We have welcomed 210 new subscribers so far in 2019.

We wish to thank everyone for your support of our efforts.

We always welcome feedback from our subscribers who wish to share their memories and photographs.

Particularly if you have stories to share from one of the legacy airlines: Canadian Airlines, CP Air, Pacific Western, Eastern Provincial, Wardair, Nordair and many more.

Please feel free to contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

42nd Inter-Airline Bowling Tournament. 

When:
July 27-29, 2020
(Monday - Wednesday)

Where:
The Orleans Hotel and Casino
4500 West Tropicana Ave
Las Vegas, NV 89103
(800) 675-3267

Entry Fees:
$28.00 per event per person
$8.00 for All-Events (optional) per person

All-Events will be comprised of 3 events:
Team, Singles, and the highest Double event bowled.

Full details available at airlinebowl.com

ACRA YYZ Christmas Craft Show

Sunday, December 1, 2019

The Okanagan Chardonnays chapter of the
Canadian Maple Wings Association (CMWA)
will be celebrating Christmas with our annual Christmas Luncheon.

When:
Friday, December 13, 2019, at 11:30 a.m.

Where:
Moxie's Bar & Grill in Kelowna

If any members plan on being in our area,
please know that you are more than welcome to attend.

Contact Gretchen Dawson at
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (236) 420-4279 in advance.

Robert Arnold, who volunteers at the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada, has sent in numerous articles relating to the Vickers Viscount and he was instrumental in helping to restore the Viscount displayed at the museum.

He recently sent the following complimentary message to Terry. We wish to thank Robert for his gracious comments.

Hi Terry.

It has always been a pleasure, and an honour, to have been able to supply you and your colleagues any aircraft info I might discover. Over the years, as you are well aware, the NetLetter has become a vital link between the past and the present for aviation history in this country. I appreciate and also thank you and your colleagues for all the effort that has been put into each issue. You and your group have done an amazing job. I will continue to supply anything new that I might come across or receive into my collection.

Robert W. Arnold
Canadian Researcher
VickersViscount.net

Shirlee Schacter shares this information -

The Annual Golf Tournament of the Central Ontario Pionairs was held on Monday, August 19, 2019, at the Royal Ontario Golf Club. Twelve (12) Teams made up of 48 golfers played a challenging yet fun-filled format of modified four person scramble.

The golfers enjoyed the “made-to-order” weather amidst rolling countryside scenery and a refreshing breeze. The day’s activity was followed by a special “Lions Roar” buffet of carved roast strip-loin with all the trimmings!

After dinner, Valdy Prieditis, the Tournament Director presented trophies and prizes to the major winners. All golfers received a prize as there was a wide variety of booty to choose from. The evening climaxed with special “cash” draws for some lucky ticket holders.

Here are some photos -

Applications are now open for the Judy Cameron scholarship.

Named in honour of our first female pilot, aims to help women pursuing careers in aviation.

Find out more at:aircanada.mediaroom.com

To apply visit: careers.aircanada.com

It seems the whole aviation world is trying to get more women in the cockpit but a Russian airline pilot’s contribution has gotten him in hot water.

Russian authorities are investigating after video emerged of a non-pilot female passenger taking the controls of an An-24, possibly on a two-hour scheduled flight from Yakutsk to Batagai at the invitation of the Captain.

(Source: avweb.com -  November 3, 2019)

Star Wars Liveries Rising to the Skies Soon

ANA and United will debut new liveries in anticipation of the latest film in the Star Wars franchise.

(Aviation Week, October 31, 2019)

Continuing the Time Travel: 75 Years in Events.
Started in NetLetter #1419.

1949 - Women learn to travel light.

Miss Gwen Robyns, a British journalist, finishes the last leg of a 45,866 - kilometre tour around the globe on a TCA North Star in May 1949.

The flight is to prove that women can travel the world "fantastically easily," even with the 66-pound baggage allocation.

Her luggage includes 12 cotton and wool dresses, two suits, a coat and a one-ounce cashmere sweater. Her lightweight shoes are made by the Queen's shoemaker.

Breakfast on the fly.

In May 1949, 30,000 Grade A eggs and 2,500 pounds of bacon are sent by James A. Ogilvy to friends and relatives in the U.K., just in time for Easter breakfast.

They are flown by TCA’s Aircargo service, aboard a North Star.

(Source:http://moments.aircanada.com/timeline)

(More next NetLetter - eds)

An old timer comes home.

Grant Corriveau, a First Officer based at Dorval, happened to be visiting the Canadian Museum of Flight in Surrey, BC, during 1987, when a new addition to its collection arrived.

The new arrival was CF-TCY, a Lockheed 14 which was once a member of the company's fleet. Here is a photo as it was in Winnipeg 1929. 

He writes: "It is now sporting a camouflage paint job and is aptly nicknamed 'Ole Boomerang'.

Apparently Air Canada contributed to the cost of moving what's left of TCY from somewhere in Chicago to the museum's site. Funds are now needed to pay for a restoration project to put the aircraft into 'Show' condition. The museum is hoping to get some help from the employees of Air Canada.

Here is a photo at it is after restoration.

His interest aroused, Grant did a little research on the Lockheed 14 and found the following quotation in Larry Milberry's book "Aviation in Canada" (McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 1979 page 55)

By the end of 1938 TCA's fleet had grown to include five 10-passenger Lockheed Electra’s and 10 larger Lockheed 14's. With a cruise speed of 207 mph, the L-14 was the world's fastest airliner. Bringing this modern equipment into service was a real challenge.

In the case of the L-14, TCA pilots had a tricky airplane to master. This has been described by Z. L. Leigh who took delivery of the first one for TCA: "We spent two days in Reno trying to fly the aircraft. The test pilots weren't too good at checking us out, and we found that this machine was one which had to be landed on its main wheels with its tail near the flying position, otherwise it became very troublesome".

At that time, in general, we landed most of our aircraft, including our Lockheed 10A's in a three point position, that is with the main wheels and the tail wheel touching the ground approximately together. Initially the new procedure of a "wheel landing" was awkward for us.

"In my own case I bounced my aircraft badly around the Reno field, sometimes almost digging wing tips into the ground. Slim Lewis was having exactly the same trouble.

In addition, the test pilots would not take us up and check us out in stalling the aircraft because they said that they had tried it once or twice and that was enough.

They told us that it was so violent in a stall that it flipped right over on its back. It was apparent that we were going to have to find out how to land the thing properly, and to stall it at altitude all by ourselves." Sometime later, back in Winnipeg, Leigh and Lewis accepted the fact that they were going to have to confront the L-14 in a stall. They had by this time learned to make smooth landings. One day the two pilots took one of their aircraft up.

Leigh recalls that, "At about 12 or 13 thousand feet Slim tapped me on the shoulder and stuck his right hand out. We shook hands quietly, then Slim started to pull the nose up and throttle gently back. The aircraft felt very smooth, no shudders, she flipped halfway over violently. Loose things flew around a bit but Slim shoved the nose down and she straightened out.

It was a pretty rough stall but not so bad as we had been led to believe. He did a couple more and then we changed seats and I did about three of them. We were as pleased as two small boys. We could now get on with our job of teaching the others with confidence." In time the peculiarities of the L-14 were understood fully and TCA pilots were flying their new aircraft with skill and assurance.

Source for text and photos: Horizons issue dated December 1987 (Click icon to view).

Although the article is as it appears in the source issue of Horizons, it does not seem to be historically accurate.

Ken Pickford advises:

The submitter of that item has mis-identified the aircraft as a Lockheed 14. CF-TCY in the photo that went to the museum is very definitely a Lockheed 18 (Lodestar) not a Lockheed 14 (Super Electra).

TCA had both. References in the earlier NetLetters mentioned at the end correctly refer to it as L-18. The L-18 was based on the L-14 but was about 6 feet longer, permitting 2 more rows of seats, and had changes to the wing and tail. It's easy to confuse them in photos. Windows on L-18 are more widely spaced than on L-14.

The year 1929 year at the end is obviously wrong; 1939 would probably have been correct if it was an L-14, but it's wrong for the aircraft being discussed since the L-18 wasn't certified and didn't go into airline service until 1940. Note the date on the photo itself reads 1939 which is also wrong since it's an L-18. If you can find a source indicating when CF-TCY was delivered you could amend it, but it's definitely not before 1940.

(Terry Baker did some research and found that CF-TCY was delivered February 14, 1941 and modified January 12, 1943, as per the Air Canada Pocket Guide.

Since the aircraft is a Lockheed 18, reference to the submitter's research on the Lockheed 14, while interesting, isn't relevant to CF-TCY.

The lengthy book excerpt regarding the handling issues on the early TCA L-14 (pictured at left) flights also isn't very relevant.

However, it is interesting so perhaps leave it in provided the text makes it clear that it's referring to the earlier L-14 Super Electra, not the L-18 Lodestar.

(Additional reference at canadianflight.org/content/lockheed-lodestar)

Previously, information on CF-TCY was in NetLetters # 996 November 10, 2007, NL  #1004 January 5, 2008 and NL #1026 June 23, 2008.

Do any of our readers have comments to add?

Extracted from the "Horizons" magazine.

Issue dated February 1988.

Sunshine travels north.

The Barbados office sponsored a group of fellow employees in the 1988 Toronto Marathon.

The "Air Canada Barbados Sunshine Team" was made up of two women and three men. All of them completed the 26-mile, 385-yard course with good times, although all agreed that after running in the warm Barbados sunshine. Toronto's near-zero temperatures slowed their times somewhat.

Nevertheless, the team, which included three first-time marathoners, were very pleased with the results and expressed much appreciation to Air Canada for its support.

Now that they have recovered from their sore, stiff muscles, the members of the "Air Canada Barbados Sunshine Team" are back in training and hope to compete in another running event before too long.

In the photo: John Buchanan, Manager, Barbados, left, presents tickets to the team prior to their departure for Toronto.

From the left are: David Edwards. Wendy Webster, Solomon Ali. David Neblett, Jill Sanguinette and Omar Rahaman. 

NL #1425 included excerpts from AC Horizons magazine of November 1987. 

The stories refer to the plans of Canadian Airlines and Wardair for fleet renewal & expansion at the time.

Ken Pickford clarifies the actual events that took place after those articles were published:

"Canadian never acquired 747 Combi's. Their four 747-400's were all-passenger aircraft."

"The Wardair acquisition of smaller aircraft mentioned in the next item also never happened. Wardair ordered 12 MD-80's and 12 Fokker 100's but Canadian Airlines acquired Wardair in the meantime and the orders for those aircraft were cancelled."

• April 1, 1969 - Canadian Pacific Air Lines changed their name used for marketing purposes to CP Air.
• April 27, 1969 - Introduction of non-stop service between Vancouver and Toronto.
• June 20, 1969 - Inauguration of non-stop service between Calgary and Toronto.

January 31, 1969 - A major revision of air services in B.C. involving CP Air, Pacific Western Airlines and B.C. Air Lines was announced by the Canadian Transport Commission.

The new arrangement, based on proposals developed by the CTC's Air Transport Committee and the carriers at an Ottawa conference in November, 1968, is designed to provide increased service patterns on mainline, regional and local routes.

Under it, CP Air relinquished several of its B.C. routes. It is planned that the transfers will take place on April 27, 1969 when airlines switch from winter to summer schedules.

CP Air withdrew from two local services to concentrate on longer haul routes. PWA took over the Southern B.C. run with permission to link Vancouver, Penticton, Kelowna, Vernon, Cranbrook and Calgary. CP Air withdrew from Kamloops as well. PWA has operated a Vancouver-Kamloops-Calgary service for the past few months. Flights between Vancouver and Calgary by PWA had to include at least one intermediate stop.

CP Air also ended operations to Sandspit, but maintained exclusive non-stop services out of Vancouver to Prince George, Terrace and Prince Rupert, as well as the other services north into the Yukon.

PWA was authorized to extend its present coastal services (Vancouver, Powell River, Campbell River, Port Hardy) to Sandspit, Prince Rupert and Prince George. There was a ban, however, on non-stop PWA flights between Vancouver, Prince George or Prince Rupert.

B.C. Air Lines acquired CP Air's local run in Central B.C. and introduced a route pattern north from Kamloops to Williams Lake, Quesnel, Prince George, Smithers, Burns Lake, Terrace and Prince Rupert. It also was authorized to set up local services on the southern run, including Kamloops, Cranbrook, Castlegar, Kelowna, Vernon, Penticton and Vancouver.

In both instances, however, B.C. Air Lines was restricted as to the non-stop flights allowable between certain specified points. In a letter to the three airlines confirming the new arrangement, the ATC said it expects the carriers to cooperate fully in arranging schedules that will allow convenient passenger connections at points where the various services meet.

The Committee also suggested that any new passenger fares or freight rates required should be in line with those now in effect on existing routes.

(Source: Canadian Pacific Airlines newsletter February 1969)

Found in the “Info Canadi>n" magazine. Issue dated September 1988.

Aircraft mechanic Daniel Michel, Crew 3, Ramp Maintenance Vancouver, (note the Canadian cap under his parka) at the 17,500-foot level of Mt. McKinley, it was the last camp before reaching the summit on the 18th day of his climb. In the background Mt. Foraker is visible.

Reaching the peak brought on a feeling of achievement and satisfaction, he said. 

(Alaska's 20,310 ft./ 6,144m Mount McKinley, highest mountain in North America, was officially renamed Denali in 2015.)

A memory by Anthony Hickey.

Probably the most colourful PWA B-737 ever! It was leased from Aer Lingus winter 79/80 as C-GTAR.

Transair Winnipeg previously leased it as CF-TAR. It flew with Aer Lingus as El-ASH. They leased it out over the years to Frontier, Air Florida, Southwest, TAN Honduras, Aerolineas Argentinas to name a few. PWA crews affectionately named it Kermit the Frog after the Sesame Street character.

I got lucky and flew on it from Edmonton Municipal (YXD) to Calgary (YYC) in February 1980. Cabin crew were surprised that I knew so much about the aircraft and its history at the time. It always looked special over downtown Calgary on the descent to Runway 34. Thank you Kermit. 

(Reprinted from: pwareunion.com)

YouTube channel 'Dj's Aviation' has posted a video update on Airbus orders and roll-outs that begins with a clip of Air Canada Fin # 101 (C-GROV) A220 scheduled to be the first of this fleet delivered to Air Canada.

Prairie Flying Service.

In the late 1940's, Regina was in need of an aircraft repair and charter facility. John Howe and Patty Watson filled that need with Prairie Flying Service in 1948. The primary objectives of the early company were focused around providing aircraft charter service to Regina and to providing a high level of aircraft repair services.

Over the years, Prairie Flying Service changed their focus to supplying aircraft parts and components, along with aircraft maintenance and repair services.

Our mission statement is simple. "We will supply the best service possible to our customers". Whether it involves the repair of our customer's aircraft or supplying the industry with the parts necessary to keep them going, we will do our absolute best to ensure that they are happy.

We intend to continue our growth over the upcoming years by simply continuing to supply our customers with competitive pricing, extensive inventory availability and service they can count on.

(Reprinted from: prairieflying.com/about-us)

Boeing 747 extended life

A video on the Just Planes YouTube channel showing the final EL AL Boeing 747 flight caught my attention.

EL AL is the latest airline to retire its B-747 fleet after nearly 50 years of service. The aircraft that so revolutionized the airline industry seems to have been made redundant by the state of the current industry. They made air travel exciting and attractive as the public was awed by these massive flying machines; a ride on a B-747 was quite an event.

Air travel is now common and expected by the current generation of both business and leisure travellers. The market now requires smaller short range (regional jets) aircraft that are “Air Taxis” and move people quickly to their destinations. Wide-body fleets need to be fuel efficient to be profitable but the ‘high density’ configurations employed by several airlines make long haul flights anything but luxurious.

The Airbus A380 has been a disappointment and Airbus will cease production in 2021 and are not planning to redesign the aircraft as a freighter. (See video link below).

However, the Boeing B-747-8 seems to be primed for a niche market in the air cargo and ‘specialized’ aircraft market. Its Wikipedia page currently shows 154 ordered and delivered in 2019 (47 B747-8 Intercontinental passenger aircraft & 107 Freighters).

Two Boeing VC-25B models are currently being prepared to replace the Air Force One fleet; it is hard to imagine any other aircraft model being used for these iconic aircraft.

Air cargo continues to be a growing industry and, with no clear competitor, the B-747-8F should continue to be extremely useful for many years to come.

Why was the Airbus A380 a Failure? 

Click the YouTube icon for a very informative explanation and insight into the current airline passenger market.

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

Continuation of the Travellers tales by Aureen and Jack Morath, UK Pionairs Social Secretary, from NetLetter #1425 -

We arrived in Hiroshima at 12.00 the next day with a free shuttle into the city, and with our new Australian friends we took a tram to the Peace Memorial Park. Hiroshima is best remembered as the first city targeted by a nuclear weapon at the end of the Second World War. Most of the city was destroyed, but the remains of one building still stands in the park as a reminder of the event. We took a boat ride along the canal which runs through the Park and then a tram ride back to our shuttle bus point to go to our ship.

Kochi was next on our cruise and is on the island of Shikoku. We explored parts of the city on foot before returning to the ship. Our next stop was Osaka and we spent a full day with our Australian friends taking a local train to Nara to see a temple which was one of the oldest wooden buildings in the world. And then on to Osaka to get the famous Bullet Train which was quite an experience. Delays are timed by seconds not minutes. The ride was extremely smooth and so well organized with specific parts of the platform open to coincide with the doors on the train. Along the way we also had a view of Mount Fuji from the train.

Our last stop on the cruise was Shimizu which was only a short stop so didn't take long to explore. Back on the ship our bags had to be left outside our cabin door by midnight so that they could be off-loaded on our arrival back in Yokohama early the next morning. It was a most memorable cruise although we didn't see much of the blossoms as it only happens for about two weeks and it came early before we arrived. In fact there was more blossom in Camberley than we saw in Japan!

Here are a few statistics of the cruise:

• Officers and crew totaled 616, under Captain Christopher Michael Turner.
• Nationalities of the crew was 32.
• Miles sailed on the cruise was 2,771 and fuel used was 186,150 gallons.
• 17,219 eggs were consumed.
• The 14-day cruise visited Japan, China, and South Korea.

(Source: UK Pionairs newsletter #311)

7 Night Caribbean - Celebrity Cruises - Celebrity Edge - December 15, 2019.
Fort Lauderdale; At Sea; San Juan; Tortola; Philipsburg; At Sea; At Sea; Fort Lauderdale; $50 OBC Booking Bonus! From: Inside: $571 Balcony:$616

15 Night Trans Atlantic - Celebrity Cruises - Celebrity Edge - Apr 19, 2020.
Fort Lauderdale; At Sea; At Sea; At Sea; At Sea; At Sea; At Sea; At Sea; Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canary Islands); At Sea; At Sea; Palma (Majorca); Barcelona; Toulon; La Spezia (Florence/Pisa); Civitavecchia (Rome); From: Inside: $1507 Oceanview: $1721 Balcony: $1786.

Cruises: Rates are quoted in U.S. dollars per person (based on double occupancy). PORT CHARGES ARE INCLUDED. Taxes & fees are not included. Fuel supplement may be applicable. All rates are subject to change, availability and eligibility. All offers apply to new bookings only, are capacity controlled and may be withdrawn without notice. For more information on these & other

Dargal Interline specials:
Call Toll Free: 1-800-690-3223 www.dargal.com
International Toll Free: (country code)-800-2832-7425
Suite 200-1632 Dickson Ave Kelowna BC V1Y 7T2

Oceania Regatta
14 Day Australia/New Zealand
From $125 per day
Auckland, Tauranga, Gisborne, Napier, Wellington/New Zealand, Akaroa Harbour, Dunedin, Milford Sound, Cruising the Tasman Sea, Burnie, Melbourne, Eden, Sydney/Australia. 1 departure

Date: January 20, 2020
Prices From: Inside $1750 Ocean view $1890 Balcony $2100.

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From $125 per day
Cape Town, Cruising Atlantic Ocean, Walvis Bay, Cruising Atlantic Ocean, Cape of Good Hope, Port Elizabeth/South Africa, East London, Durban, Richards Bay, Maputo, Cruising the Indian Ocean, Cape of Good Hope, Cape Town

2 departure date: January 6 and 20, 2020
Prices From: Inside $1750 Ocean view $1890 Balcony $2100 Suite $3150.

All prices US$ Call Us: (800)920-5411 (Gordon Froese ext 1) www.InterlineAllstars.com

Interline Allstar Consultants Inc | Interline Allstars, 1724 Lake Vista Rd, Kelowna, British Columbia V1Z 4E1 Canada

Flying in the north, we had just landed at Resolute Bay (CYRB), a bustling arctic metropolis with a last reported population of 198 people and a 6500‑foot gravel runway that’s surprisingly manned 24/7.

Before turning off the radios, we heard the following exchange on the common frequency:

United: “Resolute Bay radio, this is United 1234. Hey, we were just passing overhead and happened to notice the runway down there in the middle of nowhere. Just wondering what y’all use that airport for?”

In the pregnant pause that built before the radio attendant gave a more helpful answer came the deadpan Canadian response from an anonymous radio: “Airplanes.”

While chuckles were shared all around, United didn’t attempt a retort!

Jim Freeman, Greenwood, Nova Scotia

(Reprinted from: avweb.com - October 16, 2019)

Airline abbreviations.

• AA (American Airlines) – Always Awful
• ALITALIA – Always Late In Takeoff Always Late In Arrival. - Air Line In Tokyo And Luggage In Amsterdam.
• BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corp.) – Better On A Camel. - Bloody Old And Careless. - Better On Air Canada - Bring Over American Cash.