Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter
Since 1995 Saturday, August 22, 2026
|
|
|---|
Canadian Airlines
B-737-200C - C-GOPW Iqaluit (YFB) - November 2000
Photo by Howard Allmand |
|
|---|
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. 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. |
|
|---|
 We have welcomed 87 new subscribers so far in 2026.
We currently have 4626 subscribers.
We wish to thank everyone for the continuing support of our efforts.
|
|
 Back issues of The NetLetter are available in both the original newsletter format and downloadable PDF format.
|
|
|
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.
We will try to post your comments in the next issue but, if not, we will publish it as soon as we can.
Thanks!
|
|
|
|---|
 UK & International District
Afternoon Tea at Stoke Place Hotel, Stoke Green, Buckinghamshire.
Date: Thursday, 10th September.
We need to finalize the attendance number by Monday, August 24.
The traditional afternoon tea in this beautiful hotel, consists of tea/coffee, a selection of finger sandwiches, scones, jam and cream and a selection of cakes & pastries...all for a very reasonable price of just £19.95 for Pionairs members.
|
|
 43rd World Airline Road Race
Where: Fort Worth, Texas
When: October 2-4, 2026
|
|
|
|---|
|
Dear NetLetter team,
Warm greetings to you all, and thank you for another fascinating NetLetter.
By way of introduction, my name is Edward Mitchell and I started my airline career in May 1975 with Air Canada Cargo, and subsequently in Passenger Reservations at London Heathrow Airport.
In 1982 there was an opportunity to move to Air Canada’s offline sales offices in Johannesburg, South Africa. I was delighted to be accepted for the position, moving there in September of that year.
My boss in Johannesburg was E. H. (Ed) Conolly, who was well-known in the industry, and quite a character. Sadly, the offices had to be closed in 1985 and I lost contact with Ed.
I went on to have a very enjoyable & successful career in the South African travel industry for 35 years prior to retiring in Somerset, England.
If Ed Conolly is still around, and any of your readers have any information or contact details for him, I would be more than grateful.
Yours, Most Sincerely,
Edward Mitchell
|
|
|
From John Rodger -
Hi Guys -
 Wonder if any of your readers would know about this.
Deedee Lannon had a email from the Canadian Aviation Museum asking if any one knew when and where these megaphones were used. It was a donation to CAM from a widow of an AC Employee.
Other than me thinking it was used on the picket line. Ted Page thinks they were used on the early DC-8s. He thinks they were stored in the bin where the first aid was.
Brian Ross said in customer service, we used megaphones at the airport, when the sound system wasn’t working and also with bus operations, etc., during irregular operations. I don’t recognize this model of megaphone with the hand held separate microphone however.”
John
Editor's Note by Wayne: Megaphones were always a stock item in Stores, we had a lot of fun playing with them.
Google search results: Under the Canadian Aviation Regulations, large transport airplanes carrying 60 or more passengers must have portable, battery-powered megaphones on board. Flight attendants use these devices to direct emergency evacuations if the main public address system fails.
|
|
|
From Andrew Crain -
Back in 2020, I wrote a piece for the NetLetter and I'm thinking of writing another one about my Air Canada DC-9 parts collection.
That said, I have a question...
The attached picture from the DC-9s retirement is in one of the NetLetter issues.
I'm trying to find out which fin# had the teardrops painted on. I thought it would be 711 before its repaint but I can't find any pictures of any -9 from the 2001-2002 period with the teardrops.
Any possibility leads are appreciated.
Regards,
Andrew Crain
|
 |
|
This photo by Brian Losito appeared in the March 2002 issue of Horizons story on the retirement of the DC-9s.
The caption reads: "Goodbye to an old friend. Retired Captain Carl W. Sandelin gives the thumbs-up while sitting in a seat he is very familiar with. Carl holds the world record for most hours flown in a DC-9. The DC-9 was retired from the fleet January 13, 2002."
|
|
|
|---|
|
Submitted by Howard Allmand -
I was very fortunate to be based in Calgary at the YYC Flight Attendant base between 1994 and 2004. Some of my flying was on a Canadian North B-737 Combi aircraft.
Looking back, it was some of the most exciting flying I ever did. There were three routes at that time, Yellowknife to Norman Wells and Inuvik, Yellowknife to Cambridge Bay and Resolute and Yellowknife to Rankin Inlet to Iqaluit to Ottawa.
There were also flights to the diamond mines. I remember the aircraft arriving into Yellowknife from the diamond mine at lunchtime and immediately taxiing to a separate building from the main terminal where I believe the diamonds were offloaded and processed by skilled Armenian diamond craftsmen.
That's what I was told. Afterwards, the aircraft taxied to the main terminal where we boarded the passengers for Rankin Inlet and Iqaluit and Ottawa. It would be interesting to read some stories about the diamond mine operation and Canadian North's involvement in transporting the workers in and the diamonds out.
We also carried patients on stretchers where the last three or four rows of seat-backs were laid flat to accommodate the stretcher and patient. Pregnant women coming to Yellowknife to deliver their babies and the next week returning them with their babies to their smaller communities. Flying across Northern Canada and seeing the vastness of the landscape. So very different from mainline flying. I was blessed to be a part of it for that short period.
Here are some pictures taken during that period at Yellowknife, Cambridge Bay, Resolute, Norman Wells, Rankin Inlet and Iqaluit.
Editors' Note: Howard sent us several nice photographs, too many for one issue We will be publish them over a series of upcoming issues.
|
 |
|
Howard at Resolute Airport
|
|
 |
|
C-GDPA (fin #784) at Resolute (YRB) in June 1995
|
|
 |
|
C-GOPW (fin #782) at Yellowknife (YZF) in November 2000
|
| Editors' Note: See more on C-GOPW in Wayne's Wings. |
|
|
|---|
|
Minimum requirements for Flight Attendants in 1980.
- High school diploma or equivalent.
- One year's permanent work experience or post-secondary education, in lieu thereof.
- Unaided visual standards should not be below 6/15 (20/50) in each eye.
- Glasses are not permitted.
- Contact lenses are acceptable provided visual acuity is not weaker than 6/30 (20/100) uncorrected in each eye.
- 5' 2" - 6'1" (male or female) with weight in proportion to height.
- High standard of appearance with excellent health and stamina.
- Ability to interact and work effectively with people, sometimes under difficult and stressful circumstances.
- Willing to relocate.
Source: Horizons, December 1979
Editors' Note: For a more recent list of qualifications (for AC Rouge) see flyrouge.com/ca
|
|
|
Found in 'Horizons' magazine
|
|
Issue dated February 1976
|
|
Distinctly unimpressed with modern air transport, this team of horses ignores a Lockheed 14H-2 at Winnipeg Airport.
Horses replaced ramp vehicles during the WWII years to save money and fuel.
Editors' Note: Now that a precedent has been set, perhaps horses could be used again with the present fuel costs!
|
 |
|
|
|---|
 |
|
Inaugural services -
- 1947 - October 1 - Service to Shannon, Ireland with North Star equipment.
- 1995 - June 15 - Air Canada became the first North American operator of the Airbus A340-300 when it took delivery at the Paris Air Show.
- 1999 - August 3 - Service between Ottawa and Washington D.C. with CRJ equipment.
- 2000 - June 19 - Service between Toronto and Kelowna.
- 2000 - July 3 - Service between Toronto and Amsterdam with B-767 equipment.
|
|
|
From 'Horizons' magazine
|
|
Issue dated July 1999
|
 |
|
Jack Dyment
by Ross Smyth
Not only was John (Jack) T. Dyment the oldest attendee at the 1999 Pionairs convention in Vancouver, but he was also one of the very great pioneers who contributed to the success of Trans-Canada Air Lines and Air Canada.
In 1938, Dyment joined the company as chief engineer and remained with us for over 30 years. Many of his initiatives, such as improving our twin engine Lockheeds, were later copied by the manufacturer.
He also played a major role in developing specifications for later aircraft that helped propel the company into the jet age as one of the world's top 10 airlines.
In addition to his technical skills, Dyment was an outstanding company spokesman. Renowned world-wide, in the 1960s, he was a consultant to the American government, recommending civil aviation research and development programs. He was the sole foreign appointee.
At his induction into Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame, the following was the citation: "His 50 years of dedicated service, applied with superior knowledge of commercial aviation in the land of his birth and around the world, have substantially benefitted Canadian aviation."
We're indebted to Jack Dyment for his contribution to our flying heritage.
|
|
|
YUL Help Desk
The RESIII Help Desk and Database team were relocated to offices in downtown Montreal.
Here they are enjoying one of their last days at the Air Canada Centre.
Kneeling: Norm Curley, Database Coordinator; Lino Mancino, Field Support Coordinator; Nicole Gendron, Senior Database Coordinator; Gloria Poirier. RESIII Field Support and Database Manager; Teresa Galasso, Senior Field Support Coordinator and Louise Jolicoeur, Lead Database Coordinator DCS.
Standing: Jean Forget, Database Coordinator; Louis Notte, Senior Database Coordinator; Tina Fiala and Yves Frédéric, Field Support Coordinators; Lucie Mauro-Doyle, Reservations Development System; Lucie Plante, Database Coordinator; Chantal Cantin, Lead Database Coordinator, Systems; Errol Allen, Senior Field Support Coordinator; Florida Yessaian, Field Support Coordinator; Pamela Bardo, Field Support Specialist; Maria-Lou Dubois, PNR Retrieval; Jane Harlow-Glover, Field Support Specialist.
Absent were Jenny Acheson, Susie Falardeau and Sandra Holmes, Senior Database Coordinators; Nancy Magher, Lead Coordinator CIS; Christine Séguin, Senior Field Support Coordinator and Ron Hiscox, Field Support Specialist.
|
 |
|
|
Issue dated August 1999
|
|
Above and Beyond - In this column, here are employees who have gone above and beyond their work responsibilities.
Cargo to the Rescue
On May 3, 1999, a national Bank Holiday in England, our Cargo team at Heathrow Airport (LHR) faced a daunting challenge.
A consignment of rotor blades for a grounded search and rescue helicopter in St. John's, Newfoundland, was urgently needed. Flown in from Norway, the exceptionally long blades were transferred to AC861. This was no easy task.
First, they had to be unpacked, then carefully fitted into the aircraft's cargo hold where they were repackaged. The whole operation took a mere 22 hours from Norway to Newfoundland.
Hats off to the warehouse team for an outstanding performance above and beyond everyone's expectations.
The team with the mostest, front row, left to right: Warehousemen Tony Maunders, Stephen Martin and Andy Olrod; Lisa MacRobert, Customer Sales Service Agent.
Back row: Warehousemen Spenser Gadsolen and John Oakley.
Not shown: Warehousemen Chris Gomez, Nigel CarroIl and Laura Calmonson.
|
 |
|
|
|---|
CP Air / Canadi>n People Gallery |
|
|---|
|
In late 1999, Canada's Much Music Television (MTV) leased a custom-painted Canadian Airlines McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 (registration C-GCPD) for a global millennium promotion called 'Fly 2K'. The special party plane carried contest winners, crew, and musical acts on an around-the-world tour before arriving in New York for New Year's Eve 1999.
Source: Google search.
|
 |
|
|
From the 'Canadi>n Flyer' magazine.
|
|
Issue dated April 2000
|
|
Canadian Airlines celebrates - 40 Years to Rome.
by Dennis Lanthier
On March 5, 1960, the first flight to Rome on Canadian Pacific Airlines took off from Toronto via Montreal on a Bristol Britannia 314, a four engine turbo-prop aircraft that seated 83 passengers.
That had followed successful efforts in 1959 by then-president Grant McConachie to acquire bilateral rights between Canada and Italy, while the company looked for ways to support our new base in Toronto.
Alitalia was given reciprocal rights for Toronto and Montreal, plus onward fifth freedom rights to fly to Chicago, Los Angeles and Mexico City.
DC-8-43 aircraft were introduced just one year after, with the first jet flight to Rome in June, 1961.
|
 |
|
|
|---|
|
Defunct airlines of Canada
|
|
Enerjet was originally formed in 2006 by a small group of entrepreneurs addressing what they perceived to be a gap in the service provided by Canada's major airlines, WestJet and Air Canada in "middle Canada". It was initially known as New Air & Tours until October 20, 2008, when New Air & Tours revealed its name and corporate logo to be styled as Enerjet.
|
 |
|
Enerjet B-737-700
Calgary - August 22, 2009
|
|
|
Lynx Air -
On November 16, 2021, the company revealed its new name as Lynx Air, with plans to begin flying in the first quarter of 2022. During the announcement, the airline made commitments for up to 46 Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft over the next seven years to meet the anticipated demand, with deliveries starting in early 2022, and that it would follow the low-cost carrier model for its operations.
On February 22, 2024, Lynx filed for creditor protection from the Court of King's Bench of Alberta and announced it would cease operations on February 26 due to financial issues.
|
 |
|
Lynx Air B-737-800
Calgary - July 2023
|
|
|
Air West - Powell River Airways -
Established as a passenger carrier in 1959 after being formed in 1947 by Roy Brett. In 1965, Nanaimo Airlines was acquired and the company was renamed Air West Airlines.
The airline was acquired by the Jim Pattison Group in late 1979 and merged to form Air BC in 1980. Air West Airlines operated services from Vancouver International Airport and Seaplane Base to Nanaimo, Texada Island and Victoria in British Columbia.
Source:
|
 |
|
|
|---|
C-GOPW - 46 years of service
I first wrote about the Canadian North fleet in NetLetter #1333 back in December 2015. At that time Boeing 737 Line #688 had 35 years of service. Reviewing the series photos sent in by Howard Allmand (see Submitted Photos) I was reminded of C-GOPW and surprised to learn that it is still listed as active at 46-years old - all under the same Canadian registration.
Originally delivered to Pacific Western in September 1980, it was given fin #782. It was absorbed into Canadians Airlines' fleet in April 1987 and then sold to Canadian North in February 2001 (fin #582), before the merger with Air Canada.
It was one of the workhorse aircraft in the Canadian North fleet for 20 years. Briefly withdrawn from service in April 2021, it was sold to Air Inuit and returned to service with a new paint job (fin #760) in August 2021.
|
 |
|
On delivery from Boeing
Vancouver - September 30, 1980
Photo courtesy of Gary Vincent
|
|
 |
|
In transition from Pacific Western to Canadian Airlines livery
(fin #782)
Calgary - September 23, 1987
Photo courtesy of George W. Hamlin
|
|
 |
|
Canadian North livery
(fin #582)
Iqaluit (YFB) - January 13, 2012
Photo courtesy of Daniel Lapierre Forget
|
|
 |
|
Current Air Inuit livery
(now fin #760)
Montreal - August 22, 2025
Photo courtesy of Clemens Hager
|
|
|
|---|
| Terry's Trivia
& Travel Tips |
|
|---|
|
Terry Baker, co-founder of the NetLetter scours the internet for aviation related Trivia and Travel Tips.
|
|
TCA / Air Canada employee magazine "Between Ourselves" # 001 was first issued in December 1941.
|
 |
|
|
The final issue on April 1972 was #364 when the name changed to 'Horizons'.
|
 |
|
|
The first 'Horizons' issue was #365 on May 1972.
|
 |
|
The NetLetter archives has all copies up to December 2003
|
|
|
A retired Thai Airways Airbus A380 (Registration: HS-TUE) has been dismantled and rebuilt in Rayong, Thailand. It is now preserved and operates as a roadside attraction, market, and food court called the Aviation Market & Food.The aircraft was previously stored at the nearby U-Tapao International Airport before finding its second life as an attraction in November 2025.
Source:
|
|
|
|---|
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. |
|
|---|
Subscription Management
Each copy of our newsletter is addressed to each individual subscriber. The info below is visible to you only and not to other subscribers.
We presently have the following subscription info in your profile.
First Name: Last Name: Email: City: Province/State/County: Country:
If you feel that this info needs updating, please click below to edit your info.
Modify my profile Please note: You cannot change your email address, please contact us directly should you wish to do so. |
|
|---|
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.
Disclaimer: Please note that the NetLetter does not necessarily endorse any airline related or other "deals" that we provide for our readers.
We would be interested in any feedback (good or bad) when using these companies though and will report the results here.
We do not (normally) receive any compensation from any companies that we post in our newsletters. If we do receive a donation or other compensation, it will be indicated as a sponsored article or link. |
|
|---|
If you feel that The NetLetter does not apply to you
please click below Unsubscribe We thank you for your past support. |
|
|---|
|
|
.jpg)
