators and ATC in the mid 1950s. I was wondering if anyone would be able to shed some light on these.
Best regards, Rien van Tilborg This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

During 2005, Air Canada took delivery of 14 of the 15 Embraer E175 aircraft on order with the remaining E175 aircraft delivered in January 2006. Air Canada also began taking delivery of the first three of 45 Embraer E190 aircraft on order in December 2005. An additional two E190 aircraft were delivered in January 2006 and deliveries of the remaining 40 E190 aircraft are planned to be completed by January 2008.
Jazz took delivery of 15 Bombardier CRJ705 aircraft and 13 Bombardier CRJ200 aircraft. In addition, 15 Bombardier CRJ100 aircraft were transferred from Air Canada to Jazz.

After reading about the new service YUL to Mexico in NetLetter nr 914, Paul Cormier sends this information -

Its a coincidence that you announce that AC is starting Yul-Mexico service in June. Air Canada (TCA) gave Mexico service to CPA in exchange for service to Sept-Iles, Quebec City, Vald'or, Bagotville, and others on Nov. 1st 1955, which was the 50th anniversary of service by AC to these destinations.

B737-200 fin 715 (515) c/n 22258 is now with First Air registered C-GCPT since Nov 1/05

From: George & Noreen Brien This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Subject: Early Aviation History YSJ and area
Aviation first came to this city in 1912, when a gentleman from NYC arrived with an airplane. Actually, he brought the airplane along in a crate and did some exhibition flying, using the mud flats at low tide as a landing strip. I'm sure there must have been some more flying in the area in the next few years but it was not until 1928 that some land was purchased at Millidgeville, in the city's north end and an airfield with two gravelled runways, 1800 and 2300 hundred feet long was constructed.

One of the first commercial flights appears to have been Pan American Airways, with a contract to fly airmail on the BOS/PWM/YSJ/YHZ route, which began in 1931.

As the city was on the route of early trans Atlantic flights, the airport had many famous flyers make use of the field including Amelia Earhart, who did an overnight stop on May 19/32 enroute from NYC to Harbour Grace NL and England.

Another early flyer in 1932, James Mollison, first to attempt to cross the Atlantic solo westward from Ireland to Newfoundland, picked up some tail winds and kept on going. By the time he reached New Brunswick, extreme fatigue and bad weather forced him to unfortunately overshot the airport by about 40 miles and landed at Pennfield Ridge. No problem, the plane was transported back to Millidgeville and Mollison continued his flight to NYC in a couple of days.

Canada Airways began scheduled flights from Millidgeville Airport on Feb 28 1931 with a Fairchild 71 Aircraft Which carried 6 passengers . The schedules shows it leaving YSJ at 11.20 and arriving at the newly opened "Chebucto Road airport' in Halifax at 1250. The fare was $20.00 one way.

A TCA schedule dated 1939 shows connections at YQM TO YSJ via Canadian Airways And with onward connections to Halifax via Maritime Airways. Maritime Central Airways began service into YSJ on Dec 7, 1941 with service to and from YYG. The Aircraft was likely his new leased Boeing 247D . MCA gradually expanded the route to YYG/YSU/YQM/YFC/YSJ. Although at this time, TCA's DC3 was passing over YSJ on their YUL/YHZ route, Millidgeville Airport did not meet the minimum standards required by them, i.e Navads/runway lengths etc and the city was still off the mainline of Aviation.

An attempt to provide air service using Blissville Airport, 40 miles nw, was begun in May 10,1941 but only lasted until June 16th. The long distance and unpaved roads likely deterred most potential passengers. This was later reinstated in July 1944 and continued until the Airport at Pennfield became available.

Now on to Pennfield airport. http://www.geocities.com/blacksharbour/penn field.html

In 1947, the Dept of Transport had taken over the operation of the Pennfield Airport, as the RCAF moved out. TCA realized that this airport, on a main highway from YSJ would serve the city much better than the long dirt roads up to Blissville and on May 1, 1947 Blissville was closed and the Pennfield Ridge Airport (YPN) was opened for TCA scheduled service. Along with the enroute stop on the YUL/YHZ service, a new route from YHZ /YQI/YPN/BOS also began on the same date all using DC3 equipment Myron "Ziggy" Ziggerchuk, recalls being stationed there as a Radio Operator along with Bill Scott.

An ex BCATP airport, the housing Barracks/Huts that were left behind were used to accommodate the TCA staff and their families.

By the late 40's, Saint John had already purchased land at Clover Valley, 12 miles S.E of the city. Work was started by 1949 In June 1951, Hugh McElliott who was District Sales Manager,was reporting over 1000 psgrs a month through YPN, these figures are a bit deceiving as it included through psgrs. Ten DC3 flights a day operated through YPN by that time.; 3 to YUL, 2 to Bos and 5 to YHZ- 1 via YQM and 1 via YQI By Dec/51, the new terminal bldg was completed at YSJ and Radio Range towers had been Relocated from Blissville and Pennfield to complete the Nav system.

Dec 31/51 TCA moved it operation to the new YSJ Airport. Staff included New Stn Mgr W J Hegan ,along withRadio Operators Bill Scott and Ziggy Zeggerchuk and ramp agent/Station Attendant Bob Anderson, who came over from Pennfield.

Although TCA started their service by Jan 1/52 , MCA had commenced their flights on Aug 11 with DC3 service on the YQM/YFC/YFC route without the benefit of the Radio Range. The city was anxious to move them from the old Millidgeville Airport, which was really inadequate for reliable service.

The news items from the local newpaper was soon exclaiming about the "large T.C.A DC3 Skyliners" carrying people from YSJ to YUL and places around the world.

Meanwhile in Fredericton , which since the closure of Blissville, had lost any TCA service but already started construction Sept 1948 on a Municipal Airport,about 9 miles south of the city.

By early 1950, MCA were operating Lockheed 10's On their YQM/YFC/YSJ (Millidgeville) route through the new facility. Since 1947, they had been using the small unlighted/unpaved strip at Barkers PT., just across the river from the city.

Start-up of TCA flights began on Dec 7/51 with one flt eastbound and one westbound. TCA offered to give up their YHZ/YQI/YPN route to MCA for the loss of business they would see at YFC but were never taken up on the offer.

New staff at YFC included Stn Mgr W H Himmelman,who transferred in from YQI . Other new staff included Operations Agents ( this was a new job classification) Jack Geldart, John Gandy, and perhaps later Fred Dixon and Vic Martinson and Mechanic Bruce Logan

Along with Transport Canada moving their staff over to YFC from Blissville. They also moved the Radio Range towers along with the wooden terminal building (which was cut in half and reassembled at YFC) It was still in use when I was based there 1955/57.

Sources include Trans Canada Airlines by Peter Pigott, Carl Burke/MCA by Alan Macnutt Wings across Time by David Collins, Diaries of Wm Arrowsmith http://www.saintjohnairport.com/air_history.asp and contacts with other retired TCA employees.

It would be great to get feedback/additional information from readers, to fill some of the blanks.
George Brien This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Dog gone!
Two passenger planes of Macedonia's national carrier MAT were stacked above Skopje Airport until a pack of stray dogs could be cleared from the runway to let them land safely,

The mailing and formating of the NetLetter for HTML format is provided compliments of the ACFamily Network and Nerds On Site. Content is researched and submitted by Vesta Stevenson and Terry Baker. Thank you for letting us into your homes!

Important reminder, for all new articles, submissions and or comments for the "The Netletter" please send to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. please add to your Address Books.

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Enjoy this visual display of Air Canada’s historic fleet from its beginning in 1937 to the present including aircraft from:
- Trans-Canada Airlines
- Canadian Airlines
- Pacific Western
- Eastern Provincial
- Nordair
- Transair
and Wardair

This 68 x 96 cm (27 x 38 inch) poster is printed in full colour on high quality paper and depicts over 300 aircraft and liveries flown by Air Canada throughout its history.

The archives of the NetLetter are kept on the ACFamily Network Forums area. They are in plain text format so you can print them from there if desired. If you are not a member of the ACFamily Network yet, we encourage you to join us there. Non members can Register here. (It's Free!)