We have welcomed 174 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.

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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.

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

Thanks!

YVR ACRA Summer Beach BBQ

Date: Tuesday, August 30, 2022
Fun starts at 13:00 and goes on until sundown

Location: Spanish Banks East
Look for the Blue Canopy

Burgers, Smokies, Salads & Desserts

Retirees welcome @ $10.00 per person.

Bring a Beach Chair 

The Moorings Interline Regatta -  October 11 - 20, 2022.

The Moorings is proud to announce that the 38th Interline regatta will be returning to Tortola, the British Virgin Islands October 2022. 

LHR has been organizing an ACRA Badminton tournament for many years.

The last tournament was held in Toronto in 2019. Due to COVID 19, tournaments have had to be cancelled 2020 to 2022.

However, the committee continues to work on resuming the tournament for Autumn 2023. 

To stay informed on their progress, please check the links below:

Facebook

acrabadminton.org.uk

In NetLetter #1490 we asked if anyone had memories of a tour of Britain for CP Air Employees to share.

Janet Sinclair, YVR District Director for the Pionairs, submitted the following:

Reading your article on a Drummond and Dixon tour brought to my memory a tour with Mike Dixon to Yorkshire.

We walked the Yorkshire Dales section of the Pennine Way in May. It was an eclectic group of employees, spouses and one parent, my mother.  As Mike was a friend, my mother and I flew to Amsterdam and connected on a commuter flight to Britain, with Mike and his wife Linda, a few days before the tour was to start. We were able to spend some time with Mike’s parents, seeing the sites of York, Harrogate and the surrounding area.

Mike mentioned that just the year before, it had been a warm sunny May in Yorkshire, however, this year it was cold and damp. We met our group in a pub and were introduced to the retired army officer who was to be our guide. The first day we took off, with our heavy backpacks, and soon discovered that the way was uphill and our guide walked very quickly.  Some of us lagged behind, out of breath. 

It was a great relief when we reached our first overnight stay at a lovely old pub.  We had a great meal and an entertaining evening.  The next morning my mother organized a taxi to the next pub to carry her backpack. Everyone, except our guide, put their backpacks in the cab. The guide was a bit chuffed that we were such “sissies”.  

Without our backpacks the trek was much more pleasant.  Even though it was cold, muddy, and raining the scenery was still beautiful.  Rolling hills, many sheep, we even saw one being born.

There were many of these ponds and we had to be careful not to slip into one. We were a fun group and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Each night in a different pub, always with great food and, of course, we learned to like 'Old Peculiar' the local beer. 

Yorkshire is quite amazing, many small farms and mixed in with barren land.  Near the end of our trek we reached the 'Aire Gap', the lowlands which form a geographical corridor between the South Pennine and Yorkshire Dales.

There were huge granite stones we made our way across. Elsewhere, it is rolling pastures and flat riverside walking.  On our final day the sun came out and we only had to walk up lovely grassy hills although, by this time, we were all in great shape for hiking.

Gilderdale Burn Looking northeast (downstream) from the Pennine Way towards the River South Tyne.

Photo by George Tod @ commons.wikimedia.org

Re: NetLetter #1490 - Airport Codes

Karen Jenson Wales asks:

Why is Bathurst city code ZBF?

Ken Pickford responds:

Regarding the ZBF IATA airport code for Bathurst, New Brunswick, I expect the question is why it starts with Z and not Y. At least 20 Canadian airports have IATA codes starting with Z.

A few examples - Boundary Bay, BC (ZBB), Faro, Yukon (ZFA), Bella Bella, BC (ZEL), Masset, BC (ZMT), Fort McPherson, NWT (ZFM), Bromont, QC (ZBM), High Prairie, AB (ZHP), Grand Forks, BC (ZGF).

Excerpt below is the explanation I've seen, from an aviation forum discussion on the subject a few years ago. Whether it's correct or not I don't know. The Z codes were apparently used for airports that didn't have an official weather reporting station.

A few Canadian airports also have codes starting with X, e.g. Bearskin Lake, ON (XBE), Lac Brochet, MB (XLB).

The 4-letter ICAO code used for operational purposes (flight plans, air traffic control etc.) for most Canadian airports is the IATA code preceded by C (e.g. YVR, CYVR). However, that's not always the case. For example, while the IATA code for Lac Brochet, MB is XLB, the ICAO code is CZWH.

See the last sentence in the forum excerpt below re the Z and X codes.

Canada used two letters for identification of a weather reporting station. Additionally, preceding the 2-letter code, was placed a Y (meaning "yes") where the reporting station was co-located with an airport, a W (meaning "without") where the reporting station was not co-located with an airport, and a U where the reporting station was co-located with an NDB. An X was used if the last two letters of the code had already been taken by another Canadian ident, and a Z was used if the locator could be confused with a U.S. three letter ident. 

Vic Bentley sent in the following request:

A friend sent me the photo below and requested information on the aircraft. I have some info but wondered if you could add some details. The photo was taken at Kitimat, B.C. in 1956. That was before the Terrace - Kitimat road was open. So Kitimat was served by marine aircraft that taxied up on the beach. 

I can see that it is a Grumman Mallard and I believe the airline logo is Pacific Western - can you confirm that? 

Also the color scheme is way too fancy for an airline in those days. Had it been a corporate aircraft? Is there any record of airline aircraft registrations in the 1950's?

Ken Pickford went to work on the research:

My research shows that PWA operated 4 Mallards at various times from the 1950's to 1970's. Only 59 Mallards were built from 1946 to 1951. The four aircraft operated by PWA with registration and construction number (c/n) were the following::

• CF-HPA c/n J-7
• CF-HPU c/n J-9
• CF-MHG c/n J-21
• CF-IOA c/n J-39

CF-IOA was lost on August 3, 1955 on a flight from Kemano, B.C. to Kitimat, B.C with 5 souls aboard, no survivors. 

aviation-safety.net

The first link at the bottom of the accident summary above contains a very detailed PDF list covering the history of all 59 Mallards built. That may help answer some of Vic Bentley's questions. Searching for some of the many registrations may turn up more photos. Many of the Mallards had many operators over the years.

www.goodall.com.au/grumman-amphibians/grummanmallard.pdf

Regarding one of his questions, yes, almost all of the 59 Mallards were originally operated as corporate or private aircraft. For example, one of the PWA aircraft (CF-HPU) was previously operated by the 20th Cenutry Fox Film Corporation (as it was known then), and another (CF-MHG) began life as a personal aircraft for William E. Boeing, founder of the Boeing Company who passed away at 75 in 1956.

Regarding the photo he submitted, I came across the following photo taken at Vancouver, sometime between 1954 and 1959.

www.airhistory.net/photo/458963/CF-HPA

The basic livery looks the same as the one in Vic Bentley's photo, although the lighter colour at the top is different and it lacks the PWA name/logo at the front.  It may well be the same aircraft.

That was PWA's first Mallard, CF-HPA, named 'Kitimat Prince'. It went to B.C. Air Lines in 1959, which ironically was acquired by PWA in 1972. That aircraft was lost on takeoff from the Seal Cove seaplane base at Prince Rupert, BC on March 5, 1974 while with a subsequent operator (North Coast Air Services) with 3 fatalities of the 10 persons on board. It was en route to Masset in what was then the Queen Charlotte Islands, now Haida Gwaii.

Here is another site focusing on the 21 Mallards that at one time were registered in Canada:

theflyingboatforum.forumlaunch.net

Ken 

Hugh Peck posted this at Facebook on April 14, 2021 -

This is a pic of a group of Toronto airline personnel who went on an Air India interline for 10 days in April of 1973.

Front row: Roland Blais, Air India rep from Montreal; second person with a white hat Dorothy McCarville Werbowski; Peter Leach next to her; on the right of the first row second person from the right Elaine Brown.

Back row: Hugh Peck, Winston Ashmead, Earl Brown, Elaine's husband, then John Wright with big hair between the older couple, Flossie from Eastern and her husband, Tom Porter, Ed Grauvogl, fourth person from the right Teri Emanuele, Leo Hogan, Carol Kowk and our guide. It was noon and 42 degrees. 

Editor's Note by Terry Baker: Those were the days when various airlines ran interline tours for employees. I personally went on the TAP (Portuguese) Tours 4 years in a row for $49.00.

3 days/2 nights in Lisbon, included confirmed space, also Olympic Airlines to Athens and United Airlines golf tourneys in Hawaii. Our readers must have some memories to share.

The Flight Instructor Hall of Fame has named Catherine Cavagnaro to its 2022 class of inductees.

Catherine Cavagnaro, who is recognized as an expert on spins and aerobatics, instructs at Ace Aerobatic School in Sewanee, Tennessee.

She holds ATP and CFI-IA certificates as well as serving as a designated pilot examiner and FAA lead safety representative for the Nashville FSDO.

Cavagnaro was named FAA Safety Representative of the Year in 2018 and FAA Certificated Flight Instructor of the Year in 2020.

Source: AVWeb.com, July 4, 2022

See also:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_Cavagnaro

Air Canada Cargo to add B-777 freighters

Air Canada will add B-777 freighters for the first time as it continues to expand its presence in the all-cargo market.

The carrier today announced an order for two factory-built B-777F's to enter into service in 2024.

The order comes as Air Canada has been investing in converting its B-767 passenger aircraft into freighters.

So far, two B-767 converted freighters have been put into service and two more factory-built B-767Fs have been delivered, due to begin operations next year.

Six more converted B-767 aircraft are due to be added over the coming years.

Jason Berry, vice president, cargo at Air Canada, said: “Today, we announced a further expansion of our fleet with the acquisition of two factory-built Boeing 777 freighters, to enter service in 2024.

“The investment in long-range widebody freighters, combined with our growing 767 freighter fleet and robust passenger network will allow us continue to bring to life the most flexible and diverse cargo operation in the Americas.”

Source: www.aircargonews.net

Tiaki & The Guardians

Air New Zealand has launched a new safety video, as a means to encourage returning New Zealanders and international tourists to "care for our place, our culture and our people".

As of August 1, 2022, Deutsche Bahn (DB) will be the world's first Intermodal Partner of Star Alliance.

With this, DB and the aviation industry are sending another strong signal for the environment-friendly evolution of the travel industry. Under the new cooperation, DB customers and passengers of Star Alliance member airlines will be able to start or end their journey comfortably on the environment-friendly train.

Germany is the first market and DB is the world's first partner in the new Star Alliance initiative. 

Source: StarAlliance.com

Honorary Member Award to Jim Bruce.

The Retired Airline Pilots of Canada (RAPCan) recently honoured Jim Bruce at their Montreal May Luncheon.

Jim helped to produce the May PX (Position Report — RAPCan's journal) featuring his Viscount 'At The Fence' painting as a full wrap-around cover.

Source: CAHS Newsletter

Found in 'Above and Beyond' magazine

Issue dated August 1990

We went looking for your smiles and you certainly sent us some terrific ones! Here are a few samples.

Here we have Phil Bruneau and Mary Ellen Kein at Newark Airport. Photo by Dotty Gibau.

Ronald Thebeau took this photo of the happy gang of the Moncton Cargo staff:

Back row, left to right: Jacques Maillet, Shawn Rafferty, Charlie Richard, Vaughan Dennis, Danny Boudreau, Frank Burns, Ryan Tingman, Serge Leblanc, Robert MacDougall and
Ron Poirier.

Front row, left to right: Jean Leblanc, Danny Blanchard and Vince Cormier.

Janis Blake captured Bruce Deitsch in the New York Sales office. 

And Janice Hlady caught Lucy Dumas in a happy mood at the Miami airport. 

This happy trio are in the London sales office. Photo courtesy of Shirley Dunn. 

Left to right: Caroline Gunning, Julie Willmott and Verena Spangenberg. 

Thomas Hock sent in this photo of Edwin Bulitta from the Frankfurt Cargo office.

Mary Baxter submitted her photo of the Aeroplan staff.

Left to right: Catherine Moss, Lise Gendron, Rosa Murano and Maria DiMarco.

From the "CP Air Blue Skies" magazine.

Issue dated 1978

A toast to twenty years on Transcon.

On May 4, 1959, the first of CPA's Bristol Britannia turbo-props launched the airline's transcontinental service.

The 'Whispering Giants' flew regularly between Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg and Vancouver. Flight CP1 westbound took 9 1/2 hours while Flight CP2 eastbound took 55 minutes less.

Restricted for years to one return flight per day, then progressively increasing to 25% of the transcon market, CP Air improved and expanded its services greatly over the years with the introduction of all jet equipment. Additional service to and from Calgary, Edmonton and Ottawa, improved frequency and numerous inter-city non-stops.

This year (1978) the Government removed all restrictions on CP Air and we are free to compete on the route with Air Canada. For openers, the company will be adding three new B-737's and the first of four super DC-10's before year end.

Under strong competitive pressure CP Air has proved it can attract domestic traffic even under difficult and restrictive circumstances, and our present transcon revenues are equal to our total 1970 system revenue.

With open competition and sustained traffic growth in Canada, we have many opportunities to develop a prosperous future for the company.

So let's toast the 'Whispering Giants' that got us started and all those who worked so hard to secure our place in Canadian skies. And another to the unlimited future ahead!

Below, two of Canada's great optimists, CP Air's pioneer president Grant McConachie and the late British Columbia Premier W.A.C. Bennett inaugurate CP Air's transcontinental service in 1959. The premiers of Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec officiated at Winnipeg. Toronto and Montreal.

Inaugural guests and passengers were piped aboard the inaugural CPA Britannia in Vancouver.

Captain Harvey Johnston, now retired, had the honor of piloting the westbound Inaugural Flight CP1.

While his assistant associate Captain J.K. Potter, also retired, flew Flight CP2 from Vancouver.

Inside, Flight Attendant (they were called stewardesses back then!) Jeanette Sylvestre prepares the first class meals.

The 'Whispering Giant' CF-CZW waits at the gate at the old Vancouver Airport. Powered by four Bristol Proteus turboprops, she was among the most comfortable planes aloft in her day.

Our favourite videographers have been keeping busy with some plane spotting lately.

Our first video comes from Mark Brandon, who spent a day at CFB Trenton (YTR) capturing a variety of military aircraft. 

Our second video come from Alex Praglowski from his day at Erik Nielsen Whitehorse International Airport (YXY).

RCAF replacing planes used for prime minister's travel, refuelling aircraft.

The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) will be getting two used Airbus A330-200 aircraft to replace part of its aging CC-150 Polaris fleet, the Department of National Defence (DND) announced Thursday — a fleet that includes Can Force One, the VIP aircraft used to transport the prime minister, the Governor General and other VIPs.

The final contract for the two planes is valued at $102 million US and was awarded to the International Airfinance Corporation, a DND news release says.

Source: CBC.ca

Airlines turn to baggage-only flights and onboard ground-handlers.

As the second-quarter financial results season kicked off this week, there was a striking comment from Delta Air Lines about the measures it is taking to combat operational challenges.

Citing “baggage issues” at European airports in particular, the SkyTeam carrier said it recently sent one of its aircraft to Europe to repatriate luggage that had gone missing.

That came after Icelandic national broadcasting service RUV reported that Icelandair has been flying two baggage handlers on its Amsterdam Schiphol services amid staffing shortages at the Dutch hub. It is considering doing the same on other routes.

Source: FlightGlobal.com (Registration required)

 de Havilland DH.106 Comet, RCAF

Subscriber James S. Shipton, retired Flight Lieutenant, RCAF Navigator, asked if we have ever done a story on the two RCAF de Havilland Comet aircraft that served from 1953 to 1963. We have to confess that, with the size of our current library of past issues, we could not remember if we had, so following is a condensed version of what we were able to discover (thanks to Ken's research). 

There were two aircraft operated by the RCAF, serial #5301 (delivered May 29, 1953) and serial #5302 (delivered June 16, 1953). They were also the first jet airliners in service in North America (and Western Hemisphere). 

They were used mainly to carry military personnel and VIPs to/from the various RCAF bases that then existed in Europe (with fuel stops). They were grounded with all other Comet 1's after the 3 fatal BOAC crashes in 1953 and 1954. After two years in storage they were ferried unpressurized to the factory in the UK for modifications to fix the structural issues, including replacement of the rectangular windows by oval windows and other fuselage reinforcements. They were returned to service in 1957 but weren't kept very long and were retired in October 1963. 

It seems that the nose of 5301 is displayed at the Canadian Aviation Museum at Rockcliffe but most of the aircraft was scrapped in 1964. Both aircraft were sold to one owner after being withdrawn from service. Some parts from #5301 were used on #5302 which was initially registered CF-SVR, then N373S before finally being flown to Miami in 1968. It never flew again and was scrapped around 1975.

Additional information:

The de Havilland Comet in RCAF Service, first hand accounts by people who had direct experiences with these aircraft.

Canadian Military Aircraft, detailed list and condensed lifecycle of aircraft that served the RCAF. 

Military History Books by Harold A. Skaarup; Canadian Warplanes 6: Jets, de Havilland DH.106 Comet.

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 Air Canada nee Trans-Canada Air Lines History.

Started in NetLetter #1483.

Source: Air Canada 75 years of innovation.

• 1985
  • Vancouver-based flight attendant Jan McCandlish gets her 15 minutes of fame when she's chosen to represent Air Canada on a Japanese game show featuring international flight attendants. The show is broadcast to over 20 million viewers! Among the challenges, she has to balance a tray of wine glasses while walking across a moving floor.
• 1988
  • Air Canada's Privatization Act, Bill C-129, receives royal assent on August 18, allowing the government to sell 45 percent of its holdings in the airline. The first-ever shareholders meeting was held in Montreal on April 26, 1989.
• 1990
  • Catching the bus on January 25, 1990; Air Canada takes delivery of its first Airbus A320 in Toulouse, France thus becoming the first airline in Canada to operate the aircraft. It’s first aircraft to include a digital autopilot control system.
  • All flights between North America and Europe became non-smoking in October 1990 - a world first.
• 1992
  • To mark the arrival of the new Boeing 747-400s in 1992, the Gladiator - British strongman Dave Gauder - pulls a 200-ton Air Canada 747-400 jet a distance of 7.5 centimetres at London's Heathrow Airport. The event raises thousands of pounds for the British Red Cross.
• 1993
  • Air Canada launches service to New Delhi via London in 1993 and a route to Osaka in 1994, thanks to the powerful new Boeing 747-400's.
• 1995
  • The electronic ticket makes its debut in Canada on December 7, 1995 when Air Canada begins testing the service on select Canadian routes.

More in our next NetLetter.