We have welcomed 55 new subscribers so far in 2023.

We wish to thank everyone for the 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.

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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!

The UK Pionairs are trying something new for the summer –

'Party in the Park' at Runnymede on Tuesday, June 27, 2023 from 10:30 am. Bring your own picnic and drinks – there are also cafes and washrooms nearby. A good way to socialise with old friends and colleagues.

Check the district information at www.Pionairs.ca for updates.

Festival Aéronautique Volaria at Montreal Mirabel International Airport (YMX). 

In addition to attending a breathtaking air show, discover the 'Quartier du Futur', a car and plane exhibition, a job fair, a family zone and more.

September 8 - 10, 2023. Full details at volaria.ca

See also: www.bonjourquebec.com

Dave Hykle sent in the following referring to NetLetter #1505 - Submitted Photos

I have just finished reading another great issue and noted the mention of ECLECTABLES.

What an interesting story regarding the Viscount and the store location itself.

St. Eugène was part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) and, during World War II, the Royal Canadian Air Force built and operated No. 13 Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) from approximately 1941 until 1945 (photo below).

Several aircraft types are listed as designated trainers and the runways actually served as an automotive race track from about ‘57 until ‘63. Learning to fly nearby in the mid 1970's, the runways were still relatively intact after racing stopped, with significant deterioration though.

During the last few decades, the runways have all but disappeared, but their outline still remains. Google Earth has some good views, including the concrete gun range hidden in the bush next to the north/south road. Another enthusiast has suggested that the structure was also used to calibrate the aircraft armament at the time.

Dave Hykle,

Fergus, Ontario

Garth Caron sent in the following request:

Flo Perkins was a TCA Stewardess back in the days of 1940's on the Lockheed Lodestar and North Star.

When you Google 'Flo Perkins', NetLetter issues 1237 and 1252 come up mentioning her.

A bunch of us TCA fans are trying to find the flight attendant in a mystery photo. I went back in my Between Ourselves issues and found a couple of photos of her with Smoky Smith,

Can you please go back to find those past items and the photos? 

Thank you for your assistance. I worked for PWA, Air BC, Simpson Air, and NWT Air. 

Garth Caron

Terry Baker supplies the photos Garth requested.

Stewards graduate at Winnipeg.

In June, the lecture rooms at Winnipeg's training school held a number of "students" quite different than any they had seen before. The students were attending the first Steward training class conducted at this base.

Now full-fledged airline Stewards, they are dispensing TCA's high standards of passenger service on the new prairie flights that stop at Swift Current and Medicine Hat, and on the local service between Toronto and Kapuskasing.

The photo shows the graduating class with their Instructress, Flo Perkins (centre).

Left to right: G. Thompson, A. C. McLean, A. E. Mann, G. J. Sheppard, Flo Perkins, L. K. Latremouille, G. Lancaster, F. A. M. Anderson and W. H. Lane.

Source: Between Ourselves - Midsummer 1947

Nine brand new stewardesses, graduates of the 30th Flight Attendants training class, pose for their graduation pictures at Winnipeg.

Left to right are: V. M. Hendren, M. L. Weir, M. A. Wilson, A. K. Fjordbotten, M. J. Lewis, T. M. Gaudet, G. J. Giaschi, M. H. Legault, D. L. Wadsworth.

Front and centre is Flight Service Instructor, Flo Perkins.

Source: Between Ourselves - May 1949.

Extracted from the 'Horizons' magazine issued May 1973.

Tearful 'ta-ta' to turbo.

Progress came to the Vancouver - Victoria run on April 29, 1973 when DC-9 jets replaced the Viscount turboprop, but the old workhorse was not cast aside without a fond farewell.

More than 250 personnel from the two stations gave the old girl a good send off at a "retirement" party in her honour.

Considering that the aircraft had become somewhat of a fixture on the west coast run, it was only natural there should be some nostalgia and a few tears shed.

In the 12 years of service between the two cities, it carried more than three million passengers, and the turboprop's high-pitched whine will be missed by many as it passed over Patricia Bay (Saanich, B.C.) and Sea Island (Richmond, B.C).

Coincident with the Viscount retirement party, Radio Operator Al Whorley, left, was presented with a gift by fellow worker Ted Deeks.

Al retired soon after completing more than 31 years service. Bill Fairbairn, Regional Maintenance & Aircraft Services Manager offered his congratulations as well.

While the Viscount party was indeed a happy affair, Senior Flight Attendant Penny Persons, who worked the aircraft for a number of years, was obviously sorry to see the old girl go.

Flight Attendant Supervisor Kathy Johnston eyes a photo of the Viscount, one of those retired from the Vancouver-Victoria run. Kathy worked the last flight on April 28, 1973 "for old times sake".

Women in Aviation International (WAI) hosted more than 4,500 people at its 34th Annual Women in Aviation International Conference.

The conference took place February 23 to 25 in Long Beach, California.

TCA's first woman passenger agent, Doris Forbes, arrived at Winnipeg in May 1941.

She moved to Lethbridge as Chief Passenger Agent on March 8, 1943.

The first flight of the Canadian Government Trans-Atlantic  Air Service (CGTAS) roared eastward over the ocean on July 22, 1943 with its TCA crew.

Issue dated June 1943 

Victoria Service

Our main line, on June 6, 1943, was extended to include Victoria.

Captain Don Brady, First Officer Norman Ramsay and Stewardess Mina Wood were the crew.

TCA will fly all airmail between the Island and the Mainland. By decision of the Board of Transport Commissioners we are not authorized to carry passengers or air express locally between Vancouver and Victoria. But we shall transport passengers and air express originating on the Island and destined to points beyond Vancouver.

In addition, through passengers are entitled to make stopovers at Vancouver.

Editors' Note: Local passenger service on the Vancouver-Victoria route was operated by Canadian Pacific Airlines until 1947 (inherited from CPA predecessor Canadian Airways).

The route was transferred from CPA to TCA in 1947. 

Found in 'Horizons' magazine

Issue dated May 1973

Fam tour with British European Airways

The BEA (British European Airways) World Interline School in London, England, considered one of the best in the industry, offers a three-day course on BEA's facilities to employees of other airlines. The course includes lectures, films and tours of the airline's Engineering Base and terminals.

Shown with a BEA employee during a course in 1973 are, from the left: H. MacIntyre, Sales Office Supervisor, Toronto; M. Dumaine, Customer Service Training Instructor, Los Angeles; P. Machina, Training & Development Manager, Los Angeles; L. Smith, Reservations Manager, Toronto; K. LeClair, Training & Development Manager, Montreal; Miss S. Wojcik, Customer Training Instructor, Los Angeles and J. McGuire, Reservations Supervisor, Ottawa.

New cargo terminal opens in Vancouver

The Company's latest air cargo terminal was officially opened this month at Vancouver's International Airport.

Costing more than $1.2 million, the modern, temperature controlled facility is designed to handle 130 million pounds of freight and air express, and more than 500,000 lbs. of mail a year in and out of Vancouver.

The area consists of nearly 40,000 sq. ft. of sheltered cargo processing facilities, more than double the size of the previous complex, plus 5,000 sq. ft. of office space. The remainder of the four-acre site is used for truck manoeuvring and handling, parking, and equipment storage.

According to Bill Garven, General Manager, B.C. & Pacific Northwest, the new complex will greatly enhance the network of cargo terminals across the System which now provides more than a million sq. ft. of cargo handling capacity.

"In the last few years, we've experienced substantial growth in air freight movements through Vancouver. In '71 for example, we handled more than 50 million lbs. of cargo, an increase of 20 percent over the previous year," he said.

Special features of the cargo building include a truck loading dock where 24 trucks can be accommodated at any one time; partially mechanized systems for expediting cargo from the terminal to the freighter aircraft, and a unique reception counter which assures prompt and efficient customer service.

According to Cargo Terminal Manager Jim York, the facility is an excellent example of the practical use of current air freight handling techniques.

"All of our mechanical systems have been designed as simply as possible. This enables us to use the equipment to the maximum extent, and when necessary, ensures speedy maintenance."

Another feature of the terminal is that Canada Customs has provided an officer on site during the business hours of the day, five days a week.

"This facilitates the processing and clearance of cargo shipments from international points," says York.

There are eleven DC-8 freighter flights from Vancouver each week to eastern Canada, the U.K. and Europe, and direct connections to points in the United States.

In addition to the freighters which can carry up to 80,000 lbs. of cargo, passenger aircraft are also able to transport freight including the daily Boeing 747 which can carry 40,000 lbs. in containers. 

The first Vickers Viscount type 724 received by Trans-Canada Air Lines on December 8, 1954 was registered as CF-TGI fin 601 c/n 40.

It was leased to Transair in March 1963 and returned to Air Canada in January 1971 and stored at Winnipeg until 1973 when it was sold to the first of several U.S. owners.

After several years stored in Tucson, Arizona It was donated to the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson in 1991 where it remains today.

The Canadian aviation fraternity should get together and bring this famous aircraft back home, where it belongs in TCA livery as CF-TGI.

Due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) the PAM closed to the general public in March 2020 but has now reopened.

Source: vickersviscount.net

Photo courtesy of Tim Martin

Taken at Winnipeg - September 1970

From the Canadia>n Air Cargo Annual report.

In June 1991, our own Canadian Cargo staff at Hong Kong replaced a former contract operator.

Front row, from left: Raymond Lai, Simon Chan, Francis Law (standing) and Dennis Tse.

Back row, from left: John Gibson, Terry Wong, Roy Yip, David Chin, Taley Cheung, Salome Yeung, Al Ridgway, Jacob Wong, Tommy Yu, Samuel Lee, Alfred Chui and Daniel Ngan.

TSSC Network Complete

The opening of the Vancouver Telephone Sales and Service Centre (TSSC) in April 1991 made our network of four TSSCs complete.

Along with Dorval (YUL), Toronto (YYZ) and Calgary (YYC), Canadian Air Cargo customers across Canada are getting speedy and efficient telephone responses.

From the left: Doug Thomson, Hope-Ann Weidman, Fred Whiting, Ian McLafferty, David Knight, Murray Armstrong, Ken Mok, Gillian Brough and Patrick Cheung.

Missing from photo: Shirley Cherry, Heather Johannson, John Lynch and Geoff Packham.

The DC-9 Story - Part 2: MD-80, MD-90 and Boeing 717

From YouTube videographer, Ruairidh MacVeigh, the second of a two part series chronicling the development and history of the Douglas DC-9.

Hydro Québec Dash 8 Fleet

I was interested to learn that Hydro Québec currently owns three Dash-8's for transporting personnel to remote locations such as Saguenay, Abitibi, Côte-Nord and Baie-James in Quebec.

The fleet of two Dash-8 Q400's and one Dash-8 300 are operated and maintained by Air Inuit under a 12-year agreement reached in April 2021.

Under the agreement, Air Inuit consolidates 78 cabin crew, pilot and maintenance and operations specialist positions. Hydro-Québec uses Air Inuit’s facilities at YUL Montréal-Trudeau International Airport for its flights to and from its main remote work sites.

Additional Info:

www.ch-aviation.com

news.hydroquebec.com

The aircraft are:

• C-GJNL - DHC-8-300 - delivered to Tyrolean Airways (Austria) in January 1996 - acquired by Hydro Québec in April 2001.
• C-GHQP - DHC-8 Q400 - used by Bombardier as a demonstrator from August 1998 - acquired by Hydro Québec in September 2002.
• C-GHQL - DHC-8 Q400 - delivered February 2006 to Hydro Québec. 

The YouTube video linked below is posted by Canadian Plane Spotter shows C-GHQP and C-GJNL landing at YUL.

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

Montreal Dorval-based World Wide Airways bought Douglas C-54D Skymaster CF-NNN (c/n 10826) in May 1961 from World Airways.

Following a successful test flight at Oakland, California, on May 26, the aircraft completed a non-stop 11 hour 45 minute long delivery flight to Dorval, Québec.

Acquired by World Wide to undertake chick flights to Cuba, the Skymaster entered service on a run from Toronto to Havana on June 17. Further livestock flights were made to Cuba from Toronto in later months, but the aircraft was seriously damaged when the nosegear was inadvertently retracted during crew training at Dorval on March 10, 1964.

Subsequently repaired, the aircraft was sold to Rutas Internacionales Peruanas in July 1965 as OB-R-769 - only to be destroyed taking off from Panama City on August 4, 1965.

Founded in 1945 by Captain Donald M. McVicar, World Wide Airways also flew Curtiss Commandos, DC-3's, a Lancaster, North Star and eventually three Super Constellations.

With thanks to Tom Singfield for sharing this magnificent view of the aircraft taken by Tony Breese.

Ace McCool is an over-the-top spoof of the airline industry. It relates the hilarious misadventures of a fly-by-night, corner-cutting airline called Down East International, based in Moncton, New Brunswick.

The stories start with Ace McCool, a World War II pilot, and the rag-tag characters he picks up along the way as his airline progresses from DC-3 to a Boeing 727 over the years from just after the war to 1985.

Editors' Note: We old-timers may remember reading some of these hilarious episodes written by Jack Desmarais formerly with TCA.)

Available from Amazon.ca, at various prices, in eBook, hardcover and softcover formats.

Karen Va posted this on February 18, 2023 to the "Un-Official" Air Canada Staff & Alumni Group.

"What airlines think humans look like."