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( For retirees of the new Air Canada family)
Number 490 June 3rd, 2000, We first Published in October 1995
Chief Pilot - Vesta Stevenson - Co-pilot - Terry Baker
email address is
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This NetLetter is dedicated to the Memory of Mr James T. Bain.
. Alan Bain sends this for us -
Subject: James T. Bain: Canadian Aviation Hall of Fame Induction
James T. Bain was inducted to the Canadian Aviation Hall of
Fame on May 13, 2000.
Air Canada/TCA is well represented in CAHF but my family were
particularly pleased with this induction. We all went out to Wetaskiwin
(13 people). Air Canada helped with two fares, and Elaine Murdoch
(retired flight attendant-my wife's sister) helped with reduced fares.
James Tocher Bain
BIRTHDATE AND EARLY EDUCATION:
James Tocher Bain was born February 26, 1906 in Edinburgh, Scotland. In
1921 he entered the Royal Air Force (RAF) Engineering College at
Cranwell, England. While in RAF service he earned Air Engineer licenses
A, B, C and D. He left the ROYAL AIR FORCE in 1931.
FIRST EMPLOYMENT:
He worked for Scottish Motor Traction Company, aviation division, then
Hillman Airways. In 1933 he joined Spartan Airlines as Chief Ground
Engineer. When Spartan reformed as British Airways Limited (BAL) Jim
continued as Deputy Chief Ground Engineer.
BRITISH AIRWAYS - LOCKHEED
Jim spent 1935-36 in the United States studying airline operations on
behalf of BAL. He was then posted to Lockheed Aircraft Corp., to oversee
the manufacture of BAL's Lockheed 10A's. He wrote the 10A Operating
Manual for BRITISH AIRWAYS LIMITED. The document was purchased and
published by Lockheed.
COMING TO CANADA
In 1937 Jim met Hall of Fame member Lindsay Rood, a Canadian BAL pilot
who was returning to Canada to join the infant Trans Canada Airlines
(TCA). Through Rood's introduction, Jim was offered the chance to come
to Canada and join TCA in an unspecified "make out or else" position in
maintenance and overhaul.
ARRIVAL IN WINNIPEG:
Jim arrived in Winnipeg in April of 1938, where the total TCA facility
was one single-bay hanger and an office annex. His first task was to
write an organization chart, job description and policy manual for the
Overhaul and Maintenance department. As a result Jim was TCA appointed
Superintendent of Maintenance and Overhaul, the first permanent
assignment to the TCA management team.
DEVELOPING PROCEDURES - MAINTENANCE AND OVERHAUL:
Under his direction shop training programs began, and gradually the
maintenance and overhaul operations began to function. Jim remembered
with pride the first engine successfully overhauled and tested.
RAPID EXPANSION TCA - SUPT. OF MAINTENANCE & OVERHAUL
The war years brought a heavy demand for TCA service. Jim coordinated
the rapid expansion of TCA's service and hanger facilities. In 1941 Jim
became Superintendent of Engineering and Maintenance. Now maintenance,
overhaul and the added engineering all came under his authority.
BCATP
>From 1941 to 1945 Jim served, in addition to his TCA duties, as Member
of the Executive Committee, Aircraft Production, Ministry of Munitions
and Supplies. During this commission he wrote the preliminary draft for
the establishment, distribution and organization of the maintenance and
repair facilities for the aircraft of the pilot training program which
was to become the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan.
CGTAS - FIRED!! - DIR. ENG & MAINT. CGTAS
In 1942 Jim seized an opportunity to vault TCA into trans Atlantic
operations. British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) had requested
assistance with service and maintenance of the B24 return ferry service.
and Jim "somewhat exceeded his terms of reference" committed TCA. He was
first fired, then rehired, as C.D. Howe recognized the advantages to be
gained from the commitment. Jim then carried a third role as Director of
Engineering and Maintenance for the BOAC/Canadian Government Trans
Atlantic Air Service (CGTAS).
TRANS-ATLANTIC EXPERIENCE - THE ROLLS ROYCE CONNECTION
The CGTAS was the first service to operate year round and provided
valuable training for TCA to start their own trans-Atlantic service with
converted Lancasters. But the Lancaster's Merlin engines, such superb
performers in war time, were not suited to the long low-rpm
trans-Atlantic flights. Jim worked closely with Rolls Royce to engineer
and implement a temperature change control cure. A significant
relationship was forged between James T. Bain and Rolls Royce.
SEARCH FOR A NEW AIRCRAFT.
In 1943 TCA began a search for replacement for the Lodestar, Dc-3 fleet.
Jim initiated a thorough investigation of available aircraft and
engines. This study dovetailed with a C.D.Howe, Minister of Transport,
decision to build a Canadian aircraft. TCA began writing specifications.
Jim insisted that they include a high degree of automation including
engine controls, auto flight, auto approach and landing, pressurized
airframe, simplicity of operation and easily dismountable engines. The
aircraft which would emerge was a TCA engineered combination of the
Rolls Royce Merlin engine RM-14-SM and a Douglas DC-4 airframe.
THE NORTH STAR
>From 1945 to 1947 Jim was seconded to Canadair, as Executive Assistant
to the President, for the duration of the manufacture of the aircraft.
The North Star first flew July 15, 1946 and was christened into service
July 20, 1946. "Jim's Baby" went on to give stellar service to TCA, the
Royal Canadian Air Force, Canadian Pacific Airlines (CPA) and BOAC.
LAST MAJOR PROJECT NEW ENG. MAINT. & OVERHAUL BASE AT DORVAL, P.Q.
Jim's last major project was the Air Canada jet fleet base at Dorval,
Quebec. He was mandated to oversee the design, construction and
installation phases, as well as the training phases of the base
development. At completion, the base was state of the art and its
comprehensive design was copied in facilities worldwide.
COMPUTERS IN MAINTENANCE
Jim recognized the potential of computer technology. At the heart of the
Dorval base operations was a new facility, a data processing center. Jim
introduced computer tracking of aircraft components. The resultant was a
predictive capability that greatly enhanced preventative maintenance.
FLIGHT DATA RECORDERS:
In 1963 Jim initiated the search for, and the installation of flight
data recorders. The recorders were intended to provide on-board trend
analysis, a vital component of preventative maintenance. It was quickly
realized that the data recorders also offered significant opportunities
for incident or accident investigations.
JIM BAIN THE LEADER
Jim Bain had the capability to visualize the direction of changes in
airline technical operation, to choose the right person for the research
and development he foresaw, and with his Scottish stubborn tenacity, to
clear the administrative hurdles. He had the qualities of an excellent
administrator by challenging, allowing for investigation and rewarding
innovation. He developed a loyal, powerful and innovative team, many of
whom would become leaders themselves in the air industry. During his
tenure, TCA/Air Canada benefited from some sixty "first in the world"
engineering and maintenance procedures.
THE BREADTH OF BAIN ROLE:
>From 1947 to 1965 Jim was Director of Engineering and Maintenance; the
breadth and complexity of his role was considerable. In twenty-eight
years, twenty-two aircraft types were introduced. Each aircraft required
the same organizational approach: research, specifications, procedure
development, manufacture liaison, training and facilities
preparation.Through each of these stages Jim would enforce a personal
insistence on the highest degree of standards.
AFTER RETIREMENT:
Jim retired in 1965 but continued to serve the air industry as
consultant to the Government of Canada, Rolls Royce, the United Nations
and the International Executive Service Corp., advising on airline
development and airport facilities in such places as Turkey, Korea,
Indonesia, Honduras and Brazil.
James T. Bain passed away December 5, 1988.
CITATION:
James Tocher Bain was inducted into Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame in
2000 with the following citation:
Through innovative foresight and an adherence to exacting standards, he
exerted a major influence in establishing TCA/Air Canada's remarkable
record of excellence in engineering , maintenance and overhaul.
Alan J.T. Bain
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