We have welcomed 78 new subscribers so far in 2022.

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

Back issues of The NetLetter are available in both the original newsletter format and downloadable PDF format.

We invite you to visit our website at www.thenetletter.net/netletters to view our archives.

Restoration and posting of archive issues is an ongoing project. We hope to post every issue back to the beginning in 1995.

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: Trans-Canada Air Lines, Canadian Airlines, CP Air, Pacific Western, Maritime Central Airways, Eastern Provincial, Wardair, Nordair, Transair, Air BC, Time Air, Quebecair, Calm Air, NWT Air, Air Alliance, Air Nova, Air Ontario, Air Georgian 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!

Hi there,

My name is Roger Kovalyk. In the late 50's early 60's we had a Rock & Roll band called 'The Velmars' and joined the TCA Roadshow.

We played veterans hospitals, Blackwatches, Air Force bases etc. One of the musicians, Donald Bilney,  worked for Trans-Canada Air Lines. I'm wondering if someone would still have records of this era, pictures, films, posters or any kind of written document. Anything you have would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you very much,

Roger Kovalyk

Editors' Note: This item rang a bell with us so we did a quick search and found that we had a request in February 2020 from Roger Cyr that actually mentions Roger.

Posted in NetLetter #1432, February 22, 2020.

"Subscriber Roger Cyr has asked us to track down information regarding a band names 'The Velmars' who played at TCA road shows from 1959 to 1960. He recalls that the lead guitarist was named Roger Kovalyk.

Does anyone have any memories to share on this topic?"

The NetLetter team has been checking through issues of 'Between Ourselves' from that era for possible mentions of 'The Velmars' without any luck as yet. 

Further to the video in Netletter #1476, I flew the C-46S (CF-CZN) featured on the video with Captain Jim Tomlinson from June 15 until July 8, 1966 out of Stewart, B.C. into northern B.C.

On one occasion we were delivering a generator into one of the camps and, while off-loading, one of the lifting rings broke. Fortunately, the generator landed clear of the aircraft but was damaged during the fall. The camp foreman wasn’t a happy camper because the camp was looking forward to having a generator to power the camp.

After that contract we left Stewart, B.C. and went on to Rainbow Lake in northwest Alberta with CF-CZN on a month-long diesel fuel contract. We also experienced 3 engine failures on that contract which kept our engineer busy changing pots (cylinders).

We even took CF-CZN up to Mackenzie King Island one of the Queen Elizabeth Islands in northern Canada to bring out a load of dynamite left behind by a French oil drilling crew. PWA freighters went everywhere and carried everything. 

I met up with Jim again on the Nassau, Bahamas airport ramp when I was an Air Canada B-727 First Officer and he was a PWA B-737 Captain. He was doing his walk around and so was I so we spent a few good minutes catching up. I remember that day well. 

I have enclosed a picture taken by our engineer on the flight deck of CF-CZN during our diesel fuel contract. 

Take care now, 

K.M. Jones, AC Capt. Retired A340

Left to right: Captain Jim Tomlinson and First Officer K.M. Jones.

Eric Watt shares this information and photos -

I wanted to share some of my collection of adult model aircraft with you. Generally speaking they are 1/400 scale, with the Trans-Canada Air Lines Super Connie being 1/144 (collector's item from Corgi- had it for 20 years now).

I also have that Lancaster bomber turned into airliner used by TCA, also 1/144. I now have 189 aircraft in my collection.

I'm also trying to collect WWII fighter models connected to Canadian Pilots...such as Buzz Beurling, Willie McKnight who flew with Douglas Bader and others.

I wonder if there are other readers out there who collect?

Hi... Greetings from beautiful springtime in Ireland.

The photo below was taken by myself,  E. Mike Horan, past employee T.C.A. reservations, circa 1958/66.

In the photo are reservations agents at the sales office on Church St. in Toronto (prior to move to 130 Bloor West).

I am not sure of the names, but I believe that two of them could be: Bill Spandier (2nd from left, red hair) and Nancy Toward (3rd from left, in uniform).

Can any readers assist in identifying the members of this team?

Supervisory names from that office then: Mike Power (fellow Irishman - gave me the nod!), Dave Forbes,  Howie Steen and Jack Campbell.

Also there was an (infamous) pub close by frequently used by the off duty shifts called the Morrissey Tavern.

Question - am I that only ex-employee of T.C.A, known to your subscription list, currently residing in Ireland?

Cheers, Mike

Editors' Note: We checked our subscription list and Mike is our only current subscriber residing in Ireland. Also, it seems that the Morrissey Tavern was located at 817 Yonge Street but closed in 1997.

The article 'Early days of de-icing aircraft' in NetLetter #1481, reminds Terry Baker, while working at London Heathrow (LHR), of shipments of fluid as 'comat' (COmpany MATeriel) coming from Canada.

The barrels were forwarded to a company in the UK. The company would separate the various mixed fluids and contaminants. The reclaimed fluid was then shipped as 'comat' back to Canada for reuse.

An extract from the latest blog by Larry Milberry.

The full blog is at canavbooks.wordpress.com

The First Generation Jetliners.

In the early 1960's we still were shooting North Stars, Super Connies, Viscounts and all such prop liners out at Malton airport (today's YYZ). Suddenly, things started to perk up when BOAC started showing up with the Comet 4, service was infrequent. Several times I hitchhiked out to Malton after school on Fridays to try to catch the Comet on its weekly run, but always missed it.

It wasn't 'til a trip to Dorval on July 26, 1959 that I finally got to shoot Comet G-APDB. 'DB was the first Comet that I got close enough to at Malton to catch the registration, that being on April 29 the year. Then, on May 6, I spotted G-APDD. Still, I came away with no photos.

Finally, the first B-707's and DC-8s started to appear at Malton, making for really exciting times. Now we were turning up our noses (like little idiots) at the prop liners. The big jets had us mesmerized for a while.

On June 4, 1960 I caught a glimpse of my first TCA DC-8 (CF-TJD) but couldn't photograph it for some reason. Then, on Tuesday, August 16, 1 was back at Malton and there was "TJD" doing circuits and bumps on Runway 32.

Wasting no time, I hustled out behind the old WWII hangar line and set myself up close to the runway. We had found a good spot there where we couldn't be seen from the tower due to a hump in the runway. The WWII hangars also helped cover us. Of course, none of us had telephoto lenses back then, so we had to get fairly close to the runway. We always got away with this little skit out by R32, never were rousted. I sat on my spot watching "TJD" make several touch-and-goes. All my shots turned out, they were real set-ups, as you can see by this one.

Notice how there still were active farms right on the edge of the airport, no fences in view. "TJD" had been delivered a few months earlier on February 7. Such training flights were essential, since there still were no DC-8 flight simulators in Canada (CAE at Montreal soon would fill that shortage). In 1977 "TJD" moved on to Air Ceylon and 2 or 3 other outfits. It went for pots 'n pans in 1979. Aero Classics has a 1:400 scale diecast model of "TJD" in these very colours. 

Our records show that CF-TJD, fin #804, c/n 45445 went to Air Ceylon as 4R-ACT on July 1, 1977. From there it was with Cargolux as TF-ECV on July 31, 1978 then Bangladesh Biman on August 12, 1978.

Returned to Cargolux on November 4, 1978, then Air Algerie on November 14, 1978, then returned to Cargolux on November 30, 1978. Finally to F.B. Ayer & Associates Inc. at Opa-Locka as N9047F on January 18, 1979 and broken up during March 1981.

Source: A History of Air Canada from 1937 (available at Amazon.ca)

Below is a photo of CPA's glorious new DC-8 (CF-CPH) 'Empress of Winnipeg' at Malton on October 6, 1961. We soon realized that this slightly rear angle on a taxiing B-707, DC-8 or Convair jetliner was quite nice, although the wing could obscure the markings, as in this case.

However, this angle always showed us the registration and fleet number. 'CPW' served CPA into 1980, when it was sold to a parts and scrap dealer and cut up in Opa-Locka, Florida in 1983. 

Air Canada Announces the Acquisition of 26 Airbus A321neo Extra-Long Range Aircraft.

Excerpt from Air Canada Mediaroom

On March 22, Air Canada announced it is acquiring 26 extra-long range (XLR) versions of the Airbus A321neo aircraft. The aircraft has sufficient range to serve all North American and select transatlantic markets, while offering customers added comfort and improving the carrier's fuel efficiency to advance its environmental programs.

Deliveries are to begin in the first quarter of 2024 with the final aircraft to arrive in the first quarter of 2027. Fifteen of the aircraft will be leased from Air Lease Corporation, five will be leased from AerCap and six are being acquired under a purchase agreement with Airbus S.A.S. that includes purchase rights to acquire an additional 14 of the aircraft between 2027 and 2030.

G'Day, Kia Ora: Air Canada Strategically Expands its South Pacific Network.

Excerpt from Air Canada Mediaroom

Air Canada today announced a strategic expansion of its South Pacific schedule with the return of daily service to Sydney and resumption of services to both Brisbane and Auckland. Air Canada's Australia and New Zealand flights operate from its trans-Pacific hub at Vancouver International Airport which the carrier has built to conveniently connect its international network to its vast North American network. 

"Air Canada is solidifying its market-leading position as the airline providing the most services between Canada and the South Pacific. We are accelerating the restoration of our Australian and New Zealand routes to respond to pent-up travel between our countries as borders reopen. The seamless connections through in-transit pre-clearance facilities combined with our extensive North American network at our Vancouver hub positions YVR to be the preferred gateway for travel between North America and the South Pacific," said Mark Galardo, Senior Vice President, Network Planning and Revenue Management at Air Canada.

Swiss to coat Boeing 777 fleet in sharkskin film to reduce drag.

Swiss will apply a new kind of aerodynamic coating on some long-haul aircraft that promises to lower frictional resistance and thereby increase fuel efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.

Source: FlightGlobal.com, (registration required)

See also: SimpleFlying.com

Here is the front cover of the current 'enRoute' magazine March/April 2022.

Mai Lee, the main character in the Toronto set movie 'Turning Red', turns into a giant red panda when she gets over excited.

Here she is overlooking the city of Toronto skyline.

From the 'Horizons' magazine.

Issue dated November 2000.

Montreal's Engine Maintenance Centre is the Big 4-0.

While cleaning out a filing cabinet during the summer of 2000, Bill Erith, Manager, Technical Marketing and Customer Service-JT8D/APU came across what turned out to be a very historic document.

It was a third party contract signed years ago, October 24, 1960 to be exact, between Trans-Canada Air Lines and Canadian Pacific Airlines Limited (CPA), to overhaul and repair engines at the original Power Plant in Montreal.

Putting out a contract.

Marking our 40th anniversary of third party work it's the first contract for outside work completed within any Technical Operations branch. The 15-year long jet engine contract was for overhaul and repair of Douglas DC-8 aircraft equipped with Rolls-Royce Conway MK509 and MK 510 engines.

"That was our first crack at third party work," says Dave Diggle, General Manager, Component Maintenance.  "Back then, we weren't as focused on building the business as we are today.
In those early days we accepted or rejected opportunities that came our way, as opposed to creating those opportunities.

"It wasn't until the 1990's that Technical Operations expanded its focus and aggressively pursue outside contracts. In 1990 we broke the $100 million revenue mark. By comparison, Technical Operations 2000 revenue is expected to exceed $175 million, with significant additional growth in future years.

As of 2000, current outside contracts in the Engine Maintenance Centre include operators throughout North and South America, Europe and the Middle East."

The photo does not identify the two employees.

A silver broom emerges from the dust.

For 18 years, the Air Canada Silver Broom was the coveted trophy of curling champions from around the globe. From 1968 to 1985, Air Canada sponsored the World Men's Curling Championship. During this time, nine of the teams that swept their way to victory were from Canada. In 1985, the Air Canada Silver Broom was retired.

Treasure hunt begins in Switzerland.

The original Silver Broom was discovered in a curling rink in Wildhaus, Switzerland by a group of touring Air Canada curlers. After some detective work on the part of Administrative Assistant,
Barbara Walker and retiree Ken Meek, a replica of the Silver Broom was found in a private Montreal storage warehouse.

In 1999, after many years in seclusion, the 4 foot high, 40 pound replica of the Air Canada Silver Broom trophy emerged from the dust. The replica had spent the winter of 1999 in the Manitoba Curling Hall of Fame, located at The Bay on Portage Avenue, in downtown Winnipeg. It went on tour at various large bonspiels in Alberta, and returned to its rightful place of honour, the Manitoba Curling Hall of Fame.

Canadians can take pride in this trophy and it's only fitting that it resides in the unofficial curling capital of the world.

The photo of the Air Canada Silver Broom, which had its first World Curling Championship, in March 1958. Holding the coveted trophy is Calgary's Ron Northcott (third from the left) who was presented with the Silver Broom by then Air Canada President Gordon R. McGregor.

Issue dated May 2001.

Decals detail our history by April Harris.

By June, eight of our A320's will be flying with a new decal located near the aircraft tail. Decals will be applied this month, with all eight aircraft completed six weeks later. To reflect the history of Air Canada and its many family members, the decals read 'Spirit of / Une fière tradition'.

Incorporated into the phrase and executed as a decal, logos from each of CP Air, Canadian Airlines, EPA, Nordair, PWA. Transair, Trans-Canada Air Lines and Wardair will adorn the aircraft.

Air Canada's genealogy is impressive. With so many people coming from so many different backgrounds, we truly have a proud heritage. April Harris is a communications student from Concordia University in Montreal. 

Editors' Note: Unfortunately, no one in Air Canada let April know that the correct title for TCA is 'Trans-Canada Air Lines'.

Issue dated June 2001.

Uniquely ours.

On May 10, 2001, in Toronto, Air Canada unveiled Free Spirit, a Boeing 767-300ER designed to help build awareness of Aboriginal tourism. The image of a majestic eagle in green and gold dominates the aircraft's fuselage. It's a work of art and a powerful message in support of Aboriginal tourism.

A traditional smudging, where First Nations elders blessed the aircraft, took place before the unveiling, and was followed by a traditional Aboriginal ceremony.

Arnold Aron Jacobs, an Iroquois artist from the Six Nations Reserve in Ontario transformed the 'bird' into an eagle.

'Free Spirit' measures 120 foot (37 metres) long by 12 foot (3.5 metre) high. Using 49 gallons (11 litres) of paint, it took a crew of 29 Air Canada employees, 25 painters and four groomers, 1,461 hours to give the eagle its wings.

The image is clearly aboriginal, dignified and easily recognized as Canadian. Fin 645, C-GBZR, and its eagle will soar on our Domestic and International routes.

Editors' Note: This aircraft remained in the Air Canada fleet until March 2017 when it was transferred to the Rouge fleet. 

It was withdrawn from service and stored at Marana Pinal Airport in Arizona in July 2020. As per PlaneSpotters.net, it was returned to the leasing company, AerCap of Ireland, in January 2022.

Here we have the first in a series of the history of the fleets of Canadi>n legacy airlines. This graphic covers the era from 1942 to 1964. 

The many small aircraft types at the top of the image are among those operated by the 10 carriers acquired by the Canadian Pacific Railway in the early 1940's and merged to establish Canadian Pacific Air Lines in 1942.

The predecessor operators were Ginger Coote Airways, Yukon Southern Air Transport, Wings, Prairie Airways, Mackenzie Air Services, Arrow Airways, Starratt Airways, Quebec Airways, Montreal & Dominion Skyways and Canadian Airways.

Aircraft identification by Ken Pickford.

There will be more in the next NetLetter.

Source: Air Canada 75th anniversary poster.

From the "InfoCanadi>n" magazine.

Issue dated July 1993.

Float powered by flowers.

For the first time, Canadian Airlines employees are entering a float in the Calgary Stampede Parade, which took place on July 9, 1993. The float was to thank Calgary for its support of Canadian Airlines. The float, built in the shape of an aircraft, was designed and constructed by volunteers.

In this photo from left: Jack Crowle, Barry Kelland, Vern Adams, Don Bunnah and Gerry Stoddart. As well, about 120 employees helped make 15,000 decorating flowers (one to represent each Canadian employee). 

Testing the flower power was, from left: Louise Ingram, Fran Lagace, Karen Lambert, Patricia Vandermeulen and Lin Ingeberg. Six Calgary Stampeders football players rode in the float and 16 Canadian employees carried banners.

The float also appeared at Edmonton's Klondike Day Parade on July 22, 1993. Bolo ties and "Proud to call Calgary home" T-shirts were sold to raise money for the float. 

Our 'Featured Video' is of the same 41-year-old MD-81, as posted on YouTube by Mark Brandon, that appeared in NetLetter #1477.

The aircraft (registration N682RW) is owned by Olympia Aviation and is chartered by the Detroit Red Wings during the NHL season. In this video, it was captured by Calgary-based videographer, Alex Praglowski, while the team was in town to play the Calgary Flames.

Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba confirmed on February 27 the world’s largest cargo aircraft, the AN-225 Mriya, was destroyed during a Russian attack on Gostomel / Antonov Airport in northern Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

There was an earlier report that the plane was safe on the ground in Georgia but Kuleba’s statement appears to refute that. Also, the last flight of the aircraft, according to FlightAware, was on February 5, 2022 when it flew to Gostomel from Denmark.

Source: AVweb.com February 27, 2022

The AN-225 made its first flight on December 21, 1988 taking off from the factory aerodrome in Svyatoshyn. The airplane was flown by a crew headed by Oleksandr Galunenko. Mriya was developed for transportation of the Buran shuttle orbiter and components of the Energiya carrier rocket.

The AN-225 was also expected to be used as a flying space launching site in the reusable aerospace transport system (MAKS) with the airplane making its first stage and a small-size space shuttle with a fuel tank – the second stage. Mriya can deliver extra-heavy oversize cargo to any point on the globe carrying it either inside the fuselage or on external stores. Two AN-225 airplanes were built.

Construction of one of the aircraft was completed. Fuselage and tail unit were assembled at Antonov Kyiv Mechanical Works facility in Kyiv, while the wing center section and outer wing panels were assembled at Valerii Chkalov Tashkent Production Association in Tashkent. The wings and wing center sections were transported from Tashkent to Kyiv on the An-22 Antaeus (Antei).

LHR Heathrow.

The Queen to get no-fly zone imposed over Windsor Castle in new proposals - but it could mean more disruption for other Londoners.

The redirected planes would inevitably have to fly a different route, possibly affecting more people. However, the proposal would mean that Heathrow flight paths would have to be re-routed, as the area within the proposed no-fly zone currently sees planes heading to land flying at around 1,250 feet over Windsor Castle.

Departing aircraft fly around 2,000 – 2,500 feet at this location. If plans to expand Heathrow were to go ahead, the need for a third runway flight path would further add to these complications.

An expanded Heathrow would mean 260,000 additional flights per year using the airport, in addition to the current limit of 480,000.

Source: mylondon.news/lifestyle

Canada Jetlines’ first aircraft, an A320-200, has arrived in Canada, as the company’s timeline to launch revenue flights slips to mid-2022.

Source: FlightGlobal.com (registration required).

Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport

It is ranked Canada's ninth busiest airport and the sixth busiest to serve the United States. As a tourist visiting the CN Tower, you are not able to miss (on a clear day) the tiny airport from the observation deck (see issue header).

Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, YTZ (aka Toronto Island Airport) was completed in 1939 on the islands just southwest of downtown Toronto. As strange as it may seem, it was conceived as the main future airport to service the city with the Malton Airport (now Pearson International, YYZ) built as a backup. 

In its 80 years of history, it has served many functions and been the subject of many political controversies (see reference links below), alternating between expansion or closure. In the early 1990's only Air Canada Jazz operated flights from YTZ and only to Ottawa.

The launch of Porter Airlines in 2006 and its vision to grow a niche business around the airport began the latest era of growth. Porter now serves several U.S. destinations as well as Ontario, Quebec and several points in Atlantic Canada with its fleet of 39 Bombardier Q400's. Air Canada Express still serves Montreal-Trudeau and Ottawa airports; very convenient for business travellers.

References:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Bishop_Toronto_City_Airport

www.billybishopairport.com/home

World’s Most Scenic Airport Approaches -
Landing at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport

Posted on YouTube by The Flight Level

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

• Crown Paradise Club Puerto Vallarta, starting from $206/night AI ($103 per person)
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• Bahia Principe Luxury Runaway Bay, Montego Bay, starting from $257/night AI, ($129 per person), Adults Only
• Jewel Paradise Cove Adult Beach Resort & Spa, Montego Bay, starting from $246/night AI, ($123 per person), Adults Only
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All resort rates listed are per person, per night based on double occupancy ($USD).
PERX.com brought to you by Interline Vacations
12708 Riata Vista Circle, Suite A-125, Austin, TX 78727
Tel: 512-691-4500 1-888-737-9266 

Airplane enthusiasts now have a front row seat to London International Airport’s (YXU) runways.

London, Ontario – In partnership with local businesses, London International Airport (LIA) announces the opening of YXU Air Park, London’s first public plane spotting park.

Located on Creamery Road, plane spotters can enjoy optimal views of aircraft landing and taking off from the most frequently used runway at LIA, Runway 15-33.

YXU Air Park is equipped with a parking lot and informational signage to educate park visitors on London’s rich aviation history, most common aircraft types to land at LIA and more!

Source: london.ctvnews.ca

This first day cover to commemorate the inauguration of service between Montreal and Moscow on November 1, 1966 is available on e-Bay.

Corendon Boeing 747-400 - aircraft after life!

Continuing the 'Wayne's Wings' item from NetLetter #1481, another B-747-400 converted into a tourist attraction is the Queen of the Skies parked outside the Corendon Village Hotel in Amsterdam, Netherlands. 

The jumbo jet is actually a retired KLM aircraft, registration PH-BFB, named 'City of Bangkok' that flew for the Dutch airline for 30 years. It was taken out of service in 2018 and acquired by Corendon.

To get the 160-ton plane to the hotel, it was transported via highway and through fields on a 200-ton trailer with 192 wheels.

The aircraft has been adorned in Corendon colours and put on display so the public can walk around or sit underneath the jet. Visitors can also tour the B-747’s interior to see its seats, cockpit, and galleys.

Source: www.corendonhotels.com

Additional history: nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/PH-BFB (in Dutch)

Photo by Eriksw @ commons.wikimedia.org

Our cartoon from the 'Between Ourselves' magazine issue January 1944 with the caption -

"Sometimes I think Mr. Wilkin is too forceful with passengers".