The NetLetter
For Air Canada Retirees
(Part of the ACFamily Network)
August 26, 2012 - Issue 1218
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First Issue published in October 1995!
(over 5,400 subscribers)
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NetLetter Past Issues
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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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Sponsors
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Greetings!
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Welcome to the NetLetter!
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!
Terry Baker and the NetLetter Team
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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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Get ready for an exciting bowling season... spares, strikes, turkeys, and more! We cordially invite all employees who are interested in joining the Toronto ACRA Chapter Bowling League to contact Jeannie Lindo at 905 676-4300, ext. 7575. The office is open Mondays and Wednesdays 12 noon to 3 p.m., or email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. We meet Monday nights at Planet Bowl (5555 Eglinton Avenue West, Etobicoke, Ontario). Our 2012-2012 season is set to start September 10, 2012. Don't have a team of four together? No worries, we'll find a team for you!
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| Our First 75 Years - Compiled by Terry Baker |
 1976 - June - Service commenced between Montreal and Portland, Maine with DC-9 equipment.
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| Star Alliance News |
United Airlines expect to take delivery of their first Boeing B787 Dreamliner in September.The first of 50 is expected in September with the remainder on order and due for delivery by 2019.
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| Reader Submitted Photos - Compiled by Terry Baker |
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 Reader Submitted Photos - The photos and information below have been submitted to us by our faithful readers.
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John Duckmanton has sent us three photos of Prestwick airport in the early 1950's, which came from Helen Munson.
On the postcard, note that the Trans-Canada Air Lines aircraft CF-TEL is described as a "Skymaster" usually reserved for the DC-4 type.
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 Robert Arnold has sent us a photo of the cover page for the souvenir edition of memorable moments and humorous anecdotes to say farewell to the BA146 aircraft fleet of Air Canada Jazz.
Here is some information from that booklet: The Fab Four (Engines that is!)
1988 was the year that AirBC and Air Nova entered the jet age when the BAe146 joined the fleet.
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 The first aircraft arrived at AirBC in Vancouver May 16th, 1988, and entered service on the Vancouver to Whitehorse on May 17th 1988. Air Nova first revenue flight was on August 28th 1988 serving Fredericton from Halifax. The British built aircraft had several oddly named parts. One well known was "dog-house" with was the front panel of the computer.
The error codes displayed on the "dog-house" assisted the maintenance crew troubleshoot flap faults.
Lovingly known as the "Tonka Jet", but changed to "Queen of the Fleet" when it was learned that the British Royal family also used this type of equipment. But it was also known as "Quiet One", "Smurf Jet", "Quadra Puff", "Fisher-Price 747". Despite all the nicknames, the crews loved it.
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| TCA/Air Canada People Gallery - Compiled by Terry Baker |
 Below we have musings from the "Between Ourselves" and "Horizons" magazine, Air Canada publications from years gone by, as well as various in-house publications. The NetLetter has been fortunate enough to have our readers donate vintage Trans-Canada Air Lines and Air Canada publications from as far back as 1941 to share with you. These have been scanned and are being prepared for presenting in a special area of the ACFamily Network for archival and genealogy research.
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 Donated by the family of Martin Betts:
Flight facts folder (1945) issued to each passenger. |
Here is the insert to the folder - notice the one-way fare between Montreal and London, ca$375 (plus tax).
(Recently the fare was ca$299 (plus tax of ca$629) - eds)
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And the inside of time table nr 22 issued December 1945.
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Issue dated - November 1943
Extracted from the "Between Ourselves" magazine -
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A direct war job was being performed by 250 TCA maintenance men and women in Hangar nr 6 at Dorval Airport. The conversion, service and maintainance of the four engine Liberator aircraft operated by B.O.A.C. which operated the Return Ferry Service - the return of the pilots who had flown the factory fresh bombers across the Atlantic for release to the European fighting fronts.
Issue dated December 1943
At the end of 1943, the TCA fleet consisted of 11 Lockheed Lodestars and 12 Lockheed L14-08's.
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 First Frankfurt B747 Combi
Frankfurt's airport recently saw the arrival and departure of the first B747C service. Shown talking to Captain A. Johnston who flew the return flight to Toronto is Hans Ellrodt, Passenger Sales & Service Manager.
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 On November 5th 1975, Saskatoon opened a new terminal. On the ramp and taking a well earned breather between D-Day flights are: Training Instructor Ed Pisco, A/Lead Station Agent Gord Turnbull, and Station Agents Bill Kloppenburg, Roger Dyck, Don Hanowskl, Bob Armstrong and Barry Coakwell.
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| Alan's Space - by Alan Rust |
 Alan is still on vacation!
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Canadi>n/CP Air/PWA, Wardair, etc. People & Events
- Compiled by Terry Baker
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 News and articles from days gone by gleaned from various publications from C.A.I.L. and its "ancestry" of contributing airlines. |
 Robert Arnold sent us this collection of tags and various items: He collected these items during the 1980's. Glad he did!
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Issue dated - December 1980
From the "CP Air News" magazine -
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 THIRTY TOKYO EMPLOYEES based in the city and at Narita airport are learning the ins and outs of Pegasus. The reservations system was Installed in Japan in October and became operational this month. Services Training Instructor Michael Dineen, left, from Vancouver has been introducing the computerized system to employees who are from left, Masae Kimura (standing with head phones) and Yasuko Okada (sitting with headphones), both res. agents; Yoko Akiyama, supervisor, CTO; Takeshl Iwamoto, manager, CTO and res. and Yolchlro Kuhara, supervisor, res.
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 Flying SKYBUS with this item, held by Flight Attendant AJix Lynn Athey, allowed its owner to get a low cost flight with all the desired frills. The " Survival Kit" poked some good-natured fun at CP Air's popular, inexpensive service, and contained varied gastronomic delights including hors d'oeuvres and even a martini. President Ian Gray happened to be on the same flight as the survival kit toting passenger and borrowed it for picture-taking purposes.
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New combined Terrace/Kitimat services building opened December 11th 1980.
"Empress Plus" introduced to the Orient route effective January 1st 1981.
New cargo service introduced January 1st 1980. "CP Airspeed", "CP Aircargo" and "CP Air.
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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.
Brian Walsh sent this email under a subject of "The Pope stole our airplane" and referring to NetLetter nr 1215 - Stan Wereschuk's hot air balloon story reminded me of my involvement with his balloon in 1987. I was in the YHZ CDN sales department and responsible for organizing components for our participation in the Airshow at CFB Shearwater.
We had T-shirts made with both logos (CDN & Airshow). We had thousands of toy balloons made with our logo so we could inflate them with helium onsite and hand them out to kids. Our maintenance folks had an indoor display. We had a B737 arranged to be on static display with extra ground stairs to accommodate one-way walk-through. Stan's balloon was in Germany just before the show, so we made special arrangements to have it brought over in a DC10 hold via YUL. The plan was to keep it tethered for simple and short free rides and hand out the T-shirts at that spot. Everything looked perfect and I was satisfied until the Pope stole my plane!
A few days before the show, I was informed that the B737 that had been reserved for our show was, in fact, the Pope's back up aircraft for his visit to Fort Simpson NWT, and it had been called into higher service. Well, that was unfortunate, but at least we had Stan's balloon, the T-shirts, and all those balloons for the kids.
On the first day of the event, Stan told me that it was too windy for a tethered balloon, so he could not even inflate it. Then, an Airshow official told me that we were not permitted to give away helium balloons to kids - a safety issue for an Airshow. Without a B737 and no tethered balloon as focal points, we had nowhere to hand out the T-shirts.
All-in all, it was a disappointing event with many lessons learned.
Brian Walsh
Winnifred Little refers to the "Our First 75 Years" in NetLetter nr 1215 and sends this memory:
I was interested to read about the passenger service to Newfoundland in 1941 with Lockheed 10A under the command of "Bert" Trerice and Captain "Walt Fowler.
I was a Passenger Agent in Moncton, I attended the Second Personnel Training School in Winnipeg. I remember calling passengers to advise them of flight delays due to weather, which lasted more than a week at times. I was also Secretary to the Station Manager "Heck" MacKenzie and "Walt" Fowler when he came to Moncton as Superintendent of the Eastern Region. I sent a photo of the class directed by Allan Godbold which is on file. I was employed from 1941 to 1945 when I had to resign to marry Captain James Little and he was with the airline for thirty-five years and eleven months. Our son Dale Little has been a Station Attendant for 25 years in Vancouver.
Winnifred Achurch Little
In the TCA/Air Canada People Gallery, NetLetter nr 1215, we had a photo of a maple leaf logo with a request for any information:
Gayle Calhoun sent us this information - I questioned the New York Parks and Rec on their logo. A copy of their response is below... so obviously AC did not copy their logo but it could have happened the other way around (by the design firm Pentagram).
"The Parks leaf began appearing on official documents during the Robert Moses Era in the 1930's. There was no definition as to the official type of leaf, but many believe it is a London Plane Leaf. The notion of a Parks logo was first introduced to the public in August 1972 as a maple leaf that composed of 3 inward pointing arrows. At this time, the agency was the Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs Administration. PRCA was split into the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Department of Cultural Affairs in 1976 and the geometric Parks leaf concept was abandoned. The more traditional leaf was then introduced on all public documents and signage as the official logo of the NYC Parks Department. In 2011, NYC Parks began rolling out a new branding and identity system that was created by the design firm Pentagram pro bono. It consists of an updated logo and also a system of protocols for the way that the logo is used on print materials and outdoor signage."
Gayle Calhoun (wife of retired AC employee William R Calhoun)
Ken Pickford tells us our gremlins are at it again. Ken found this one and sends an update: One minor observation in #1216. In the caption of the 1979 CP Air photo (Athens, Milan, Lisbon staff at a ticketing training session in YYZ), the name of the then-training instructor, Priscille LeBlanc has an unnecessary "e" at the end of her last name. By the way, 33 years later, she is currently AC's Vice President, Corporate Communications.
Peter Heenan has questioned the statement by Kathi Cavers regarding the stretch DC8 introduction into YQR as mentioned in NetLetter nr 1217 under "Readers response".
I have looked over the picture with the DC8 & ground crew. It is stated about the picture in YQR stretch DC8. The picture is the first series DC8 the 40 series and is not a stretch. The first stretch was the 61 series & then the 63 series which the up graded to the CFM engine freighters. Retired Capt PW Heenan
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Odds and Ends.
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 Sometimes we receive articles and information that just doesn't fit in our other areas. This is where it goes!
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 Ron Rhodes has sent us this information:
The Ju-Air Junkers 52 M3 was recently at Waterloo for the German luggage manufacturer Rimowa. Unfortunately flights were only offered to their employees and other "special" people! Here is a link to my video of it to:
The German luggage manufacturer RIMOWA sponsored the tour of the Ju-Air Junkers JU52/3M in North America in the summer of 2012. It stopped in Waterloo, Ontario as well. Rimowa has a factory in Cambridge, Ontario. This aircraft was built in 1939 in Germany. The film is only 1.5 minutes in duration.
Laszlo Bastyovanszky thought this may interest some of you:
The concept plane by Airbus models for 2050.
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Terry's Trivia and Travel Tips - by Terry Baker
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 Change in US AIRWAYS ZED. We have been notified by US Airways that with an effective date of September 1, that they will no longer be able to continue to offer the Partner Travel for ZED (Zonal Employee Discount). This means that the ZED agreement will no longer permit our employees to be accompanied by travel partners on US and vice-versa. Employees, spouse and children will still be able to travel on US; as will unaccompanied parents. We understand that this change may be disappointing. We will continue to review and communicate should our agreement change. All ZED partner tickets issued prior to September 1 will continue to be honored for travel on US Airways up until November 30. (source Daily Aug 23/12)
The news today is just to let you know that our site, www.Rumrabbit.com "Interline Virtually Anywhere", is back online after a very long 3 year sabbatical. We no longer have a sign up fee, you just need to sign up with a password.
Check this site our for the "Social Portal" for interliners stories and "Travel Portal" for deals.:
Some of the InterlineAllstars deals
Azamara Journey - 9 Night Eastern Mediterranean
Athens/Piraeus, Chania, Corfu, Kotor, Dubrovnik, Split, Ravenna, Venice
1 departure date: Oct 26 2012
Prices from: Inside us$990 Outside us$1260 Balcony us$1620 Suite us$2700
Azamara Quest - 10 Night Western Mediterranean
Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Bonifacio, Rome/Civitavecchia, Portoferraio, Livorno, Nice, Barcelona
1 departure date: Oct 6 2012
Prices from: Inside us$1100 Outside us$1400 Balcony us$1800 Suite us$3000
Call Gordon Froese at 800-920-5411 ext 1 for these and other deals.
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| Smileys - Compiled by Terry Baker |
As we surf the internet and back issues of airline magazines we regularly find airline related jokes and cartoons. Below is our latest discovery.
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 From the "Between Ourselves" issued September 1943, we have this cartoon.
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The NetLetter is an email newsletter published (usually) once a week 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 welcome your feedback 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!
We hope you have enjoyed this issue of the NetLetter, see you next week!
Sincerely,
Your NetLetter Team
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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.
E&OE - (errors and omissions excepted) - The historical information as well as any other information provided here is subject to correction and may have changed over time. We do publish corrections when they are brought to our attention.
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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
- Stewardess - Lisa Ruck, Brooklin, 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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