Special thanks to Gerald White, Director, Pionairs U.K. /  E.C. (as well as Australia, New Zealand, Middle East, Thailand and South Africa)  for recommending us to his members.

We have welcomed five new subscribers from the U.K., Denmark, Spain and Portugal since our last issue. 

We also want to thank Paul Stenner and Billee McConachie for recommending us to RAPCAN members. We welcomed six new subscribers from Canada.

Billee also contributed an amusing story about bubble gum stuck on pants. Something we can all relate to but Billee's experience was somewhat unique.

See 'Remember When' section below for his story.

We always welcome feedback about Air Canada (including Jazz and Rouge) from our subscribers who wish to share current events, 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, Transair, Air BC, Time Air, Quebecair, Calm Air, NWT Air, Air Alliance, Air Nova, Air Ontario, Air Georgian, First Air/Canadian North and all other Canadian based airlines that once graced the Canadian skies.

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

We will try to post your comments in the next issue but, if not, we will publish it as soon as we can.

Thanks!

Neil Burton shares this information -

I was discussing travel in the Beaver aircraft with a person I was in high school with and came across the website below. The attached website contains an article by Robin Rowland – CBC News – Posted:  February, 24, 2009.

 A gold coin was issued by the Royal Canadian Mint in 2008 and a special coin was issued in November 1999 featuring the DHC-2 de Havilland Beaver aircraft.

Full story at : www.cbc.ca

Pictured Below:

A de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver, most likely the original CF-FHB, on skis in the snow of Ootsa Lake, B.C., in the winter of 1951-52.

The three men on the left are unidentified. The fourth man on the right is Frederic Rowland.

(Rowland family photo)

Editor's Note by Ken Pickford: 

From Don McMartin:

Re: NetLetter #1455

Loved the article on Pearson T1. Prior to my joining Air Canada in '67, it was always a thrill to go to the terminal to watch aircraft and walk around the ring.

In the lobby of the administration building was a large scale model of what the original concept was of Pearson. That model showed several other buildings identical to T1 placed in a circle. But somehow that got off the rails and eventually T2 was built.

It certainly lacked the efficiency of T1 which made every gate in the circle easy to get to.

Oh well, best laid plans.

From Don McMartin -

In NetLetter # 1454 you had another story on a TCA Viscount.

Thought you may be interested in this toy I found made in Japan in the 50's. It is a replica of TCA's first Viscount and is correct in all its decals and numbering.

Japan ended its tin toy production in the 50's but the industry was picked up in countries like Taiwan making Japanese toys very collectable today.

Some toys go for thousands of dollars.

Don McMartin

On February 23, 2021, a United Airlines Boeing 777 had an engine fire.

After reading about that episode, Allan Gray sent us this information -

Around 1993 before the B777 was assembled a group of Air Canada pilots from YVR went to Boeing and I was able to join them.

We went to the 777 simulator and took off. Just after rotation we had an engine fire. The AC pilot in the simulator wanted to do as he usually does, but he had to follow the instructions on the new flight management control unit and could only go to the next command after the first was completed. We landed safely.

The General Electric GE90 engines used on later B777 models were to be the first with over 100,000 pounds of thrust. Those on Air Canada's B777's have up to 115,000 pounds of thrust.

Subscriber Donna Price sent in the photos below:

They are pictures of folks from Air Canada's Finance Branch in Winnipeg in what I would say was the 1960's. One photo appears to be of the management team at the time, and their wives.

One of the photos (top left) has the names printed on it. The names, in case you can't quite make them out, are Fred Barratt, Les Shackell (who was the Treasurer), Wayne Morrison, Wilf Jestadt, Neil Cameron, Gord Reid, one unknown, Stan Sawchuk, Wilf Agar and the last two I am not sure.

There is also a photo (top right) of Les Shackell and Gord Reid making a presentation to perhaps a member of the staff. And one of Gord Reid with two others. I wish I could help with more names.

These photos were given to me by B.J. Reid, the daughter of Gord Reid who had since passed away, as has Les Shackell.

Editors' Note: 

Ms. Price advises: 

"I worked at AC, Winnipeg Finance throughout the 70's and 80's. I then moved to AC's Airports as GM of the Prairie Airports (Winnipeg, Regina, Saskatoon and Thunder Bay), then GM of Toronto Airport and then Vice President, Airports for Air Canada.

I very much enjoyed my career at Air Canada. I am presently on the Board of the Winnipeg Airports Authority, as is B.J. Reid, which is how I received these photos."

Do these photo's tweak anyone's memory?

Billee's 'Chewing Gum' flight adventure

After 36+ years as an airline pilot (PWA, Canadian & AC) I, along with many of us, was witness to or part of a variety of events, some most entertaining and others not so much. We will leave the “others” for a future conversation.

This event took place in the mid 80’s during my time with PWA, flying mostly domestic routes on the B-737.

Our crew had assembled at the Ops Centre located on the south side of YVR and, with all being ready, we boarded the crew bus for a short ride to the main terminal. As we made our way through the terminal towards our departure gate our in-charge flight attendant noticed that I had something on the seat of my pants. After boarding the aircraft, on further examination, it was determined that I had sat in some chewing gum possibly on the crew bus, but the source was never actually established. Time was now of the essence as we all had our duties to perform in readying the aircraft for departure.

This day’s trip was scheduled Vancouver – Calgary - Edmonton (YVR-YYC-YXD) and return. It was a beautiful morning on the West Coast with a favourable weather forecast for the entire route. What could be better than a scenic route over the Rocky Mountains on a beautiful day.

Editor Terry Baker sends us this memory -

During my early pre-teen years, a couple of my friends decided to collect car registration numbers and, armed with a notebook, pencil, sandwiches and a bottle of pop, we would cycle to the nearby main road, and start recording the numbers. Later, in my teens my family moved to the London area, I migrated to collecting London Transport bus serial numbers.

As I had moved to near London Heathrow airport, I switched to collecting aircraft registration numbers at Heathrow (LHR) and, occasionally at Northolt airport.  At my school, several of my friends and myself formed a club and, after school on several evenings, would cycle to Heathrow airport and start recording. My father was an official at that airport and could supply me with the registration of the aircraft due the next day. As a consequence, I become quite popular within our club. We would review these registrations and, if there was one we did not have recorded, we would cycle to the airport in the hopes of sighting the aircraft.

I was fortunate in visiting Amsterdam International airport on a KLM promo visit with my father and spotted a gem of an aircraft with registration PH-OTO. This was an Auster aircraft used for inflight promotions for advertising and the media, and would never visit Heathrow (LHR). I wanted to take a photo, but my father said to wait until we returned from a visit to the commissary department with a KLM representative who had organized the trip.

Sadly, for me, the plane was nowhere to be seen later, and my club friends would not believe that  I had seen this aircraft. I think that was the end of my collection years. I have no idea what happened to the volumes of car, bus or aircraft registrations.

Editors' Note:

International Women’s Day, celebrated annually on March 8 is a time to celebrate the remarkable achievements of women from all walks of life.

We invite you to remember the stories of strong women, be inspired by them and the places where they lived and worked. Imagine England, where Ada Lovelace - who was way ahead of her time - wrote the basics for modern day computer programming as early as 1843.

Source: Lufthansa newsletter,  March 08, 2021

Winifred Joyce "Winnie" Drinkwater (April 11, 1913 – October 6, 1996) was a pioneering Scottish aviator and aeroplane engineer. She was the first woman in the world to hold a commercial pilot's license.

Drinkwater was born on April 11, 1913 at Waterfoot, Scotland, the youngest of the three children of Emma Banner and Albert Drinkwater, an engineer.

Drinkwater joined the Scottish Flying Club near Renfrew on June 2, 1930. She trained under Captain John Houston, an instructor at the club. When she qualified for her private pilot's licence later that year she became Scotland's youngest pilot.

0n May 8, 1932, aged 19, she gained her "B" (Commercial) license at Cinque Ports Flying Club at Lympne in Kent, making her the youngest professional pilot in the United Kingdom and the world's first female commercial pilot.

Source:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline of women in aviation

On February 24, 2021, a routine 90-minute flight in Afghanistan made history.

The country's only private airline, Kam Air, is celebrating its first flight with an all-female crew, which it says is the first in the South Asian country's history.

Kam Air's first female Afghan pilot, 22-year-old Mohadese Mirzaee, joined Captain Veronica Borysova in piloting the Boeing 737 from the capital city of Kabul to Herat in western Afghanistan on Wednesday. And while they were at work in the cockpit, four female cabin crew serviced passengers for the routine 350-nautical mile flight while it journeyed across the country.

Source:

msn.com/en-ca/lifestyle/travel/news

Demise of SilkAir.

It began life as a leisure airline known as Tradewinds in 1989, flying passengers to “exotic” holiday destinations like Pattaya and Phuket in Thailand, as well as Tioman in Malaysia. 

Now, more than 30 years since its inception, Singapore-based SilkAir will be no more, after parent company Singapore Airlines disclosed a definitive timeline for the integration of its regional unit into mainline operations.

It was the morning of May 18, 2018, hours after it disclosed its full-year results for the 2017/2018 financial year, that SIA announced that it was absorbing SilkAir into mainline operations, to streamline the overall group structure.

Source: flightglobal.com/airlines

February 7, 1995 - Air Canada reached an agreement to increase its ownership of Air BC, from 85 per cent to 100 per cent. Air Canada purchased the minority equity interest held by Mr. Iain Harris, Air BC's President & CEO.

As part of the transaction, Mr. Harris, who headed up the regional carrier for 13 years, resigned his position effective March 1, 1995.

A successor would be appointed by that date.

Issue dated December 1996

Air Canada's 40-year Club celebrates.

There is a small and prestigious group within Air Canada to which only a few employees belong. The key which opens the door of this exclusive club is neither one's department or title, but company service - 40 years' worth.

This year, 1996, 13 new members were welcomed into the 40-Year Club, bringing the overall membership to 245 employees. Mr. Lamar Durrett, President  & Chief Executive Officer hosted a dinner in their honour in Montreal.

During the evening the President then called each guest to the podium in the order in which they joined in 1956 to receive a gold watch along with their 40-Year Club certificate of membership and two positive space tickets.

Captain Barney Stephanson who as a 1994 recipient, was invited to unveil the 1996 40-year plaque. 

In this photograph, Air Canada's executives celebrated with the newest 40-Year Club members:

Back row - left to right: Robert Milton, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer; Bob Thompson, Captain, Toronto; George McKay, Captain, Toronto; Larry Leblanc, Purser, Vancouver; Ken Walker, Flight Service Director, Toronto; Barney Stephanson, Captain, Toronto (retired); George March, Customer Sales & Service Agent, Sydney; Rolly Baggley, Certificated Avionics Technician, Toronto; Bob Gordon, Captain, Toronto; John Wright, Captain, Toronto and Jean-Jacques Bourgeault, Senior Executive Vice President.

Front row - left to right: Lamar Durrett, President & Chief Executive Officer; Doreen Thomas, Customer Sales & Service Agent, Edmonton; Mary Ofrenchuk, Purser, Toronto and Claude Taylor, Chairman Emeritus.

Unable to attend: Bob Cléroux, Food Services Manager, Dorval; Nick Kakanis, Lead Customer Service Agent, Miami and Cary Lennon, Operator 1, Printing Bureau, Dorval.

Mirabel (YMX) Customer Sales and Service Agent Gilles Langlais celebrates his 30th anniversary with his fellow colleagues.

From left to right: Pearl Snow, Hélene Haanpaa, Francine Laroche-Dupuis, Anne-Marie Labelle, Guy Poirier, Gilles Langlais, Gerry Chalifoux, Guy Comtois, Chantal Raymond and Lise Latour-Aubuchon.

Air Canada team finishes WARR.

 Air Canada's US. team manages a smile after completing the 10K and 5K races in the World Airline Road Race (WARR) held in Atlanta, Georgia. Next year's 1997 race will be held in Kuala Lumpur.

From left to right: Diane Dormer, Customer Service Agent, Tampa; Bill Luedemann, Tariff Coordinator, Tampa; Victor Golowaty, Valerie Golowaty, Lead Customer Service Agent, Washington; Mary Ellen Keir, Ramp Coordinator, Newark and Dotty Gibeau, Lead Customer Service Agent, Newark.

Here we have the Paris staff in 1996.

In NetLetter #1456, we had an article "A fond farewell to Prestwick" from the October 1996 issue of Horizons".

In the December 1996 issue we found this item -

More memories of Prestwick.

 As our first transatlantic destination, the Prestwick article rekindled fond memories for many in the Air Canada family. The following photo is of the original house which became Prestwick's Airport terminal building. The airport was built on an estate called Orangefield.

Our thanks to Marion L. (née Paton) Robinson for sending in the photo and providing the historical information.

Derek MacPherson posted this photo on Skies Magazine via Facebook on January 22, 2021.

Air Canada Boeing 737 Max 8 C-FSNU at Vancouver International Airport. 

Source: facebook.com/skiesmag 

A petition has been created to change the Edmonton International Airport name to Edmonton Max Ward International Airport.

Max Ward began his aviation career in the RCAF and would go on to flying bush planes in the north and establishing his own company Wardair, which successfully grew into one of Canada’s largest scheduled carriers.

Source: Canadian Aviation Historical Society

More more info at: www.cbc.ca/news

Posted on the Time Air Historical Society Facebook page

Øyvind Munch Ellingsen of Norway, has graciously given us pictures of SD3-30 G-BDMA.

These pictures show the aircraft doing Cold Weather testing in Olso, Norway in January 1976.

Before receiving C-GTAV, TAS, and TAM, G-BDMA was used as the training aircraft for Time Air crews. This particular aircraft was also used as a demonstration model, before and after training with Time Air.

It carried on as a leased aircraft for SHORTS (serving with 15 other airlines), before being sold to MOLO Leasing of Billings, Montana in 1999. It was with the company for ten years, before retirement. We are currently in discussion with the Billings Airport, to see what the final fate of the aircraft is.

Source: www.facebook.com/timeairhs/

Dave Axe, CP Air's Airport Manager at Victoria Airport (YYJ), at the time, posted this on Facebook -

If passengers aboard CP Air's first flight to Victoria found it odd they were directed to a 20 x 4 metre trailer to pick up their baggage, their thoughts are shared by company officials who don't understand why Transport Canada told them there was no room in the main building.

He admitted he finds it a little odd that at the same time his company was forced to do business from a trailer, Transport Canada has relocated the gift shop, put in a licensed lounge and planned an addition to provide a larger restaurant in the main terminal.

Where the gift shop once was there are now four electric games machines and an additional waiting area.

"They say within a year we'll be in the main terminal," Axe told "The Free Press" from his "office" in the trailer's stationery room. CP Air is conducting all its business from the trailer, including check-in, baggage and ticketing.

Transport Canada usually rents airport space to airlines at a rate of about $20 a square foot. In the case of CP Air, the land on which the renovated trailer sits is rented to the company.

Airport manager Jim Mills says a plan has been worked out to re-align the ticketing and check-in area to provide space for CP Air. However, before this can go ahead the changes must be approved by Pacific Western Airlines, Air Canada and CP Air, a provision which leaves Canadian Pacific's fate in the hands of its competitors. Axe says representation was made on behalf of CP Air at senior levels.

There were no discussions on a local level, he said.

Prime Minister Jean Chretien and his wife Aline brought the Liberal's campaign in for a pit stop at YVR. Canadian Airlines Crew & Support Staff for the Liberal Charter take a break for a photo opportunity.

From left to right: Joe Desouza, Maintenance & Engineering; Claude April, RCMP; Lydia Scolli, CSD; Captain Paul Tracey; Barbara Tekker-Brzezinski, Flight Attendant; Madame and Prime Minister Chretien; Trevor Devine, Load Master; Linda Lavergne, Head of Customer Service; First Officer Bob Lindsay; Paule Bernier, Flight Attendant; Suzanne Brunelle, Flight Attendant and Pat Hardick, RCMP.

It certainly does not take long for YouTubers to create videos after a news release.

Click the image below to view the latest posts.

Westjet's 'Magic Plane' getting de-iced before heading back to Calgary International Airport.

Photographed by Garret Rodgers.

Source: issues.skiesmag.com

Budget fare customers flying JetBlue won’t have to worry about finding overhead bin space because they won’t be allowed to use it. Starting February 25, 2021, on flights booked from July 20 onward, passengers with 'Basic Blue' tickets will be barred from using the overheads and anything they carry on will have to fit under the seat in front of them.

There’s also no guarantee those bags will get in the cabin, either. “Mosaic members, travelers combining a 'Blue Basic' fare with an 'Even More Space' seat, active military and unaccompanied minors may still bring a carry-on bag, but only 'Even More Space' customers are guaranteed to get their bag onboard.”

The restrictions on low-fare customers do pay dividends for those who buy Jet Blue’s more expensive seats. There will be enough room in the bins to guarantee those in the top three fare classes a spot for their bag.

If the calculation is off, those who have to check their bags will get a $25 voucher for a future flight.

Source: www.avweb.com/aviation-news

Development of the Airbus A300

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

Canada Bans Ships Until 2022; Move Kills 2021 Alaska and New England seasons.

The orders prohibit any cruise vessel carrying 100 or more people from operating in Canadian waters, effectively cancelling the 2021 Alaska and Canada New England seasons for most ships.

Source: cruisecritic.com

Answer for the mystery airline in 'Odds and Ends'.

Brussels Airlines is the flag carrier of Belgium. This aircraft is part of their "Belgian Icons" series, and the livery is honoring Flemish artist Pieter Bruegel The Elder.  

The history of Brussels Airlines dates back to 2002 when mother company SN Airholding was created by a group of about 40 investors.

The primary aim of the investors was to ensure the continuity of a reliable air connection to and from Brussels, the capital of Europe, and this in the context of the extensive perturbations caused by Sabena’s cessation.

The new company was called SN Brussels Airlines, and it posted its first positive results already in 2003.

In October 2004, it was decided that SN Brussels Airlines and the low-cost airline Virgin Express would join together under the general ownership of SN Airholding, but would each retain their brand and operations independence in the market.

Brussels Airlines is backed up by more than 90 years of Belgian aeronautical experience.

On September 15th 2008, the Lufthansa Group announced its purchase of a stake in the Belgian airline company. In June 2009 the EU Commission granted regulatory approval for this strategic partnership between Brussels Airlines and Lufthansa. The decision paved the way for Lufthansa to acquire an initial 45% stake in SN Airholding SA/NV, the parent company of Brussels Airlines.

As from January 2017, SN Airholding is 100% owned by Deutsche Lufthansa AG.

Brussels Airlines is an official member of Star Alliance since December 9th 2009.

Source:

brusselsairlines.com/en-be/corporate/company/history.aspx

Billionaire offering ‘free ticket to the moon’ on SpaceX Starship.

Eccentric fashion designer Yusaku Maezawa has launched an international search for eight people to join him on the planned voyage around the moon, which Elon Musk hopes to accomplish as soon as 2023.

Editors' note: If we hear of any interline rates, we will pass them along.

Source: globalnews.ca/news

Here are some of the wacky ideas for new airports - they never got off the ground!

Seine airport, Paris, France

This floating airport on the River Seine, sitting not far from the Eiffel Tower, was proposed in 1932 by André Lurcast.

Thames Airport, London, UK.

A wacky idea for an elevated airport straddling the River Thames at Westminster appeared in Popular Science magazine back in 1934. This render by Barratt Homes shows how it might have looked.

Manhattan airport, New York, USA.

An airport on a roof covering 144 blocks in Midtown Manhattan – what could possibly go wrong?

This bizarre plan was the brainchild of real estate developer William Zeckendorf and featured in a 1946 issue of Time magazine.

As might have been expected, the projected $3 billion price tag – $39 billion (£30bn) in today's money – not to mention the massive disruption the megaproject would have caused, scuppered Zeckendorf's dream.

London Britannia Airport, Thames Estuary, UK.

Nicknamed 'Boris Island' after the then-Mayor of London Boris Johnson, who backed the megaproject, London Britannia Airport, which was proposed in 2012, would have boasted six runways and a terminal built on an artificial island in the Thames Estuary.

While the airport had its fair share of powerful supporters, it was deemed too costly and a third runway for Heathrow was planned instead.

Source: www.msn.com/en-ca

Susanne Gore Flukinger shared this post on Facebook -

Laugh for the day: