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NetLetter #1530 | March 18, 2024 |
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CF-AOH - Douglas DC-3
in Air Manitoba livery
Winnipeg - July 1989
Photo by Robert W. Arnold
Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada
Winnipeg, Manitoba
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Dear Reader,
Welcome to The NetLetter, established in 1995 as a dedicated newsletter for Air Canada retirees, we have evolved into the longest running aviation-based newsletter for Air Canada, TCA, CP Air, Canadian Airlines and all other Canadian-based airlines that once graced the skies.
The NetLetter is self funded and is always free to subscribers. It is operated by a group of volunteers and is not affiliated with any airline or associated organizations.
The NetLetter is published on the second and fourth weekend of each month. If you are interested in Canadian aviation history, and vintage aviation photos, especially as it relates to Trans-Canada Air Lines, Air Canada, Canadian Airlines International and their constituent airlines, then we're sure you'll enjoy this newsletter.
Please note: We do our best to identify and credit the original source of all content presented. However, should you recognize your material and are not credited; please advise us so that we can correct our oversight.
Our website is located at www.thenetletter.net Please click the links below to visit our archives and for more info about The NetLetter.
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NetLetter News
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 We have welcomed 37 new subscribers so far in 2024.
We wish to thank everyone for the continuing support of our efforts.
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 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.
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!
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Subscriber Feedback
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Contributing photographer, Steve Aubury, sent in photos of the following incident:
The story goes:-
Having arrived in Calgary in August 1977 to work in the oil industry, my first annual leave was due in August 1978. I was booked on a return flight from Calgary (YYC) to London Heathrow (LHR) departing Calgary on the evening of August 12, 1978. What followed could be said to be quite eventful.
I had settled in to my aisle seat on an Air Canada B-747 (C-FTOE) not far back from the rear of the right wing on the starboard side. The stewardess had been round with magazines and I had kindly taken the latest edition of 'Time' (possibly 'Newsweek') and had started reading an article about the Mormons of Utah whilst we awaited pushback and takeoff.
Now the events of that takeoff are described in the attached newspaper article. Suffice it to say my reading of the article was interrupted by the aborted takeoff. I do remember we were told, by the pilot, that it was because a light had shown suggesting a door was not properly shut and that we would head back to the terminal to check if true or if the light was faulty.
After a mere 20-25 minutes we pushed back again and resumed our departure; we did not stay long at the terminal. From memory, and again whilst trying to concentrate on the Mormon article, the second abort certainly felt as if we were almost at rotate speed. Thrown forward in our seats, in a far more severe braking action compared to the first abort, looking out of the window to my right I could see black objects flying away from the underside of the wing. At the time I made the quick assumption it was something from the flaps area, which was not the case, but instead shredded rubber from the tires.
We did make an attempt to taxi back to the terminal but gave up part way. I was unaware that the undercarriage was on fire, this only became apparent on deplaning. We waited on the aircraft for a few minutes awaiting stairs and we exited quietly and with little fuss.
My camera was on hand and I took the time to take a couple of pictures. The first shows the smoking undercarriage, devoid of any rubber on one bank of tires, the second from further away shows us all walking peacefully away.
Only once back in the terminal did it become apparent, to me at least, that Prince Philip was on this flight (in First Class) returning home following his attendance at the Commonwealth Games in Edmonton. Then it was an overnight wait in the terminal for us all whilst a replacement B-747 (C-FTOD) was available, around 9 hours from memory, before we all eventually departed on what was now a daytime flight on August 13th.
Once through controls at Heathrow we passed quite a few newspaper men and I avoided them as I had yet to make a connection on to Manchester. Certainly it was headline news the next day, purely because of Prince Philip being aboard.
Interestingly a few months later and at a party I got talking to an individual who was there at the time and who told me that we finally stopped by gouging a hole in the tarmac not very far short of the end of the runway. I showed him my picture of the burning bank of tires and he was astonished to realize that he was in it, the taller guy with the yellow cap!
I think that tells the story as my memory has it. Quite honestly I think the majority of us all took it in our stride, but actually it was not far from resulting in something being quite a lot more severe, though I do think the British media (mostly the tabloids) went overboard with headlines like 'Prince Philip Escapes Blazing Jet'!
Kind regards,
Steve Aubury.
Click on the images below to view full size.
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Submitted Photos
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Contributed by Bob Preiss -
Hello,
I am attaching a picture from the family vault. Now this must go back to at least 1948 or 1949 when my Mom, on the right at the back, was visiting her sister, my Aunt Jennie, in Saskatoon.
Those are my cousins Lorraine and Marion standing in front. Sadly all are gone now except little Lorraine who turned 80 last year. They are all standing on the tarmac at Saskatoon’s airport at the time. Mom is getting ready to fly home to Winnipeg. Don’t know what type of plane that is but I imagine it is a type of Viscount. I believe TCA was using them during the 1940's and 1950's.
About me, I am Bob Preiss, 68, retired in September 2016 from Air Canada after working over 40 years at Winnipeg’s Finance Branch, retiring as a Systems Specialist.
Hope you find this somewhat interesting.
Best regards,
Bob Preiss
Editors' Note: The aircraft is actually a Canadair North Star which began TCA service in 1947 ("North Star" name is barely readable on the tail). The first Viscounts didn't go into TCA service until 1955.
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Contributed by Robert Langham -
Celebrating Air Canada's 50th anniversary from the Canadian Maple Wings Association.
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Remember When
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From the NetLetter archives -
In the late 1940's I was Ramp Supervisor at Toronto. Working the midnight shift the weather was ripe for the trial. The forecast was for at least four to five inches of snow. Now the plan was to park a DC-3 on the gate overnight with no covers and let the snow fall. Gate one was selected; the aircraft was to be used on the Ottawa flight in the morning at 07:30.
At 07:00 the plan started with buckets of glycol (that had been removed from North Star RR engines on a maintenance check) and long handled mops. Maintenance and ramp personnel manned the equipment.
In no time the snow had been removed, the entire aircraft glistened in the shiny glow of the green glycol. Passengers were then boarded; not one made any mention of the aircraft's strange appearance. It was now dripping a green colored liquid.
The flight departed a few minutes late. When it had left the gate, there was this perfect outline of a DC-3 aircraft in glycol green.
Doug Hicks,
Retired Airport Manager, New York
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Women in Aviation
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Women in Aviation International (WAI) has assigned interim CEO Stephanie Kenyon to the newly established position of chief operating officer (COO), effective immediately.
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 According to WAI, she will take on a crucial role in defining the “operational landscape” of the organization. CEO Lynda Coffman said,
“Stephanie’s role as interim CEO for the past six months demonstrated her exceptional operational and analytical skills, deploying new processes and systems to streamline the organization and increase efficiencies.”
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Air Canada News
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TCA/AC People Gallery
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Found in 'Horizons' magazine
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Issue dated June 1993
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YYZ Sales Office on the move.
Toronto's City Sales Office staff moved into their new offices at the Royal York Hotel, Arcade level during 1993.
Left to right: Customer Sales and Service Agents Marna Niece, Sam Ryan, Eleanor Moses and Sales Support Manager Rosanna Panetta add the finishing touch to their new home.
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| Issue dated July 1993. |
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Class of '68 reunites.
The Air Canada Flight Attendant Class of '68 celebrated its 25th anniversary during 1993. The reunion was held in Toronto and was attended by active and past employees. Some of the 45 participants brought back memories by donning the old uniforms worn during the past 25 years.
Modeling their vintage outfits are, from left to right: Gudrun Papesch, Suzanne Palmer, Maria Turner, Lynne Fedyszyn, Jackie Earle, Corrine Lusty, Susan Harris and Lynn McCoy.
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Pionairs elect new executive.
During 1993, Air Canada's Pionairs elected their new national executive, which will serve for the next two years.
From left to light: Marv Lohnes, 1st Vice President; Sheila Snow, 2nd Vice President; Wilse Jessee, President; Vera Hoare, Secretary; Bill Nicholson, Treasurer and John Innes, Past President.
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Celebrating retirement
Toronto Aircraft Cleaner Ralph Weatherhead (below right) accepts his retirement plaque from District Line Maintenance Manager, Bill Misener, after almost 33 years of service.
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| Issue dated August 1993. |
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Celebrating 1,000 years of service.
Vancouver combined its service anniversaries to celebrate a thousand years of service.
The employee service recognition evening in 1993, organized by Bill Devlin, Manager, Personnel & Employee Relations - B.C. & Alberta and Employee Records Coordinators Desta Wiener, Roger Paquette, Darlene Davies and Dave Garratt - marked 25, 30 and 35th service anniversaries for employees between January and June 1993.
It was a huge success and a second event is planned for employees celebrating service anniversaries in the second half of the year.
From left to right: Hans Birsfelder, Purser; Flight Attendants Patricia Coirier, Rene Grether and Marty Frahm; Chris Dubeau, In-Flight Service Manager; Brian Elsey, Manager, Administration and Support; Mimi Gingras, Flight Attendant; Pursers Franco Cellura and Mick Baumgartner; Flight Attendants Seija Evans, Jerry Bialluch, Lynn McCoy and Martha Middleton; Al Klein, Purser and In-Flight Service Supervisors Linda Penn and Robin Fleming.
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CP Air, Canadi>n People Gallery
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 Found on Facebook
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YVR OPS Centre circa late 1960's
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From the 'CP Air News' magazine.
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Issue dated December 1980
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A one-hour special program showing behind-the-scenes activity of CP Air at the Vancouver Operations Centre was telecast right across Canada on the CBC-TV’s national network on Boxing Day, December 26, 1980.
The program 'Today from the Pacific' was a one-hour edited version of the 90-minute show telecast on the B.C. and Northern networks of the CBC on December 7.
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Lights, camera and lots of action were in evidence at the Vancouver Operations Centre the week of December 1 when CBC-TV moved in for a behind the scenes look at CP Air.
On camera are program co-host Bob Switzer, left, and Ron Pridmore, supervisor power plant overhaul, discussing the intricacies of jet engines.
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Issue dated January 1981
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 Service is the name of the game
Announcing an all-new customized cargo service designed to meet the needs of the domestic shipper. This year will see considerable corporate emphasis being placed upon our domestic services.
To meet the thrust of additional competition on transcon routes, new aircraft, additional flight frequency and greater wide-body capacity are provided in the transcon flight schedules. Consequently this provides a significant space opportunity for cargo.
The net contribution of cargo (freight and mail) to the bottom line continues to be vital in 1981 and will become increasingly more important in future years.
The ‘Team Cargo' theme emphasizes that service is the name of the game. Customer service is the responsibility of us all, not just the cargo department.
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Featured Video(s)
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We found another interesting YouTube channel, ' Histories of Airliners'. It is dedicated to an always fascinating topic; 'whatever happened historic aircraft'.
We start off with their version of the history of the 'Gimli Glider' followed by the stories of various DC-10's preserved around the world. Click the images below to view the videos.
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 Wayne's Wings
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CF-AOH -Douglas C-47 Skytrain to DC-3 Dakota and back
Terry's original text for this NetLetter issue contained quite a long list of registrations and operators for this particular aircraft. My research came up with over 30 operators, 8 (by my count) in Canada.
Constructed as a C-47 Skytrain by Douglas Aircraft in 1943 for military transport it was later converted to a DC-3 for passenger service and leased to several operators for the next 29 years until it crossed the border and began its Canadian period of service.
It was purchased by Aircraft Sales International Canada (of Montreal) and registered as CF-AOH. A sale in December 1972 to Beach Air in Trinidad was not taken up. In April, 1973, it was sold to Nordair and during 1973 to Aklavik Flying Services at Inuvik in the Northwest Territories; Reindeer Air Services took ownership in 1974 and then briefly to Superior Airways.
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Photo courtesy of Robert W. Arnold
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Ilford Riverton Airways bought the aircraft in 1977. This airline was renamed Northland Air Manitoba circa 1983 (see header photo in Air Manitoba livery). The aircraft remained in service until February 1993 when its Canadian registration was cancelled and it was exported back to the United States. It was to be re-registered as N293WM and re-painted in military livery. Its not very clear how it was used during this period but it does seem to have participated in air shows and spent a few years at the National Warplane Museum in Geneseo, New York. The last information concerning its eventual fate is that it was bought by a new owner and exported to Colombia and registered as HK-4971.
I contacted the photographer of the photo below, taken at Villavicencio, April 4, 2015, to request permission to use the photo.
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Photographer Ferdinand Peters graciously volunteered the info below on the current condition of the aircraft.
During my last visit to Villavicencio, last year, the airplane was in the hangar of Aliansa. They are in the process of trying to reactivate this airplane.
Aliansa right now has no operational DC-3s left, but is in the process of restoring this one, and their Turbo Dak HK-5012, in San Felipe.
The DC-3 community in the Colombian lowlands is much looking forward to this addition, as it is the airframe with the lowest hours. Aliansa is now operating their passenger service with a Cessna 208.
The DC-3s in Colombia are operated in a Combi configuration, with the Cargo strapped down in the center of the cabin, and 19 fold-down seats along the walls for passengers.
With the limit of 19 passengers, they fall under the more relaxed general aviation rules. The airlines don't sell tickets, but 'traders' in Villavicencio, San Jose de Guaviare and the local communities charter the whole plane and resell by the seat or kilogram of Cargo.
It is an amazing place, I have been there 3 times, and once flew with Allas all the way to the Venezuelan border on a supply flight.
Ferdinand Peters, The Netherlands
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Terry's Trivia and Travel Tips
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 Terry Baker, co-founder of the NetLetter scours the internet for aviation related Trivia and Travel Tips for you, our readers, to peruse.
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From Port Alberni, B.C. to Paris, France.
 Tseshaht First Nation member hits landing strip after 38 years as United Airlines pilot.
Wallace Watts spent his 38-year career as a commercial pilot for United Airlines travelling the world, visiting countless places every week.
One of the first Indigenous pilots to be hired by a major commercial airline, received two awards for preventing a plane crash on two different occasions.
From hiking Mount Huashan in China, deemed the world's deadliest hike, to biking in the jungles of Singapore, to his many visits to Paris and Rome, his career, which combined his love for aviation with a passion for travel, has been memorable.
“It’s pretty much allowed me to do everything I’ve ever wanted to do, see everything I’ve wanted to see, and taste everything I wanted to eat,” said Watts, 65.
“Looking back, I was really thoroughly blessed to be able to fly that much and see the entire world.”
Flying commercially was the realization of a dream that began when he was a teenager growing up in Port Alberni.
His first job was flying for Austin Airways out of Timmins, Ontario in 1980, when he was 22. Photo below show Watts, on the left, with Luke, a station manager for Austin Airways, with one of their DHC-6 Twin Otters.
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Smileys
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Our cartoon, by Dave Mathias, appeared in the 'Horizons' magazine issued November 1980.
The caption reads: "We have an Economy, First Class and Executive's cabin, Mr. Finchley, but honestly nothing for bankrupts."
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The NetLetter Team
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Wayne Albertson, Ken Pickford & Terry Baker
Richmond, British Columbia - December 2019
(Bob Sheppard was not available for the photograph)
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Wayne, Bob & Ken
Richmond, British Columbia - December 2023
(Terry Baker was not available for the photograph)
 
We wish to honour the memories of
Vesta Stevenson and Alan Rust.
They remain a part of every edition published.
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E&OE - (errors and omissions excepted) - The historical information as well as any other information provided in the "NetLetter" is subject to correction and may have changed over time. We do publish corrections (and correct the original article) when this is brought to our attention.
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