 The NetLetter
For Air Canada Retirees
(part of the ACFamily Network)
October 29, 2011 - Issue 1185
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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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| 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 |
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| Women in Aviation - Compiled by Alan Rust |
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 Edmonton-based author Danielle Metcalfe-Chenail has been named Chatelaine Magazine's 2011 Maverick of the Year, after months of public voting and deliberation by a panel of judges.
The 29-year-old had her first book, For the Love of Flying: The Story of Laurentian Air Services, published in 2009 by Robin Brass Studio. She is the first female president of the Canadian Aviation Historical Society (which boasts 1000 members worldwide), and hosted its annual conference in Edmonton this past summer. She was also recently named one of Edmontonian Magazine's' "Sizzling 20 Under 30" for 2011.
Last year, she spent three months as Writer-in-Residence at Berton House, Pierre Berton's childhood home in Dawson City, Yukon to research a book on northern aviation history. This past summer she attended Yellowknife's Midnight Sun Float Plane Fly-In, where she was able to meet aviation legends and mine the aviation heritage of the NWT. The book, which will trace 100 years of aviation north of 60 will be published by Frontenac House in 2013.
Metcalfe-Chenail grew up in Ottawa and lived across North America and England, before moving to Edmonton. She has an M.A. in Canadian history from the University of British Columbia but writes across a number of genres.
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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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| Our first 70 years - Compiled by Terry Baker |
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1937
- April 10th - TCA incorporated by Act of Parliament.
- Later in the year the first survey flights for trans-continental route and the first commercial flight YVR-SEA
1971 - The first in-flight movie shown was "Dirty Dingus Magee" starring Frank Sinatra.
1957
- April - Requirement to be a Registered Nurse dropped from the Stewardess applications. The last North American airline to drop this requirement.
- June 1st - First scheduled non-stop trans-continental "Mercury" service between Toronto and Vancouver using Lockheed L1049 Super Constellation equipment.
1975 - February - Air Jamaica leases ReserVec system.
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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. |
 Juanita Olliver sends us these photos extracted from the "Agent Canada" magazine issue September 1987 - They did it a little differently in the old days: cargo is being unloaded from this Trans-Canada Air Lines DC3 at the Patricia Bay airport. |
 They still talk about the time a strong wind came through an open door at Toronto's airport and blew the whole reservation system off the wall. At the time it was still done by hand, as shown in this photo. (Anyone identify the employee here - eds?) |
 The military look of 1941 of the TCA Stewardess. |
 The Lockheed 10A known as CF-TCC, won 2nd-prize in the Antique category at this year's (1986) annual Oshkosh Air Show. |
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 Shirlee Schacter has sent us these photos and write up...
On August 23rd, 2011, under perfect golfing conditions, participants in the Central Ontario District Pionairs Golf Tournament challenged the 6068 yard long Deerfield Golf Course competing for the 2011 District Team Championship. After the round of golf, participants comprised of golfers and dinner guests confronted the "Birds", Duck, Parrot and Rooster in a 3 hole "putting contest. Frank Marando said the blessing before dinner and golfers were joined by dinner guests to enjoy Deerfield's scrumptious Tournament Buffet.
After dinner it was award time as District Director, David McNeilly joined Valdy Prieditis, the Tournament Director and MC for the evening, in presenting trophies and prizes to the winners. The competition was close as team scores ranged from a low of 67 to a high of 86. There was a vast array of prizes awarded from the prize tables as well as three sizeable cash draws. A good time was had by all. (FYI- check the Pionairs Photo Gallery at www.pionairs.ca (login first) to see all the pictures (just scroll to Central Ontario).
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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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Wallace Hasker has sent us this photo of the inaugural Viscount flight on April 1st 1955. The photo came to him from the families of Captains Walter Kent and David Tribe, the pilots of the historic viscount flight.
I believe they were co-captains as Kent was chief pilot checking out Tribe in the left seat. April 1st, 1955. The first scheduled airline flight in North America with a turbined - powered aircraft the Viscount.
At Toronto, enroute from Montreal to Fort William (now Thunder Bay) Winnipeg Crew - Captain D.F. Tribe, Stewardesses Shirley MGlvor and Margaret Tucker, Captain W.H. Kent.
(Anyone able to identify any of the passengers here? - eds)
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Issue dated - April 15th 1957
Some extracts for the "Between Ourselves" magazine -
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 It was a big day when the "flying bird" touched down for the first time in Moncton in the mid 40's.
Depicting the event, the photo illustrates progress over the years. The aircraft a Lockheed 14H2. |
 This photo continues the comparison of different modes of travel, the "huskies" provide a wide contrast. The dog team made a trip from Whitehorse to Winnipeg in 12 weeks. Here is CF-TCT. |
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 THE MAJORITY of Western Region stations were represented in Vancouver when a group of Station Attendants and Operations Agents gathered for a special Air Freight Course conducted by M. L. Weir. Training Assistant, Station Services Department, Montreal.
Left to right, sitting foreground are: Leo Graff. Vancouver and Ron Cundy, Calgary.
Left to right, back sitting are: Ron Glover, Vancouver, Jim Turnbull, Winnipeg, Tom O'Connor. Saskatoon. Mike Causley. Vancouver. AI Gurr, Lethbridge. Left to right. standing. are Nick Kosowich . Brandon. Mo Weir, Montreal. Jack Dunwoody, Yorkton. Jim Aberdeen, Swift Current, and Paul Labossiere, Winnipeg.
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Issue dated - June 1st 1957
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 The requirement to be a Registered Nurse dropped from the Stewardess applications. TCA was the last North American airline to drop this requirement. Here we have a photo of Barbara Lois Filmore of Winnipeg the first graduate since the company relaxed its Registered Nurse qualifications.
Barbara completed her 4 week course in Montreal on May 10th, 1957.
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 EUROPEAN SALES REPRESENTATIVES during a recent familiarization lour of Canada made a point of visiting Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
Acting as general guide was Carmen Beaudoin, of the Airport Counter staff in Ottawa, while the Sales Reps. are from the left: R. Records, London; M. P. Kluck, Dusseldorf; C. Johnson , Birmingham; J. Tabet, Paris; A. Murphy, Glasgow; J. B. Gardner, Glasgow; W. J. Koski , Manchester, and W. Witte, Dusseldorf.
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Issue dated - August 30th 1974
From the "Horizons" magazine -
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 The first Air Canada Boeing 727-200 rolled off the assembly line at the Seattle factory on August 23rd and is destined for Rapidair service commencing in October. Registered as C-GAAA c/n 20932 fin 401. |
 During a familiarization tour of Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver, Company European sales reps. and managers attended a reception sponsored by Toronto Sales. From the left are: Klaus Thieme, Dusseldorf; Rolland Nordgken, Stockholm; Dave Morrison, Leeds; AI Thompson, Toronto; Brian Flannagan, Glasgow; John Leach, London; Jean Rouse, Paris; Bob Rathwell, Toronto; Maurice Dumont, Paris and John PIuthero, David Forbes and Bill Miller, all of Toronto. |
| Alan's Space - by Alan Rust |
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| Alan Rust |
Ligning Strike blows off Nose wheel hubcap (cover)
Copa Airlines Embraer 190 gets struck by lightning at the gate blowing off a hubcap. You can see the smoke on the tail and the hubcap fly through the air off of a nose gear wheel. Go to 00:11 for slow motion view!
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| Copa Airlines Embraer 190 airplane lightning strike at the gate blowing off a hubcap |
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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. |
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 Brian Breathnach sends us this information -
Thought our colleagues at CPA would be interested in the article on the DC8 going over Mach1.
The article appeared in the Sept 2011 issue of Aviation History.
Cheers Brian Breathnach Air Canada Retd
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 Jim Griffith also sent us some information regarding the supersonic DC-8 from another source. |
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Issue dated - October 1984
Found in the "PWA Flightlines" magazine -
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 On the morning of Tuesday, September 18th, Pacific Western charter flight 265 was standing by as a back-up aircraft for Pope John Paul II's trip to Fort Simpson.
The crew members were: Captain Alex Miles FlO Bill Pocatello Purser Madeline Arnett Flight Attendants - Daniela Taylor, Laurie Rackliff and Terry Weir. Also ready to board were Bob McGillivray from YEG Maintenance, Ernie Yurkiw, Manager Entity Charters, John Skelton, Director of Security, and Len Sambell, Staff Vice*President (Office of the President).
As a result of Air Canada developing mechanical problems on its B727, at approximately 0805 the decision was made to make Pacific Western's Boeing 737 C-GSPW the prime Papal Charter aircraft.
There were 64 in the Papal entourage made up of His Holiness, Vatican personnel, Cardinals, Bishops, Security (both RCMP and DND) and Host Media. After a smooth exchange of aircraft was made, everyone was boarded and we became airborne at 0845. Soon after takeoff, it was determined that, due to Fort Simpson weather, an alternate destination would have to be chosen. After much heavy, hurried discussion between on-board security, Papal advisors, tour planners, media, the aircraft Captain, along with respective ground counterparts in Fort Simpson and Edmonton via aircraft air to ground radio, the decision was made to divert to Yellowknife.
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| 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.
Ken Pickford also sets the record straight...
Just a minor correction re the following item in #1183:
On March 24th 1987 it was announced that Canadian International Airlines Ltd. would be the integrated name of Pacific Western and Canadian Pacific Air Lines. It was of course Canadian Airlines International (not Canadian International Airlines). Regards, Ken
From last weeks Alan's Space, here are the two readers that pointed us in that direction..
Bob Ayotte sent this information regarding a CPA flight in 1953 - Capt Bob McGuiness and Navigator Ray Taylor are interviewed together with two Stewardesses - It's a short documentary from the On the Spot series - "National Film Board's up to the minute report of what's happening somewhere in Canada" - invites us aboard a transpacific flight. Host Fred Davis, on his way to shoot stories in Japan and Korea, interviews the pilot, navigator and stewardess. http://www.nfb.ca/film/transpacific_flight/Vern Swerdfeger also spotted the site and sent this information - Click full screen. Came across this item covering a CP DC-6B YVR-TYO (via Shemya in the Aleutians) in 1953. Narrated by Fred Davis... remember Front Page Challenge? He was the host for its entire 38 year run (1957-95) except the first few 1957 episodes. He died in 1996 at age 74. He was 32 at time of this. He could have done without the stupid moustache.
There's a reference to 19 hrs YVR-TYO, although skeds from that period show it around 21 hrs WB. In Nov/53 YVR-TYO was 3 weekly, one of which continued to HKG. Sopac was once-weekily. Also a once-weekly YVR-HNL turnaround starting mid-Dec. YVR-MEX-LIM (as far south as that route went then) was also only once-weekly then. That was the extent of CP's international network then. No Europe for another 2 years.
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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! |
 Barbara Wood has sent us some material which her late husband Douglas H Wood accumulated during his work in the Flight Operations - Air Canada. Among the magazines were these two and we show the back cover pages which may be of interest - From the "Aerial Age Weekly" issued September 1st 1919. The cover celebrates the first Transatlantic flight with the Vickers "Vimy" Rolls aircraft. from Newfoundland to Ireland. Achieved in almost 16 hours. |
 And from the "Aerial Age Weekly" issued May 24th 1920 celebrates the first flight from England to Australia November 12th - December 10th 1919 the equipment was the Vickers "Vimy" aircraft. The distance was 11,500 miles, time 27 days, 20 hours 20 minutes and was the Worlds Longest Flight. |
Terry's Trivia and Travel Tips - by Terry Baker
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| Terry Baker |
Discount on Duty Free for Employees & retirees. On flights where duty free products are offered, there is a 10% discount to employees on all duty free products including alcohol and cigarettes (subject to availability). The offer is extended to all Air Canada employees and retirees when flying, including operating crew members. This offer excludes spouses, any family members, eligible travel partners, and former employees who do not hold an Air Canada ID card. To obtain the discount, you must present your employee travel card to the flight attendant. Payment for merchandise must be made by credit card and the name on the credit card must match the employee travel card. No other payment options are allowed. This offer will be available for a limited time only. (source Quebec Pionair Sentinel)
European Union's Council of Ministers formally adopted a new set of rules on consumer rights that could have far-reaching consequences for the airline industry and other companies in the travel sector.
The package of rules, called the EU Consumer Rights Directive, prohibits online traders from charging consumers more for paying by credit card (or other means of payment) than what it actually costs the trader to offer such means of payment.
Since the new rules apply primarily to what the EU called "distance" purchases-those made online or by telephone-carriers such as Lufthansa, which plans to impose credit card surcharges ranging from €5 ($6.91) to €18 beginning next month, must decide whether they want to treat their offline customers differently.
Ryanair, meanwhile, charges €6 for all payment methods except the MasterCard Prepaid Card and the Ryanair Cash Passport.
Many airlines charge fees for reservations made via their call centers. Ryanair and other carriers with a high dependency on ancillary services may face bigger issues with the rules. Some airlines have offered additional services, such as trip insurance, to online customers that are already checked. A customer who does not want to purchase the service must uncheck the box-assuming he or she notices it. Passenger transport is excluded from most of the new rules, including a provision that allows consumers to change their minds about a purchase within 14 days. But the EU stressed that "the provisions of this Directive protecting consumers against excessive fees for the use of means of payment or against hidden costs should apply also to passenger transport contracts."
Businesses will have two years to implement the new rules. Checking the Ryanair web site for fees, in GBP or Euro -
There is an option to avoid paying these fees, but when clicked - an error message came up.
Some of the deals from the staff at Airline Employee Travel
GET FREE AIRPORT TRANSFERS with the following resort hotels!!!
Mexico - Cancun - Book 3 nights of more at the following Cancun resorts and get FREE airport transfers from the Cancun Airport to and from your resort hotel!
- Beach, Cancun or Sun Palace - 5 star all-inclusive resorts with rates from $175pp!
- Golden Parnassus Resort & Spa - A 4 star all-inclusive resort with rates from $81pp!
- Gran Caribe Real - A 4 star all-inclusive resort with rates from $95pp!
- Great Parnassus Resort & Spa - A 4 star all-inclusive resort with rates from $81pp!
- Le Blanc Spa Resort - A 5 star all-inclusive adults only resort with rates from $259pp!
- Riu Cancun - A 4 star all-inclusive resort with rates from $74pp!
- Riu Caribe - A 4 star all-inclusive resort with rates from $68pp!
- Riu Palace Las Americas - A 4 star all-inclusive resort with rates from $94pp!
- Temptation Resort & Spa - A 4 star all-inclusive resort with rates from $69pp!
- The Royal in Cancun - A 5 star all-inclusive resort with rates from $193pp!
Mexico - Mayan Riviera - Book 4 nights of more at the following Maya Riviera resorts and get FREE airport transfers from the Cancun Airport to and from your resort hotel!
- Sandos Caracol - A 4 star all-inclusive resort with rates from $66pp!Riu Yucatan - A 3 star all-inclusive resort with rates from $74pp!
- Gran Bahia Principe Akumal - A 5 star all-inclusive resort with rates from $88pp!
- Riu Lupita - A 4 star all-inclusive resort with rates from $91pp!
- Occidental Grand Xcaret - A 5 star all-inclusive resort with rates from $72pp!
- Sandos Playacar Beach Resort & Spa - A 4 star all-inclusive resort with rates from $82pp!
- Riu Palace Mexico - A 4 star all-inclusive resort with rates from $82pp!
- Riu Palace Riviera Maya - A 4 star all-inclusive resort with rates from $90pp!
Admin 6, Priority boarding 6, reserve seat 10, infant 20, sport equipment 40, musical instrument 40, Name change 110 and checked baggage varies between 15 and 45. |
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.
Military Training Manuals and Pilot Quotes ...
- If the enemy is in range, so are you.' 'It is generally inadvisable to eject directly over the area you just bombed.'
- 'Whoever said the pen is mightier than the sword, obviously never encountered automatic weapons.'
- 'Tracers work both ways.'
- 'Five second fuses last about three seconds.'
- 'Any ship can be a minesweeper. Once.'
- 'Never tell the Platoon Sergeant you have nothing to do.'
- 'If you see a bomb technician running, try to keep up to him.'
- 'Yea, Though I Fly Through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I Shall Fear No Evil.For I am at 50,000 Feet and Climbing.'
- 'You've never been lost until you've been lost at Mach 3.'
- 'The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire.'
- 'If the wings are traveling faster than the fuselage it has to be a helicopter... and therefore, unsafe.'
- 'When one engine fails on a twin-engine airplane, you always have enough power left to get you to the scene of the crash.'
- 'Without ammunition, the Air Force is just an expensive flying club.'
- 'If you hear me yell; "Eject, Eject, Eject!", the last two will be echos.'
- If you stop to ask "Why?", you'll be talking to yourself, because by then you'll be the pilot.'
- 'What is the similarity between air traffic controllers and pilots? If a pilot screws up, the pilot dies; but If ATC screws up, ... the pilot dies.'
- 'Never trade luck for skill.'
- The three most common expressions (or famous last words) in military aviation are: 'Did you feel that? ''What's that noise?' and 'Oh S...!'
- 'Airspeed, altitude and brains. Two are always needed to successfully complete the flight.'
- 'Flying the airplane is more important than radioing your plight to a person on the ground incapable of understanding or doing anything about it.'
- 'The Piper Cub is the safest airplane in the world;it can just barely kill you.'
- 'There is no reason to fly through a thunderstorm in peacetime.'
- 'You know that your landing gear is up and locked when it takes full power to taxi to the terminal.'
- As the test pilot climbs out of the experimental aircraft, having torn off the wings and tail in the crash landing, the crash truck arrives. The rescuer sees the bloodied pilot and asks, 'What happened?' The pilot's reply: 'I don't know, I just got here myself!
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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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