Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter

Beech Aircraft Corporation – Beechcraft 1900

One of my favourite YouTubers, Alex Praglowski, posted a great video of a flight between Lethbridge and Calgary of the smallest aircraft in the Air Canada fleet, the Beechcraft 1900D.

Air Canada and Air Georgian have recently ended their contract to operate Air Canada Express flights in western Canada and this fleet has been retired. Alex’s video describes his opportunity to experience a ride on this tiny workhorse aircraft. It is quite interesting to hear him describe settling his 6’ 8” frame into his seat.

The Beechcraft 1900 entered service in September 1982 as a regional turboprop airliner and quickly provided to be a versatile aircraft and operated in passenger, cargo and executive configurations.

The aircraft was successfully employed to open many routes for destinations with smaller airports and short runways but may have been somewhat a victim of its own success as these new routes grew to require larger regional jets and Raytheon ended production in October 2002.

The most popular variant is the 1900D which was a substantial redesign with a taller cabin to accommodate people like Alex.

Wikipedia lists three Canadian operators of the 1900C and 1900D, Central Mountain Air, Air Georgian and Pacific Coastal Airlines, in Canada. However, Evas Air shows that it is still operating 7 of these aircraft in Eastern Canada as Air Canada Express.

The aircraft in Alex’s video, registration C-GHGA, shows that it was delivered to Air Alliance (pictured in header) in 1997 and flew, until recently, for Air Georgian in Air Canada Express livery.

FlightAware lists its last flight operated flight ZX7230 from Medicine Hat to Calgary on April 27, 2019.

Additional References:

Beechcraft 1900 at Wikipdia

C-GHGA at RZjets

Here we have the front cover of the Wardair timetable issue November 1980.

From the collection of Bjorn Larsson.

(Source: www.timetableimages.com)

March 25, 2019 - Aluminum model of PWA Lockheed L-188 Electra.

Anthony Hickey is an aviation enthusiast, expert photographer and a long-time employee at Calgary Airport.

He has obtained an aluminum cast model of a custom made L-188. Anthony then polished and hand painted the aircraft in a/c 183 livery. It weighs 18 pounds, length is 28 inches and wingspan 26 inches. It has been a labour of love and work in progress for approximately one year. Second photo below of a/c 183 taken at YXD by Anthony Hickey. He is very proud to share this with you.

(Reprinted from: pwareunion.com)

2013 Significant Dates

• June 2 - Service commenced Toronto - Seoul.
• June 4 - Introduction of service Toronto - Istanbul.
• July 2 - Seasonal service commenced Toronto - Edinburgh with Rouge.
• July 3 - Seasonal service commenced Toronto - Venice with Rouge.

Issue dated June 2012. (Used with permission).

High profile flying:

Air Canada and Air Canada Jetz carry the President of Israel.

In May, Mr. Shimon Peres, the President of Israel, flew with Air Canada from Tel Aviv to Toronto to begin his official visit to Canada. After his arrival, he and his entourage then flew with Air Canada Jetz to his official engagements in Ottawa, Montreal and finally New York.

President Peres and his entourage were cared for by this exceptional Jetz crew in this photo (left to right): Tania Simpson, Jetz Service Director; Avril Poulin, Jetz Flight Attendant; Denisa Kubin, Jetz Flight Attendant; Maurice Benazeraf, Hebrew-language qualified Flight Attendant; Captain Les Car, Captain Michael Rados and Alex Alonzo, Licensed Aircraft Technician. 

Issue dated July/August 2012 (Used with permission).

"Horizons" magazine launched a new semi-permanent 75th anniversary column in the February 2012 edition.

We had the first photo of the page in NetLetter #1410. Here is the 1990’s version

Issue dated November 1985.

Eleven head for retirement.

Dorval customer sales and service agents recently gathered to say goodbye to 11 of their colleagues who retired with a total of 228 years of company experience.

In the photo are, from the left: Joseph Dumont, Dennis Kerwin, Peggy Koenka, Michelle Desilles, Ross Desjardins, Andre Tison, Helena Hanssens, Nicole Parent, Walter Rietschin and Pierre Delage. Ursula Hughes is not shown.

Graduates and Instructors at the Dorval Maintenance Base

In the photo are, back row, from the left: J. Habberfield, Maintenance Training Manager - Aircraft/Powerplant and Apprentice; J. Dolkjar, Superintendent, B-747 and L-1011 Programs; J. Laviolette, Manager, Training, Publications and Program Support; R. Maslon; A.W. Sargent, General Superintendent, Aircraft Maintenance; D. Smeall; D. Dawson, Senior Director, Powerplant and Unit Maintenance; N. Hache; L. Tardif; G. lwaniuk; R.J. Lebeau; D. Rougeau; B. Rougeau; B.A. Gillies, Vice President, Maintenance and Engineering; B. Mclnnes; S. Hunchberger; M. Coss; R. Dickson, Superintendent, DC-8, DC-9 and B-767 Programs and A. Neszvecksko.

Seated, from the left, are: B. Thomson, R. Lavallee, M. Wilson, D. Piron, S. Taylor, J. Tarrant and K. Raymond.

Bob Sheppard adds his memories about this group:

I did many training classes in Dorval with some of the members of this group. Since I was stationed in Winnipeg at the time I was not part of the group photo, 

During my many weeks of training I stayed at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel and had a chauffeured limo pick me up each morning and drop me off each night. I received a lot of odd looks climbing in and out of the limos.

I was given my diploma in Winnipeg without any fanfare, so I threw it in my toolbox. Several weeks later my Foreman came to me in a panic, where was my diploma? With a laugh I pulled it out of my toolbox, to his relief, as a photographer was there to take my picture (photo at left).

President Pierre Jeanniot met with employees and government and community leaders during a visit to Germany.

Tying in his attendance at the annual general meeting of the International Air Transport Association in Hamburg, he took the opportunity to meet staff in Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, Munich and Hamburg.

In the photo, taken at Dusseldorf are, from the left: H. Vogel, Cargo Agent; Bob Van Ysendyck, General Manager, Central & Northern Europe; M. Hickey, Cargo Agent; Jeanniot; M. Schulte, Cargo Agent; W. Joho, Station Attendant; R. Wrobel, Sales Agent; K. Berg, Airport Services Manager and C. Pugge, Sales Manager.

Seated from the left, are: Passenger Agent, I. Stukemeier; B. Michel-Stomberg, Sales Assistant and S. Boeckmann, Station Attendant.

Issue dated January 1986.

The fourth annual World Airline Road Race (W.A.R.R.) was held in the fall of 1985 in London, England and attracted some 4,500 visitors. More than 1,800 runners representing 66 airlines from around the world participated in 10k and 5k events through the city's famous Hyde Park.

The Delta Air Lines' Dusters originated the W.A.R.R. concept and are the permanent promoters of what has grown to be the world's largest travel related athletic event.

The British Airways' athletic section acted as hosts and made all the on-site arrangements. Competition was intense, with runners from British Airways, Qantas, World Airways and Air New Zealand winning various events.

The Air Canada contingent, which put in an impressive showing, with 14 running the 10k race and three in the 5k event. Robert Maclntosh of Toronto ran in both events. Everyone completed the race and Leonard Scharbach of Toronto recorded the team's fastest time at 36:07 min. for the 10k. Along with a T-shirt and other race mementos, a special commemorative medal was presented to each runner crossing the finish line.

The Air Canada runners wish to thank Bill Raby, Airport Services Manager, Ottawa; Gerry Philbrook, Manager, Industry Travel and Employee Services, Montreal and Gail Ellis, Employee Services Coordinator, Montreal for the support they provided.

This year, 1986, the fifth anniversary W.A.R.R. will be held in Atlanta, Georgia. Sydney, Australia and the Qantas Joggeroos will welcome airline runners in 1987.

In this photo, from the left, shown prior to the race are, back row: Jacques Souliere, Gerry Cassan (team captain), Bruce Milmine, Mickey Legeault, Karen Pavliuk and Jim Batten.

In front, are: Bob Robillard, Bruce Scott, Daisy and Leonard Scharbach.

Missing from the photo are: Werner Mueck, Mans Voelpert, Ralph Simon, Robert Maclntosh, Christopher Koven, David Gaw and Dave Beauchamp. 

Issue dated February 1986.

The "cashless cabin" came to Air Canada North American routes on February 2,1986 meaning free bar service, free movies and free audio entertainment for all passengers.

The no-charge service accompanied a number of major changes and innovations on North American routes. Beginning February 2, Air Canada offered First Class, Executive Class and Hospitality Service on all flights throughout North America - with Hospitality Service replacing Economy Class.

Issue dated May 1986.

Extracts from the report by Linda Sutherland.

Despite the passage of time, the bond between TCA/Air Canada stewardesses remains strong. At a 1986 flight crew reunion at Toronto's Sheraton Centre some 700 members of the Canadian Maple Wings Association greeted old friends, and shared many memories of days gone by.

"It was a very special time" remembers Gretchen Marsh. "Aviation was just beginning and we were part of an exciting new era."

Nancy Cooper-Keeping who joined TCA in 1939 and lives in Hawaii laughed when recalling her first flight. "I was a bit nervous, especially when the pilot asked me where I had stowed the parachutes. He didn't tell me he was joking until we arrived for the flight."

Lela Finlay-McKay, TCA's fourth stewardess was accompanied by her brother Bill who started flying for the company in 1946.

A new executive was elected for 1986; appointed were:

June Greenwood-Seymour, President; Elizabeth Kovacs-Harris, Vice President; Elizabeth Robertson-Armitage, Recording Secretary; Doreen Magyar, Correspondence Secretary and Tuula Skytta-Ross, Treasurer.

Then it was time to salute the airline's first four stewardesses: Lucile Garner-Grant, Pat Eccleston-Maxwell, Rose Crispin-Lothian (not present at the gathering) and Lela Finlay-McKay.

Another guest of special note was Eva Mossop, who joined the airline in May, 1947.

Katherine MacMillan-Deyman remembers when Toronto's airport in Malton had one passenger agent. "We got married," she says, smiling.

Peggy Brass-Brown still recalls the thrill of flying over the Rockies. "You felt as though you could reach out and touch the mountains". "Those were exciting days," says Elanore Moore-Begg. "We all had so much admiration for the pilots."