Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter

The NetLetter

 (part of the ACFamily Network)

John Gallagher sends us this information and photo under the banner of "My best kept secret".

In 1953 as a junior F/O, I joined the CALPA Safety division to learn the technical side of the industry. Over the next 30+ years I was privileged to attend many safety, technical, and investigation meetings.

One of the most enjoyable and exciting episodes was being allowed to be the AC "flight test pilot' for the DC-9, deep stalls and the L-1011 high altitude steep turns, 10,000 ft emergency descents and zero braking landings. A few days later I was asked to sign official FAA documents and asked to include my engineering qualifications. I mentioned I was simply a local farm boy, ADD & Dyslexic, and never went to any school. AC Flight OPS replaced me with Captain Bob Christie, a YWG pilot with a real engineering degree. 

John D. Gallagher

On July 22nd, the company celebrated 20 years of Trans-Atlantic service. It was in 1943 when the service commenced operation with a Lancastrian aircraft, today the DC-8 is now utilized.

A FEW CHANGES - Over the Company's twenty years of Trans-Atlantic service there have been a few
changes ... the DC-8s travel approximately twice the speed of the Lancastrians of '43; there is better
meal service on the DC-8s; comfort in the air is AOK.

The photo is of the DC-8 twentieth anniversary flight crew bears witness to the fact that the warm smile is still one of the Company' s "trademarks".

From the left, members of the crew are: (top) R. Grenham. Purser; J. Harding. Navigator; Captain R.W. Welsh (first flew the Atlantic as Pilot in a Lancastrian in 1946); D. Davidson, Ramp Supervisor. London Airport (Davidson was Station Attendant at Prestwick during the days of the Lancastrian ); R. Kelly-Thorne, 2nd Officer; Stewardesses H. Wahlberg, M. Cossman. and M. Buchanan; and Capt. R.K . Walker. First Officer.

Sept Iles personnel had a good excuse for a party. For the first time since service began in 1955, the station passed the $2,000,000 revenue mark last year, a good omen for celebrating its 20th anniversary on the Air Canada route network this year.

Shown at the gathering are, back row, from the left MicheI Dube, Claud Sylvain, Guy Casista, Marc Andre Cloutier and Richard Lariviere

Second row, from the left: Mrs. Paul Cormier, Louise Casista, Jeannette Monlgrain, Mrs. Marc Andre Cloulier, Mrs. Alain Cloutier and Mrs. Johnny Gaudreau.

Front row, from the left: Alain Cloutier, Neri Cormier, Johnny Gaudreau, Denis Landry and Paul Cormier.

These happy winners with their award cheques for $334 each are held by the first group suggestion winners who are,

from the left standing: Bert McCulloch, Foreman, Finishing Shop; Mechanics Art Brown, Paul Quesnel, Nelson Chatman, Dave Burnham, Andy Lawton, and Eric Jones (Lead).

Kneeling are Mechanics Ron Biggers and Fern Cadieux.

On the right are Derek Bone, Director, Aircraft Maintenance, and Dave Marleau, General Foreman, Finishing Shop.

The first of four cargo system meetings planned for 1975 was held in Montreal under the chairmanship of General Manager, Cargo, Don Richardson.

Regional cargo representatives from across the system attended the session which focused on cargo planning, selling and servicing aspects. Shown at the meeting are, seated, from the left: John Scott and Harry Medensky, Toronto; Emile Desnoyers, Personnel & Organization Planning, Montreal; Don Richardson, Anita David and Ron Law, Montreal.

Standing, from the left: Bob Phillips and Doug Powell, Toronto; Art Jones, Dorval; Lloyd Wedge, Ottawa; Craig Butters, Montreal; Mike Scullion, Los Angeles; Bruce Gibson and Gord Thorvaldson, MontreaI and Peter Dawson, Dorval.

Missing from the photograph are Doug Russell, Vancouver and Alf Devinish, London, Eng.

 February 15 had its special moment for Moncton staff. On that day exactly 35 years ago, Trans-Canada Air Lines first scheduled ten-seat Lockheed 14-H-2 flight landed at Lakeburn airfieId marking the inauguration of passenger service to the New Brunswick city.

Flying time from Toronto was four hours, 48 minutes The return flight took place the same day, departing at 1830 hours. At the controls was Captain Jim Storie assisted by First Officer Roger Smith. Geneviev Mongeau was the stewardess.

In charge of setting up ground facilities at Moncton was AI Took, now a Vancouver Flight Dispatcher and the Company's longest service employee.

Our photo is of Capt. Jim Storie in front of a Lockheed 14-H-2 aircraft, the type he commanded when he flew the Moncton-Toronto inaugural in 1940.

STILL ABLE TO SMILE despite long hours and heavy workload during recent Air Canada shutdown, these Winnipeg reservation office staffers took a well-earned break from the phones to assemble for this picture. They are typical of CP Air people throughout the system who pitched in to help the travelling public (scheduled and charter), and cargo and mail customers under trying circumstances.

From left: Amy MacKelvie, Aileen Fiddler, John Zacharkow, Penny Schultiess and Thor Goodmanson. Seated are Kathryn Whillans-Dugas, left, and Gail Bennet.

Jan Wegman has suggested these names for the two Stewardesses in this photo in NetLetter nr 1188 under Readers submitted photos - I "think" the FA's in the picture are Doreen Zenert and Elisabeth Wegman.

Jan  Wegman FSD ret.

Referring to the article in Alan's Space in NetLetter nr 1188, Dwayne Hunt sends this correction - ROOMY - On the 1968 747 etc.  Rushing the season a bit, the B747 first flew February 1969 and didn't go into service with PAN AM until 1970. I was at Boeing Seattle at the time on training for the B707 Dwayne Hunt (F/E).  

Tony Man Son Hing has spotted this error and sets the record straight -
In the recent issue of Netletter #1188. The picture of Horizons magazine and NorOntair -Air Canada  has Capt Raymond's name incorrect or a misprint as Taymond.
Capt Larry Raymond is currently with Jazz Air Inc (AC Express) in Toronto. 

Regards Tony Man Son Hing ret'd

Dave Peters responds to the questions in NetLetter nr 1180 which Jim Griffiths posed -
Thought I might try and answer your question.
First, on the question of RADAR, and here are two photos. 

The first aircraft with provision for RADAR installation in the TCA fleet was c/n 220 we have pictures taken at the factory of 218 and 220 we also have a line photo of 219 before and after provisions for a radome so she must have been modified after delivery.

The interesting bit is the nose cone is large enough for RADAR but it's metal unlike later photos which show a composite nose. I would have to assume Vickers made a production change so operators could install Radar at the factory or at a later date, in TCA's case it would appear the RADAR was installed in the fleet starting in 1959. We have two photos of TCA's last Viscount TGI the first photo shows the long nose in June 1959 and the second in 1960 shows the composite nose cone, from these photos I would say all RADAR installations were done in house by TCA.

Question 2 the Autopilot
TCA as we know had modifications done which included North American instruments and Radios, the autopilot used by Vickers at the time was not compatible with the changes made. Clayton Glen has confirmed that the Collins auto pilot and flight director system were installed by TCA after delivery. I don't know when the autopilots were installed or if later models had them installed at the factory.
Hope this helps. Dave 

Jim McCall sends us this memory -
Like Norman Hogwood in Netletter 1186, I can remember the road across the main runway at PIK.. like many more, I walked across it every day going to school and back... and yes,  being hurried along by many a policeman with a polite warning to 'get a move on'.  Don't worry Norman, you were not singled out for special attention - they did not give ANYONE a lift across, I think it was self-preservation!  In those days PIK was also a USAF base and the flying was varied, both commercial and military and you had to have a good turn of speed if one of the military boys decided to take off after a short taxi!

Ironic that I should end up working for AC thereafter, from 1968, for 29 years, the majority based at PIK.  Happy days, what a great station, and great people. Also, like Norman, I was able to take my mother on one of the short inter Europe flights that we were then able to use, in our case between PIK and CPH, and it was only then that she informed me that the only other flight she had ever taken was on a Liberator 'on a test flight' around PIK sitting on a wooden box, during the WW2 Air-bridge operations. She at that time served with the Land Army on the duty crew at PIK.

So much to remember, 11.11.11. Keep up the great work with the NetLetter...

Jim McCall 61109(rtd)

Terry Baker responded -
My only recollection with Prestwick was, with three co-workers from YUL, playing golf at Old Troon, back in the 70's when the cost was only a quid. Across the railway was another famous course, and the guys thought they would like to play there the following year, so we wrote to the course and asked for tee times on a certain day, and the reply we got was that they would confirm providing we made our request on our club's headed paper - well we were just a bunch of guys. The letter did go on to say that we were welcome to visit the clubhouse, but the ladies were only allowed on the terrace.  So we never went back to Prestwick.  But well remember the pub, the Troon Flower?  in the village.

You mentioned your trip to CPH brings to mind that in earlier years, when the route was YUL-PWK-LHR, The PWK-LHR leg had a section on the aircraft reserved just for boarding passengers, as they were not allowed duty free items, so they were kept separate from the YUL originating passengers.

Jim McCall countered with -
The very first flight I ever took was on the PIK-LHR-PIK sector on a DC8-63 and I was going to a 'Cargo Rating' course run by Slim Yetter in the only just opened Cargo Terminal at Shoreham Road, LHR. We were the first live course in that terminal.and no cargo had even gone through the shed at that time. That was Feb 1969, and I returned home on Feb 28 and got engaged to my wife of 40 Years, Julie. Fortunately I also passed the course!

And you would not even get a glass of lemonade for your £1 these days, I believe a round at Royal Troon is around £200, if you have a certificate from your own club, but at least the ladies are now allowed in the clubhouse.
Best regards Jim 

The Employee Travel Billing system will charge all trips the us$5.50  where there is an arrival into the United States on/after November 5th, 2011 but the Employee Travel Website will not be able to quote this tax until further notice.

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