 The NetLetter
For Air Canada Retirees
(part of the ACFamily Network)
Please remember that you can click on most images to enlarge them!
December 8, 2011 - Issue 1189
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First Issue published in October 1995!
(over 5,400 subscribers)
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Donation Information
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Send cheques payable to "ACFamily Network" to:
ACFamily Network
#800 - 15355 24th Ave, Suite 523
Surrey, BC V4A 2H9
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| Sponsors |
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| Greetings! |
We welcome you to allow the NetLetter to be your platform, and opportunity, to relive your history while working for either TCA, AC, CPAir, CAIL, PWA, AirBC, Wardair. etal. and share your experiences with us!
The NetLetter is an email newsletter published every weekend and contains a mixture of nostalgia, current news and travel tips. We encourage our readers to submit their stories, photos and/or comments from either days gone by or from present day experiences and trips. If we think that the rest of our readers will enjoy it, we will publish it here
We also This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. in regard to anything we post here. Many readers have commented with additional information, names and personal memories from the photos and articles presented here.
The NetLetter, which is free, is open to anyone that wishes to subscribe but is targeted to retired employees from Air Canada, Canadian Airlines and all the other companies that were part of what Air Canada is today. Thanks for joining us!
Terry & your NetLetter Team
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| CAHS Upcoming Events - Compiled by Alan Rust |
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Pionair Meetings and Events - Compiled by Alan Rust
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 The Air Canada Pionairs have ongoing Coffee Club Meetings in the following Districts; Vancouver Island, Vancouver, Okanagan, Edmonton, Calgary, Man-Sask, SW Ontario, Central Ontario, Ottawa, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia - P.E.I., Newfoundland, UK - E.C. and the USA - Caribbean. For full information, click here.
Meetings provide an opportunity to meet old friends, learn the latest news regarding Air Canada and your pensions or hear a variety of guest speakers speaking on topics of interest to retirees.
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ACRA Upcoming Events- Compiled by Alan Rust
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 Retirees Welcome!
The following events are available for retirees through ACRA, the Air Canada Recreation Association. |
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The ACRA System Golf Tournament has already announced their dates for 2012 so that you can mark your calendars. All retirees are welcome.
Location: San Diego
Dates: September 9 - 13, 2012
Further details to follow in January.
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| Our first 70 years - Compiled by Terry Baker |
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1947 - July 1st - Inauguration of service through Saskatoon with DC-3 equipment.
1957 - Oct 27th - Inauguration of Viscount service through Windson, Ontario.
1974
- Sept 30th - The first B727-200 was delivered to Dorval
- Order placed for a 1110 Sperry Univac computer to replace the 1108 to boost ReserVec.
- July 1st - Designated non smoking areas instituted on the left side of narrow-body aircraft.
1978 Trial of 25 ABC charters in accordance with Canadian Transport regulations.
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| Reader Submitted Photos - Compiled by Terry Baker |
 Reader Submitted Photos - The photos and information below was sent to us by our faithful readers. If you would like to send us some old photos you have lying around. we will consider them for publication in a future NetLetter. We prefer good quality airline related photos, with descriptive text included with the submission. |
Robert Arnold has sent us these photos and information -
Now gentlemen, mark this day on your calendar. October 30, 2011. This was the day of the Official opening of the new James Armstrong Richardson Int'l Airport terminal building here in Winnipeg. Thought I would share some photos I took today just after the opening. First from the left is the terminal from the passenger drop off area, the second from the left is the grand entrance when you enter the terminal from the car park, one of the artistic creations inside the terminal, and an Air Canada employee greets you at the door to the brand new terminal inviting you to help celebrate the grand opening. Fun was had by all.
Regards Robert. |
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 Air Canada inaugurates new Winnipeg Airport Terminal. It's the first airline to fly from new facility following its official opening. Yesterday, Air Canada ushered in a new era for Winnipeg travelers by being the first carrier to operate from the newly opened terminal at Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport. AC256 to Toronto was the first flight out of the terminal following its official opening, and our flight departed seven minutes early. (source The Daily) |
| TCA/Air Canada People Gallery - Compiled by Terry Baker |
 Musings from the "Between Ourselves" and "Horizons" magazine, an Air Canada publication from years gone by, and various in-house magazines.
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Issue dated - September 1957
Gleaned from the "Between Ourselves" magazine -
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 Viscount flight 18, eastbound out of Vancouver, July 29 suffered a damaged radio which filled the
cabin with smoke necessitating an emergency landing at Cranbrook. B.C. The coolness of the crew in handling the situation prompted the passengers to sign a letter of appreciation to the company for the safe landing. The crew consisted of Capt. Ken Forsyth, F/O Oliver Wiles, Stewardesses Betty Ellison and Mary Lou Harding. Steward Ken Ford, traveling as a passenger, lent a helping hand.
The ultrasonic sound of the TCA turbo-prop Vickers Viscount chase the rats, cats and dogs from New York airports.
NOT EVERY ONE of Len de Grandpre's many trips between Ottawa and Montréal as a diplomatic courier, ended like the one in the photo. Here Len is bussed by stewardesses Yvonne Dukes and Doreen Leslie prior to making his final official trip to Ottawa. Other well-wishers are, from left to right: Ken Griggs. Fred Davey, Yvonne, Len, Doreen, Ted Russell, Marc Solis, Gus Gauvreau and Rene Claude. Len has decided to quit his courier job on August 17th and joined TCA as a passenger agent after 12 years as the Queen's diplomatic courier.
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 The Eastern Region meeting took place at Yarmouth in 1957 with personnel from Headquarters, Winnipeg, Eastern Region Operations, and Eastern Region Sales.
(We have no identifications unfortunately - eds) |
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Issue dated - October 1974
Scrounged from the "Horizons" magazine -
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 The first B727-200 joins the fleet having been delivered to Dorval on September 30th 1974. The first of five to be dedicated to the YYZ-YUL-YYZ Rapidair sector. The aircraft will seat 144 passengers in a one-class configuration. Cockpit and cabin crews of the 727 delivery flight pose with some of their passengers on arrival at Dorval.
From the left are: Captain Murray Wallace, Second Officer Supervisor Peter Carver, Second Officer
Peter Wallace (son of Murray Wallace), Captain Norman Beauchamp, Flight Attendant Renata Schmidt, President Ralph Vaughan, Boeing President Malcolm Stamper, Flight Attendant Gloria Boucher, Chairman Yves Pratte, Flight Attendant Claire Gosselin, and Purser Bernard Claudel.
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| Alan's Space - by Alan Rust |
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| Alan Rust |
Brace for Impact, Miracle on the Hudson
(From Alan Watson)
This animation is based on all currently available data concerning the US Airways Flight 1549 crash landing on the Hudson River (Cactus 1549). Satellite imagery, elevation models and robust GIS mapping methods are utilized to create a vegetation model, terrain model and ground clutter (3D buildings). Of all available audio tracks, only two are used, La Guardia Tower and New York TRACON Departure controller position. Radar data as well as the onboard Flight Data Recorder are utilized in constructing the flightpath of the aircraft.
Detailed information on the incident is available by following this link.
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| Flight 1549 3D Reconstruction, Hudson River Ditching Jan 15, 2009 |
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Canadi>n/CP Air/PWA, Wardair, etc. People & Events
- Compiled by Terry Baker |
 News and articles from days gone by gleaned from various publications from C.A.I.L. and it's "ancestry" of contributing airlines. |
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 FLEET OF FOUR Boeing 727-100 jets will be phased out of CP Air service by end of April. Short-body version of the 727, like this aircraft framed by DC-B Pratt &Whitney engines, has been operated by the airline since March, 1970. Still flying will be two Boeing 727-200's, which have greater seating capacity and range. Boeing B727-100 fin # 723 was sold on March 17th 1977 to the Boeing Company. Between May 2nd and July 15th 1977 three other B727-100's were sold to National Aircraft Leasing of LAX.
1978 Trial of 25 ABC charters in accordance with Canadian Transport regulations.
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Issue dated - August 1977
Extracted from "CPAir News" magazine -
In June 1977, the Canadian government loosened limitations placed on CPAir on cross-Canada services.
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 SERVICE PINS marking five years of service were presented to five Tokyo employees by Bob Connor of Vancouver, From left: Tsuguo Mlyanishl. res. agent. Hisato Tsuchimori. passenger agent, Mrs. Shlnobu Asakura. res. agent; Japan / Korea Manager John Pastuszynski, Miss. Mukiko Matsumoto, secretary to passenger sales manager, and Toshlo Iguchi cargo agent. |
 HONORARY membership in The Wandering Willie Club was bestowed on Capt. Lynn Foslien and crew to mark first landing of a CP Air Boeing 747 at Manchester, England. on June 3. " Events North West" magazine created Wandering Willie to help promote tourism in the region. Flight was first B-747 departure from Manchester in summer-long Jetsave weekly charter program to Canada. Displaying Wandering Willie tee-shirts received from Editor Bernard O'Neill, centre, were Toronto-based stewardesses, clockwise from lower left: Janie Sylver, Judy Portz, Sandy Griffin, Margaret Schroll. Judy Wingrove and Marie Culnan. |
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 LONGTIME MEXICO employee Jack McBride retired last month after 41 years service a good portion of which was in Mexico City where most recently he has been manager of Canadian Pacific de Mexico.
Attending presentation ceremony were. from left: Bill Cameron, manager. sales and service. Mexico; Gerry Manning, Vice-president, sales and service. Western Region; Mr. McBride; Carlos Aceves, sales manager, Mexico/Central America. and Bob Connor, area director. AsIa / Latin America.
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Issue dated - December 1977
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 TRAINING SEMINAR was conducted at Suva Travelodge in November by Cliff Cunningham from the headquarters training department. In attendance were travel agents, representatives of other carriers and CP Air people, including this group. From left front: Jerry Tikaram (Pan Air); Lawrence Pillay (Fiji Air); S Lal (Pacific Travel); Said Hasan (CP Air), C. Bhindi (Air Pacific); Henry Bing (CP Air); Cliff Cunningham, Pat Snows'" (Union Travel): Pamela Grant (CP Air). Back row: Epeli Brown (Fiji Air); I. S.Lala (Air Pacific): Christm8 Barrack (Hunt's Travel): John Stewart (CP Air). |
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Issue dated - June 1992
Found in the "InfoCanadi>n" magazine -
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 Canadian Airlines has scored a victory over Air Canada by winning the largest private sector travel contract in Canada, as Northern Telecom has decided to switch its travel business from Air Canada.Celebrating the launch of Qik-Res were the original Calgary Reservation agents who tested the new software program. From left, the group includes - Doug McLachlan, Rob Simpson, John McArter, Leona Kustra, John MacMurdo, Gaylene Pearce, Randy Roth, Deb Lerigny, Wendy Daws, Darci Stronach, Doug Taylor, Jackie Dunlop, Chris Georgeadis, Andy Lee, Dawn McCrimmon, and Reservations director Rod Dewar.
 Checking out the check-in facilities at Munich Airport are from left to right: Colleen O'Connell, Peter Patsch, Daniela Goetschel, Birgit Siewert, Sonja Dombach and Ike Wernaer. |
| Reader's Feedback - Compiled by Terry Baker |
Every week we ask our readers for their stories or feedback on what they have read here in previous issues. Below is the feedback we have received recently.
Prompted by the recent article by Jim Griffiths, Louise Ingram shares these memories -
I so enjoyed Jim's article on the bird issue and the Viscounts in the foothills. I used to work those flights, up and down between YEG, YYC and YQL and remember all too well how we used to thump and bump our way over the foothills.
I just returned from YWG after an absence of many years. I reunited with two other gals who were stewardess at the same time as me, Judi Parry (Clendening) and Linda Meckling. What a great time we had. But the highlight had to be my visit to the WCAM where they have a Viscount (643). I was able to get inside the aircraft and was almost brought to my knees with a wave of nostalgia. It was clearly my favourite aircraft to work!
I will have to dig through my memorabilia and see if I have some good quality photos from those days for you to use.
Thanks again for doing the newsletter - I love it.
- Louise Ingram
Jack Stephens was prompted to send this memory after reading the following headline -
"1951 - June - Company took over maintenance of RCAF aircraft in Winnipeg."
The above caught my attention in your NetLetter - 1181.
My Dad, Bart Stephens, Air Engineer, was assigned to the project. This was three years before the first Viscount CF-TGI arrived from the UK. Many of the guys who were hired for the contract were kept on when the work finished at the Maintenance and Overhaul Base which was the main facility for the Viscount fleet.
While there, the RCAF had a Tiger Moth which was one of the last if not the last one. My Dad was an engineer during the war with the Commonwealth Air Training Plan in Fort William. The Tiger Moth was the aircraft of choice not only there but across Canada.
The RCAF wanted the Tiger Moth refurbished. So Dad led the group of mechanics
who not only found time to do the job, but maintain the Expeditors for the Base
Air Navigation School (NATO).
In 1955 I worked in the Materials Inspection Department at the Winnipeg Base.
Jim McKay, one of the inspectors, was a mechanic with the Defense Contract.
A previous NetLetter, had a photo of this Department situated in the Stores Building.
One day, a guy hit the wrong switch in the cockpit (the Expeditor was in the hangar)
the prop swung and hit Jim wrapping him around a near-by tow bar. He miraculously
survived. After long weeks in the hospital he finally returned to work.
I have tried to track the final location of the Tiger Moth. Seems I recall it was
transported to a museum in Ontario. Perhaps some of your readers can help
with this?
The NetLetter is always a good read. Keep up the fine work!
'till next time...
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Odds & Ends - Compiled by Terry Baker
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 Sometimes we receive articles and information that just doesn't fit in our other areas. This is where it goes!
Sharon Gray sends us this information -
First of all, I very much enjoy your newsletter. I was not an employee of Air Canada. I was a stewardess (yes, that is the operative word for the time I was such) with Pacific Western Airlines and an Air Carrier Inspector, Cabin Safety, Transport Canada, until I retired in 2002.
Here is some of the information about a book I have written and published. When people ask me 'What is the book about?' I say 'cats, cancer and humor's. That is it in a nutshell.
Sincerely, Sharon Gray
'Letters to Jennifer From Maudie & Oliver' By Sharon Gray (former PWA Flight Attendant)
In 1999, I was employed as an Air Carrier Inspector, Cabin Safety, in Winnipeg. Jennifer Johnston, my supervisor and good friend, lived in Edmonton. In October of that year, Jennifer was diagnosed with breast cancer. The distance between us made it difficult to communicate. She adored my two Siamese cats, Maudie and Oliver, and that year she sent them wonderful Christmas gifts. It was only appropriate that they write her a thank-you letter. They did, and she loved it. Ergo, I decided the way I would communicate with her would be through letters by Maudie and Oliver.
Thirty-five letters were written to Jennifer and several more to other friends and acquaintances over the years. Letters to Jennifer: From Maudie & Oliver includes all 56 letters from these delightful, precocious cats. They kept her spirits up as she fought her illness, and gave us a non-intrusive way to keep in touch from far away. The book is available from http://www.driverworks.ca , Chapters, and McNally Robinson Booksellers (Winnipeg) $16.95 ISBN 978-098103947-3. |
Terry's Trivia and Travel Tips - by Terry Baker
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| Terry Baker |
Lufthansa has announced the termination of its FRA-YYC sector effective February 5th 2012
A departure tax of 25 Cuban pesos applies, paid locally upon departure. from Cuba.
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During a cruise by your "chief pilot" of the Western Mediterranean in 2002, one port of call was Gibraltar.
We took the cable car to the top of the mountain which forms the backdrop to the city. The restaurant has an open patio with views overlooking the strait to North Africa, the city and its airport. BUT, be aware of the monkeys. These guys will snatch anything edible, wrapped or otherwise, so be warned, do not leave anything on your table unattended. You will see from this photo, this fellow snatched some Kit Kat chocolates.
There's some videos at this link if you'd like to see them in action.
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Disclaimer: Please note, that neither the NetLetter or the ACFamily Network necessarily endorse any of the 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.
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We hope you have enjoyed this issue of the NetLetter, see you next week!
Sincerely,
Your NetLetter Team
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First published in October, 1995
- Chief Pilot - Terry Baker, Nanaimo, B.C.
- Co-pilot - Alan Rust, Surrey, B.C.
- Flight Engineer - Bill Rowsell, Londesboro, Ontario
To contact us, send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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