Paris Air Show - June 17 - 23, 2019 at  Le Bourget, Paris, France

Info at www.siae.fr/en/

Royal International Air Tattoo - July 17 - 21, 2019 at RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire, U.K.

Info at airtattoo.com

Nancy's legacy.

The decision to name Western Sydney's new airport, due to open in 2026, after the late pioneering aviator Nancy-Bird Walton, (Qantas Airbus A380 VH-OQA also bears her name), should do no harm to the aviation industry's efforts to get more women into the cockpit.

This is a cause close to the heart of Qantas boss Alan Joyce, who, under the aptly named Nancy-Bird Walton initiative, has committed to a goal of at least 50 per cent women in its pilot cadet intake in a decade's time.

(Source: Flight International March 12, 2019)

YouTube Video 

Born in Kew, New South Wales, Australia on October 16, 1915 as Nancy Bird, she wanted to fly almost as soon as she could walk. As a teenager during the Depression in Australia, Nancy Bird found herself in the same position as many other children of the time, leaving school at 13 to assist her family.

In 1933, at the age of 18, her passion drove her to take flying lessons. Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, who was the first man to fly across the mid-Pacific, had just opened a pilots' school near Sydney, and she was among his first pupils. Most women who learned to fly did so for recreation, but Nancy planned to fly for a living.

(Source: wikipedia.org)

Guy Belluz sent us this photo he took on March 21, 2019 -

I recently took this pic of the Western Canada Aviation Museum, Hangar T2, Winnipeg (the old Air Canada / TCA hangar).

They are tearing it down to make room for a new hangar PAL Aerospace hangar.

Regards,

Guy Belluz, Air Canada AME

October 27, 1985

 Air Canada service between Victoria - Vancouver will be two daily flights by B-727 equipment and thirteen daily flights by Time Air using Short 360 equipment.

Issue March 2012. (Used with permission).

Known for years as “Southern Service,” our inaugural flight to the Caribbean was on December 1, 1948. The route: Montreal – Toronto – Nassau – Kingston – Port of Spain.

Air Canada was the first North American airline with scheduled service to Barbados. On December 3, 1949. The flight from Toronto took 15 hours and included stops in The Bahamas and Jamaica.

Montreal Pond Hockey Festival.

Employees from Operations Engineering & Aircraft Performance recently participated in the Montreal Pond Hockey Festival as part of a team building exercise.

Shown here:, Team Ice Breakers, included from left to right:

Robert Couillard, A/General Manager, Operations Engineering & Aircraft Performance; Craig Benton, Jim Hemsworth, Technician, Aircraft Performance; Eugene Corrigan, Engineer, Flight Ops; Paulo Goncalves, Engineer, Flight Ops; and Scott Matthews.

The Ice Breakers finished with a record of one win and two losses, and are already looking forward to playing again next year. 

Issue August 1985.

When Chairman Claude Taylor visited Geneva, he stopped by the office to meet with the staff.

Shown in the photo taken to commemorate the occasion are, from the left: Jacques Gras, Manager Western Switzerland; Station Attendant Beat Haldimann; Passenger Agent Gerard Furgler and Chairman Claude Taylor. 

Issue September 1985.

Data link for ATC is a first.

Air Canada is the world's first provider and user of Data Link for Air Traffic Control. Flight 860, May 19, 1985, received the world's first Oceanic Air Traffic control clearance by Data Link.

The flight sent a data link message to the Oceanic Air Traffic Control center at Gander, Newfoundland. The Control Center responded by entering the oceanic clearance into an Air Canada C.R.T. installed by C&SS. This message appeared on the data link printer installed on the B-767 control pedestal.

A quick move.

On Saturday June 29, 1985 at 13:15, Air Canada flight 787 left Dallas/Ft. Worth Terminal 28, Gate 4 for the last time. Immediately following its departure, the move to Gate 16, Terminal 4E started.

Computer & Systems Services Communications Engineering Technician Nam Tran took screw driver and wire clipper in hand and started moving CRT's, ticket and boarding pass printers.

In our photo, taking a few minutes to smile for the camera, we have, from the left: Denise Hammons, Customer Service Agent and Robert Perrault, District Manager – Dallas/Ft. Worth, Monique Walter and Lynita Rogers, Customer Service Agents.

London England cycle team.

Members of the bicycle racing team sponsored by Air Canada Cargo in London, England, were extremely successful in the recent Masters Games in Toronto, an Olympics for mature athletes, 8,305 of whom gathered from 61 countries from all over the world to take part in 22 sports.

Our photo has the Air Canada sponsored team of Paul Bennett, John Pritchard and Don McKellow. The team collected four first place finishes and a second.

Toronto staged the first World Masters Games in 1985. Since then, World Masters Games has also taken place in Aalborg, Aarhus and Herning (1989), Brisbane (1994), Portland, Oregon (1998), Melbourne (2002), Edmonton (2005) and Sydney (2009). The Sydney 2009 World Masters Games attracted a record 28,676 competitors.

This is more than double the number of competitors that took part in the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

(Source: wikipedia.org)

Found in the "Parts and Pieces" magazine.

Issue dated December 2002.

This group of retirees from the Purchases & Supply were at the Dorval Legion one of the Tuesday’s monthly meetings during 2002.

From the left: Wally Hinds, Byran Campbell, Wally Haverstock, Frank Bomersback, Dusty Miller, Tom Bagg and Jack Ramage.

We have these three photos from Canadian Airlines Photo History.

 Farewell Boeing 727

When I happened upon the video below of an AmeriJet Boeing 727 landing in Miami at the Just Planes YouTube channel, I was reminded to review my article in NetLetter # 1339 from 2016.

In that article, I had attempted to track down the current status of Air Canada Fin # 412 (C-GAAL) which was then part of the AmeriJet fleet and registered as N395AJ.

Fin 412 was delivered to Air Canada in August 1975 and remained in the fleet until 1991 when it was one of two B-727’s leased to Air Transat by Citibank in the UK.

It was acquired by AmeriJet in 1994 and remained in their fleet until May of 2018 after almost 43 years of service.

Planespotters.net now shows that is stored at Sebring Regional Airport in Florida.

I have always thought the B-727 was a sleek and beautiful aircraft that had the air of a classic while it was still widely used for passenger service. A long career as a popular cargo aircraft followed to confirm its classic status.

The aircraft in the video is registration N199AJ which I tracked down at www.planelogger.com and shows has having been originally delivered to Nigeria Airways in 1977.

Larry Johns writes -

I enjoyed the article on the Shorts 360. I flew on that aircraft several times with Pacific Coastal visiting Campbell River and Comox in the early 2000’s. (I was working for a Security company that provided passenger screening services at those and a number of other BC airports).

The 360 was great for viewing the coastal areas with its large windows, and of course no hunching over to get to your seat! Low and slow, it always felt stable. Perfectly comfortable for those short rides.

Best regards,
Larry Johns

Larry Milberry sends this information -

Aviation in Canada - Fighter Pilots and Observers, 1915 – 1939.

By Larry Milberry and Hugh Halliday.

This beautifully produced large format book is the latest on Canadian subjects by two of the country’s most eminent and respected air historians. Its profusely illustrated pages trace the stories of some of the most successful and well-known air fighters to emerge from the First World War and shows the massive contribution Canadian airmen made to the Allied cause.

Names such as Billy Bishop and William Barker of the RFC, both holders of the VC, are covered alongside other luminaries including Raymond Collishaw and William Alexander of the renowned RNAS 'Black Flight'. More importantly, this book presents accounts of less well-known - but no less worthy - Canadians.

It also traces the post-war careers of the survivors. Many of these remained in aviation and provided the nucleus of the Royal Canadian Air Force, and of civil aviation and 'bush' fliers in the Canadian wilderness, the latter a fascinating and little known aspect of inter-war aviation. This volume will greatly appeal to Great War 'buffs' as well as the more general historian plus it's an excellent reference for modelers.

Reviewed by Andy Thomas. Publisher CANAV books. www.canavbooks.wordpress.com

ISBN: 978-0-921022-45-9 Hardback: 184 pages RRP $CDN 50.00.

Abandoned airport.

An embarrassing emblem of the Spanish Financial Crisis, Ciudad Real Central Airport opened in 2009 at a cost of $1.2 billion. Located far from Spain's tourist destinations, this is one airport that should never have seen the light of day.

(Source: MSN News February 16, 2019)

Here we have a copy of a letter sent to the CEO of Qantas by Alex Jacquot a 10 year old school boy-

Dear Mr Alex Joyce, CEO Qantas,

I'm Alex Jacquot, a 10 year old (please take me seriously) and I want to start an airline. I have already started some stuff like what type of planes I’ll need, flight numbers, catering and more. I'm the CEO of the airline, which by the way is called Oceania Express. I've also hired a CFO, a Head of IT, a Head of Maintenance, a Head of On-board Services and a Head of Legal. Along, with my friend Wolf (Vice CEO).

We are both co-founders. I wanted to write to you because I wanted to ask three things. I like working on my airline. Seeing as it is the school holidays, I have more time to work. But I don't have anything to do (that I can think of).

Do you have any ideas of what I can do? Seeing as you are the CEO of QANTAS I thought I would ask you.

Number two: Do you have any tips of starting an airline? I'd be very grateful to know what you have to say.

Number 3: I'm thinking about, as you are, about an A350 for Sydney/Melbourne to London flights, seeing as it is a 25 hour flight.

We are having lot of trouble thinking about sleep. Do you have any advice?

Hope to hear from you soon.
Signed Alex Jacqvol, CEO and co-founder of Oceania Express.

To read the full story and view both Alex's letter and Mr. Joyce's response:

Click Here for the Daily Mail from March 10, 2019

Click Here for CNN March 12, 2019

A fleet of electric aircraft could eventually be criss-crossing the Strait of Georgia, Canada.

Canada’s Harbour Air Seaplanes, the world’s first carbon-neutral airline, announced April 2, 2019 it plans to convert its fleet of more than 40 aircraft to electric propulsion to become the world’s first emissions-free passenger airline in a joint venture with MagniX, an electric aviation propulsion systems development company in Redmond, Washington

Greg McDougall, Harbour Air Seaplanes founder and CEO, said the first Harbour Air prototype electric floatplane will start making test flights in November.

“I’m certain we can get the first aircraft up, so that’s as confident as you can be, I guess,” McDougall said. “The reason I say that is that the technology to do it actually exists today and it’s basically a matter of retrofitting that technology to existing technology.”

The test bed for electric commercial flight will be a six-passenger DHC-2 de Havilland Beaver, a Canadian aircraft design flying since 1947.

McDougall said the prototype will operate as an experimental aircraft to prove the system and gain certification to carry passengers. He hopes to fly passengers aboard electric planes by 2022, albeit with possibly lighter loads to maximize aircraft range.

(Source: Nanaimo News Bulletin April 2, 2019)

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

Australia departure tax.

The Passenger Movement Charge (PMC) is a AUD 60 cost for the departure of a person from Australia for another country, whether or not the person returns to Australia. PMC is collected at the time a ticket is sold to a passenger and then forwarded by the carrier (airline carriers, shipping companies and air charter operators) to the Department.

(Source:abf.gov.au)

WDL: we're definitely lost

German operator WDL Aviation took a few British Airways passengers on a surprise visit to Edinburgh on 25 March — the surprise being that they had paid to fly to Dusseldorf.
The BAe 146, departing from London City airport, wound up in the Scottish capital after an administrative mix-up.

Some passengers were unaware of the error until after the aircraft landed, having apparently missed some of the clues, such as the complete absence of the North Sea. Of course, the whole episode has been lent a special irony by WDL's own slogan on its website, which confidently boasts: "We're going your way."

(Source: Flight magazine April 9 - 12, 2019)

Celebrity Solstice

7 Day Alaska Inside Passage
From $84 per day
Seattle, Ketchikan, Endicott Arm, Juneau, Skagway, Cruise Inside Passage, Victoria/Canada, Seattle
2 departure date: May 17 - 24, 2019
Prices From:
Inside $589 Ocean view $759 Balcony $829 Suite $2199

Celebrity Summit

10 Day Bermuda
From $60 per day
Bayonne/Cape Liberty, King's Wharf, Boston, Bar Harbor, Bayonne/Cape Liberty
1 departure date: May 26, 2019
Prices From:
Inside $598 Ocean view $749 Balcony $1149 Suite $2929*
Price May Vary By Date

Celebrity Edge (new ship)

10 Day Mediterranean
From $131 per day
Rome/Civitavecchia, Naples, Palma de Mallorca, Barcelona, Monte Carlo, Santa Margherita Ligure, La Spezia, Rome/Civitavecchia
1 departure date: Aug 30, 2019
Prices From:
Inside $1311 Ocean view $1836 Balcony $2211

Celebrity Eclipse

7 Day Alaska Inside Passage
From $142 per day
Vancouver, Cruise Inside Passage, Sitka, Hubbard Glacier, Juneau, Ketchikan, Cruise Inside Passage, Vancouver
2 departure date: Jul 7, 21, 2019
Prices From:
Inside $996 Ocean view $1379 Balcony $1379*
Price May Vary by Date

Memorable BNB accommodations.

Why settle for a bamboo hut when you could rent an entire bamboo palace? Spanning an incredible six stories, this remote property is both one-of-a-kind and completely luxurious.

(Source: MSN News.com)

CANADA-US – how the world was split up. (1945).

As a result of recently held conferences Canada and the United States have agreed on a two to one ratio of airlines operating with traffic between the two countries, Trans-Canada Air Lines will operate after the war seven routes into the United States and Alaska and American airlines operators will fly 14 routes into Canada. Currently the ratio is eight to one in favour of american airlines operators. On a trans-oceanic basis. Minister Howe reported a trans-Atlantic service, a trans-pacific service and a West Indian and Latin-American route.

The Atlantic route will be operated on a daily basis each way via Newfoundland from Montreal to London. This route now flown by Trans-Canada Air Lines thrice weekly each way in converted Lancaster bombers.

The trans-pacific route will be from Vancouver via Honolulu to Australia and New Zealand. The West Indian and Latin-American route from Montreal or Toronto will be several times weekly to Bermuda, and via Miami to the British West Indies and Central America, with terminus in Trinidad. All these routes will be operated by government owned TCA or its subsidiary companies.

Traffic between Canada and the United States is now using one route, Toronto to New York, three times daily each way. Minister Howe outlined six additional routes are to be operated by TCA, from Halifax to Boston; Toronto to Cleveland; Toronto to Chicago, with no stop at any Canadian point within 40 miles of Detroit; Port Arthur, Ont., to Duluth; Victoria to Seattle and Whitehorse, Yukon, to Fairbanks, Alaska.

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

This is the scene you may face at the baggage claims area, unless you only travel with carry-on.

Source : Jethros.org.uk

Alan's Space - Reader Condolences

We received several messages of condolences for Alan from our readers.

We thought that the best way to share these messages appropriately would be to post them within the final Alan's Space article that will be published in the NetLetter.

Alan's fondest wish was to leave his body of work to NetLetter readers and, we believe, that he would agree that his 'Space' should be turned over to our readers before ending.

We are in the process of archiving Alan's Space articles on the NetLetter website at www.thenetletter.net/article-archive-alan.

Please visit and enjoy! Thank you.

I was so sorry to hear of Alan Rust's passing it was kind of shocking to read. He was so dedicated working with the NetLetter and did a great job too.

He will be missed by all who worked with him and also the readers of the interested group on the Netletter.

Betty Draper

So sorry to read about the passing of your friend and collaborator Alan Rust.

Hopefully you will be able to keep up the publication of the NetLetter.

Thanks,

Aron P. Charad

Sad news to hear of Alan's passing, R.I.P. My condolences to his family.

And, my thanks for all his dedication, and contributions to the 'NetLetter'.

Jim Goltz

I never met Alan and prior to this input on losing him I knew nothing about his history.

As a lifetime member of the TCA/Air Canada family I very much enjoyed his part in keeping our history alive and with us. Not to take anything away from the NetLetter team and I hope they keep it going in Alan’s and Vesta’s memory, but I have always maintained that in order to move forward one must know from where they have come.

My primary resource was my father who was among the first pilot group hired when TCA began in 1937 before I was born and since losing him I have depended on the NetLetter to keep his and my story alive.

I too was basically a lifetime employee, starting in 1959 as a part time ramp rat in Dorval while finishing my education and beginning my flying career which moved to Air Canada in 1965 and ended as the airline’s most senior pilot in 2003. Many wonderful memories and people.

Thank you for all you do!

Captain (retired) Douglas Seagrim

I would please like to share this in the NetLetter. I met Alan 1999 where I had spent time in the Maintenance Department at Vancouver. Alan and I seemed to make a connection quickly where I learned a lot from him.

When the British Airways Concorde arrived in Vancouver and digital video cameras just arrived, Alan and I went on the roof of the Maintenance Hangar and did a video of the take off.

September 11, when a lot of different Airlines landed in Vancouver, I who spent a long time at Flight Operations suggested to Alan that he take the camera and we could get photos of the company tails, set up a contest for the Pilots naming the Airline Companies. Three prizes were offered.

Alan also showed me how to do aircraft turn around service checks on several aircraft types.

Please let me know if this fits into the NetLetter.

Thank you,

Peter Pihach

I am a Past Director of the Quebec District. I had reason to contact Alan a number of times a few years ago regarding Pionairs work on the internet.

He was always so very helpful and patient with me. I always felt that I knew Alan although I don’t recall that we ever met. I’m sure in working with him you became friends.

We’ve lost a great promoter of Pionairs and their activities, as well as a good friend. My deepest sympathies.

Sincerely,

Mae Wilson

So sorry to hear of Alan’s passing.

I had a lot more in common with Alan other than the Pionairs. Like him I joined the RCAF in 1953. My tests showed I was suited for Auto Mechanic or Airframe Technician.

Before I knew it, I was on my way to Camp Borden for airframe training. Joined TCA in 1956. I met Alan in line maintenance around 1974 and knew him while he was in Dorval. After he moved to YVR I lost track of him until I became president of the Pionairs in 2003.

I think it was the Spring of 2004 when we had a meeting in YVR. Gordon Woida was District Director of YVR and he made arrangements to meet at a Seafood Restaurant with the late Bill Rowe, the late Gord Dalziel and a fellow named Alan Rust (I didn’t recognize his name). We all came and parked our cars about the same time, and we saw this yellow VW bug come in with ‘Nerds On Site’ painted on it.

When Alan got out of the car and saw me, we both said at the same time "I know you”. The meeting was to set up communications for the Pionairs to get news out to our members when AC was in CCAA. The next time we met was at the AGM in Niagara Falls 2005. We arranged to have our ‘Meet & Greet’ evening in Planet Hollywood and we asked our members if they wished come dressed as movie stars etc. Well Alan and Mary Lou were part of 20 members who dressed as movie stars. I didn’t recognize Mary Lou the next day. We have been in contact ever since & I certainly will miss him.

Sincerely,

John Rodger

So sorry to hear of Alan's passing. We corresponded a bit over the last decade and he was always so helpful and enthusiastic. I will miss his missives!

Danielle Metcalfe-Chenail

We have enjoyed NetLetter long enough to have experienced two passings; Vesta and now Alan.

R.I.P. Alan. Maybe Alan and Vesta can open their own heavenly NetLetter for all the passed retirees.

Diane and David Bellamy, Elgin, Illinois

Alan composed the web site for our business at that time, mid 1995, it was our B&B called, 'It Feels Like Home', we ran it for a number of year in Kelowna, BC.

We use to advertise in Horizons. Alan did a marvelous job setting the Web site up, we were very pleased with his work helping us achieve a successful B&B. Many of our guests commented on the web page which Alan created as well. He did a brilliant job.

Lorraine and Ken Starnes, Kelowna, B.C.

Very sad to hear of Alan’s passing. My thoughts are with his family and friends. R.I.P.

Peter Sutherland

Good day,

As reader and follower of Alan’s writing supported by the great staff of ACFN NetLetter my condolences to Alan’s family.

The newsletter will surely miss him.

With esteem

Alan C. Evans, RSA

I am sorry to hear about Alan. God bless his soul. Sure we all will miss him.

Regards.

Najam Jafri

So sorry to hear the sad news of Alan passing.

Lyndon Davis

My deepest condolences to Alan’s family and everyone at the NetLetter.

I have enjoyed Alan’s great contributions over the past years, he will be sorely missed.

Eileen Crawford