Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter

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_| TCA |_        B E T W E E N   y O U R S E L V E S
_|\| AIR |/|_              N E T L E T T E R
>  CANADA   <
>_./|\._<           for Air Canada retirees
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Chief Pilot  - Vesta Stevenson   This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Co-pilot     - Terry Baker         This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

number 269   date May 3rd, 1998  1st Published in October 1995

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. Welcome to Ted Styrczula on email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Carol Schlifke daughter of Bill Sim with her own email of
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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. Russ Reynard sends us this HOT item -
Subject: Industry Travel
Here is a little scoop for you.
I believe that it will be announced at the AGM.
I had occasion to talk to Irene Vazalinskas this week, Irene is currently
the Manager of Industry Travel working out of HQ in Montreal.
She told me about some changes taking place and she said that we were
welcome to share them with all retirees.
As an aside, Irene is retiring at the end of this months.
We are looking forward to welcoming her to the Montreal Pionairs.
By the end of 1998 telephone technology will be in place that will allow
space available ECC callers with touch tone telephones, to either deal with
an agent or deal directly with the computer.  Irene said that, you would
enter your employee number and that would call up the chip and register your
identity, priority, point of contact etc. Then by entering time and date the
computer will identify open flights, you would then register your flights and
be given a  locator number.
Looking to 1999 they plans to provide much more detailed  travel service
charge information on our pension/ pay cheques. Unlike today where we only
receive an amount, we will get the ticket number used, and the complete
itinerary. Broken down to service charge and tax.
Cheers      Russ Reynard  <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>

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. Whats on Where.
Compiled by Vesta -

Monday  May 4, 1998
ACRA Winnipeg Art Show at  Air Canada Building
Halifax Bowling 1pm Bayers Road Bowlorama
London, UK, coffee at 11am Harvester Pub Ashford Middlesex
Tuesday  May 5, 1998
ACRA Winnipeg Art Show at Air Canada Building
Kelowna/Vernon 10am Coffee&Chat at Muffin Break.
Montreal Pionairs Bowling League Valois Lanes Pte Claire
info 626-3263
Penticton 10:am Coffee & Chat at Tim Hortons Cherry Lane Shopping Mall
Prestwick, Lunch at St Nicholas Hotel
Wednesday  May 6, 1998
ACRA Winnipeg Art Show at Air Canada Building
Halifax Lunch Armdale Yacht Club
Thursday  May 7, 1998
ACRA Winnipeg Art Show at Air Canada Building
Montreal, Lunch at Chenoy's Pte Claire
Friday  May 8, 1998
ACRA Winnipeg Art Show at Air Canada Building
Ottawa, KoffeeKlatsches, Family Restaurant, Carlingwood Shopping
Sunday  May 10, 1998
Ottawa, Brunches, PlaceNextDoor 320 Rideau St. info 841-7091
Tuesday  May 12, 1998
Montreal Pionairs Bowling League Valois Lanes Pte Claire
info 626-3263
Wednesday  May 13, 1998
Alexandria AC Retirees Lunch Grp,
for info Clive 613-525-4819 or Cam 224-6469
Friday  May 15, 1998
Ottawa, KoffeeKlatsches, Family Restaurant, Carlingwood Shopping
Sunday  May 17, 1998
Halifax Regional Library Book Launch at 7:00pm
Musquodoit Harbour Branch of Anna Careless
902-889-3179
TORONTO PIONAIRS 1998 AGM
Hotel Colony
Monday  May 18, 1998
TORONTO PIONAIRS 1998 AGM
Hotel Colony
Tuesday  May 19, 1998
Montreal Pionairs Bowling League Valois Lanes Pte Claire
*  California Pionairs monthly meeting at 11am
Air Canada office in Burlingame.
Out of towners welcome
TORONTO PIONAIRS 1998 AGM
Hotel Colony
Wednesday  May 20, 1998
Burlington & Oakville Grp, Coffee at Pig & Whistle,
Burlock Dr & Lakeshore Rd 11am, lunch may be
preordered a week in advance 847-1421
Tampa ACRA Bowling

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. News from Joyce MacDonald.

We recently sent a welcome to Joyce MacDonald, and this is her reply -

HI - I am Art MacDonalds wife and my dad lives with us. He is 88 years
old and he retired from Air Canada in 1973. He was a certified aircraft
mechanic. He has all sorts of medical problems and would get a great kick
out of hearing from other air Canada retires.
Thank you Joyce From: "Joyce Mac Donald" <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>

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. Here's a story from Tom Martin -

I just reread an article in the Feb/98 issue of Airways magazine about the
Concorde and its 20 years of flying into JFK.  This brought back memories of
AC's short lived flirtation with SSTs. I was lucky my job took me to Bristol,
Paris and Toulouse several times as part of an inter airline group who was
trying to make sure we had good spares coverage and that their systems meshed
with ours.  You ex C&SS folks might remember that Andy McCready came with me
to Bristol and Paris on one occasion.  I knew the Bristol people fairly well
having taken them on a tour of EXPO67 in YUL and they knew my passion for
Harvey's Bristol Cream so in Bristol they inroduced me to Bristol Milk on
tap   in pubs - marvelous stuff.  In Toulouse I was introduced to Provence
cooking
and was lucky to be able to tour a Concorde then from a rooftop watch it do
touch and gos then land and deploy a drag shute to slow it down.

The Airways article has some interesting facts about Concorde:
- 70 aircraft were on the order book (AC for 3 as I recall)
-14 only delivered AF operate 7 BA 8 - seating is 100.
-round trip price JFK-LHR $8548US - takes 3 1/2 hrs
- during supersonic flight heat lengthens the uselage 8 inches and the nose
heats to 127deg C.
- in first 10 min. of flight burns 10 tons of fuel
- last year a BA Concorde flew LHR-JFK; JFK-LHR; LHR-JFK all in one day all
in daylight.
- an AF Concorde left BOS a the same time as a 747 left CDG. Concorde flew to
CDG unloaded  & reloaded in a 1 hr 8 min stopover then flew back to BOS and
landed 11 mins. before the 747.

Oh the dreams of AC operatng SSTs even if they cost a fortune to do so.
Their pilots say its like driving a Formula 1 car.
Cheers - Tom  <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>

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. Arthur Bedford sends us Ian McMurray's bio -
Here is the bio information on Ian McMurray;
Joined Air Canada April 27, 1953 as a Passenger Agent at Malton Airport
(a.k.a. Toronto). Remained at Malton until January 1960, then moved to
downtown Toronto Reservations (Austin Building and Bloor Street) until
April 1961. Then I went to Cleveland as Airport and Reservations
Supervisor until January 1975, when I transferred to San Francisco as
Sales Representative until retirement June 30, 1988.
Presently I am midway in a two year term as Director Pionairs - USA.
My wife Peggy and I have stayed in Sunnyvale, California, the heart of
Silicon Valley, about 45 miles south of San Francisco. We have a son at
home, and a daughter living in near by San Jose.
GO SHARKS!
Submitted by Art Bedford on behalf of Ian McMurray.
Arthur Bedford <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>

And one from David Edward -

I joined TCA 09 June 1958 , and will retire 01 Dec. '98.
My father joined TCA in 1938 and my eldest son joined Air Canada in 1989.
All of us are / were  pilots , but don't hold that against us.
All the best....Dave This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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. Found on the internet.

SIT DOWN AND BUCKLE UP:
We pilots know that turbulence can shake our nerves and rattle our brains at
any time and generally make use of airplane seatbelts at all times.
Now, the general flying public is being strongly encouraged to do the same
thing.  This week, American Airlines announced it will soon begin requiring
passengers to stay buckled when seated. United, which encountered recent
turbulence with deadly consequences, will soon do the same.  Expect others
carriers to follow suit.
(Air Canada already advises passengers to belt up!! - eds)

British Airways is refuting criticism its new livery is unsafe. Pilots were
complaining they could not identify BA aircraft at night. Air traffic
controllers often guide aircraft on the ground by using other parked aircraft
as landmark but pilots have complained they could not identify British
Airways aircraft at night due to the carrier's numerous multi colour
liveries.
The spat is just the latest in a long line of problems since BA spent GBP 60
millions (USD 100 millions) to replace its stylised red white and blue
British flags with a collection of 50 colourful "world images" in a bid to
give the airline a more international face.

WHO, ME?  OH, JUST HANGING AROUND...WHY?
Some days are more interesting than others, but Jerry Michael "Mike" Warren's
day was about as interesting as it gets.  What began as a short, lonely
commute to work became a four-star worldwide media event starring Warren, his
airplane and a set of utility wires strung near Boeing Field in Seattle.
As he was preparing to land, wake turbulence apparently interfered and in a
go-around gone bad, he and his Cessna 150 ended up some 50 feet off the
ground, hanging from the utility wires by one wheel, the wire catching on the
aircraft's brake disk.
After sparks flew and the plane flipped over, he radioed Boeing Field's
control tower, saying, "I think I have a situation here."  "The lady called
back and said, 'Yeah, you're hanging by one wheel,'" he later recounted.
Like a Boy Scout, Warren was prepared.  Using his cell phone, he called his
employer to let them know he would be a bit late for work.  As fate
would have it, Thursday was Warren's last day on the job at the Duwamish
Shipyard.  Nearly four hours later, Warren was rescued and later the 150
was itself lowered to the ground without damage.  He's still trying to
figure out how to log those hours.

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. Terry's travel tips.

Subject: HOT DEALS!!! Hawaii to Vancouver Cruise - $42.79 per day

NORWEGIAN DYNASTY - DEPART MAY 5 - 14 NIGHTS - FROM us$599. ppd.

MEXICO 7 NIGHT RESORT STAYS - us$125. PPD
Mazatlan -  May  9, 11, 16, 18 1998
Nuevo  Vallarta - May 10 & 17/98

ALASKA - 100th Anniversary of the "Klondike Gold Rush"
11-18 Day CruiseTours from us$899-us$2449. ppd.
7 Night Cruises  May 18, 19, 25, 31, Jun 1, 11 from us$499.pd.

MEDITERRANEAN & EUROPE CRUISES - ss NORWAY
12 TO 15 DAYS FROM us$549.  ppd.
12 Days - June 7/98 - WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN HIGHLIGHTS
Lisbon, Corsica, Milan, Florence, Rome, Monte Carlo,
Nice, Cannes, Palma De Majorca, Barcelona, Marseille .
15 Days - July 8/98 WESTERN EUROPE ROMANCE
Marseille, Monte Carlo, Nice, Cannes, Barcelona, Lisbon,
Cork, Waterford, London, Channel Islands, Cherbourg, Le Havre.
12 Days - Aug 11/98 GREAT CITIES OF NORTHERN EUROPE
London, Hamburg, Oslo, Flam, Bergen,Amsterdam, Le Havre.
12 Nights - Aug 23/98 BRITISH ISLES
London, Amsterdam, Invergordon , Glasgow/Edinburgh,
Waterford, Cork, Le Havre.
12 Nights - Sep 4/98 WINE AND ROMANCE
London, Cherbourg, Bordeaux, Cork, Waterford,
Channel Islands, Le Havre, Amsterdam.
12 Nigths - Sep 16/98 IBERIAN PASSAGE
London, Lisbon, Malaga, Monte Carlo/Cannes/Nice,
Milan, Florence, Barcelona .
12 Nights - Sep 28/98 TREASURES OF THE MEDITERRANEAN
Barcelona, Rome, Florence, Milan, Corsica, Ibiza,
Palma de Majorca, Monte Carlo/Cannes/Nice
14 Nights - Oct 10/98 TRANSATLANTIC
Barcelona, Malaga, Madeira, St Thomas, Miami

Call 1-800-665-3100 for details and mention Pionairs.

NICE FRANCE - Hotel Gounod, in city centre, 300 metres from train station,
eff 'till Oct 31/98  single us$74.25, double us$59.53
triple us$55.71. Includes breakfast and taxes.

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. Smilie.

A Huey Cobra practicing autorotations during a military night training
exercise had a problem and landed on the tail rotor, separating the tail
boom.  Fortunately, it wound up on its skids, sliding down the runway
doing 360s in a brilliant shower of sparks.  As the Cobra passed the
tower, the following exchange was overheard:
Tower: "Sir, do you need any assistance?"
Cobra: "I don't know, tower.  We ain't done crashin' yet!"

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.  That's it for this time, please we need your input, send
comments and email addresses of any others who may be
interested to Vesta with a copy to Terry.


/------------------------\               |--\_____/--\__  |
|  Between yOurselves     |______________ \______====== )-+
|       NetLetter         |                      ---|/--  |
\------------------------/                         ()

~Between yOurselves-Netletter~
mailto:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
mailto:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Copyright 1998 by Vesta Stevenson & Terry Baker.

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|\^/|
_| TCA |_        B E T W E E N   y O U R S E L V E S
_|\| AIR |/|_              N E T L E T T E R
>  CANADA   <
>_./|\._<           for Air Canada retirees
|

Chief Pilot  - Vesta Stevenson   This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Co-pilot     - Terry Baker         This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

number 268   date Apr 29th, 1998  1st Published in October 1995

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. Welcome to George McKillop on email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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. Here is a repeat of a story we ran in NetLetter nr 61 May 1996 -

Charles Mackie at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. has sent in
some of his recollections of his experiences in the Lancastrian
aircraft in the early days of T.C.A. The information was supplied
to an author for planned publication. The following is one -

The Autopilot couldn't hold it - Oct 1945
There was a time we got as far as Three Rivers heading outwards
and, for some reason, we had to feather one of the engines. We
were heading back to Montreal to get the situation rectified.
The first officer was flying and had it on automatic pilot. The
autopilot could not hold the aircraft on three engines, and the
aircraft all of a sudden went into a steep spiral dive.
It was several thousand feet before we recovered and got things
back to normal.

And the follow up which was in NetLetter nr 62 -

. As a followup to the story from Charles Mackie in Nr 61,
Al Blackwood at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. sends to following -

The experience Charlie had with the auto pilot brought back
memories of a similar amusing incident. All of the Lancasters had
British auto pilots except one which had one made by GE and had a
bad habit of putting the aircraft into a dive without warning.
This had been reported several times but always came back
"unable to duplicate".  One day we were in Prestwick and the GE
rep happened to be there so it was arranged to take the aircraft
up for a test flight. We were all strapped in but the GE rep was
standing behind the pilots. We were cruising in level flight with
the auto pilot on for about twenty minutes with everything normal
when all of a sudden the nose pitched down and the rep went up to
the ceiling with a surprised look on his face!

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. Here is another gem from Bill Norberg -


Subject: A Lockheed 14 story


I would like to take airline people back to the early years of modern
commercial aviation in Canada and specifically with T.C.A. There have been
so many advances made in the capability and reliability of aircraft systems
that we often forget what it used to be like.

One of the most concerning aspects of flying in those early days was
weather icing of the aircraft during flight. The aircraft were not
pressurized of course and flew at altitudes where rough air and icing
conditions were very prevalent. I can still see the Lockheed 14 aircraft
coming into the hangar after arrival with many inches of ice still on
various parts of the aircraft.. The nose section,the fronts of the ADF loop
and the pitot head masts.

The windshields of the aircraft were not heated in those days and it was
not until a few years later that windshield wipers were available. If icing
conditions were encountered the winshields would often ice up making
vivibility difficult if not impossible at times.

The front windshield of the Lockheed had 4 panels,the 2 main ones and
2 smaller ones on the outboard sides of the center main panels.. These
smaller panels were trapezoidal in shape and could be removed in flight by
the crew if needed. There was a small deflector strip just ahead of these
panels that acted to deflect the airstream so that it did not enter the
opening if the panel was removed. This gave enough vision area so the pilot
could see when landing the aircraft.

As the aircraft was not pressurized there was another weather problem that
was very botherssome to the flight crew at times. When flying through rain
storms the rain would often be forced in along the window seals and drip
incessantly into the cockpit and usually all over the flight crew's pants.
They wore light grey uniforms in summer and you can imagine the sight of
them leaving the aircraft after such a flight.

I remember one day when checking the log book of an aircraft that had just
arrived to see the following comment:-

"Slight precipitation outside....raining like hell inside."
From: "Bill Norberg" <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>

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. Historical milestones in April for TCA/AC.
Apr 10th 1937 - Incorporation of Trans-Canada Air Lines.
Apr  1st 1939 - Introduction of trans-continental revenue passenger
service.
Apr 15th 1941 - Introduction of service
Moncton - Summerside - Charlottetown
Apr 16th 1941 - Above service extended to Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Apr 30th 1941 - Toronto - New York mail service inaugurated.
Apr  1st 1947 - Halifax-Yarmouth-Saint John-Boston inaugurated.
Apr 15th 1947 - North Star introduced on Trans Atlantic flights.
Apr 30th 1947 - Change from Canadian Government Trans Atlantic Air Service
(CGTAS) to TCA(Atlantic) Ltd.
Apr  1st 1951 - Transatlantic service Montreal-Prestwick-London extended
to Paris.
Apr 27th 1952 - North Star introduced to Maritimes.
Apr  1st 1958 - Economy class introduced on Transatlantic routes.
Apr  2nd 1958 - Service to Brussels inaugurated.
Apr  1st 1960 - DC8 introduced transcontinental.
Apr  2nd 1960 - Halifax included on transatlantic route.
Apr 24th 1960 - Super Constellation service to Regina.
Apr 30th 1981 - Direct service to London, England from Winnipeg.
Apr 12th 1963 - DC3 aircraft retired making TCA and all turbine fleet.
Apr 25th 1965 - DC8 introduced to New York.
Apr 24th 1966 - DC9 introduced. Service to Frankfurt inaugurated.
'Western Arrow' service non-stop
London, Eng. - Vancouver.
Apr 30th 1966 - 'Eastern Arrow' service non stop
Vancouver - London, England.
Apr 30th 1972 - Rapidair started up.
Apr 29th 1973 - Terminal II opened in Toronto.
Apr 26th 1976 - Toronto - Boston inaugurated.
Apr 28th 1984 - Toronto - Manchester service introduced.

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. Terry's travel tips.

Ron Munson tell us that, if you are delayed in LHR, try the Heathrow Standby
Hotel, North Side, Bath Road who quote GBP40 double, subject to availability,
call 01753 686970.

The latest Air Canada schedule at their web site was uploaded Apr 27th
and is effective until April 1999.

Greek Tradewinds ' 98 - a 12 day Black Sea Cruise on the Marco Polo.
Cost: from us$1535 pp dbl plus us$195 port taxes departs Aug 26th.
Includes: 7 day cruise, all meals and entertainment. 2 nights hotel
Istanbul, half day tour of Istanbul, cocktail party,
2 nights hotel Athens plus half day tour. transfers and
porterage. 
Itinerary: Istanbul, Yalta, Odessa, Varna, Bosphorus, Dardanelles,
Kusadasi, Delos, Mykonos, Athens.

Mysteries of the Rio Amazonas.
Cost: from us$855 pp dbl. Departs Every Sunday year round.
Includes: All meals buffet style, transfers to/from airport, daily
excursions, port taxes.
Itinerary: Iquitos, Pevas, Caballococha, Leticia/Tabatinga,
Cayaru River, Tarapoto Lakes, San Pablo, Bora, Huitoto,
depart Iquitos.

Call 1-800-665-3100 for details and mention Pionairs.

Spa Escapes - various dates.
Hotel Villa Bejar & Grand Spa, Lake Tequesquitengo, Mexico.
or
Hotel Spa Ixtapan, Ixtapen de la Sal, Mexico
4 nights/5 days from us$299 pp dbl, non-interliner us$420 pp dbl.
Includes: accommodations, 3 meals per day, cocktail party and more.

Call 1-800-690-3223 for details and mention Pionairs.

The Orient -
Bangkok from us$419 pp dbl. 10 days/7 nights.
includes: Round trip air space available on Northwest,
4 nights hotel accommodations.
Bali, Jakarta, and Yogyakarta from us$1089 pp dbl.
includes: round trip positive Garuda Indonesia from LAX,
4 nights hotel Bali, 1 night hotel Yogyakarta,
2 nights hotel Jakarta plus full days tours in those
cities. All transfers & tours.

Call 1-800-422-3727 for more details.


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.  That's it for this time, please we need your input, send
comments and email addresses of any others who may be
interested to Vesta with a copy to Terry.


/------------------------\               |--\_____/--\__  |
|  Between yOurselves     |______________ \______====== )-+
|       NetLetter         |                      ---|/--  |
\------------------------/                         ()

~Between yOurselves-Netletter~
mailto:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
mailto:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Copyright 1998 by Vesta Stevenson & Terry Baker.

=================================================================
|\^/|
_| TCA |_        B E T W E E N   y O U R S E L V E S
_|\| AIR |/|_              N E T L E T T E R
>  CANADA   <
>_./|\._<           for Air Canada retirees
|

Chief Pilot  - Vesta Stevenson   This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Co-pilot     - Terry Baker         This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

number 267   date Apr 27th, 1998  1st Published in October 1995

==================================================================

. AGM Information -
Alan Rust sends us this information -

During the Pionairs AGM on May 17th there is a Toronto Blue Jays/Seattle
Mariners game that was quoted in a Pionairs newsletter to be at 13:05hrs,
but the tickets to the game is at 20:05 hrs (which conflicts with an AGM
get together). I thought you may want to pass this on in case someone
is planning to see the game while at the AGM.
Alan Rust, Mailto:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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. We welcome Kathleen Forest who has email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Pauline David who retired in Feb '91,
email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Jack Somerset who can be reached via his son David's email
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Gerry Brault can be emailed This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Arthur MacDonald who retired as Commissary & Catering Manager,
Halifax in 1993. Email is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
David D. Edward try email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Captain Arthur Hollinsworth, who will be 90 years young soon, and
has been retired for 30 years. Try his email
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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. Where are they now?
Jack Dahlgren has a new email of This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Garnet Adamson has moved over to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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. From your co-pilot -
After reading stories about the early days of Atlantic travel, and CGTAS,
I recall a story I read in a book called 'Survival In The Sky' -
It was called 'Luckiest Man Alive', about a 20 year old co-pilot and
test observer, called Harry Griffiths, who was a brother of Maurice, a
Trans-Canada Air Lines pilot in Toronto.
Harry's job was to test flight the Boston A20 aircraft prior to being
flown across the Atlantic to the RAF. On the 21st December 1942, Harry
was checking such an aircraft with pilot Sid Gerow. The plane took off
from Dorval and flew across the Lake St. Louis. The engines were throttled
back, in turn, and feathered each propeller in turn and then restarted the
engines, this to ensure reliability incase one engine failed during the
Atlantic trip. Harry was in the nose and had removed his parachute due to
space retrictions, and then checked the instruments in the cockpit, finally,
while crawling back into the nose to check the bomb sight, the lower hatch
gave way and Harry found himself hanging underneath the aircraft. The pilot
guessed what had happened but could not leave the controls as automatic
pilot was not available, and he knew Harry could not hang on too long, nor
could he land the aircraft, so he flew low over the ice covered
Lake St Louis, and Harry fell out. A farmer witnessed this event and saw
this 'package' roll across the frozen lake for about half a mile before it
spun to a stop - thinking it was a practice bomb, but the 'package' moved
and the farmer realized that someone had fallen from an aircraft. His limbs
and body were badly bruised, but not a bone broken.  

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. News from Ron Munson in LHR.
A plateful of fish and chips to recapture our national identity was the
winning design in a recent B.A. tailfin design competition.  However the
airline chiefs thought it to different from existing colourful tailfins so
rejected it which upset the five strong judging panel who had thought their
decision was final. It also upset Britain's booming £700 million a year
fish and chip industry who put B.A.'s decision "down to a lack of taste".

Passport checks on departing UK passengers are to be scrapped it has been
announced by the home Office.  Their Minister said the controls were
ineffective and a waste of time and money.   It costs £3 million a year to
provide hundreds of staff to check documents.   The money saved will be
used to catch illegal immigrants and bogus asylum-seekers. Passports will
continue to be checked by airlines, which are obliged, by law, to ensure
passengers have the correct travel documents.

Air Canada won the cargo airline of the year accolade in freight industry
awards given by trade newspaper IFW.

Lufthansa, United and Air Canada are to set up a joint venture company,
based in Chicago, to buy and sell aircraft parts.  It will cut out brokers
who handle most of the business at present.  The move will also improve
safety because the trio will have records showing who made the parts and
how they have been maintained.  The industry spends more than $10 billion a
year on parts and materials.

JAPAN airlines is to write off $1.2 billion worth of losses and the crisis
is costing the airline's President and its Chairman their jobs.    Some
1,500 ground staff are also to go whilst the company's hotel and resort
operations may be axed.  The huge write-off will cost JAL 80% of its
financial reserves and its entire route network is to be overhauled.
From: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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. Found on the Internet.
The Battle of Britian Memorial Flight's Lancaser B1 - PA474, will represent
the Avro type Lancaster bomber, civil Lancastrian and York transport for
the 50th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift at RAF Fairford, Glos, UK on
26/27th July.

New European Airlines -
Norwegian carrier Color Air operating B737-300 aircraft.
Swedish startup Novair operating A320 Airbus.
Air South Africa with a B747 aircraft.
Egyptian new charter Lotus Air also with A320 Airbus.
Lufthansa plans a low cost, short haul subsiduary - Lufthansa Light.
French newcomer Fairwinds operating MD81 aircraft.

USAirways new low cost subsiduary will be called MetroJet operating B737.

Some failures -
German charter Ratioflug has ceased to operate.
Colorado US based Western Pacific, famed for carrying glamorous
advertising in its aircraft has ceased operations.


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. Terrys Travel Tips.
Escorted full package 15 days to Historic China.
Itinerary - Shanghai, Suzhou, Qufu, Jinan, Mt. Tai, Beijing.
Departs Vancouver Mondays Jun 8,15,22, July 6, Aug 3, Sep 7,14,21,28,
Oct 5,12,19,26 and Nov 2nd.
Cost: ca$2199 pp dbl does not include Canadian Tax $30 and China Visa $50
departure tax, tipping or travel insurance.
BUT does include: Round trip airfare via China Airlines from
Vancouver, 1st class accommodations and surcharge.
Ground transportation and daily meals, guided
comprehensive sightseeing, admissions, cultural
shows and baggage handling.

Familiarization Tour of Israel.
8 days/7 nights Land only. Weekly arrivals on Sunday through to Feb 25/99.
Itinerary: 2 nights in Tel Aviv, 2 nights in Galilee, 3 nights Jerusalem,
6 days sightseeing with enterance fees, tranfers airport/hotel
7 full Israeli-style buffet breakfast, touring in deluxe coach,
cable car ascent Masada & swim in the Dead Sea. Porterage at
airport and hotels.
Cost: us$699 pp dbl plus hotel taxes us$90.
travel companions'/spouses' are welcome at same rate.

Call 1-800-665-3100 for more details and mention Pionairs. 


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.  That's it for this time, please we need your input, send
comments and email addresses of any others who may be
interested to Vesta with a copy to Terry.


/------------------------\               |--\_____/--\__  |
|  Between yOurselves     |______________ \______====== )-+
|       NetLetter         |                      ---|/--  |
\------------------------/                         ()

~Between yOurselves-Netletter~
mailto:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
mailto:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Copyright 1998 by Vesta Stevenson & Terry Baker.

=================================================================
|\^/|
_| TCA |_        B E T W E E N   y O U R S E L V E S
_|\| AIR |/|_              N E T L E T T E R
>  CANADA   <
>_./|\._<           for Air Canada retirees
|

Chief Pilot  - Vesta Stevenson   This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Co-pilot     - Terry Baker         This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

number 266   date Apr 25th, 1998  1st Published in October 1995

==================================================================

. Short bio from Les Powell -
Hi Editors
I read your article in the AC Pioneers News letter from UK where you tell
about the DC8 that ran off the runway at LHR. I was the Dispatcher on
duty when that event took place.  Our office was in the Queens Bldg if
you remember. Alec Murray ( since passed away) was on with me that evening.
I joined TCA in 1956 in Flight Dispatch and transferred to Montreal Dispatch
in 1973 then transfered to YYZ in 1974 then took early retirement in 1978.
Just thought I would make myself known to you.
Regards, Les <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>

. and one from Weldon Wallace -
I, Weldon Wallace, have entered the 90's and am surfing the Internet
(to quote my daughter).
I joined TCA in 1956 as a station attendant at Pat Bay (Victoria
International Airport) and was fortunate to have remained here for all my
33+ working years, having retired as a station agent in 1989.
I married Ina (Corbett) in 1962.  Ina worked at YJR (Victoria reservations)
from 1956 to 1962, with a short stint in BDA.
We have 3 children - a married daughter (and our only grandchild) in
Campbell River, Vancouver Island, a  married daughter in Vancouver and
a son in Saskatoon.
We are enjoying our retirement in sunny, Sidney by the Sea.
Have a great day,  Ina Wallace <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>

. and one from Michel Beriau -

I join T.C.A. in 1956 as a passenger agent at the Quebec Airport and
29 years after I was offered a package and I accepted because I had so much
to do by the fact I was enjoying travelling especially in France and it is
also the reason when I join the executive of Quebec Prov. in  Montreal in
Sept. 1986 even if I had to travel from Quebec to Montreal every month.
Michel Beriau <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
(Michel organizes trips to Paris France, and last report he had 85
lined up for it. Unfortunately, Michel has been hospitalized, and
the trip has been postphoned. - eds)

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. News from the Districts.
OTTAWA District -
In the recent copy of the Ottawa District newsletter, there was an article
which made mention of Bruce Scott's appointment by the local ACRA to
liaise with the Pionairs. We asked Bob Robbins about this and his answer
follows -
'Your query re the OW airport person to handle their ACRA liaison with
OW District Pionairs. A number of circumstances, especially the Air Canada
60th Birthday Party, have strengthened the ties between present Ottawa
District employees, and the Ottawa Pionairs District's members.
Bruce Scott's appointment by the local ACRA is another step in that
direction.  Bruce's father is a former Airport Customer Service Manager,
and since retiring served as a District Director of Ottawa Area Pionairs,
as well as on our local Pionair Executive Committees since then.
Bob Robbins  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
(LHR Pionairs have a similar liaison with ACRA at Heathrow - eds)

NEW BRUNSWICK District -
About 50 New Brunswick Pionairs and spouses met for a Spring Lunch on
Thursday April 23rd at their usual meeting spot of The Quality Inn in
Sussex. Most New Brunswick Pionairs are from the Fredericton, Moncton and
Saint John areas, so Sussex is our preferred location for these Spring and
Fall lunches as it is convenient to all 3 cities. The menu for the buffet
lunch was planned by District Director Frank Cogger and his wife Olive and
once again was a great success. Perhaps the only problem occurred when it
was found that the golf season would open on the same day of the lunch.
Frank has vowed never to repeat this mistake - but then we may never again
have such an early opening!
We were pleased to have both Olie and Mary Moore as our guest speakers -
Olie giving us a review and update on the Pionairs Travel Manual, and Mary
giving a description of the upcoming Toronto AGM. At the end of the
meeting, David Livingstone gave Olie and Mary each a copy of a tattered and
faded Montreal Reservations Office "Team Establishment" dated March 1953.
Mary (McCarthy), as Lead Agent and O Moore as Tel. Sales Agent were on the
list, along with Frank Stevens, Jack Kantor, Hugh McKay, Laurie Davis, Jean
McCraken, Joe Mastro, Margaret Timmel - and the list of familiar names goes
on and on.
David Livingstone   This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Grand Bay - Westfield,   NB   Canada   

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. Don Demeza in Belleville sends us the following:
The Bay of Quinte Aeromodellers Radio Control Club will hold their
13th annual "Jet Rally" at Mountainview Airport Sat and Sunday June 13th
and 14th.  The Club pioneered the jet rally concept with their first rally
in 1986 and it attracts world class models and pilots from the U.S.A. and
Canada.
Last year 60 pilots and 100 aircraft were registered.  The technology today
is well advanced with some using real model turbine engines running on
propane or JP4 fuel. Many of the models cost over $10,000.
The rally also features large scale warbirds - the 25 foot model of a
Halifax which flew at last year's rally is expected again this year.
It's a family picnic day - food and refreshments are available and about
2000 spectators are expected. Mountainview is located 15 Kilometers
south of Belleville on Highway 62.  Flying begins at 9.30 am and the lower
winds in the morning are favoured by the pilots. Sunday afternoon the flying
slows because those who travelled long distances are packing up,
particularly if Saturday has been a good flying day.
Of course, it all depends on weather but no cancellations so far.
A number of Air Canada people have attended past rallies and this year, so
far, I'm expecting Al Blackwood, Phil Pawsey, Jack McDougall, Walter Chopp
and Alan MacLeod.
The Bay of Quinte Aeromodellers Radio Control Club have a home page with
further access to aircraft activities: www.reach.net/~bqac
If you'd like further information send me an email  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
I'm pretty busy at this event organizing registration but would like to
welcome any fellow retirees.

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. Vesta found these articles in the Wall Street Journal & US Today -
SUN AND IBM TO DEVELOP NEW JAVA-BASED OPERATING SYSTEM
Sun and IBM have agreed to work together to develop a new operating system
based on Java, the popular computer language that was developed by Sun.
The new system would be targeted for use in the world's many millions
of terminals (a large percentage of which are connected to IBM mainframe
computers devoted to such applications as AIRLINE RESERVATION SYSEMS).
The two computer makers also plan to license the new Java OS to other
companies.

BIDDING ONLINE FOR AIRFARES
Priceline.Com is offering a new way for flexible vacationers to buy plane
tickets -- they can set the price they'll pay, and Priceline.Com will try
to find it for them among the numerous unpublished fares supplied by
U.S. and international airlines. The search takes one hour for domestic
flights and 24 hours for overseas. Priceline.Com, which launches Monday,
requires that customers be willing to depart on any available flight
between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., and flights may include one stop or connection,
making the service less attractive for business travelers. "We're not a
discount ticket warehouse, and we're not for everybody," says the
company's founder. < http://www.priceline.com >

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. Found on the Internet.
QUALIFLYER GROUP TAKES TO THE SKIES
Swissair has announced a new European airline group linking the Swiss
national airline with Austrian Airlines, Sabena of Belgium, TAP Air Portugal,
Turkish Airlines and AOM of France. The goal of the new alliance, to be
called the Qualiflyer Group, is to place smaller airlines in a better
position to compete with global groups such as the Star Alliance.
Other airlines may join the alliance at a later time, probably starting with
Italy's Air One of which Swissair is a minority shareholder and Swiss
regional carrier Crossair.
It will be kept separate from the Atlantic Excellence Alliance uniting
Austrian Airlines, US flag carrier Delta Airlines, Sabena and Swissair.

BELGIUM TO FORGO TRAINS FOR PLANES

Belgium  intends to replace part of its extensive rail network by an air
network. Every 10 minutes, aircraft as large as the Boeing 747 will be
taking off from Belgium's airports in Antwerp, Brussels, Charleroi, Liege
and Ostend to offer 20 to 30 minute flights within Belgium and to
neighbouring countries. No date yet has been given for the start of this new
service, but it is rumoured the government wants the air network to be fully
operational by the 2000 European Soccer Cup co-hosted by Belgium and
The Netherlands. Several Asian airlines, which have aircraft and crew
available due to the monetary crisis in Asia, are said to be ready to start
operating the short routes at once, but Sabena will probably
operate most flights.

TICKETS BY ATM.
Hawaiian Airlines is the first airline to offer tickets through automated
teller machines (ATM). Coupons for flights within Hawaii can be acquired at
more than 140 Bank of Hawaii ATMs throughout the state. Travellers then
reserve a seat with Hawaiian Air, with the coupons acting as tickets.

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.  That's it for this time, please we need your input, send
comments and email addresses of any others who may be
interested to Vesta with a copy to Terry.


/------------------------\               |--\_____/--\__  |
|  Between yOurselves     |______________ \______====== )-+
|       NetLetter         |                      ---|/--  |
\------------------------/                         ()

~Between Yourselves-Netletter~
mailto:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
mailto:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Copyright 1998 by Vesta Stevenson & Terry Baker.