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From: Terry Baker <
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Subject: [The NetLetter] NetLetter nr 714 Aug 19/02 - The NetLetter
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 2002 15:15:41 -0700
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T H E _| TCA |_
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N E T L E T T E R > CANADA <
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( For retirees of the new Air Canada family)
Number 714, Aug 19th, 2002. We first published in October 1995.
Circulation: 2500+
Chief Pilot - Vesta Stevenson - Co-pilot - Terry Baker
To get in touch with either editor/pilot our email address is
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. May want to know!
Airport Departure tax -
BANGKOK Passenger Service Charge
International 500 baht per passenger Domestic 50 baht per passenger.
Pay at either the check-in counter or the vendor machines.
SEOUL Kimpo Airport
Passenger Service Charge - Domestic is added to airline tickets.
International departures at
krw9,000 per passenger
payable at airport banks,
major hotels or travel agents.
HONG KONG Airport
hk$50 (approx us$7.00) is added to your airline ticket.
CAMBODIA
International departures -
Phnom Penh us$20.00
Siem Reap us$8.00
Domestic departures from us$4.00 to us$10.00 depending upon the several
internal
airports.
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. Found on the internet.
A HOOT OF AN AIRLINE: Some of us at AVweb can't wait to see the
uniforms. The owner of the famous (infamous) Hooters Restaurant chain
is reportedly interested in buying the belly-up Vanguard Airlines.
Robert Brooks created a company to keep the airline alive while he looks
at the books. The name -- Hooters Air Inc. -- was either a matter of
convenience or the start of a marketing plan unlike any in the airline
industry. Brooks' restaurants are known more for the tight shorts and
t-shirts on its generally young female service staff than their cuisine.
No word yet on whether the dress code will be transferred to the cabin
crew, but we'll be sure to let you know.
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. News from the Vancouver Island & Gulf Island Pionair district -
Director Wally Lamond advises that the Christmas luncheon for mid and up
Island
Pionairs is planned for December 5th at the Tigh-Na-Mara resort in Parksville.
Cost, to be finalized, $21.00 per person incl tax and gratuities.
Deadline is December 1st. There is a maximum of 80.
More information will follow in the next Pionair Newsletter.
From the Eastern Ontario Pionair District -
1000 ISLANDS LUNCH CRUISE – July 18, 2002
On July 18th last, 98 Pionairs, their friends and family members joined
together
for a most enjoyable cruise of the 1000 Islands.
What started out as an outing for the Pionairs living in the Kingston area,
blossomed into a reunion of many old colleagues and acquaintances. As things
turned out, 24 people from the Ottawa area, another 19 from the rest of the
Eastern Ontario District spanning from Alexandria to Belleville joined the 23
Kingston residents. And, thanks to the folks at the ACFamily Netletter (cudos
to Ottawa’s Bob Holmgren for getting out the message), we also enjoyed the
company of Hugh John and Donna MacKay from Atlanta, GA plus 15 people from the
Toronto - Burlington District – most of whom are also RAPCAN members. Last, but
by no means least, we had 15 participants from Montreal – 12 of which were
members of John Longo’s family!
The ship departed Kingston at 12:30 PM and returned at 4:00PM . During the
cruise Billy Bridger provided a running commentary about Kingston and the
Islands; it’s history, features and folklore. His comments were interspersed
with some great songs – both old and new. Whilst all this was going on, we were
served a delightful 3-course lunch. The ship afforded an excellent view of the
passing land and waterscape as she is a “bateau mouche” - a glass-enclosed
catamaran.
The day provided many old friends and colleagues – many of whom hadn’t seen
each other since their working days – an opportunity to renew old acquaintances
and memories. Flight crews retired in the Toronto area met up with their fellow
crew members living in Kingston and Ottawa. Many ex-Montrealers now living in
various Eastern Ontario locales caught up with old friends.
It was a wonderful Air Canada and Canadian Airlines retirees’ reunion with
great scenery, food and entertainment to boot.
Thanks to the many people who helped make the day happen. Ev Smith, Des McGill
and Joe Kelly in Kingston; Jess Rougeau, Bob Holmgren and their committee in
Ottawa; Rocky Rochfort in Alexandria; Pat Hare in Iroquois.
Macgregor (Mac) Smith
Kingston.
and now some from the Okanagan District Pionairs.
Our next Pionair function is on September 10th. 2002 At the Desert
Centre (Osoyoos) for a tour of their facility. Then on to Tinhorn Creek
Winery for Lunch.
Meet and greet is at 10:00am. Registration for the tour is at: 10:30am.
Interpretive walking tour of the facility at 11.00am. On completion of
the tour a short drive to Tinhorn Creek Winery for lunch which will
consist of a buffet of sandwiches served at 12:30pm. A variety of
chicken, ham, tuna & egg, roast beef, egg salad, lettuce, tomatoes,
cheese, pickles, olives, rolls & bread. Also one complimentary serving
of wine will be offered.
There will be assorted desserts, punch, tea & coffee.
Cost of this event is: $ 15.00.
HOW TO GET THERE.
Osoyoos Desert Centre is off Hwy.97 if you are driving southbound turn
right at 146th. Ave. before Osoyoos, but past Oliver.
Tinhorn Creek Winery is at 32830 Tinhorn Creek Road in Oliver.
Attendees are required to bring lawn chairs and a small TV type table
and remember to wear or bring a hat. As both these events are outdoors.
Please, to those planning on attending, that they send their checks as
quickly as possible & payable to( Air Canada Pionairs) and send them to
Tony Bestick (Treasurer) at: 15-680 Valley Road Kelowna, BC. V1V 2J3
(Ph.712-0615)
All Pionairs are invited to attend this event, and if you would like
more info or more precise travel instructions please email me at:
Thanks....
Gerry Damskov for
Ron Goran (Director Pionairs Okanagan District)
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. Remember when!
From the March 1947 issue of Between Ourselves, which had been saved all
these years by Reg Watkins, and sent to us by Jim Pearce.
This year - 2002 - Air Canada celebrates its 65th year, back in 1947 when TCA
the forerunner of Air Canada reached 10 years, this is what the Between
Ourselves printed -
THE FIRST TEN YEARS - A year by year history of T.C.A.
1937
On April 10, Trans-Canada Air Lines was incorporated by Act of
Parliament. Executive offices were established n Montreal, and Winnipeg was
selected as he location of TCA's Operations headquarters. ---On .July 7, the
first survey flight were the proposed route headed east from Vancouver. On
September 2, the company began its first commercial operation by taking over
the short, 122 mile Vancouver - Seattle route from Canadian Airways.
---Experimental flying and training was begun in Western Canada with five,
ten-passenger Lockheed Electras. By the end of this year, daily training
flights were passing between Lethbridge and Winnipeg, and the first radio
equipment was being installed in the mountains.
1938
When the year began, TCA had all of 71 employees and five
Lockheed Electras. Twelve months later, the Company payroll had increased to
332 and nine Lockheed Fourteens had been added to the fleet. ---Passengers were
being carried between Vancouver and Seattle. Air mail and express shipments
were moving between Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver, and between Lethbridge and
Edmonton. ---A repair and overhaul base was established at Winnipeg. Hangars
were completed at Winnipeg and Lethbridge and another begun at Toronto. New
stations equipped with radio facilities were opened.
1939
Calgary was given mail and express service in February. ---Between Montreal,
Toronto and Vancouver regular express and air mail night schedules began in
March. In April, passengers were carried on this route, and between Lethbridge,
Calgary and Edmonton.
In November, Moncton was included in a daylight air mail service. The Electras
were sold and six more Lockheed Fourteens increased the fleet to fifteen.
---Winnipeg hangar and shops were extended. Toronto's hangar was completed,
another went up at Montreal and Moncton began to erect its hangar facilities.
1940
By mid-year, passengers were climbing aboard TCA aircraft at
Moncton, and were travelling between Toronto, London and Windsor. Mail and
express were carried between the latter three cities. Moncton had air mail
service. ---On the transcontinental route, a second daily flight was
inaugurated. Another daily trip was added to the Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal
service. ---The Vice-President's office and Traffic headquarters were moved to
Winnipeg from Montreal. ---Winnipeg shops were extended to provide facilities
for the repair of instruments for military aircraft.
1941
In April, TCA routes extended to Halifax. In May, New York
became a regular port-of-call for aircraft wearing the big red maple leaf.
---The Vancouver- Seattle service was discontinued. ---Hangar construction was
completed at Montreal's new Dorval airport. ---Activity intensified at Toronto
and Winnipeg where further extensions were made to shops and facilities. --.
TCA undertook the maintenance and overhaul of BOAC's aircraft used on the
Atlantic return ferry service. ---The fleet expanded again with the purchase of
six, fourteen- passenger Lockheed Lodestars.
1942
In May, Sydney, N.S. and St. John's Newfoundland were added to TCA's schedules.
---The Company acquired six more Lodestars, swelling the fleet to twenty-four
aircraft. ---The 850 horse- power Hornet engines in the Lockheed 14's were
replaced by bigger, twin-row Wasp engines of 1 ,200 horsepower. ---Passenger
load factors reached a new high. Record loads of mail and express were carried.
-.- TCA was now flying 8,250,000 miles a year. ---At Winnipeg the Company took
over the new engine shop erected by the Department of Munitions and Supply for
overhauling military equipment.
1943
This was the year that TCA first flew the Atlantic. The Company
had matured rapidly. At the request of the Canadian Government, converted
Lancaster aircraft manned by TCA crews and serviced by TCA mechanics, began to
carry mail to the Armed Forces overseas across 2,000 miles of ocean. ---At
home, transcontinental services reached out to include Victoria, joining the
extreme west to the nation's east coast at Halifax.
1944
By mid-summer, TCA was operating three round trips a week be-
tween Montreal and Prestwick, Scotland. --- International air conferences began
discussions on world civil aviation. TCA, now a recognized major airline,
participated as part of the Canadian delegation in the British Commonwealth
Conference at Montreal and the World Conference at Chicago. ---Mainline service
was brought closer to Fredericton and St. John, N.B. by rerouting a Maritime
roundflight through Blissville. A direct service was begun between Halifax and
Sydney. ---Company personnel now totalled 2,790 employees. The fleet consisted
of 14 Lodestars and 12 Lockheed 14's.
1945
The year the war ended. TCA began to expand rapidly. Plans
and preparations were made for additional routes and services. New personnel,
most of them ex-servicemen and women, were brought in to the airline and
trained as pilots, mechanics, passenger agents, salesmen, etc. ---A new fleet
of DC-3 type aircraft made its first appearance. Conversion of the C-47's into
commercial carriers was begun at Canadair in Montreal. Three of these aircraft
entered the fleet before the end of the year. Work was begun on the DC-4M at
Canadair. ---Schedules multiplied on an unprecedented scale. A third daily
transcontinental flight was established. Four daily flights operated between
Lethbridge, Calgary and Edmonton. A fourth daily was begun between Montreal and
Halifax and a second daily between Halifax and Sydney. An alternate "weather"
route was instituted between Toronto and Winnipeg, through the
United States. ---Moncton became a major maintenance base. Winnipeg acquired
additional hangar space. Experimentation in civilian radar uses was begun at
Winnipeg. ---Trans-Atlantic passenger tickets were sold for the first time, and
air express was launched on this route. Additional specialized tech- nicians
and four more Lancasters were added to the CGT AS. ---TCA employees continued
to take an active part in the world's air councils, as members of IATA and
PICAO .
1946
The biggest year yet, when many of 1945's plans became operative.
This was the year that TCA carried its millionth passenger and flew the
Atlantic for the thousandth time. ---Transcontinental services were increased
to four daily flights and a fourth was added on the New York route. Over the
Atlantic, the Lancasters crossed daily, both east and west, between Montreal,
Prestwick and now, London. Service between Vancouver and Victoria increased to
eight flights daily and a seattle -Victoria service was inaugurated. ---New
operations began between Toronto andc Chicago, Toronto and Cleveland, Fort
William and Duluth.
Passenger priorities ended on domestic services and the Company took over
trans-Atlantic passenger space allotment. ---The fleet now consisted of 27
DC-3's, 14 Lockheed Lodestars and 9 Lockheed 14's. By the year's end, DC-3's
were being used exclusively on all routes betweert Montreal and Lethbridge,
both inter-city and transcontinental. The Lockheeds were put up for sale.
---Plans were in the making for joining Toronto and Winnipeg across the Great
Lakes, operating directly between Winnipeg and Edmonton, via Saskatoon and
inaugurating a Halifax- Boston service, all for 1947. Preparations were made
for regular flights to Bermuda. In its tenth year, TCA was well advanced on the
way to becomirtg one of the world's great air-travel systems.
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. May Day!
Phil & Marlie Kelsey send this information -
Planned reunion in 2003 for past and present Whitehorse based employees
including Flight crews, Maintenance and Line Maintenance.
A reunion is in the planning stages. We are working to get in touch with former
YXY based agents, Flight Crews who frequently RON in YXY, and Line Maintenance
who worked in YXY and on the aircraft into YXY. It is being tentively being
planned for Fall of 2003 in Parksville, BC.
To receive information and find out more please email Marlie (Field) Kelsey at
contact as well as your mailing address and phone number. We presently have 110
names but do not have contacts for everyone.
Dig those pictures out and start thinking about the stories to tell. Pass the
word on to other former agents and flight crew!
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. Following up on the item regarding the model aircraft in NetLetter 713 -
Ian Neil sends this update -
My friends in St. John's - say the folks tried from Cape Spear - two attempts
and each time the plane went into the 'drink'. That was about 2 weeks ago. Just
didn't work.
Ian Neil
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. DID YOU KNOW?
ARCHIVES for NetLetters.
NetLetters for 2002 updated to #701 are now located in ACFamily.net/forums area
Just go to: http://www.acfamily.net/forums
- Log in (if you aren't already)
- scroll down to Member Services
- Click on NetLetter
You will be able to find ALL netletters.
And there is a research engine to help you.
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