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The NetLetter #1587

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‍The NetLetter #1587

Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter
Since 1995

S‍aturday August 8, 2026 ‍ ‍ ‍

‍McDonnell Douglas DC-8-50 Line # 1
Canadian Pacific Airlines CF-CPN

Circa 1967

Photo from NetLetter archives

‍Dear ‍

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.

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We have welcomed 82 new subscribers so far in 2026.

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We wish to thank everyone for the continuing support of our efforts.

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We invite you to visit our website at www.thenetletter.net and select 'NetLetter Archives'.

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 feedback@thenetletter.net

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Thanks!

‍Subscriber Feedback

From Jack Morath -

We had a request from Jack for help in contacting Ingo Hirt who appeared in the Mumbai reunion photo in NetLetter #1585. We were able to supply that contact information.

"I first met Ingo when we were both on a short course at LHR, and he asked me to take him to the shops in Staines. He was a Manager in Frankfurt at the time. We remained friends ever since.

Thanks for the contact info. We have exchanged e-mails, he was so pleased to get back in contact."

From Larry McIntyre -

Regarding the article in NetLetter #1586 on the (Langley) Museum of Flight Harvard Mk IIB, a number of years ago a few Harvards flew out of Delta Airpark, along Boundary Bay.

These aircraft would fly over the Remembrance Day services on November 11th at Victory Square in Vancouver. Sadly, as the owner pilots aged, the 'Fly Past' came to an end.

From Peter Sinclair -

Regarding the DC-8-40 & -61 series, having been an AC employee 40 years and having worked on the ramp in YYZ for five of those years, I have many fond memories.

The sweetest sound to me was the engine startups of the above-mentioned aircraft. The distinctive howl of the RR Conway and the PW engines were a sound that still gives me goosebumps.

There are a couple of links where you can hear these engines starting but I was just wondering if anyone out there knew of any others or if there were any recordings.

Thanks for the memories.

Editors' Note: More DC-8 memories below.

From Todd Tripp -

Regarding the request on the identity of the Cessna 180 in NetLetter #1586, I’m not sure of the aircraft registration but around that time there was a C180 aircraft in that colour scheme owned by a Mike Jefferys, based at Hamilton, Ontario airport (YHM).

The pilot in the picture looks much like Greg Fleming (retired Ornge air ambulance pilot), who was friends with Mike.

‍Submitted Photos

Former Pionairs President (and frequent NetLetter contributor), John Rodger, sent us the photo below with another former Pionairs President, Patricia (Deedee) Lannon seated to the right of Claude Taylor.

We were asked if we could identify the Horizons issue where the photo appeared. Terry dug into our library and found the photo in the April 1977 Horizons issue.

The occasion was in recognition of the winning stations in the United Way campaign donations for Atlantic Canada that year.

The full group are, from left right, seated: Kay Boulos, St. John's; Patricia (Deedee) Lannon, Gander; Claude Taylor; Jean O'Hanley, Moncton; Maria Reeves, Sydney.

Standing: Brian Muise, Yarmouth; Jim Smith, Saint John; Pat Ryan, Stephenville; Harvey Muttart, Fredericton (who represented Bertha Calhoun); Gord Misener, Halifax and Jim Crowe, Charlottetown.

Air Canada News

for the latest posts at the Air Canada Media Centre.

Click the logo to open the Air Canada YouTube channel.

‍TCA / AC People Gallery

2014 - May 23rd - First revenue flight of the B-787 Dreamliner was from Toronto to Halifax. Flight AC604 was commanded by Captain Michael Deere. Kirstan Howe and Jonathan Rocheleau were two of the flight attendants.
2014 - May 27th - Zurich welcomed Fin # 801. Our B-787 Dreamliner's first international flight.

A tribute to the people who made Air Canada the company it is today.

by Ross Smyth

From Horizons March 1999 - Walter Seagrim

Born in Winnipeg, Seagrim learned to fly with the Winnipeg Flying Club in 1931. After earning his air engineer’s licence, he flew bush aircraft throughout Northern Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan for Wings Limited.

When Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) was formed in 1937, he and Aviation Hall-of-Famer Lindy Rood joined as pilots on the same day. Seagrim captained TCA's first westbound mail flight out of Winnipeg and, with several other pilots, pioneered the Rocky Mountain route between Lethbridge and Vancouver. In 1943, he was appointed chief pilot of the Western region, and a year later, Director of flight Operations.

Shortly after the North Star was introduced in 1948, Seagrim set a new speed record of just under seven hours - at the then unheard of altitude of 20,000 ft. - on a flight from Vancouver to Montreal. When headquarters was transferred from Winnipeg to Montreal in 1949, Seagrim was appointed General Manager of Operations and, seven years later, Vice President of Operations.

Largely responsible for our selection of DC-8 and DC-9 aircraft, he flew the first DC-8 in 1960 and the first DC-9 in 1966.

In 1965 he was named Executive Vice President of the newly-named Air Canada. Retiring in 1970, he was named a member of Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame three years later.

In 1987, he received the Order of Canada for his contribution to aviation.

Additional info:
cahf.ca/herbert-walter-seagrim

From Horizons April 1999 - Donald R. MacLaren

One of Canada's top aces in the Great War of 1914-1918, Donald R. MacLaren became Trans-Canada Air Lines first employee in 1937.

He shot down 48 planes and six balloons, approximately double the 26 downed by Eddie Rickenbacker, the American ace. A soft-spoken gentleman and a mernber of Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame, he was always reticent to talk about his wartime exploits.

In 1925, MacLaren founded Pacific Airways, the first Canadian commercial flying venture, on the west coast. He was general manager of Canadian Airways when he joined Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA), guiding our airline through its turbulent early years, he served in many capacities including superintendent of stations and Director of Passenger Service before retiring in 1958.

To help celebrate our 25th anniversary, he made a cross-Canada speaking tour in 1959.

Additional Info:

cahf.ca/donald-roderick-maclaren

From Horizons May 1999 - Fraser Muir

Fraser Muir, 75, is not only looking back but also looking forward to employees donating the thousands of airline memorabilia now gathering dust in their basements and attics.

Fraser's interest in flying first became evident when he survived 35 bombing operations with the Second World War's Bomber Command.

After obtaining a university degree, he worked for the airline for 30 years, from 1953-1983, rising from reservations agent to senior marketing expert.

After early retirement, he became actively involved with the Pionairs. When he served a president (1995 - 1997), he was very supportive of the late Beth Buchanan's efforts to develop an artifact and memorabilia program that is now a reality.

"I feel Air Canada has done its part in preserving its visual history for future generations," he says. "It's now in our hands to complete this story because we played an important role in the history of commercial aviation in Canada.

Additional Info:

veterans.gc.ca/en/taxonomy/term/44088

From 'Horizons' magazine

Issue dated May 1999

Preparing for Summer

Summer is almost here and many of our customers and employees are busy planning their vacations.

In Scheduling, however, summer comes early-work began on the 1999 summer schedule last year. For this team of 14, balancing destinations with aircraft availability and passenger loads can become a bit of a juggling act.

With two new A-340s set to arrive this summer, there are some exciting new developments and new destinations.

The scheduling team, left to right, standing: Ian Mitchell, current Schedule Planning Manager; Andy Melnyk, Manager, Schedule Design; Sheila Whalen, Manager, Scheduling; Volker Wackernagel, current Schedule Manager; Elena Galin, Administrative Assistant; Norbert Manger, Director, Scheduling.

Sitting: Debbie Bowes, Schedule Support Assistant: Alan Bell, Manager, Schedule Support and Automation; Daniel Gingras, Co-ordinator, Aircraft Availability; Patti White, Schedule Support Manager; Maxine Sansom, Charter Coordinator; Tanya Boismier, Schedule Planning Manager.

Missing: Cliff Moen, Schedule Planning Manager and Anne Wasylyshyn, Coordinator, Network Administration.

‍CP Air / Canadi>n People Gallery

1999 - April 7 - Start of service between Edmonton - Chicago with B-737 equipment.

1944, Summer - The two ex-Prairie Airways Beech 18s operated by Canadian Pacific on its north - south Saskatchewan route (which connected with the east - west Trans-Canada Air Lines route at Regina) were sold to Venezuela’s TACA airline. Astonishingly, both are still intact and preserved.

These aircraft were CF-BKN and CF-BKO (c/n 177 and 178, respectively).

CF-BKN is in the Pima County Air Museum at Tucson. Its last owner, M.W. Sweeley, donated the aircraft on July 30, 1980. It carried American registration N55681 and had 6,000 hours in the air, logged between 1938 and 1980.

CF-BKN - October 19, 2025

Photo courtesy of Alan P. Cookson

CF-BKO was originally delivered to Prairie Airways of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan on July 17, 1938. After flying with Línea Aerea TACA de Venezuela, was re-registered in the Miami, Florida area and was flown from New Jersey to California in the mid-1970s.

It sat in storage at Carmel, owned by a T. Larson, registered as N87AZ. This aircraft later went to an owner in Dallas, then to a Beechcraft Heritage Museum in Tullahoma, Tennessee -- painted in its red and blue Prairie Airways colours! It occasionally tours and remains one of the oldest flying Beech 18 models in existence.

CF-BKO - October 6, 2007

Photo courtesy of Roger Syratt

1957 - Canadian Pacific Airlines swapped routes with upstart Pacific Western Airlines. In return for giving CPA its Kitimat-Terrace run, PWA received CPA’s DEW Line resupply operations, plus its Edmonton-Lloydminster-North Battleford-Prince Albert-Saskatoon-Moose Jaw-Regina service, using a DC-3.

Featured Video (s)

De Havilland Canada Revives The Short 330 As The "Pack Rat"

At the Farnborough Airshow, De Havilland Canada showcased a revival of the Short 330, originally debuted 52 years ago in 1974. After acquiring the rights in 2019, the company is reimagining this aircraft as the "Pack Rat" for special missions.

Lethbridge, Alberta-based Time Air, later acquired by Pacific Western Airlines before becoming part of Canadian Regional Airlines, was the first operator of the Short 330 in 1976, and also operated the updated Short 360 beginning in 1985. Time Air operated three of each model.

Odds & Ends

Unusual baggage requests

Excerpt from Horizons June 1999.
by Mary Manni, Day of flight Coordinator, SOC, Toronto.

Suitcases aren't the only items some customers want to check in. One brought a cow to Toronto's Lester B. Pearson International Airport believing it could travel as a checked bag, another customer wanted to take a boa constrictor on board as carry-on baggage.

"Baggage is considered to be the personal effects required by a customer for one particular trip," says Bob Blake, Manager, Customer Service, Baggage. "You'd assume that would be clothes, gifts, and toiletries. But, that's not always the case."

Airport agents have seen some fairly unusual items plunked onto check-in counters such as automobile tires, human organs, engine blocks, car bumpers, sculptures, window frames, refined sugar, paintings, televisions, stereos, and even a recliner.

Sports enthusiasts want to check in paraphernalia like skis, snowboards, hang gliders, kayaks, windsurf boards, bikes, camp stoves and golf clubs. "Excess or unusual baggage requires special attention," Blake says. "It typically takes up more space and is heavier than standard baggage, requiring the aircraft - at times - to take on more fuel. That's why we apply handling charges."

There are exceptions to the rule, however. A scientist flying from Winnipeg with a collection of mosquitoes thought he'd have to pay for each one because Air Canada usually charges per animal. In this case, a single charge was applied.

Defunct airlines of Canada

Cherry Red Airline was Saskatchewan’s first domestic airline.

Founded in 1928 by Norman Cherry and H. Holroyde, it operated out of Prince Albert (and later Christopher Lake) to transport miners, loggers, and airmail to northern communities before closing during the Great Depression.

Formally incorporated in 1929, the company was established to meet the rising demand for rapid transit to northern Saskatchewan’s mining and logging camps.

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherry_Red_Airline

Pat Bay Air was a a charter floatplane operator based at the Victoria Airport Water Aerodrome in North Saanich, British Columbia.

Originally founded in 2005, the company specialized in scenic flights and personalized charters around Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.

The original Pat Bay Air operation is no longer active today, having been purchased in 2013 by Sandpiper Air Seaplanes, which ceased all operations in 2016.

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Bay_Air

Pat Bay Air Cessna 185 - June 10, 2009

Skyservice Airlines was a Canadian leisure and charter airline that ceased all commercial flight operations in March 2010.

Source:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyservice_Airlines

Skyservice Airbus A320-200 C-GTDK
Bristol Airport (England) - September 2003

Photo by Adrian Pingstone

Quebecair began as Rimouski Airlines in 1947 and flew under that name until it merged with Gulf Aviation in 1953 under the name Quebec-Air.

The aircraft in operation at the time were the Beech 18, the de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver and the Douglas DC-3. Operations were mainly based in Quebec and Montreal was added in 1957.

In 1958, a fire in a hangar destroyed three DC-3s, and Fairchild F-27 turboprop aircraft were then purchased to replace the destroyed aircraft. The F-27 propjets proved to be very successful.

Quebecair was acquired by CP Air in 1986, shortly before Pacific Western Airlines acquired CP Air in 1987 to form Canadian Airlines International..

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quebecair

Quebecair Fairchild F-27 CF-QBZ

Montreal - March 25, 1971

Photo by RuthAS

Wayne's Wings

Douglas DC-8 - Line # 1

Frank de Koster, who operates the web site 'The Mighty Eight' in tribute to the historic DC-8, sent in a series of photos of the first DC-8 built.

Line #1 (called "Ship One" by Douglas) was the prototype and made the DC-8's first flight on May 30, 1958. Douglas kept it for test purposes. After converting it to a DC-8-50 and using it to certify that model, it was refurbished and leased to National Airlines in June 1961, retaining original registration N8008D. It was acquired by Trans International Airlines in June 1962, briefly leased to Lufthansa in May 1965.

Canadian connection was a one-year lease to Canadian Pacific Airlines (October 1966) under registration CF-CPN and named 'Empress of Santiago' (photo in this issue's header).

Acquired by Delta Air Lines in October 1967 (re-registered N8008D) where in remained until April 1979 when it was acquired by Aeroméxico under registration XA-DOE.

Withdrawn from service and stored at Marana Pinal Airpark in January 1982, it was finally scrapped in 2001 at 42.6 years.

Original article on CP Air DC-8 fleet in NetLetter #1456.

Lifecycle source: www.planespotters.net

Photos courtesy of Frank de Koster unless otherwise noted.

DC-8 Prototype rollout

Long Beach - Daugherty Field - April 23, 1958

Douglas Aircraft publicity photo
courtesy of David Caughey Collection at AirHistory.net

Trans International Airlines

Circa 1962

Lufthansa - Circa 1965

Canadian Pacific - CF-CPN

Circa 1967

Delta - Circa 1967

Aero Mexico - XA-DOE

Miami, Florida - June 1981

Photo courtesy of Gary Vincent

XA-DOE in storage

Marana - Pinal Airpark (Arizona) - October 9, 1987

Photo courtesy of Fergal Goodman

Terry's Trivia
& Travel Tips

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

Interested in Canadian aviation? To see what Larry Milberry is up to at Canav Books Blog, hop onto this site:

canavbooks.wpcomstaging.com

Japan has quietly stepped into one of the most technically demanding races in aviation with a hypersonic engine test that pushes far beyond anything currently flying in commercial aerospace.

At JAXA’s Kakuda Space Center in Miyagi, researchers successfully carried out what officials described as Japan’s first Mach 5 combustion test using a hypersonic experimental aircraft, marking a significant moment for a country that has spent decades researching high-speed propulsion behind the scenes.

Source: luxurylaunches.com/travel

‍The NetLetter Team

‍Wayne, Ken & Terry

Richmond, British Columbia - December 2019
(Bob Sheppard was not available for the photograph)

‍‍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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