 The NetLetter
For Air Canada Retirees
(part of the ACFamily Network)
July 30, 2011 - Issue 1175
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First Issue published in October 1995!
(over 5,400 subscribers)
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Donation Information
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Send cheques payable to "ACFamily Network" to:
ACFamily Network
#800 - 15355 24th Ave, Suite 523
Surrey, BC V4A 2H9
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Pay by Credit Card
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We're taking a vacation!
The NetLetter Staff will be taking a summer break. Our next Issue (#1176) will be published on August 20, 2011.
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| Greetings! |
We welcome you to allow the NetLetter to be your platform, and opportunity, to relive your history while working for either TCA, AC, CPAir, CAIL, PWA, AirBC, Wardair. etal. and share your experiences with us!
The NetLetter is an email newsletter published every weekend and contains a mixture of nostalgia, current news and travel tips. We encourage our readers to submit their stories, photos and/or comments from either days gone by or from present day experiences and trips. If we think that the rest of our readers will enjoy it, we will publish it here
We also This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. in regard to anything we post here. Many readers have commented with additional information, names and personal memories from the photos and articles presented here.
The NetLetter, which is free, is open to anyone that wishes to subscribe but is targeted to retired employees from Air Canada, Canadian Airlines and all the other companies that were part of what Air Canada is today. Thanks for joining us!
Terry & your NetLetter Team
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| CAHS Upcoming Events - Compiled by Alan Rust |
 We have a listing below of all the CAHS (Canadian Aviation Historical Society) upcoming events that we are aware of. If you are at all interested in Canadian aviation history, then we encourage you to attend a meeting or visit their web site at: www.cahs.ca(Meetings resume in September)
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Pionair Meetings and Events - Compiled by Alan Rust
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 The Air Canada Pionairs have ongoing Coffee Club Meetings in the following Districts; Vancouver Island, Vancouver, Okanagan, Edmonton, Calgary, Man-Sask, SW Ontario, Central Ontario, Ottawa, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia - P.E.I., Newfoundland, UK - E.C. and the USA - Caribbean. For full information, click here.
Meetings provide an opportunity to meet old friends, learn the latest news regarding Air Canada and your pensions or hear a variety of guest speakers speaking on topics of interest to retirees.
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ACRA Upcoming Events- Compiled by Alan Rust
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 Retirees Welcome!
The following events are available for retirees through ACRA, the Air Canada Recreation Association. |
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Where: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
When: Thursday, September 29 to Saturday, October 1, 2011
For more inforation visit: www.acrabadminton.org.uk
Retirees Welcome!
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 Are you aware of an ACRA Event that is open to retirees? Please use the online form by following this link to submit your ACRA Event. (ACRA Events only please)
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| Women in Aviation - Compiled by Terry Baker |
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Extracted from "Between Ourselves" magazine issue February 1957 -
Stewardess Film Being Produced -
The National Film Board of Canada is in the process of producing a 10-minute movie of our stewardesses for showing in theatres in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom.
Filmed and directed by
H. J. Lemieux
, veteran NFB camera man-director, the movie will be one of a series of the National Film Board's documentaries called " Eyewitness." The movie will take in the latest stewardess training class and will cover all aspects of training given to flight attendants during their four weeks of instruction. Approximately one-third of the movie will be devoted to stewardess functions on the job during flight, and the film will follow a stewardess from Montreal to Bermuda. The camera will then pick up the stewardess as she spends the day in Bermuda on her layover, filming her in a restaurant, sight seeing, shopping, swimming, etc. The film is expected to be in the theatres by summer. (We are unable to locate this movie on the NFB web site and have identification of the Stewardess involved - eds) |
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| Our first 70 years - Compiled by Terry Baker |
1974 - Five Boeing B727-200 ordered
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| Air Canada Related News - Compiled by Terry Baker |
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 Air Canada suspending Iqaluit route. This route regrettably did not meet our profitability targets and as a result, we will suspend service August 1.
Customers booked after that date will be contacted to be re-accommodated on Canadian North flights. We will continue to interline with Canadian North to offer simplified ticketing and checked through baggage service to final destination.
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| Reader Submitted Photos - Compiled by Terry Baker |
 Reader Submitted Photos - The photos and information below was sent to us by our faithful readers. If you would like to send us some old photos you have lying around. we will consider them for publication in a future NetLetter. We prefer good quality airline related photos, with descriptive text included with the submission. |
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 Lucien Baril sends us this photo from 1975, a cargo management meeting held under Ron Law's directorship, in Montréal.
The names of the people are: Dermot Morin, Lucien Baril, Jean-Guy Roberge, Stu Christie, Ron Law, Suzanne Bucan, Robert Viau, Raymond Dicaire, Michel Saucier and Guy Bélanger
(sorry I am missing two names - perhaps one of our readers can help out - eds).
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 During a recent visit to the BC Aviation Museum, Al Catterall handed over several photos of people but they were unidentified. They were taken in February 1964 and we publish them in the hopes someone can identify them ...
Stewardess on intercom.
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 Stewardess with freight.
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 Storeman checking stock. |
 Crew that serviced the DC-8. This was taken at YUL, date unknown.
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 Christel Weindl took the time to send us this information and photo -
Little time is ever taken out to tell a happy story for a change. I am a retired AC employee and had the privilege to travel to YVR on FLT 153. I am attaching a picture of a great and wonderful Flight crew, MS Denise Dore, MS Donna Graves, MS Katherine Kay.
The flight was totally full, the crew worked non stop and never forgot to smile. They listened to passengers and served them in such a wonderful and relaxed way. It was such a delight to watch them and I also was proud to belong to a great company where the employees walk the extra mile. Also they looked so well groomed and excellent in their uniforms. Job well done...
Thanks,
Christel Weindl
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| TCA/Air Canada People Gallery - Compiled by Terry Baker |
 Musings from the "Between Ourselves" and "Horizons" magazine, an Air Canada publication from years gone by, and various in-house magazines.
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Issue dated - March 1956
Extracted from the "Between Ourselves" magazine -
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 FIRST EUROPEAN WINNER in the "tips-on-trips" campaign is A. M. "Davy". Davidson, Station Controller, London Airport.
He is seen being presented a point-cheque by E. J. May, DSM, while J. A. Ross, Station Manager, Iooks on. The award was for three round trips Saint John, N.H., to Prestwick, Scotland, and his cheque, in the amount of 5,736 points, is worth approximately $30 worth of merchandise.
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 ANOTHER GROUP OF PERSONNEL, both from field offices in the Maritimes and Montreal, who completed a course on the loading, handling and securing of cargo.
They are, from the left, standing: L. Fallon, Montreal (All.); G. McKeigan, Sydney; C. Prosser, Training Assistant; S. Drake, Halifax; L. Leaman, Moncton. Seated: D. Morrison, Sydney; D. Ivey, Sydney; H. McCool, Montreal (At!.) and M. McKinnon, Sydney.
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 The company's stores is located in a new hanger, the largest of its kind in Canada, at Malton (YYZ) airport. Here is Ab Darkes and Sid Sparks. |
 Here are some employees in stores, but no identifications.
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Issue dated - November 1973
From the "Horizons" magazine -
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 ReserVec for E.P.A.
A team of coordinators consisting of personnel from both airlines is now overseeing the implementation of EPA's automated-reservation system. Support is being provided to Computer & Systems Services by various branches, including the Eastern Region, Purchasing & Facilities, Finance, Marketing and Transportation Services.
EPA is the second airline to lease ReserVec II facilities. Pacific Western Airlines was first with their ALFIE system, implemented in the Spring of 1973.
The team of coordinators working on the ATRAC program met in Toronto recently.
Sitting, left to right: Roger Rouse; Pierre Laforest, Director, Project Development, C & SS; Doris Devenish; Farell Gaudet, Vice-President, Marketing, EPA; Bill Downard; Dennis Bells.
Standing left to right: Ken LeClair; Fred Wills, EPA; Dave Wheeler, EPA; Dave Thomson; Dave Williams; Alan McCleery; Mike Joy, EPA; Don McLean, EPA; Eric Lambert; Don White; Garth McLean, EPA; Don Maple.
Missing from photo: John Hanley; Malcolm McNaughton; Art Cooper; Mac Smith.
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Issue dated - December 1975
Extracted from the "Horizons" magazine
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 Cold and windy weather didn't deter players or spectators from having a successful soccer tournament in Toronto last month when teams from Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver and London, England played off in the first ACRA "System" event.
The Montreal team won the finals 3-0 against Toronto. The next tournament will be held in London, England in May. Soccer Committee plans are to set up a constitution and by laws to make soccer a system event.
Don Chidlow, ex REMS YYZ, has sent us this message - I was Coach and Photographer.
This is the YYZ Team from a System Tournament around 1975. You may be able to find the names of these Teams if you recognize anybody.
This YYZ team is;
Back row R to L - Cedric , Ray Garcia, Colin Stanton, Bill Tomcheck, Mike Docherty, Neal Lawlor, Tom Mclennen, Joe Meyer. Front - Mick Malloy, Bill Nelson, Charlie Richmond, Colin ?, Fernando ? and?..
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 Here is the Montreal team.
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 Here is the Vancouver team. |
 Here is the London England team.
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| Alan's Space - by Alan Rust |
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| Alan Rust |
CF-TGE Trans-Canada Air Line Puzzle
To give you something to do while we are on vacation (see beginning of this NetLetter), we have created a 198 piece puzzle of Trans-Canada Air Lines CF-TGE Super Connie that you can solve Online.
Please let us know if this is a feature you'd like us to include from time to time. If we get some positive feedback we may create more photos into puzzles.
Also, if you have some very high quality images that you think would be suitable for creating a puzzle, please let us know and we may be able to create one from them and publish them here.
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| Click on image to solve puzzle |
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Canadi>n/CP Air/PWA, Wardair, etc. People & Events
- Compiled by Terry Baker |
 News and articles from days gone by gleaned from various publications from C.A.I.L. and it's "ancestry" of contributing airlines. |
 Here is a photograph of a Super Constellation CF-NAL or CF-NAM ex Nordair lying derelict at Sao Tome airport and now reported as being used as a bar and restaurant.
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Issue dated - July 1970
Extracted from the "PWA Keeping Posted" magazine -
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 For the third time, PWA was chosen to fly the Royal Family during their visit to Canada. On July 6th, CF-PWE flew through the Western Arctic as a salute to the Northwest Territories Centennial.
These shots were taken Sunday, July 5, 1970, just before the aircraft left Vancouver to go to Frobisher to pick up the Queen. The two ladies pictured with the Maintenance crew traveled to Inuvik and Yellowknife to look after the interior cleanliness of the aircraft.
THE CREW - Right to left; Captain R. Mackie, Captain J. Lightbown; Stewardesses Sharon Gray, Hilma MeLeod, Frances Moore, Bonita Snyders and Lois Duffy; Flight Engineer Verne Robertson; Chief Purser Doug Hatch and Purser J. Bisaillon.
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 MAINTENANCE - George Szabo, Barry Bernard, Gary Wilson, Bruce Lowden, Ralph Webb, Ruth Smith, Wilf Giles, Ben Haylett, Mrs. Irene McLeod, Hugh Porter, Al Snider, Ken Payne, Tom Larson, Ken Whitlock and Hinnis Armstrong.
Missing from picture, Les Coe.
The standby crew were Capt's W.V.Campbell, J.F.Tomlinson, F/E George Auzins, Pursers Tery Wise, W.Svenkeson, Stewardesses Margaret Giolma, Gail Bjornson, Margaret Taylor, Geraldine Melnyk.
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 Here we have this photo of the airport terminal at Norman Wells to bring back a memory for those who served there. |
 Malcolm McRae sent us this message and copy of the airmail letter. When the DC 6 was "The Airplane" on the North Pacific. A great circle route pioneered by Canadian Pacific Airlines. |
| Reader's Feedback - Compiled by Terry Baker |
Every week we ask our readers for their stories or feedback on what they have read here in previous issues. Below is the feedback we have received recently.
Paul Gaithier points out our error in NetLetter nr 1172, but sends this interesting information and memory -
It is always with pleasure that I read the Letter as soon as I receive it. However, I must correct one error: Nordair leased only one (1) Convair Coronado CV990 in the summer of 1968; I was hired as a flight attendant on May 1st 1968 and our class was hired especially for this aircraft. This aircraft left the fleet in early fall 1968.
The aircraft, fin N5615, was leased from Modern Air, a charter company based in Miami, FLA. Since the aircraft was flown by Modern Air pilots, we, the f/a's, had to meet not only the Department of Transport of Canada - as it was known then- requirements but also those of the FAA (U.S.). In October 1968, Modern Air was chartered to operate the "first commercial round-the-world trans-polar flight", that is flying over both the North and South poles. The flight became known as "Polar Byrd I".
The organizer, whose father (or was it grand-father?) had been an aide-de-camp to Admiral Byrd, wanted his wife to be the first and only woman on that flight; since Modern Air employed only female f/a's, three of us -the only FAA-qualified male f/a's on the CV990 in North America, were "loaned" to Modern Air to operate this historical venture. The trip, with 65 passengers, took 30 days, from Boston to Thule (fuel) over the North Pole, Anchorage, Tokyo, Manila, Darwin, Sydney, Auckland, Christchurch, McMurdo Sound, Antartica where we were the first jet to land on the ice runway by Mt-Erebus (we stayed there for about four hours, touring the area Bombardier's large snowmobiles -, then over the South Pole, Rio Gallegos (fuel), Rio, Manaus, Dakar, Rome. a 5-day stop was planned but since all the passengers, most of them millionaires and extremely influential decided to use their contacts in Washington, and within 24 hours (remember these were the days of the Cold War), we all had our visas for the USSR!
We then flew to Copenhagen to pick up a Russian navigator, and on to Moscow, followed by London, our last stop before returning to Boston. We stayed in each lay-over city - in bold characters, for one night and a day and a half, except in New Zealand where we stayed for five days; one of my responsibilities was to maintain contact between the Company and the passengers, such as delays, etc... This allowed me to tour New Zealand (Auckland, Rotorua, Wellington), with the passengers, including all the official functions.
This trip was an experience I will never forget.
Respectfully submitted, Paul Gauthier. Service Director (retired) Toronto.
Jacek Romanowski has sent us these two photos of the Coronado leased by Nordair, with the following information.
Here's a little history on the one leased Convair 990A. We must remember that I am going back 43 years.
The paint livery in the photo showing the left side of the aircraft is essentially correct. In the photo of the right side of the aircraft, the "N" on the vertical stab and the Nordair on the fuselage are leaning towards the rear which is incorrect as it related to the existing company livery.
Someone at Nordair jokingly put this explanation together - the aircraft had just left the paint shop in the US and the paint wasn't quite dry. Since the Convair 990 had such a fast cruise procedure in the range of Mach .90 all the letters ended up slanted to the rear !!!! Additional research has found Modern Air used the "slanted to the rear" approach on the letters on the right side of their aircraft so one can understand how it ended up that way. Modern Air did not have a logo on their vertical stab.
The aircraft, a Convair 990A registration N5615, was owned and operated by Modern Air Transport and was one of a fleet of five 990's In the early 70's they increased their fleet to nine aircraft. It was a wet lease planned for the summer of 1968 that would operate charter flights from eastern Canada to various points in eastern and central Europe. The same aircraft was also planned to be utilized in the fall to start the winter operation to the south prior to the arrival of Nordair's first B737 in November Modern Air provided the cockpit crew and Nordair provided the flight attendants from their existing staff. The cabin had 139 economy class seats in a 5 seat configuration - a double seat on the left side of the aisle and a triple on the right. This was in fact an increase in the number of seats that was planned for the scheduled service carriers who had ordered the aircraft. The net result was a decrease in the aircraft range capability so certain eastbound flights could operate non-stop however all westbound flights would tech stop in Shannon.
As one can imagine, with a single aircraft committed to the operation there were many challenges particularly those associated with technical issues that unfortunately adversely affected the on-time performance of the overall program.
I was a Coordinator in the Charter Sales Division at the time and ended up flying on this aircraft on a number of occasions. It appeared to have extremely rigid landing gear so the take-off roll felt somewhat rough. Having said that, once it was airborne it was like a rocket that provided a very nice ride and the flight times were somewhat shorter than those of comparable commercial transport category airplanes of that era.
Jacek Romanowski West Kelowna BC
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Left (port) side view. |
Right (starboard) side view. |
Odds & Ends - Compiled by Terry Baker
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 Sometimes we receive articles and information that just doesn't fit in our other areas. This is where it goes! AIRCRAFT BEAT CARMEGEDDON, BUT BIKES BEAT ALLJet Blue's 29-mile, $8 "microflights" between Burbank and Long Beach during the recent shutdown of the 405 freeway sold out within two hours, but a group of bicycle advocates proved they had an even better alternative... they beat the airline's door-to-door travel time by more than a half hour. Dubbed the "Tour de Carmageddon," six members of the Wolfpack Hustle biking club started from a Burbank sidewalk as a passenger left for the airport, pedaled for 40 miles to downtown Long Beach, and had a good time doing it. Other residents, however, found that chartering a helicopter was the best way to get around the crowded cityscape. "It's the only way to travel," Kevin Norris after paying $150 to fly by helicopter from Van Nuys to LAX in 14 minutes, to catch a flight to France.
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Terry's Trivia and Travel Tips - by Terry Baker
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| Terry Baker |
Brian Walsh (Victoria) sends us this tip - Here is a site that offers great discounts for some large US cities (and Toronto). City PASS grants you admission to the most famous attractions in a city at nearly half the cost you'd pay for separate admission to each. City PASS is valid for 9 days from the day you use the first ticket (14 days in Southern California). You'll skip most ticket lines with City PASS because, with one simple purchase, you've got all your admission tickets in hand. www.citypass.com
Airline Club of Thailand is hosting China Capitals Tour
12 SEP - 17 SEP 2011
MON 12 SEP Bangkok - Beijing (D)
TUE 13 SEP Beijing (BLD)
WED 14 SEP Beijing (BLD)
THU 15 SEP Beijing - Xian (BLD)
FRI 16 SEP Xian (BLD)
SAT 17 SEP Xian - Beijing - Bangkok (B)
SUN 18 SEP Bangkok - Destination
After breakfast, Tour ended
Price: USD 975 per person twin sharing with USD 150 for single supplement
WACA: USD 20 extra per person
Contact: Ms. Yinglek P. Chandrtat
Tel: (662) 254 - 8856
6681 - 855 - 9570
Fax: (662) 255 - 2519
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Check email contact for possible deadline date.
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Smileys - Compiled by Terry Baker
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As we surf the internet and back issues of airline magazines we regularly find airline related jokes and cartoons. Below is our latest discovery.
OUR EDITOR SAYS:
Getting out our NetLetter is no picnic.
If we print jokes, people say we are silly.
If we don't, we're too serious.
If we stick close to the computer all day, we ought to be out hunting material.
If we go out and try to hustle, we ought to be on the job on the computer.
If we don't print contributions, we don't appreciate genius.
And if we do print them, the NetLetter is full of junk!
If we edit the other fellow's stuff, we're too critical.
If we don't we're asleep.
If we clip things from other magazines, we're too lazy to write them ourselves.
Now, like as not, some guy will say we copied. the above from some magazine.
We did! (Edited from "Between Ourselves" issued February 1957)
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 Found in the "Canadi>n Flyer" issued May 1997 this cartoon by Jake Visser of YYC. |
 This is by Dave Mathias and printed in the "Between Ourselves" issued March 1955. |
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Disclaimer: Please note, that neither the NetLetter or the ACFamily Network necessarily endorse any of the airline related or other "deals" that we provide for our readers. We would be interested in any feedback (good or bad) when using these companies though and will report the results here. We do not (normally) receive any compensation from any companies that we post in our newsletters. If we do receive a donation or other compensation, it will be indicated as a sponsored article or link.
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We hope you have enjoyed this issue of the NetLetter, see you next week!
Sincerely,
Your NetLetter Team
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First published in October, 1995
- Chief Pilot - Terry Baker, Nanaimo, B.C.
- Co-pilot - Alan Rust, Surrey, B.C.
- Flight Engineer - Bill Rowsell, Londesboro, Ontario
To contact us, send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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