The NetLetter Team would like to take this opportunity to thank our subscribers for allowing us to send you our publication.

We wish all of you a happy and safe holiday season and fond memories of dear friends and colleagues we have had the pleasure of knowing during our careers in aviation.

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.

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To raise funds it was decided to produce and sell a cook book of favourite recipes.

Cook Book # 1 was printed and ready to sell following our big "Flight Crew Reunion" celebrating our 6th Anniversary and Air Canada's 50th Anniversary, in April 1986, and I had stepped down as Founder and President of 2 year terms (3 years each term).

The 'stewardess' by M. Donahue was illustrated in her blue uniform that saw the longest service (11 years) 1954-1965, with the 'wedge' cap. They sold out in fast order, needless to say.

Here is the cover page "Down to earth cooking" for the first cookbook printed and ready for sale in 1987 (project fund raiser for the Mississauga Chapter (Ontario).

Each cook book has a cartoon at the beginning of each section.

'Great Beginnings' is the first cartoon. 

Frequent NetLetter contributor, John Rodger, would like to pass along what has been keeping him busy in retirement. 

Retiring in 1992, I joined the AC Pionairs. After going through the ranks I finally ended up as National President in 2003 and am still involved with the Quebec District committee today.

I also got back to my roots. Born and raised on a dairy farm in Lachute, Quebec, our father showed cattle at many fairs around home and at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto.

Myself and Doug MacKenzie would take time off work (our vacation) to go up to the Royal to help show the cattle. I stopped after 1964, got married and started a family. When I retired we moved to Mississauga in 1992 as my wife’s company moved her to the head office.

My father had passed away before we moved and I decided to put a trophy in the Royal Ayrshire Show in his memory. I went to the Royal office (on the CNE grounds) to put the trophy in the show. I knew the manger at that time and he asked what I was doing in 'TO'.

I said I was retired and living in Mississauga. Before I knew it I had the job of looking after all the trophies at the Royal which is over 200 trophies in the Horse Show and the Agriculture Shows. I still kept the job after we moved back to Montreal in 1996. I thought it was time to give it up in 2006 but that didn’t work out until this year. It has been a great run to do something you love to do and I will miss it for sure.

During that time I had a few helpers who happened to be Pionairs as well. Bernie Danis, the late John Brodure, his brothers-in-law Terry & the late Ron Houston. Also had visits from several members, the late Captain Alf Ross, Ed Storie, the late Gord Dalziel, Ken Walker, Ted Page and the late John McKee.

There were three drivers that had the job to pick up judges and staff at the airport or hotels who were also Air Canada employees & Pionairs.

Attached is an article about me in the The Royal Horse Show Magazine, November 2006.

Below are images of our trophy presentation this year and Ken Walker and myself in the trophy room.

David Lamb shares story -

Thank you for the interesting history of the Lockheed Lodestar in NetLetter #1426. There is a Lodestar vignette I heard in the 1960's that I think deserves repeating.

The story goes this way and I can only vouch for the first couple of sentences as being true. The Lockheed Lodestar was a fine airplane and it was notoriously faster than the DC-3. Having flown the DC-3 with the Air Force for a number of years there were two occasions where we were passed by a Lodestar. On one occasion we were over Lake Superior on a clear summer day at 8,000 feet westbound when underneath us we saw a Lodestar also westbound at 6,000 feet. Being slightly faster than the Dakota, he slid by and it was a pretty sight. I was flying with an older Flight Lieutenant at the time and he proceeded to expound on the Lodestar.

He said the Lodestar should be about the same speed as the DC-3 but the operators seemed to fly them faster. It is a slightly smaller aircraft with a similar engine and it is speculated they operated at higher power settings. The Lodestar also had an operating limitation where it had a much slower turbulence penetration speed. If it got bumpy they would pull the power back and if necessary lower the landing gear to slow down. It was like slamming on the brakes to get the speed back.

On one trip with a load of passengers a gentlemen passenger had need to use the rather limited toilet facility in the rear of the airplane. He walked up the slope in the tail and opened the small door. It was certainly cramped and he was forced to back in and close the door. With his trousers around his ankles he was about to sit down when they encountered some real turbulence.

The pilots retarded the throttles and lowered the landing gear. Everyone heaved forward in their seats and sure enough, out of the toilet came a shocked, bare bottomed gentleman running forward down the hill with baby steps inside his lowered trousers. He continued down the aisle right to the cockpit where he fell forward with his rear in the air. He was, needless to say, embarrassed in more than one way, or so the story goes.

Warmest regards,

David Lamb

Robert Arnold is one of the Canadian researchers for the Vickers Viscount Network and has sent us this information for the Viscount enthusiast -

I received (these) recently into my collection, courtesy my good friend and colleague, Keith Olson. There are times when you figure you have seen or heard of all the Viscount items that might be out there, and then, without warning, more items appear.

In this case the items include; a Viscount Captain's Chair, two Viscount Cabin windows, one emergency exit window, along with a pair of Viscount control wheels.

As you can see in the photo, the control wheels were in rough shape, mostly from day to day use while the aircraft they were attached to was in service.

Over the past week I was able to refurbish the First Officer's control wheel to better condition. The Pilot's control wheel will take a fair bit more of an effort to refurbish as it will need some work to bring it back to better shape.

While going through the refurbishing process, I noted the Auto-Pilot disengage buttons were in different locations. The Pilot's disengage button was located on the left control grip, while the First Officer's disengage button was located on the right control grip. With knowing the location of these buttons, I was able to determine I had a proper set of left and right wheels.

The metal framework on the Captain's chair I discovered was still in very good shape, other than some normal wear and tear. The fabric was also in very good shape for its age. While sitting in it for a moment, I found it still rather comfortable. Basically all the chair will need is a good hoovering along with some cleaning and painting of the metal parts. Unfortunately there was no slider-base included (which is a rare find at best). The slider base I already use at home as part of my Vanguard chair, is actually a slider base from a Viscount.

The Viscount windows, other than being well coated with a thick film of barn dust, are also in very good shape with no cracks or apparent crazing. They too will need a good cleaning.

On a side note, during a recent visit from Al Catteral this past summer, I was inspired to refurbish a nose wheel I already had in my collection. As you can see in the photo it turned out rather well. Note the piece of Viscount carpet under the refurbished wheel.

I hope your readers enjoy the material I have included, and maybe this will trigger a few memories of a time gone by on the Viscount.

Robert W. Arnold,
Vickers Viscount Network, Canadian Researcher,
Winnipeg, Manitoba

The Website: vickersviscount.net

Send all Enquiries to:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Home grown, Air Canada and the A220.

“This aircraft is a game changer for Air Canada. There is simply no rival in its category”, Mark Galardo, vice president of network planning with Air Canada.

Full story at www.wingsmagazine.com/home-grown

More info on the first A220, registration C-GROV, is available at the Airbus Family website: aibfamily.flights/A220/55067

Click the YouTube icon to view a video of its first flight posted by aviation enthusiast, Mark Brandon.

Check out his YouTube channel for several excellent videos.

1988, October 31 - Inauguration of service between Toronto - Mirabel - Lisbon - Madrid with B-767 equipment.
December 31 - Operations between Canada and Santo Domingo ceased.

2019,  October 1 - Daily non-stop service resumed between Toronto and Delhi, India

The 10th annual Air Canada Employees (A.C.E.) fly-in was held on Saturday June 11, 1988 at the Burlington Air Park.

In October 1987, Air Canada acquired 90% of the shares of NWT Air

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

1950 -Red River flood relief.

TCA flies 40 special round-trip flights between Winnipeg and Eastern Canada from May 8 to 13, 1950, to help out during a five-day emergency flood relief.

The airline carries 500,000 pounds of non-perishable foods and other necessities to 2,500 people evacuated when the Red River overflowed.

Mystery flights promote travel.

In August 1950, a Chicago travel agency organizes the Masked Mystery Flights, and TCA gets on board by shepherding 17 blindfolded men and women, who have no idea where they’ll land, to Montreal for a weekend in the Laurentians. 

Rail strike gets people flying.

From August 22 to 31, 1950, a national railway strike helps TCA introduce thousands of people to air travel. Thirty new routes are added in the 1950's, including Paris, Brussels, Vienna, Zurich, Tampa and Antigua.

Over the same period, Canadian Pacific Air Lines inaugurates service to Lima, Buenos Aires and Santiago.

This photo is of CF-TFO at Orly, Paris.

(Source: moments.aircanada.com/timeline)

Issue dated March 1988.

In 1988 Northwest Territorial Airways changed its name to NWT Air and added a new destination, Inuvik, to its network.

The Yellowknife-based carrier, has had an operating and marketing relationship with Air Canada since 1981.

Effective March 27, 1988 NWT Air joined AirBC, Air Ontario, Air Nova, Air Alliance and Commuter Express as a fully fledged Connector carrier.

Effective April 3, 1988 Air Canada suspended its flight between Thunder Bay and Winnipeg.

The format of the timetable was changed to a booklet style in 1987. Here we have the issue for April 3, 1988 with a photo of Toronto-based Flight Attendant Gigi Rassow Miles.

Down under with the president.

While Chairman Claude Taylor and his wife Fran were on a visit "down under" in Sydney, he was presented with a genuine Crocodile Dundee Akubra hat by our local staff and representatives.

Seen here in the front row from left to right: Paul Sheridan, Director, Cargo Sales; Rodney Walshe, Managing Director. The Walshe Group, (our G.S.A.); Chuck Wilson, Manager, South Pacific with his wife Sue and Barry Brown, Sales Manager, Australia.

At the back from left to right are: Paul Wiseman, Sales Manager, Queensland; Monica Serfozo, Sales Representative, Sydney; Fran and Claude Taylor; Joanne McLean, Sales Agent, Sydney and Jacqui Dodd, Reservations Agent, Sydney.

Issue dated April 1988.

During the President Pierre Jeanniot's visit out east, he visited Moncton and Saint John. Here are some photos taken during his visit.

ACRA still lives!

In March 1988 the Air Canada Recreation Association (ACRA) Presidents and System Events Chairmen held their third joint meeting with ACRA System Events Chairmen in Montreal.

The three-day event included an official welcome for the two newest ACRA's, New York and Bombay.

Mario deSouza (from Bombay) and Robi Adaskes (from New York) received their accreditation from President Pierre Jeanniot during a special luncheon which he hosted for the group. During their meeting, the 23 presidents and 12 chairmen reviewed 1987 activities.

In this photo they are, seated, from left to right:

Linda Kellins, Robi Adaskes, Brenda McCasin, President Pierre Jeanniot, Yolande Bourque, Emy Maura and Diana Duval.

Seen standing, are: Neil Stephenson, Evan Quick, Noel Ebden, Louis Bariault, Ron Charbonneau, Mario deSouza, Naish Batten, Garth McAdoo, Peter Lay, Bill Kent, Gord Graham, Michael McHenry, Duncan Butchart, Mel Bartlett, Ken Mackenzie, Sheila Snow-Cline, Bill Saunders, Ron Carradine, Wolfi Peise, Jim Miller, Barry Drinkle, Eric Franco, Rob Corbin and Kim Humber.

Some participants are missing from the photo.

Issue dated August 1988.

On Wednesday, July 20, 1988 an order for 34 Airbus A320 aircraft and parts for a total of $1.8 billion CDN. As well, an option for 20 additional A320's was taken which could be converted to 'stretched' versions.

LAX staff move into their new home.

Phase one of the extensive renovation of terminal two at Los Angeles International Airport is now complete and customer service staff have settled into the spacious new facility. The photo shows a group of employees in their new home.

C.P.A. Pacific Route.

Air services are to be started across the Pacific Ocean from Canada to Asia and Australia by Canadian Pacific Air Lines, a subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railways.

Two routes will be operated, one from Vancouver to Sydney through Honolulu, Canton Island and Fiji with a connecting service from Fiji to New Zealand; and the other route from Vancouver to Hong Kong through the Aleutian Islands, Kodiak and Shemya, Tokyo and Shanghai. The services will be operated with four Canadair Four aircraft as soon as the equipment is ready.

On September 19, 1949 Canadian Pacific Air Lines started a weekly direct service with Canadairs between Canada and the Far East. The route was from Vancouver over the Aleutian Islands to Tokyo and Hong Kong.

Canadian Pacific Air Lines inaugurated a 28-seater Dakota (DC-3) service from Montreal to the North-Western Quebec mining communities at Val d'Or and Rouyn-Noranda.

The aircraft in use was said to be the first airliner to be fitted with cross-wind landing gear. Previously a Canso amphibian was used, but the construction of 3,500 ft runways at the two airfields has made the new Dakota (DC-3) service possible.

While likely "on course' at CP&W in May 1930, Doug Burt organized this photo of Canadian Transcontinental Airways Fairchild 71 CF-ACY at nearby St. Hubert airport.

"ACY" was one of the latest in air transports plying the Quebec and Ontario airways then being established. It later served Canadian Airways and Quebec Airways, then 'faded away' sometime during 1939.

Ken Molson's book "Pioneering in Canadian Air Transport" is the best source for the history of this era. You would love this wonderful book. I see today that several copies are available cheaply at AbeBooks.com. 

(Source: via Larry Milberry/CANAV Books)

Cominco purchased D.H. 89 Rapide CF-BBH from DHC in January 1938. It was sold to Canadian Airways in May 1939.

Later with CPA, it gave good service in Quebec. "BBH" crashed on takeoff at Pentecost on the Quebec North Shore on March 19, 1947.

(Source: via Larry Milberry/CANAV Books)

Harbour Air Seaplanes launched the “world’s first electric commercial aircraft” test flight on Tuesday, December 10, 2019.

Retrofitted with a 750 horsepower all-electric Magni 500 propulsion system, the six-passenger DHC-2 Havilland Beaver had a successful test flight at the Harbour Air Seaplane terminal in Richmond, B.C.

The record-breaking flight is the world’s first ever all-electric commercial aircraft lift off.

Australian airline Qantas completed the second of three ultra-long-haul research flights on Friday November 15, 2019, flying 17,800 kilometers (about 9600 NM) from London, England, to Sydney, Australia.

The lightly loaded Boeing 787-9 touched down at Sydney International Airport at 12:28 p.m. local time after 19 hours and 19 minutes in the air. The flight took place as part of the airline’s Project Sunrise, a program designed to open regular, nonstop commercial routes from the east coast of Australia to ultra-long-haul destinations including London and New York.

(Source: avweb.com - November 18, 2019)

Air Mikisew 

The airline was established as Contact Airways in 1960 with a Class 4C operating license, based in Fort McMurray.

It was sold in the 1960s and later became wholly owned by the Mikisew Cree First Nation in 1995. It had 63 employees as of March 2007. It was awarded the Fort McMurray Business of the Year award in 2005. The airline was grounded in 2010 and permanently closed by 2011.

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

Pacific Coastal Airlines is a Canadian airline that operates scheduled, charter and cargo services to destinations in British Columbia.

Its head office is located in the South Terminal of Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, British Columbia. Its main base is Vancouver with a hub at Port Hardy Airport.

Pacific Coastal Airlines provides regular scheduled, charter, and cargo services to 16 airports with connections to 50+ destinations in British Columbia, more than any other airline. We are the sixth largest airline operating at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) based on total outbound seats, and third largest based on take offs and landings.

Pacific Coastal Airlines also operates several routes in Alberta and B.C. for WestJet under contract using the "WestJet Link" brand, as described here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WestJet_Link

(Source: www.pacificcoastal.com)

Downed Boeing 737 - Bali, Indonesia.

Somewhere along the Bulkit Peninsula at the southern tip of the Indonesian island of Bali, not far from popular Pandawa Beach, a bizarre mystery lingers.

This rusting Boeing 737 has become a tourist attraction in its own right. As far as plane wrecks go, this one is in relatively good condition, but people know close to nothing about it. 

(Source: MicroSoft News November 6. 2019)

Something so beautiful for Christmas

May I ask for your patience while I am a little self indulgent? 

For the past few years, Alan Rust and I got together every Wednesday at the Kent Street Activity Centre (for seniors) in White Rock, British Columbia. We were both members of the Computer Club seniors' activity group where we enjoyed the company of fellow 'geeks' as well as other airline retirees (many of whom have settled in White Rock / South Surrey area in retirement).

I continue to frequent KSAC, as I am involved with a few committees, but it has not been the same since Alan's passing last April. I appreciate being socially active in retirement but, unfortunately, hearing about the loss of friends and colleagues seems to be all too frequent.

Each December, KSAC hosts a 'Mistletoe Luncheon' which takes place in the auditorium with excellent food prepared by the kitchen, entertainment and prizes. It is always well attended by over 100 seniors and even the current mayor of White Rock.

Children from the local elementary school are invited and their numbers have been increasing steadily every year. This year 160 children entered the auditorium and lined up around the perimeter of the room.  Accompanied by one of the teachers on guitar they sang three songs for us and the sound of their voices was absolutely beautiful. After they finished "We are the World", the centre director stepped up to the microphone and asked if there was still a dry eye in the house; there wasn't.

The children were then allowed to mingle among the seniors and present us with candy canes and their handcrafted Christmas decorations. They enjoyed their time with us and were still smiling and waving as they lined up for the walk back to class.

This is what Christmas should feel like, something so beautiful.

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

Studio apartment for rent in Nice, France across the street from the yacht club.

Murphy Bed, Sofa bed, washing machine, fully equipped kitchen Internet, TV, Phone, Balcony.

For my AC colleagues (retired or,active): $475 -$575 CDN per week depending on season plus a one-time cleaning fee of 50 Euros.

For more info and pictures, please contact me: Danielle Bergeron, AC flight attendant, @  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Canadian Transportation Agency has published 'Air Passenger Protection Regulations Highlights' at:

otc-cta.gc.ca/eng/air-passenger-protection-regulations-highlights

Reprinted from Flight Magazine - March 13, 1931

Newfoundland's latest notable addition to the air stamps of the Empire comes in the form of a set of three permanent air mail values for use in connection with the regular service about to be put in operation between St. John's and northern part of the island during the winter months by Newfoundland Airways, holders of the Government contract.

These striking vignettes have been engraved and printed in London by the firm of John Dickinson and Co., after designs suggested by Mr. A. B. Perlin, a local aero-philatelist, and were first put on sale on January 6, 1931.

The 15 cents, printed in sepia with a picture of a winter scene in a Newfoundland forest, a postal courier with his dog-team and sledge and an aeroplane passing overhead, represents the local air mail fee, whilst the 50 cents green, depicts the transportation of mail by sea and air. In the foreground is seen an old-time sailing ship with mail from England entering the Narrows of St. John's harbour, together with Sir John Alcock's Vickers-Vimy aeroplane taking off with the first transatlantic air mail in June, 1919.

This value is intended for letters dispatched by air to Canada and the U.S.A. The third stamp, $1 blue, will be reserved for future transatlantic mail flights. It shows, appropriately enough, a map indicating the routes followed by historic transatlantic flights, commencing with Hawker's ill-starred attempt and ending with Kingsford-Smith's flight from Ireland to Harbour Grace last year.

Newfoundland Airways

Set up at Gander in 1948 to operate float-plane charter services to local Newfoundland destinations. The mail and freight is also flown to northern Newfoundland and Labrador. Over the next three-and-a-half decades, the company’s de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beavers are joined in service by the associate FBO, Labrador Aviation Services.

In 1983, Roger Pike’s Provincial Investments, Inc. purchased the company and it is renamed Air Labrador, Ltd.

(Source: worldhistory.biz)