Robert Arnold, who was heavily involved in the refurbishing of the Viscount at the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada, (royalaviationmuseum.com) has retrieved one of the Rolls Royce decals from that Viscount CF-THS.

I also have part of a former Air Canada Viscount's forward dorsal fin.

When removed during maintenance, it would expose the flexible hot air duct that directed warm air to the tail fin's leading edge.

The item in the picture was the part that covered the aircraft's de-icing system that led to the tail and it once belonged to Air Canada Viscount CF-TIE.

Robert Arnold

Shirlee Schacter has sent us this information with several photos -

A record number of Central Ontario Pionairs attended the ever-popular Christmas Luncheon held at Lionhead Golf Club in Brampton, Ontario, on Wednesday, December. 5, 2018.

This annual event at Lionhead has become a tradition for the Central Ontario District and is the "hottest ticket" on their roster of events. It quickly becomes a "sell-out" - even well before the posted deadline for registrations.

The warm and welcoming ambiance that Lionhead provides with its abundance of festive decorations and a sumptuous buffet with all the trimmings never fails to instill the Christmas spirit in all who attend.

As usual, in the spirit of the season, Valdy Prieditis, Special Events Chairperson, ensured there was a vast array of door prizes (pictured) as well as special draws including cash $$$ prizes so many lucky ticket-holders had an early visit from Santa this year!

Once again, this year's event proved it really is "THE PLACE TO BE"!

1984, November 24 – Service between Toronto, Bombay and Singapore commenced.

1984, November 26 - Service between Edmonton Municipal Airport and Calgary International Airport commenced.

Issue dated October 1984.

Disaster averted at LHR.

Split second reactions and expert handling of fire extinguishing equipment prevented a serious fire at London's Heathrow Airport.

Aircraft Services staff noticed smoke and flames billowing from the engine compartment of a contracted caterer's vehicle positioned at the galley door of a Qantas aircraft, one of the four airlines for which Air Canada performs ground handling. Immediate action was taken.

Jim Rowan, Aircraft Services Supervisor, and Francis Sanchez, Lead Station Attendant, managed to quell the flames using a 350-lb. Ansul ramp fire extinguisher. They were assisted by Phillipe Pearmaine of Iran Air, Stephen Glowack of Nigerian Airways and Malcolm Pillar, Jack McGowan and John Goddard of Aer Lingus.

Air Canada positions fire extinguishers on each stand while servicing an aircraft and provides thorough training and periodic retraining in their use. As a way of thanking everyone involved in the incident, Peter Baldry, Airport Services Manager, hosted a luncheon.

Attending, from the left, are: Derek Glanvill, Station Attendant; Peter Elliot, Qantas Technical Representative; Eddie Gibbons, Load Agent; Paul Cordani, temporary Station Attendant; Kevin Clews, Acting Lead Station Attendant; Station Attendants Mike Dias and Andy Fisher; Tony Coleman, Aircraft Services Manager; Terry Wyatt, Station Attendant; Peter Baldry; Francis Sanchez, and Gary Marsh, Station Attendant.

Jim Rowan and Station Attendant Ken Pownall were unable to attend.

London staff practice their chopstick techniques and sample some of the many new dishes that have been prepared for the airline's new Far East service.

Shown from the left are: Jerry Smith, Commissary and Catering Manager; Gerald White, Passenger Agent; Kim Dalrymple, Reservations Agent; Peter Baldry, Airport Services Manager; Sue Davies, Passenger Agent and Kevin Cannon, Reservations Agent.

Here is the report for The Montreal Air Canada Soccer Team which had just wound up an exciting tenth season, and all those who participated in the games and parties are looking forward to more fun in '85.

The season got off to an early start in February when the players went to South Africa.

Air Canada's six team members had not played outdoors for more than five months and they suffered from the effects of the altitude and high temperatures. Nevertheless, they made an excellent showing, making it all the way to the semi-finals. Lufthansa Airlines hosted the next tournament in June.

Competition was stiff between the 20 teams who had come from as far away as Japan and Bolivia. The Air Canada players did very well, coming within one point of making it to the semi-finals.

In August a team of players from Veitch, Austria were Montreal's guests at a reciprocal tournament (Montreal players had visited Austria in 1983). The 24 team members were billeted in local homes and had an opportunity to visit Quebec City and the surrounding countryside. When it came time to play soccer, the competitors were well matched, with the host team eventually winning out 1 to 0.

The past few months have been very busy for soccer players and fans. In September the team hosted a mini tournament. Along with local representation from Dorval and Pointe Claire were teams from Sweden, France and South Africa. Dorval eventually beat out Sweden in a tightly fought match. All in all the event was a great success.

One week later the team headed for Toronto to compete in the system tournament. With wins over Toronto and Calgary, Montreal was well on the way to victory. Unfortunately, its winning streak was cut short by the London, England team.

Montreal players have not hung up their soccer shirts yet. The final arrangements were being made for the tournament in Portugal, tentatively scheduled for November. 

Montreal Air Canada soccer team members are, standing from the left: Louis Basillo, lan Tyer, Jacques Van Den Brande, Reg Laycock, Harry Van Zyl, Cam McGowan, Mike Smith, lan Bentley, Rui Ribiero and Bob Still. 

In front are, from the left: Bill Dickson, Gunter Voss, Gonrad Aleong, Carlos Araujo, Adam Ritchie, Greg Waniuk, Jerry Brault and David Groom. Missing from the photo is Jim Coote.

1984, September 20 Air Canada L-1011 fin # 555 C-GAGI flew Pope John Paul II plus 32 Catholic church officials and 80 invited guests from Ottawa to Rome at the conclusion of the Papal visit to Canada.

The crew consisted of: Captains Tom Thususka and Frank Chowham, Second Officer Reg Greening.

The cabin crew were: Flight Service Director Claudio Zucconi, Purser Anita Mielewczyk, and Flight Attendants Maria Balon, Al Piattelli, Julia Emmerson, Maria Di Salvio, Monique Guerin, Anthony Di Buono, Nina Rossi, Maciejka Voss, and Rosemary Abraham.

See NetLetter #1327 for pictures submitted by Captain Thususka. 

Acting Foreman Oswald Vanloo, and Mechanic Larry Diotte at the Dorval Base Finishing Shop have been busy applying the Singapore '85 logo on company aircraft.

They recently put their paint brushes aside to draw one of the thousands of entries received in Horizons Bombay-Singapore Sweepstakes contest. The lucky winner of two Executive Class passes and $500 is Erika Herzig, a Toronto-based Flight Attendant.

T.C.A. Alumni meets.

A lively group of T.C.A. Alumni members gathered in St. Pete's Beach for the 13th annual meeting. The Breckenridge Hotel was the scene of the festivities.

Things got off to an early start with a breakfast hosted by the Alumni. A fashion show followed, presented by the Breckenridge Boutique and Social Convener Patti Gehlsen awarded 25 lucky members with door prizes.

Then it was time to take care of business matters. Dorothy Millman gave the Treasurer's report and elections were held for Alumni officers for the next two-year term.

Outgoing committee were: Frank and Dorothy Millman, Helen Moore, Jim and Patti, Gehlsen and Jim Flack.

The new committee includes: Jim Gehlsen, President; Malcolm MacDougall, Vice President; Sally MacDougall, Secretary-Treasurer; Patti Gehlsen, Social Convener and Helen Moore, Director.

A warm starlit evening was the perfect setting for the final banquet. Following the meal, several prizes were awarded and Baldy Torrell won the 50-50 draw.

The Alumni executive thanks all those who attended and looks forward to everyone's continued support.

In the aftermath of Japan’s largest serious earthquake, our Tokyo and Narita team worked tirelessly to look after our customers while facing significant obstacles in their daily lives.

We have several photos: Masayo Williams from YYC; Yukiko Nishi, Hisato Tsuchimori, Yakari Tajiri, Akihiko Takahashi, Joe Donato from YYZ; Miyuki Hashigami and Yuka Ito.

Behind the uniform

Air Canada Cargo’s men in blue play football for a great cause. Air Canada Cargo’s London England football team was the champion of an inaugural charity football (aka soccer) tournament held in Egham, U.K. on March 12.

The team participated to raise funds for "Help for Heroes", a foundation that raises money to support members of the armed forces who have been wounded in the service of their country. The team beat "Ashford Non Athletic" 5 -3 for first place!

In our photo from left to right: James Grant-Hunter, Manager Global Partnerships/Regional Sales; Joe Becket, Manager Cargo Service – U.K. & Ireland; Mitchell Carpenter, team mate; Tony Hadley, Warehouseman; Charlie Page, Warehouseman; Joe Hadley, Tony’s son; Henry Becket, Cabin Service Attendant.

The UKACC was founded by a number of senior Air Cargo Industry figures in 1962 and Dick Haynes of Lufthansa German Airlines, was voted to be the club’s first Chairman. A small committee under the leadership of Dick guided the club through its formative years and from a small membership in the early days, the club went from strength to strength and today is one the leading clubs of its type anywhere in the world. 

Although membership is on an individual basis, through its members, UKACC2000 has representation from most major airlines, forwarders and other industry related companies.

Below we have photo of the teams which took part during 2012 and 2013, sadly no identifications.

CP to offer arcade in the sky

Canadian Pacific Airlines is preparing to introduce computer generated electronic games throughout its aircraft fleet, and is one of the first airlines to offer this type of in-flight entertainment.
The first arcade in the sky is scheduled for January 1985 with Star Wars-type games, quizzes, sports and mystery games.

The airline's 737 aircraft will be the first to be outfitted as they presently don't provide any in-flight entertainment. The seat tray will become a playing board with a built-in computer on which is located a video type screen. A headset will provide the sound for the system. The rental fees are expected to be in the $3-5 range.

(Source: AC "Horizons" magazine October 1984)

Canadi>n turns on "No Smoking" sign.

Canadi>n Airlines declared September 8 to October  5, 1987 as a test period for an experimental smoking ban on all B-737 flights within North America.

Time Air, Ontario Express and Air Atlantic was also instituting non-smoking policies for the same period. Here we have the sign by Ron Barker, C.A.I.L. 87.

Mirko Bleur sends some additional info regarding the Golden Hawks story in NetLetter #1407

"Good day,

Thank you very much again - I was curious and found NetLetter # 1407 already online.

This was particularly interesting as I did not know the Golden Hawks only performed for a few years. The Sabre in this video is absolutely beautiful, really a nice bird. I favoured its shapes and especially the paint scheme after a visit to a museum in Germany back in 2011."

Click Here for Mirko's photo of an RCAF Golden Hawk at the Technik Museum Speyer.

Best regards,

Mirko Bleuer

Terry adds some info regarding the Lufthansa B-747, registration D-ABYM, (pictured in this issue's header image) preserved at Technik Museum Speyer.

"I have had the pleasure of visiting the Speyer Museum, it was a stop on the River Rhine cruise I took several years ago. I did not do the wing walking, due to heavy rains at the time of my visit, but the exhibition of vehicles and aircraft are just incredible."

Click Here for the link to the Flight International magazine there is a spread about the B-747 50th anniversary.

David Varnes adds two comments -

"The video that Wayne posted on the RCAF Golden Hawks aircraft is supposedly this stored aircraft's exit from Canada to an unknown destination. As a former member of the Vancouver 692 Air Cadet Golden Hawks Squadron, I have made inquiries through the Air Cadet network as to where this aircraft went and to whom.

The Ken Pickford item on the change of the CP Air livery from 'goose' to 'orange' should have one footnote. The transition of the 'goose' livery was deliberately delayed on one (and possibly two) aircraft by the CPA sales force in South America. The 'goose' was so well known in Lima, Santiago and Buenos Aires that loss of sales was feared if the aircraft livery was changed."

Graham Morley asks:

I have a question for Ken Pickford as I believe he is most likely to have the answer! In 1957/58 a 1049 Connie' overshot the runway in Malton airport (YYZ) and ended up in the grass by the fence to the road we used to the ramp.

We spent a day or so getting it out and into the hanger where it sat for ages! It was finally fixed and sold but I don't know to whom.

I recall that it crashed again I believe in California on its first flight! There appears to be no record of this incident in Connie' files. Could you find the aircraft registration . it;s probably a C- F TG some thing and the dates of both incidents?

Graham.

Ken responded:

That event occurred on February 10, 1960 and involved the last of the 13 Super Connies delivered to TCA, CF-TEZ, one of two 1049H passenger/cargo convertible models.

Unlike CF-TGG, CF-TEZ survived that runway overrun at YYZ and was repaired and later operated for US cargo carrier Slick Airways until it crashed on landing at SFO three years later on February 3, 1963, killing 4 of the 8 persons aboard.

Bernie McCormack shares these two memories -

"In the early '70s while deadheading home from Toronto to Winnipeg, a short time before we landed in Winnipeg, the couple in front of my seat were attempting to communicate with the F/A in our section.

I realized they were passing her a note and by their actions I decided that they were probably deaf. When I inquired, the attendant told me that they had no plans for their stay in Winnipeg because they hadn't been able to contact their friends. We communicated to them that I was an Air Canada pilot and that my wife and I would help them out and take them to our home in St. Vital.

Sheila prepared supper and we decided to put them up and try next morning to contact their friends. In the evening I set up some slides of Jamaica but without voice communication and with their travel fatigue they were soon asleep. We saw them to their room and after a night's sleep drove them to their friend's home in the morning."

"After landing in Vancouver at the completion of my flight from London in the late 80's, one of the flight attendants told me a young girl (about 10 or 12 years) traveling alone through from Bombay with us was going to phone her home in Port Coquitlam to arrange a ride. I was in uniform of course and told her that if she phoned and arranged it with her parents I would drop her and her bags off to them as I didn't live very far from there. Her folks were very appreciative when we arrived about an hour later although because of my uniform I suppose, looked a just little puzzled."

Bernie McCormack

Air France-KLM Group CEO Ben Smith has appointed another former Air Canada executive to a senior position at the Franco-Dutch group.

Angus Clarke will become EVP-strategy of Air France-KLM. The post gives him a seat on the Air France-KLM group executive committee; he will take up his position on February 1 and report directly to Smith.

Since Smith’s arrival at the top post at AF-KLM in September 2018, he has helped steer wage agreements between the company and its sometimes fractious cabin crew unions, as well as taking the decision to close down its "airline for millennials," Joon.

In his new role, Clarke will be responsible for defining and implementing Air France-KLM's long-term strategy, in coordination with all the Group’s stakeholders, as well as business development opportunities in its different entities.

From 2016 to 2018 Clarke was special adviser to Smith when he was Air Canada’s COO on topics affecting the airline’s operational and economic performance.

(Source: ATW Daily News January 18, 2019)

Ontario Government's Scheme of Air Immigration from Britain.

Born from experience in air-trooping, when masses of men were transported to battle zones over vast distances, comes mass civilian air transportation, from continent to continent, necessitated by shipping shortages and the ever-present modern wish to get somewhere quickly. The Empire spotlight is focused on the Ontario.Government scheme for the immigration, by air transport, of 7,000 Britons seeking opportunity and a new way of life in Canada, whose potential wealth is unscratched and whose cities are unscathed by the ravages of war.

First load of airborne-" Mayflower" migrants took off from Northolt (UK) airport early in August and landed at Malton, near Toronto, with intermediate stops at Shannon, Ireland, and Gander, Newfoundland. That only a minute proportion of the passengers have ever flown before is an indication of the public's faith in this modern mode of travel.

In the initial stages of the scheme, three Skymasters a week were carrying 40 passengers per trip, but this has been increased to 43 aircraft per month, some of them departing from Prestwick, Scotland airport to take care of the many Scottish emigrants. Just over three thousand have departed since the inauguration, and it is expected that the balance of nearly four thousand will certainly be eating their Christmas dinner somewhere in Ontario. These will all have flown from Great Britain, and will include 3,500 from London and the South of England; 2,000 from the Midlands; and 1,500 from the North of England and Scotland.

All but less than 1 per cent of those already in Canada have been fixed in suitable occupations, 90 per cent of them within 36 hours of landing. The contract for this epoch-making air move is between the Government of Ontario and Trans-Canada Air Lines, but many other organizations contribute to the success of it.

The biggest burden of all is carried on the broad shoulders of Transocean Airlines of California, who supply the Skymasters and the personnel to fly them under sub-contract to Trans-Canada Air Lines.

(Source: Flight International archives 1984).

Transocean airlines went bankrupt in 1960.

(Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transocean_Air_Lines)

Terry Baker, co-founder of the NetLetter scours the internet for aviation related Trivia and Travel Tips for you, our readers, to peruse.

For nostalgia buffs, here is the list of airplane types used by Air Canada through the propeller era, along with their manufacturer and years of service with the airline.

The seating capacity of each type is between brackets.

• From Stearman, the 4EM survey plane, 1937-39
• From Lockheed, 1937-1949, the L-10A (10), L-14 (10) and L-18 (14) 
• From Avro, 1943-1947, the Lancastrian (10) operated for the Government on transatlantic service
• From Douglas, 1945-1963, the DC-3 (21)
• From Canadair, 1947-1961, the North Star (40 to 62, depending on cabin configuration)
• From Lockheed, 1954-1962, the Super Constellation (63-75)
• From Vickers, 1955-1974, the Viscount (48) and 1961-1972, the Vanguard (108), the first Air Canada aircraft seating more than 100 passengers.

Also in the fleet, from 1953 to 1955, were three Bristol freighter airplanes from Great Britain.

(Source: "Parts & Pieces" magazine issue January 1998)

Employees of Qantas grew concerned when a box shipped from Melbourne arrived without the black cat that was supposed to be inside. So they made a quick visit to the local pound where they found a substitute.

But, upon opening the cage, the owner declared that the cat was not hers ... her cat was dead when loaded and had been en route to Queensland for burial.

(Source: "Parts & Pieces" magazine issue January 1998)

Flush mob.

Chris Barnes recalls what happened when vacuum toilets were introduced, on Boeing-767's, nearly 40 years ago.

"Some flight attendants demonstrated the strength of the lavatory suction during taxi out by rolling toilet paper down the aisle and terminating it into the toilet bowl," he writes.

Then they announced: 'Watch the paper disappear” as they activated the flush button with the paper vanishing in the blink of an eye."

(Source: Flight International January 1, 2019)

(Note: The airline was not identified! – eds)