Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter

Pictured are the Pionairs District Directors during their meeting circa 1983








Everyone loves a party, especially Halifax in 1983. Pictured is the happy group with their trophies.








Musings from the "Horizons" magazine - From issue #607 October 1982 - 30th annual ACRA golf tournament was held at Anaheim Hills Golf Course .

Pictured Diane Gordeau and Dave Russell.











Pictured Rick Lane and Joanne Gudmundson.










Pictured Geoff Smith and Rick Lane with Charlie Simpson.










From issue #705 April 1987 - Pictured are the ACRA Presidents & Events chairmen, Montreal Joint meetings.

From issue #706 May 1987 Pictured commemorative cover marking CF-TCC's cross-country journey.









In an earlier NetLetter, we asked if anyone knew anything about Wagaming - well, in the absence of any feedback, we can tell you that this was the former name for Armstrong.

Subject: Emailing: Silver Broom Late 70's - Hi Gang, This photo according to Jim Ursel Pionair member from Kelowna (Canadian champion and runner up to the Silver Broom 1977) was taken later in 1978 or 79. I have most of the names either from Mr Taylor or Jim. Most were AC Employees.

Left to right

Hal Cameron YVR, Ray Godber Manager Silver Broom for AC, YUL. He was my neighbour in Dollard Des Ormeaux. His widow Else called to give me some of his memorabilia (pins, badges, etc)from his time with the Silver Broom Committee. Doug Maxville Head of the Canadian Curling. He passed away about 3 months ago, Claude I Taylor, The Silver Broom, John Duville YUL, Pierre Jerome YUL, Terry Denny YUL, Next two unknown, In front, Jim Ursel YUL on the right and on the left Jim or Mr Taylor didn't know who he is but said he worked down town in publicity.

A few years ago Jamie Hay Cargo YWG (retired) found the Silver Broom in the Cargo Warehouse in YWG. They made it available to show at different curling events. We had it at our Pionairs National Bonspiel in Hudson 2005 and also in Calgary 2006. There was such great interest in it amongst all curlers when they saw it. It is a very impressive trophy.

Regards,

John Rodger This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

(We have more next time - eds)

Another memory from Bill Norberg -

I often think of this interesting flight in 1947 as winter approaches.

Wood stoves and aircraft cabin heaters

Most people can relate to the idea of a wood stove that provides such friendly and warm heat to summer cottages or ski lodges. In some respects it was a similar type of heating system that was used in our DC-3 and North Star aircraft to keep us warm as we traveled during our Canadian winters.

The DC-3 heating system designed by our Engineering department was identified as the TCA 100 heating system. It was a modular system that could be exchanged as a unit and used aircraft fuel burned in a combustion chamber as the source of heat. Cabin air was warmed as it was circulated around the combustion chamber with a fan system. It was located at the rear of the passenger cabin and worked quite well.

The North Star aircraft had a more advanced type of system that was built as part of the ducting used to distribute conditioned air throughout the cabin. It was located in one of the accessory compartments below the passenger floor level.

It was a Janitrol system, and as in the case of the DC-3TCA 100
system, also used aircraft fuel as the energy source to produce the required heat. A spark plug was used to start the combustion process when heat was required. It is sort of fascinating when you stop to think about it, a fire on board aircraft to keep us warm!

Not long after we began receiving our first North Star M-2 aircraft an airworthiness directive was issued that prevented us from using the Janitrol heater system in flight. There were some modifications that had to be carried out which would prevent aircraft fuel that might leak from the wing tanks, from finding its way down the wing structure and into the lower compartments where it could be a potential cause of an on board fire.

Apparently DC-6 aircraft had experienced such a problem. As our aircraft basically used the DC-6 fuselage design, our aircraft heating systems were decommissioned until these modifications were fitted.

We were flying a great deal of airmail across the country at this time and with the inability to fly the North Star until the modifications were completed, we fell behind in deliveries. Late in December 1947 it was decided to fly a North Star from Montreal to Winnipeg in the unheated state to deliver a load of mail and relieve the backlog. I had been planning a quick trip to Winnipegto see my parents and deliver some Christmas presents so this was a unique opportunity. They were going to allow some contingent passengers on board, and I was one of the lucky ones.

There were no flight attendants on the flight but cold sandwiches were boarded. Captain Ron Baker was operating the flight and we flew at altitudes between 6000 and 9000 feet. I presume this was done to find the warmest outside air temperatures, as the cabin was very cold. We all wore full winter garb and kept warm mitts on for the whole flight. The flight was planned for a return late the next day and again I was able to travel as a contingent passenger along with several others whose names I forget at this point. The only thing I clearly remember is that one of them was from "Sales"...a mysterious part of the organization for us Maintenance types at the time.He was a most pleasant individual and came on board with a 26 ounce bottle of Seagrams Crown Royal Rye Whiskey in its Royal Purple bag with the gold cord. The four of us spent the flight between Winnipeg and Toronto huddled together in the circular restroom area in the rear of the North Star. Many may remember that spacious and rather attractive area. We kept the door closed to conserve heat to the maximum degree possible. I suspect the Crown Royal did a better job of creating body warmth. The flight terminated in Toronto and I had to spend a night in the ever famous Roseheath Lodge that was home to so many plusses over the years as they struggled to get through Toronto. These flights were a very cold experience but gave me warm memories.

The Superconnies used a similar type of cabin heating system but they had much larger and technically superior heating units. There were two units per aircraft so there was always a back up in event of a unit failure. Once aircraft began using turbojet engines, cabin heated air was obtained by bleeding off high pressure compressor air.

John W. Norberg

This picture reminded me of our call centre, and the story below confirms it .....

RESERVATIONS OF AN AIRLINE AGENT(After Surviving 130,000 calls from The Traveling Public)

I work in a central reservation office of an airline. After more than 130,000 conversations -- all ending with "Have a nice day and thanks for calling" -- I think it's fair to say that I'm a survivor.

I've made it through all the calls from adults who didn't know the difference between a.m. and p.m., from mothers of military recruits who didn't trust their little soldiers to get it right, from the woman who called to get advice on how to handle her teenage daughter, from the man who wanted to ride inside the kennel with his dog so he wouldn't have to pay for a seat, from the woman who wanted to know why she had to change clothes on our flight between Chicago and Washington (she was told she'd have to make a change between the two cities) and from the man who asked if I'd like to discuss the existential humanism that emanates from the soul of Habeeb.

In five years, I've received more than a boot camp education regarding the astonishing lack of awareness of our American citizenry. This lack of awareness encompasses every region of the country, economic status, ethnic background, and level of education. My battles have included everything from a man not knowing how to spell the name of the town he was from, to another not recognizing the name of "Iowa" as being a state, to another who thought he had to apply for a foreign passport to fly to West Virginia. They are the enemy and they are everywhere.

In the history of the world there has never been as much communication and new things to learn as today. Yet, after asking a woman from New York what city she wanted to go to in Arizona, she asked "Oh...is it a big place?"

I talked to a woman in Denver who had never heard of Cincinnati, a man in Minneapolis who didn't know there was more than one city in the South ("wherever the South is"), a woman in Nashville who asked, "Instead of paying for my ticket, can I just donate the money to the National Cancer Society?", and a man in Dallas who tried to pay for his ticket by sticking quarters in the pay phone he was calling from.

I knew a full invasion was on the way when, shortly after signing on, a man asked if we flew to exit 35 on the New Jersey Turnpike. Then a woman asked if we flew to area code 304. And I knew I had been shipped off to the front when I was asked, "When an airplane comes in, does that mean it's arriving or departing?" I remembered the strict training we had received -- four weeks of regimented classes on airline codes, computer technology, and telephone behavior -- and it allowed for no means of retaliation. "Troops,"
we were told, "it's real hell out there and ya got no defense. You're going to hear things so silly you can't even make 'em up. You'll try to explain things to your friends that you don't even believe yourself, and just when you think you've heard it all, someone will ask if they can get a free round-trip ticket to Europe by reciting 'Mary Had a Little Lamb'."

Well, Sarge was right. It wasn't long before I suffered a direct hit from a woman who wanted to fly to Hippopotamus, NY. After assuring her that there was no such city, she became irate and said it was a big city with a big airport. I asked if Hippopotamus was near Albany or Syracuse. It wasn't.
Then I asked if it was near Buffalo. "Buffalo!" she said. "I knew it was a big animal!"

Then I crawled out of my bunker long enough to be confronted by a man who tried to catch our flight in Maconga. I told him I'd never heard of Maconga and we certainly didn't fly to it. But he insisted we did and to prove it he showed me his ticket: Macon, GA.

I've done nothing during my conversational confrontations to indicate that I couldn't understand English. But after quoting the round-trip fare the passenger just asked for, he'll always ask: "...Is that one-way?" I never understood why they always question if what I just gave them is what they just asked for. Then I realized it was part of the hell Sarge told us about.

But I've survived to direct the lost, correct the wrong, comfort the weary, teachU.S.geography and give tutoring in the spelling and pronunciation of American cities. I have been told things like: "I can't go stand-by for your flight because I'm in a wheelchair." I've been asked such questions as: "I have a connecting flight to Knoxville. Does that mean the plane sticks to something?" And once a man wanted to go to Illinois. When I asked what city he wanted to go to in Illinois, he said, "Cleveland , Ohio."

After 130,000 little wars of varying degrees, I'm a wise old veteran of the communicating conflict and can anticipate with accuracy what the next move by "them" will be. Seventy-five percent won't have anything to write on.

Half will not have thought about when they're returning. A third won't know where they're going; 10 percent won't care where they're going. A few won't care if they get back. And James will be the first name of half the men who call.

But even if James doesn't care if he gets to the city he never heard of; even if he thinks he has to change clothes on our plane that may stick to something; even if he can't spell, pronounce, or remember what city he's returning to, he'll get there because I've worked very hard to make sure that he can. Then with a click of the phone, he'll become a part of my past and I'll be hoping the next caller at least knows what day it is.

Oh, and James..."Thanks for calling and have a nice day."

By: Jonathan Lee -- TheWashingtonPost

Postcards
This weeks postcard is from San Francisco.

---

Starting May 1, 2008, Air Canada, through its regional affiliate Jazz, will add non-stop flights between Ottawa and four new markets:
- Ottawa-Washington (National Airport)
- Ottawa-Saskatoon
- Ottawa-Thunder Bay
- Ottawa-Charlottetown

In addition to these flights, Air Canada will also launch additional service involving the following cities:
- Calgary-Chicago
- Toronto-Austin, Texas
- Toronto-Richmond

The Gimli Glider retires to the desert - On Thursday, January 24th, fin 604, the Boeing 767-200 better known as the Gimli Glider, undertook its final voyage from Montreal to Mojave Airport (MHV) before it is retired to the desert. Employees and retirees were invited to say goodbye to the aircraft which has now become part of Canadian aviation history. Fin 604 departed as flight AC7067, at 9 a.m. from the Montreal Line Maintenance hangar - Air Canada Base, Captain Robert Pearson and First Officer Maurice Quintal, the flight crew who landed the aircraft to safety in Gimli on July 23, 1983 were expected to be on hand for the aircraft's departure.

• C-GAUN fin 604 c/n 22520 delivered March 30th., 1983
• July 23, 1983 Time: 19:30 Location: Gimli, Manitoba, Canada Flight #: 143 Route: Ottawa - Edmonton Aboard: 69   (passengers:61  crew:8)
• Fatalities: 0 (passengers:61  crew:8)
• Summary: The aircraft took off from Ottawa bound for Edmonton with less than half the fuel required to make the
  trip. A computer known as the "Fuel Quantity Information System Processor" was not working properly so the ground crew made manual calculations for the amount of needed fuel. However, they used pounds/liter for the specific gravity factor instead of kilograms/liter. This was first model of aircraft of Air Canada to use kilograms. The aircraft ran out of fuel at 41,000 feet. With only standby instruments (magnetic compass, artificial horizon, airspeed indicator and altimeter) and no slats or flaps, the plane landed safely on a 7,200 ft. runway at Gimli, a former Air Force base converted into a racing drag strip. The plane became known as the "Gimli Glider." The for TV made movie was "Falling from the Sky": Flight 174

"Gimli Glider" article in pdf format (click on image)

Wikipedia Article on the event which goes into a lot of detail and also contains some very good links at the bottom.

An amusing side-note to the Gimli story is that after Flight 143 had landed safely, a group of Air Canada mechanics were dispatched to drive down and begin effecting repair. They piled into a van with all their tools. They reportedly ran out of fuel en-route, finding themselves stranded somewhere in the backwoods of Manitoba.

• Feb 1, 1954 - First DC-3 Flight to serve Sudbury
• March - Tourist Class introduced on the North Star. (click on image for full photo)

• Jun 1 - First DC-9 scheduled into Tampa.
• Oct 30 - DC-9 service introduced to the Maritimes.
  DC-8 first scheduled into Miami.
• Nov 1 -  Inaugural flight YUL-CPH-Moscow under command of Capt. W.R.Bell with stewardesses G.Visboli and V.Bjolseth part of the crew. fin 816 CF-TJP.

• April 29 - Service to Munich reintroduced. Routing YYZ-YUL-Paris with L1011 equipment. Previously served from 1974-1976. First flight replaced by B747 under the command of Capt. Ron Dennis.
• Service to Geneva inaugurated.
• Jun 16 - Service commenced YYJ-YYZ non-stop then to YUL. Quebec City added Jun 17th.

During the sixties, some of us were entertained with the cartoons by Dave Mathias which appeared in "Between Ourselves". We thought this one was appropriate, from November 1966  - such foresight by Dave! (click on image for full size)

There's an unusual discussion going on in the Forums of the ACFamily Network that I found intersting and thought I'd share with you. I don't think that most people have heard of the term "tetraphobia", I hadn't until recently. Tetraphobia is an aversion or fear of the number 4.

Well, it seems that all this talk about aircraft 604 in the last few weeks (better known as the Gimli Glider) brought forth a post by one of our members on the ACFamily Network. As the "thread" evolved it became apparent that there were quite a number of aircraft that had been involved in "incidents" that had the number 4 in their registration.

Here is the list so far...

774 - B-707 PWA crash Edmonton
384 - C-130 PWA crash Africa
734 - B-737 PWA crash Cranbrook
754 - B-737 PWA Burned after engine failure on T/O Calgary
744 - B-737 PWA off runway Kelowna
724 - AC DC9, burned in hangar Montreal
604 - B-767 AC Gimli Glider
904 - DC-10 CAIL off the runway Vancouver
204 - A-310 Ex CAIL/ DND crashed into building Vancouver
104 - RJ gear collapse Jazz

Do you have any others to add? If you do, we're waiting 4 your response...

• You can find out more about Tetraphobia by visiting http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetraphobia
• You can add your findings to the ACFN Forum by visiting
  www.acfamily.net/forums/showthread.php?t=16572
  (you will need to login first)

From the comment in NetLetter 1006, that the trophy had been lost, we asked if it had been lost, to which John responds -.
No it was not lost Jamie Hays thinks someone connected with the Silver Boom stored it there after AC dropped the sponsership. Jamie being a curling buff took on the responsibility of taking care of the broom. It has three shipping cases and comes apart in three different sections. The actual broom is what they used to present and the stand where it rests have all the winners names on it. Then there is a base that had a motor in it that kept turning when on display. This one was a back up.

The original did disappear but not due to AC. Jamie told me it went missing after a party in an apartment in Switzerland. Mr Taylor also told me the first time he made the presentation of the broom he was not President or Chairman. Yves Pratte one of our government
appointed Chairman was in Switzerland for the Silver Broom but did not like doing public appearances so told Mr Taylor to come over a do the presentation for him.

I left out the first time we got the Broom to show. It was in Kelowna when Bernie Danis ran the National Bonspiel 2004. There were two winners living in Kelowna as well as Jim Usler so there was quite a buzz around the rink.

Attached is the photo we took when it was on display there. In the Kelowna Curling Club office I noticed a large poster of 25 years The Silver World Regina 1983 With all the images of the Winners of the Scottish Cup and the Silver Broom . Bernie and I tried to get a copy made of it but to no avail. We started asking around were the Artist's came from, we knew his name as it was on the poster William Argan. Jamie Hays found out he was from Regina. Bernie made a call and he got in touch with Mr Argian who happened to be in his eighties. He told Bernie to give him a couple of days and he would see if he had any around. A few days later he called back and told Bernie he had
seven in his basement would we like them. Long story short we got them all and had some laminated and made a couple of presentations one to AC, another to Mr Taylor, one to Jamie Hays, Bernie and I kept one each. I also gave one to Fred Lamont YYC who donated a trophy for the Pionairs National Curling.

So as you see we have had some fun with it.
Long story
Regards,
John

To complete this story, we have three photos -
L to R - John Rodger and Bernie Danis















Silver Broom poster for Regina 1983 - its 25th anniversary.
















And the Canadian champions in 1983
(Full story in "Horizons" nr 621 - eds)








Terry Denny sends this follow up to the pictures published in NetLetter nr 1006 -
As a faithful reader of the Netletter it was with some nostalgia that I
perused the article and photo of the Silver Broom staff circa 1978. The photo was taken in Winnipeg during the 1978 World Curling Championships and the names of the individuals (with titles as accurate as my old memory will allow) are listed below:

Left to right back row
Hal Cameron, Regional Director Public Relations - Western Region; Ray Godber, Manager, Financial Operations - Silver Broom; Doug Maxwell, Director, Operations, Silver Broom (non-Air Canada staff); Claude Taylor, President, Air Canada; Jean Douville, Vice President - Government & Public Relations; Pierre Jerome, Director, Public Relations; Terry Denny, Manager, Television, Radio & Film Services; Peter Esling, Coordinator, Operations - Silver Broom (non-Air Canada staff); Bo Hemmingson , Representative, Douglas D. Maxwell & Associates (non-Air Canada staff).

Kneeling in front L to R - Ted Morris, Manager, Special Projects; Jim Ursel, Administrative Manager, Finance

I was saddened to learn from the article of the recent passing of Doug Maxwell who was the point man for the planning, administration and operation of the Silver Broom from 1967 until 1980 and who was one of the driving forces behind curling in Canada for many years. Keep up the good work as it is much appreciated. Terry Denny This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

A few years ago I came across a story that I thought may be an Urban Legend regarding a retired lady that went on back to back cruises year round instead of opting for a retirement home. Seems that it's a true story...

For only slightly more than the average cost of a year in an assisted living residence, older people can live aboard a luxury liner with many of the same services, including meals, housekeeping and medical care at all hours - not to mention entertainment.

Here's how the story goes (this was found on the Internet, and is not my personal story)

About 2 years ago my wife and I were on a cruise through the western Mediterranean aboard a Princess liner. At dinner we noticed an elderly lady sitting alone along the rail of the grand stairway in the main dining room.

I also noticed that all the staff, ships officers, waiters, busboys, etc., all seemed very familiar with this lady. I asked our waiter who the lady was, expecting to be told she owned the line, but he said he only knew that she had been on board for the last four cruises, back to back.

As we left the dining room one evening I caught her eye and stopped to say hello. We chatted and I said, "I understand you've been on this ship for the last four cruises." She replied, "Yes, that's true." I stated, "I don't understand" and she replied, without a pause, "It's cheaper than a nursing home."

So, there will be no nursing home in my future. When I get old and feeble, I am going to get on a Princess Cruise Ship. The average cost for a nursing home is $200 per day. I have checked on reservations at Princess and I can get a long term discount and senior discount price of $135 per day. That leaves $65 a day for:

1. Gratuities which will only be $10 per day.
2. I will have as many as 10 meals a day (of fantastic food, not institutional food) if I can waddle to the restaurant, or I can have room service (which means I can have breakfast in bed every day of the week).
3. Princess has as many as three swimming pools, a workout room, free washers and dryers, and shows every night.
4. They have free toothpaste and razors, and free soap and shampoo.
5. They will even treat you like a customer, not a patient. An extra $5 worth of tips will have the entire staff scrambling to help you.
6. I will get to meet new people every 7 or 14 days!
7. TV broken? Light bulb need changing? Need to have the mattress replaced? No problem! They will fix everything and apologize for your inconvenience.
8. Clean sheets and towels every day, and you don't even have to ask for them.
9. If you fall in the nursing home and break a hip you are on Medicare; if you fall and break a hip on the Princess ship they will upgrade you to a suite for the rest of your life.
10. There is always a doctor on board.

Now hold on for the best! Do you want to see South America, the Panama Canal, Tahiti, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, or name where you want to go? Princess will have a ship ready to go. So don't look for me in a nursing home, just call shore to ship.

PS: And don't forget, when you die, they just dump you over the side at no charge.

And the real story of the lady that actually did this? -
Bea Muller, an 86-year-old retiree, has been a permanent resident on Cunard's 'Queen Elizabeth 2' since 5 January 2000. Her husband had passed away while the couple was on a world cruise eleven months earlier, and rather than opt for a retirement home, Mrs. Muller sold her house and possessions and booked herself onto the ship.

Click here for full story...

Ray Iverson has sent us these four photos - .

Picture of the men in the engine shop, YWG. I can remember most of their names, but not all. I am in the picture but you will have to figure that one out.

The pic with the superintendent, Forman and lead hands, I will name. Back row starting left to right Harry Pickering, Mike Serada, (the boss Henry Prud`home) Bert Morrison, Wally Orchison Front row. Fred Wilson,Ron Williaws, Ernie Hebert, Andy Frey and Roy McGregor.

The pic with Henry Prud`home and his Stenographers - standing Marie (Forgotten her last name) left of Henry is Dorris Fini and right is June King.(facing pic)




Picture of the women of the engine shop

The spelling of some of the names might not be exactly right but will be close. Hope these pictures come to you o.k. They are over 60 years old.It`s sad but i can`t remember any of the girls names.
Hope these pictures are of some interest.

Bye for now.   Ray Iverson

Musings from "Between Ourselves"- donated by Tom Sparkes, nr 260 April 1965

Pictured are the Edmonton staff taken in 1945









nr 264 February 1964
Jan 11th, 1964 the new Toronto International terminal was operational. we have this collage of photos.

















Jan 17th 1964 - Winnipeg's new terminal officially opened, we have these photos.


















Where are they now?
A340 Airbus C-GKOL FIN#951 c/n 445 returned to lessor and now with TAM Linhas Aereas reregistered PT-MSN

More photos in AC livery here...