North American Airline Ski Federation (NAASF) is an organization comprised of Teams or Clubs from virtually all of the airlines in North America (American, Delta, United, Fedex, Southwest, NetJet, Skywest, etc).

These Teams/Clubs are comprised of airline employees/retirees and their families. NAASF currently sanctions three ski weeks each season at a variety of resorts around North America where the member Team/Clubs compete in Snowboard and Ski Racing, Partying, and Free Skiing. Those that want to race have the opportunity, but those that don't are welcome to come cheer for your favorite team or just enjoy the mountain at your own pace.

The NAASF Ski Weeks offer some of the most affordable ski/riding possible. As a general rule, the NAASF contracted rates offer slope side or near slope side lodging for under $75/person/night, Lift Ticket Prices for about 50% of rack rate, and a variety of discounts on rentals and purchases around the resorts.

(Source: naasf.com) 

May 18, 1985 - Inaugural B-767 service Halifax to London (LHR)..

June 18, 2019  - New nonstop service between Montreal and Sydney, Nova Scotia will be operated by a Jazz Q400 daily until September 2, 2019.

(Source: AC Daily March 13, 2019),

Issue dated April 1985.

On June 15, 1985, for the first time in company history, Halifax will be able to offer daily service from Halifax to the United Kingdom. Depending on the day of the week, the operation will be non-stop or via Gander or Prestwick using B-767 or L-1011 equipment. The company received Ministry of Transport approval to operate the B-767 on the route using the current ICAO 90-minute, two-engine rule.

The flight path must be planned so that the aircraft is never farther than 90 minutes from a suitable airport at normal cruising speed.

Team gets gear.

When the 'Royals' volleyball team competes for the 1985 title in the Barbados Volleyball League, the Air Canada maple leaf will be there for all to see. As official sponsor of the 'Royals', the airline presented team members with their gear.

In the photo Jan Nichols, Customer Service Agent, hands over team sweaters to, from the left: Adrian Phillips, Alvin Jemmot and Ronald Phillips.

Pionairs Board of Directors 1985-1986

President Frank Dunlop; Immediate Past President Nancy Walchuk; First Vice President Jack Somerset; Second Vice President Blake Austin; Treasurer Ray White; Secretary Gene Brown.

District Directors: John Innes, Victoria, B.C.; Douglas Armitage, Richmond, B.C.; Gord Sanders, Calgary, Alberta; Gerry Chaffey, Edmonton, Alberta; Mike Lewicki, Winnipeg, Manitoba; Mary Young, Ottawa, Ontario; Evelyn Desjardins, Montreal, Quebec; A. J. Bruncau, Halifax, Nova Scotia; Roger Alain, Pinellas Park, FL; Kay Napolitano, Markham, Ontario; Bruce Wrigley, London, Ontario.

(No photo available – eds)

Soccer with a Singapore swing.

Winter in Canada. Not a good time for running around a soccer field. But for members of the Montreal Soccer Club the season got off to an early start when some 23 players, spouses and supporters journeyed to Singapore, continuing a soccer friendship started in 1985 when Singapore Airlines visited Montreal. In Singapore they played their first game.

Despite the heat and humidity we came out with a 0-0 draw.Then it was off to Bangkok for a few days, accompanied by three players from the Singapore team. The fascinating sights, exciting nightlife and wonderful shopping kept everyone going from dawn to dusk.

Back in Singapore, we played our second game, managing a win by a score of 2-0. Here we have this photo of the team.

(We have no names here, if someone wants to supply them, we will run the photo in another NetLetter - eds)

Below we have the timetable for Yukon Southern Air Transport Ltd effective May 15, 1940 including the 3 inside pages.

(Source: Bjorn Larsson collection)

 Short 360 – “The Shed”

I am constantly surprised by what comes up whenever I begin to research a story for our newsletter. Ideas frequently come from unexpected sources at times when I least expect them.

At a minor league playoff hockey game between the Vancouver Giants and Victoria Royals (my friend’s grandson plays for the Giants) a large advertisement balloon of a Pacific Coastal Airlines aircraft was floating around the arena between periods. I was reminded of this small commuter airline and the unusual design of one of the aircraft in its fleet.

So, when I dove in to the internet to research the “Short 360”, I learned that it was manufactured by ‘Short Brothers plc’ of Northern Ireland and that this was the actual first company in the world to make production aircraft.

The company began in London in 1908 and moved its main base to Belfast in 1948 where it developed aircraft with ‘flying boat’ designs beginning in the 1950’s.

This was my first impression of the Short 360’s operated by Pacific Coastal Airlines that I watched taxiing on the YVR tarmac. Regrettably, I have never flown on one. 

Time Air of Lethbridge, Alberta, which became CP/CDN's regional partner, was the first airline in Canada to operate the Short 360. It was also the launch customer and the world's first operator the Short 360's predecessor, the Short 330 which had a different tail structure.

They later operated the Short 360 before Pacific Coastal. Both types were only useful in areas that didn't involve crossing mountain ranges, like Time Air's routes in Alberta, and Pacific Coastal's routes between Vancouver and points on Vancouver Island, since they were both unpressurized.

As far as I know, none of these aircraft remain in service in Canada. However, there is still a prominent Canadian connection; Short Brothers was bought by Bombardier in 1989 and is today the largest manufacturing concern in Northern Ireland.

Reference:
Short Brothers at Wikipedia

Special thanks to Ken Pickford for additional info and clarification.

Click Here for photo of a Time Air Short 360 during a fuel stop at Reykjavik, Iceland on the delivery flight in 1985.
Click Here for a photo of a Time Air Short 330 at Calgary in 1979 with the different double-tail structure obvious.
Click Here for a photo of the Short 330 demonstrator that performed at the Farnborough Airshow in 1976 painted in Time Air livery.

Bernie McCormack sends this comment after reading "New Service Begins" and the comment by Edwin McManus in NetLetter #1410 -

I could well be wrong, but although I flew the L-1011-500 for quite a few years also to Bombay and Singapore. I don't recall that it had a high engine maintenance requirement.

Bernie.

Larry Milberry sends this information -

Dear Readers … here is CANAV’s Winter/Spring 2019 special list of books, journals and collectibles.

Have a look and let me know if you see anything you’d like for your own reading, for special gifts, etc. Don’t quit building up your library … it’ll help keep the internet from turning your brain to mush!

(Pay the price shown in bold in Canadian dollars.)

Cheers … Larry Milberry.

Find CANAV on the web: www.canavbooks.com
Email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Tel (416) 698-7559 … For other news and updates see www.canavbooks.wordpress.com

Abandoned airport.

Dubbed 'The Gateway to Nowhere', Mid America St. Louis Airport in Illinois was completed in 1997 at a cost of $313 million – around $474 million in today's money.

Planners envisaged the airport would welcome hundreds of thousands of passengers a year. 

(Source: MSN News February 16, 2019)

The Farnborough International Airshow has announced that it is removing its public weekend, taking the biennial show from seven days to five and eliminating its public airshow. It has been reported that factors influencing the change include negative feedback regarding last year’s airshow, and a decreasing number of airshow spectators. The public weekend will be replaced by opening the trade show to the public for the final day of the event.

The Farnborough International Airshow is held every other year with the next show scheduled for July 20-24, 2020.

In 2018, more than 1,500 exhibitors and 80,000 visitors from 112 countries attended the event.

(Source: AVWebFlash March 7, 2019)

New airline gambles on games.

Found in "AC "Horizons" magazine issue May 1986

A newly formed British airline aims to woo passengers in its 15-hour flights to Asia with slot machines, bingo and blackjack aboard a Boeing 747.

London Express, formed by a group of businessmen headed by Michael Beesley, an aviation industry expert from the London Business School, intends to start operation to Singapore in late '86.

Seats on the airline's leased jumbo jet will be sold exclusively to tour operators running charters to the area. The company plans to install slot machines on the upper deck and have bingo callers chanting the numbers to passengers over the inflight headphones. Blackjack would also be available.

Britain's Civil Aviation Authority has granted permission for the Singapore run and London Express is seeking clearance for flights to Bangkok and Hong Kong.

Initially the 'flying bingo hall' concept will only be available on flights originating in Britain, but if the scheme is successful, London Express will seek to sell tickets in the reverse direction.

Note: We can find no other information on the success of this airline - eds.

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

Air Canada has announced the suspension of 737 Max aircraft until, at least, July 1, 2019.

During this period be aware that passenger and cargo services will be directed to the revenue passengers, and you are cautioned that your own travel plans maybe affected while travelling standby.

It is suggested that you use a GOAC confirmed seat.

(Presently reading a book of fiction by Dana Griffin called “Calamity” about an aircraft certified without fully checking software systems which could cause an incident – parallels the present 737 Max problem – eds)

Canadian Effort – the early years.

Aircraft of Trans-Canada Air Lines now fly three roundtrips weekly between Montreal and Britain, and a further schedule development is being planned. Mr. H. J. Symington, President of the Board of Directors, stated that "plans for international flights other than the present transatlantic service are still tentative, but the West Indies, South America and Pacific areas are of admitted interest to the company.

(Source: flightglobal.com - page 447 April 26, 1945)