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Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter Since 1995

Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter

Since 1995

The NetLetter #1203

The NetLetter

For Air Canada Retirees
(Part of the ACFamily Network)


April 29, 2012 - Issue 1203

 
First Issue published in October 1995!
(over 5,400 subscribers)
In This Issue
ACRA Upcoming Events
NetLetter Past Issues

Past Issues
Web Site Information

The NetLetter Web Site
www.thenetletter.org
Donation Information

Send cheques payable to "ACFamily Network" to:

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Sponsors
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Eastern Provincial
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Quebecair
Wardair
 
Greetings!
Terry Baker
Welcome to the NetLetter!

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!

Terry Baker and the NetLetter Team
ACRA Upcoming Events- Compiled by Alan Rust
ACRA  LogoRetirees Welcome!

The following events are available for retirees through ACRA, the Air Canada Recreation Association.

 


 

Image Blank 200px 
ACRA System Golf turns 50!

Just as Air Canada celebrates its 75 year anniversary this year, the employees who started the Air Canada Recreation Association over 50 years ago are also celebrating with their 50th Anniversary System Golf Tournament!

 

This is a once-in-a-lifetime milestone event that we hope you can attend.

 

Date: September 9 - 12, 2012 
Where:
San Diego, California

Venue: Sycuan Resort & Casino 

 

Prizes: To help celebrate this event, Air Canada Vacations has donated a prize of a 7 Night all inclusive package for two to Mexico with Air and Hotel at the Gran Bahia Principe Coba in a Double Occupancy Junior Suite.

 

For further information and registration visit: www.acra.ca/events/system/golf.html  

 

Our First 75 Years - Compiled by Terry Baker
1954 - December - A Vickers Viscount airliner chopped one hour off the regular flying time of Trans-Canada Air Lines during a flight from Toronto to Winnipeg. It cruised at approximately 320 mph and completed the 1,200 mile flight in four hours. Capt. R.J. Baker was at the controls.

 

1955 - Apr. 27th - Viscount courtesy flights at Winnipeg. Capt. Al Edwards and F/O Les Hems at the controls.

na-1973-spring-sked 1973 - Feb. 4th - North American spring sched until April 28th.





 

 

 

 

 


na-1973-spring-sked

1976 - This emblem was developed for the year 1976 - could this not be used next year for our 76th year of operation?
 
Reader Submitted Photos - Compiled by Terry Baker

Readers PhotosReader Submitted Photos -  The photos and information below have been submitted to us by our faithful readers.  


 

Image Blank 200px The NetLetter's Chief Pilot, Terry, dug out this photo of the LHR 10 pin bowling team from 1964. Left to right: John Cleary, Barry Rawlings, Terry Baker, Jack Morath and Ted Rogers (YUL).

Image Blank 200px John Roger sends us this information and photos which he obtained from Sam Gatelaro: One (photo) interesting to me as it is a connection to Maxine Bredt, one of our oldest Pionair members. She was a Stewardess in 1947 and it was how she met her late husband Capt. Bill Bredt.

 

Maxine was an RN during the second world war. I attached a photo of Maxine receiving an award from Veterans Affairs a couple of years ago at the Legion in Hudson QC.
 

Image Blank 200px Next to Capt. Bredt is Reg Brewer, Crew Sked YUL, Sam Gatelaro Superintendent Maintenance L1011/747, Dave Marleau, General Foreman, Finishing Shop.

Image Blank 200px Another photo from Sam's collection: Delivery of a DC9 from Douglas in Long Beach, 1967. Mr McGregor was still President. He left in 1968 and passed away in 1971. Left to right are: Jack Ryan, Air Canada Avionic Inspector Rep; Sam Gatelaro, Air Canada Aircraft Inspector Rep; Bun Moore, Manger; Gordon McGregor, President, Air Canada; Gord Gaffigan, AC District Manger, L. A.; Des Desormaux, Air Canada Aircraft Inspector.

Delivered September 30th, 1967, registered CF-TLQ c/n 47069 and later sold to Cebu Pacific Airlines. Written off February 2nd, 1998 at Cagayon de Oro Phillipiones.

Image Blank 200px Bob Hyndman has sent us this copy of a Captains information form TCA 1955, from the RAPCAN archives. Originally donated by a frequent flyer in September 2010. The crew was: Capt. R.J. Roach, F/O W.J. Woodbyrne and Stewardess Miss K. Kelly (RN). The equipment was a Viscount operating flight V237 on March 6th, 1955 to Windsor, On.



 

 

 



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TCA/Air Canada People Gallery - Compiled by Terry Baker
 
TCA/Air Canada  LogoBelow we have musings from the "Between Ourselves" and "Horizons" magazine, Air Canada publications from years gone by, as well as various in-house publications.

The NetLetter has been fortunate enough to have our readers donate vintage Trans-Canada Air Lines and Air Canada publications from as far back as 1941 to share with you. These have been scanned and are being prepared for presenting in a special area of the ACFamily Network for archival and genealogy research.

A Vickers Vanguard made a safe, wheels up landing at Montreal International Airport on April 3rd, 1961. None of the 49 passengers on board were injured. The aircraft was inbound from Tampa, under the command of Capt. E.T. Marriott who discovered, on his approach to YUL, that the left main wheel doors would not open.

Besides Capt. Marriott, the crew of seven included Capt. W.E. Barnes, first officer Miss H. Neilson, Miss R. Ringuet, Miss N. Chyka, Miss A. Schipper, and Miss J. E. Watson, stewardesses. (Source: Montreal Gazette Apr. 4th, 1961.) (This aircraft, fin 907, subsequently became the "hangar queen" and provided a ready source of spares for the rest of the Vanguard fleet, which caused a flow of A.O.G. demands upon the P & S office in LHR - eds)

Image Blank 200px Lois North has dug up this photo taken in Sydney N.S. and information:
Thanks so much for all the great news and memories in each edition. I joined TCA in May of 1955 at the CTO in YQY. This photo was taken at the staff Christmas Party held at the Sydney Curling Club that year. I remember a few of the names but not all. In no particular order: Len & Joan Morrison, Rita "Queenie" Carmichael, "Sissie" McNeil, Mary & Peter Russell, The Chaffeys, Don & Mary McAdam, Danny McDonald, Cliff & Joan Lowrey, Hubbie & Dorothy MacKeigan, Earl Moffitt, and myself Lois Cossitt NorthJack Morgan was DTSM in YQY at that time, and he was a great boss.

Image Blank 200px Jan Wegman has sent us some more photos: In the late 80's, AC YYZ participated at the Meadowlands? Health club in Mississauga at a fundraiser. The day was spend participating in various sport activities at the health club. That was indeed a lot of fun. Left to right?, Manny Eiberger, IFS Manager, ?, Jan Wegman IFS Supervisor , ?, Garry .... ? Ramp, ?, Basil Hartman, clerk.

Image Blank 200px Left to right:?, Jose...? , Marie Byers yyz fa,...?..., Basil Hartman, In the back Frank...? in the front Jan Wegman.
(Anyone help with identifications - eds)
Image Blank 200px Robert Arnold has sent us this undated photo, from the Robert W. Arnold/Morien Collection, of Frank Lanyon receiving a bonus cheque in the amount of $556.00 dollars for suggesting the install of a Cable Door Check Strap on the Viscount aircraft.
yvr1985softball Jannet Tricarico sent us these two photos and message: I found these 2 Softball photos in my old albums from 1975 and 10 years later from 1985 - thought it could be fun to post them in the NetLetter. Some of the players are in both pictures (still playing after 10 years). It was mixed teams from various YVR Departments.
Names are: (1985) back row from left: Tracy Bromhill (Devlin), Jannet Tricarico, Yvonne ?,  ?, Sharen Rogers, Genys ? (Olstad) and Cheryl Durward (Vaughn). Front row from left: ?, Helga Friedl, ?, ?, Melanie Hyde and Kathy Marcino (Kolb)


Image Blank 200px Names are: (1975) back row from left: Sherry Beaton, Sheila Snow, Sharen Rogers, George Martin, Jannet (Schultz) Tricarico and Keith Hyde. Front row from left: Pat Tracey, ?, Judy Clarke, Helga Friedl, ? and Rita Rowe.
Unfortunately missing some of their names - maybe someone can help.
Regards Jannet

Alan's Space - by Alan Rust
Alan's SpaceSafe Flying-Wing Airliners circa 1949: Jack Northrop's XB-49 as a Jules Verne Passenger Plane

The Northrop YB-49 was a prototype jet-powered heavy bomber aircraft developed by Northrop shortly after World War II. Intended for service with the U.S. Air Force, the YB-49 featured a flying wing design. It was a jet-powered development of the earlier, piston-engined Northrop XB-35 and YB-35; the two YB-49s actually built were both converted YB-35 test aircraft.


The YB-49 never entered production, being passed over in favor of the more conventional Convair B-36 Peacemaker piston-driven design. Design work performed in the development of the YB-35 and YB-49 nonetheless proved to be valuable to Northrop in the eventual development of the current day B-2 Spirit strategic bomber, which first entered operational service in the 1990s.

 

You can read all about it on Wikipedia by clicking here and be sure to watch the video below as well.

 
Safe Flying-Wing Airliners circa 1949: Jack Northrop's XB-49 as a Jules Verne Passenger Plane
Safe Flying-Wing Airliners circa 1949: Jack Northrop's XB-49 as a Jules Verne Passenger Plane
Canadi>n/CP Air/PWA, Wardair, etc. People & Events
- Compiled by Terry Baker
CAIL TailsNews and articles from days gone by gleaned from various publications from C.A.I.L. and it's "ancestry" of contributing airlines.
Issue dated - August 1983
Gotten from the "CPAir News" Magazine -
Image Blank 200px Captain Norm Headrick and F/O Keith Stewart, while operating a B-737 flight from Whitehorse to St. John on July 2nd 1983, intercepted an emergency call from the pilot in a twin Cessna 401. Flying visually from Prince George to Watson Lake, the pilot had got himself lost. The B-737 crew made contact with the pilot and directed him to Watson Lake successfully.

Image Blank 200px Baggage, baggage and more baggage. Toronto origin baggage is containerized for continuation to Vancouver here we have Station agents Rocco Gallo, Fred Keeling, Raphael Reeves. Next to the container we have Joe Spiteri and Hermano Raulino.

Image Blank 200px Incoming baggage destined for Western Canada on a connecting flight is sorted plane-side for YWG, YEG and YYC baggage carts. The Station agents identified are Chris Wong, Steven McKeddie and Dieter Hainz.

Image Blank 200px After the sorting in the previous photo, Kevin Kelly has the job of loading a B747 bound for Calgary.
(Today, each piece of luggage probably represents $25.00 in revenue - eds)

Reader's Feedback - Compiled by Terry Baker
Reader's Feedback 
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.



The article regarding the "Round the World" charter mentioned in NetLetter nr 1200 was from the "Info Canadi>n" magazine which lists one of the Captains as Dave Ellerbeck of Vancouver. We received this from Dave Townsend: Hello, folks. Pardon us, but Canadian Airlines Captain Ellerbeck's name was Doug.
Regards, Dave Townson

The NetLetter gang rechecked the "Info Canadi>n" magazine article and we had transcribed the information as Dave Ellerbeck's and we replied to Dave accordingly. However, Dave came back with this information: Thanks, Terry. I don't know why I didn't spot that when the magazine was published, unless our copy was never delivered, but I'm assured by an ex-dispatcher who knew him well that his full name was Douglas Earl Ellerbeck.

Incidentally, that was a well-written and interesting story about the Titanic survivor (Alan's Space). Six years earlier, another of the ship's passengers, Eva Hart, was in Toronto for the 80th anniversary of the sinking, and on discovering she was flying home to England with Canadian, I made sure I met her at the departure gate and escorted her on board the aircraft. After patiently answering my barrage of questions, she graciously autographed a picture of herself for me, which I particularly treasure during what, at the time of writing, is the centenary week of the tragedy. She flew home in a 767, but I found that Miss Hart was aware of the DC-10's nickname of 'Tritanic'. Regards, Dave
 
Najam Jafri sends us this comment:
At the end of the NetLetter 1200, it shows a rickshaw with mark "L" at the back, does any one know what it is?
In the British ruled sub continent ie India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, if a vehicle has a sign "L" at the back that means the driver is a "Learner", so that other drivers will be careful, but the funny part is that these signs always stays on some vehicles. 
Regards Najam Jafri Retired LAT. Air Canada
 
Image Blank 200px Ken Pickford sends this observation to correct the record: In issue #1200, the first two items in "The First 75 Years" section refers to the first YUL-YVR-YUL transcon flights as being operated by the Lockheed 10A. I'm almost certain the larger Lockheed L-14 was used on those flights. Also, the text printed on the photo below, also referring to the first transcon flights, incorrectly refers to the aircraft (CF-TCK) as an L-10A. It's actually an L-14 (technically L-14H2) known as Super Electra. That aircraft was one of about 10 L-14s delivered in 1938. Several more arrived in 1939. Regards, Ken
(Upon rechecking the "Horizons" magazine, Ken is quite correct - the aircraft were Lockheed L14H-2 type - eds)

Further to his last flight in NetLetter nr 1200, by Captain George McKay himself, Harvey Bergen sends in his observations: Far be it for me to argue with you about the crew on your last flight, George, but I am willing to bet the F/O in the back is Robin Lamb (check out his hat - no braid). Capt. Ron Clark is standing in the back on the right with no hat on. The other people look familiar but no names jump out.
With my record of remembering names, that is not surprising. Looks like you had a memorable last flight though, George - good on you.
Cheers, Harvey Bergen
 
Aubrey Winterbotham refers to NetLetter nr 1200 and sends this memory: It brought back memories when I saw the two Skyways 'York' aircraft at Stansted. Jack Morath has me to thank that he made it to his destination... because I worked on the RR Merlin 500 engines on the York in 1955-56 at Stansted. I did my National Service at RAF Lyneham and RAF Debden from 1957-1959 and then joined TCA in Montreal. Aubrey Winterbotham

Odds and Ends.

SONIC BOOM OVER UK
At least one of two RAF Typhoon interceptors broke the speed of sound over England recently responding to what appears to have been an errant hijack code entered into a helicopter's transponder. When the code reached controllers, they attempted to contact the helicopter. When those efforts failed, a Quick Reaction Alert was issued and the Typhoons were launched. The jets caught up with the helicopter somewhere near Bath, but not before bathing a swath of British countryside, from Bath to Swindon, Coventry, Rugby and Oxford, in sonic boom. London will host an opening ceremony for the 2012 Olympic games in July, and for some residents, the initially unexplained wall-shaking noise was more than disconcerting.
 
Alan Evans, in South Africa, Tony Walsh in B.C. and Brian Dunn editor of YYZNEWS alerted us to this item:
LOST SQUADRON OF PICKLED SPITFIRES FOUND
Aviation historians and warbird enthusiasts are drooling at the discovery of at least 12 and maybe as many 20 perfectly preserved brand-new Spitfire Mark 14s buried in Myanmar, which was formerly Burma. Thanks to the tenacity (and apparently considerable diplomatic skills) of British farmer David Cundall, the lost squadron of pristine fighters was found where they were buried by U.S. troops in 1945 when it became clear they wouldn't be needed in the final days of the Second World War.

 

At least a dozen of the aircraft, one of the latest variants with their 2,035-horsepower Roll Royce Griffon engines replacing the 1,200-1,500-horsepower Merlins in earlier models, were buried without ever being removed from their original packing crates. It's possible another eight were also buried after the war ended. After spending 15 years and $200,000 of his own money, Cundall was rewarded with visual proof of the magnitude of his discovery. "We sent a borehole down and used a camera to look at the crates," he told the Telegraph. "They seemed to be in good condition."

Image Blank 200px More info at the following web site: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2129520/The-new-Battle-Burma-Find-20-buried-Spitfires-make-fly.html 

 

 

 

Terry's Trivia and Travel Tips - by Terry Baker

Terry BakerThomas Cook Canada will discontinue operating its dedicated charter fleet of six 757 aircraft by April 28 due to market conditions. The aircraft were used on routes from Canada to "various sun destinations" under a flight services agreement with Jazz Aviation.  


The World Airlines Clubs Association (WACA) has the following events planned:

 

Israel Interline Club Hosting
Summer Holiday of Israel June 21 - 25th, 2012 $759.00US
Deadline June 1st, 2012. 

Visit to the Holy sites December 4 - 11th, 2012 $969.00US
Deadline November 5th, 2012.
 
Interline Club of Portugal Hosting
Grande Fiesta 2012 Sept 27 - 30th, 2012  345.00EUR.
Details on these and other events are available at: www.waca.org  

 

Image Blank 200px Here is an appropriate cartoon from "CPAir News" magazine issued June 1982.

The NetLetter is an email newsletter published (usually) once a week 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 welcome your feedback 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!

We hope you have enjoyed this issue of the NetLetter, see you next week!  
Sincerely,
Your NetLetter Team

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.

 

E&OE - (errors and omissions excepted) - The historical information as well as any other information provided here is subject to correction and may have changed over time. We do publish corrections when they are brought to our attention.
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 
  • Stewardess - Lisa Ruck, Brooklin, 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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