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Vesta's Corner
 Why not allow the NetLetter to be your platform and opportunity to relive your history while working for either TCA, AC, CPAir, CAIL, PWA, AirBC etal?
Share your experiences with us!
In the January 1968 issue of "Between Ourselves" there is an article about Emelia Earhart, my favorite aviatrix.In July 1967, Ann Pellegreno flew a commemorative flight around the world planned by Amelia Earhart 30 years before. The vintage aircraft used was a 30 year old Lockheed L-10 Electra, first owned by Trans-Canada Air Lines and registered, appropriately enough, CF-TCA. It was the sister ship to the one flown by Earhart.The flight began in Oakland, California and Ann and her 3 man crew followed the 27,000 mile route as closely as possible. Air Canada contributed to the safely concluded anniversary flight with Loran equipment.  We have these photos.  |
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Air Canada - our first 70 years
 This V.757 was built for TCA - Trans-Canada Air Lines as CF-TID and first flew on Wednesday, 25 February 1959 at Hurn, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 506 engines.Its final owner/operator was FAQ - Fondation Aerovision Quebec. Its fate - Withdrawn from use & stored at St Hubert, Montreal, Quebec, Canada October 1989. FAQ - Fondation Aerovision Quebec confirms that the aircraft collection will go under cover when a suitable hangar becomes available. It seems that was not to be. Extract from the Vickers Viscount Network December 2008 Newsletter. We have been notified by J E Laframboise of the Fondation Aerovision Quebec that C-FTID-X is now in mortal danger, as it has to be moved from its current position at St Hubert and there is nowhere for it to go. This aircraft was made famous as the United Technologies / Pratt and Whitney Canada flying testbed, with various turboprops fitted to its nose for in-flight evaluation purposes. They are reluctant to scrap it for the $0.25 per pound that they would receive and have enlisted our help in trying to find a new home for her. Any takers? Vesta has an article (above) regarding Emelia Earhart, which references CF-TCA Lockheed L10. In "Between Ourselves" issue May 1968 there is an article outlining the history of this aircraft which was delivered to Trans-Canada Air Lines on October 6th 1937. The aircraft was sold to the Department of National Defense on October 12th 1939 after 1,877 hours of TCA flying time. Between then and 1947 the aircraft was loaned to TCA four times for a total of 60 months before being sold to the Thunder Bay Flying Club as CF-TBD, until Feb 1947 when it was sold off to H.D.Moody registered N79237. In April 1950 it joined North central Airlines.Mid-Sky Co purchased the aircraft, changed the registration to N1285 and named "Lady Alice"where she joined Midwest Airlines. In 1957 she was with Bankers Life and Casualty until August 1959 when she was off to International Air Services Inc. In 1961 the aircraft suffered a wheels up landing and was bought by Lee Koepke who rebuilt it into flying condition by July 1966 when he offered it for the commemorative flight as mentioned in Vesta's column. Some journey. After purchase by Air Canada and restoration at Dorval, the aircraft was donated to the National Museum at YOW. More information is available in this .pdf file - ameliacommerorative.pdf The July 1968 issue of "Between Ourselves" announced the deferral of the reintroduction of the Brussels service planned for September 1968 until spring 1969. Remember when all line ups for the check-in was the "flying wedge" system?  .The August 1968 issue of "Between Ourselves" has this photo.Now we line up between aisles similar to banks, supermarkets or DisneyLand. |
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Air Canada News..
 Air Canada to launch daily, non-stop Montréal- Rome service.Air Canada has announced that it will launch non-stop service between Montréal and Rome. Beginning June 20, 2009 the carrier will operate daily non-stop flights using a 211-seat Boeing 767-300 ER aircraft, and the re-introduction Toronto-Rome non-stop service is set to resume in February 2009. |
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TCA/AC People Gallery
Over the past months we have been publishing various photographs from earlier "Horizons", should any photos prompt a memory in seeing one of them, feel free to send us your comments and thoughts. Frank Pedder used to issue a newsletter called "Parts and Pieces" while working in the warehouse stores at YUL, he sends us this information. Hi Folks, Out of the over 7,000 photos that I have scanned, I have picked 3500 to be in this series "6" videos from 1958 to 2008 of people like you and you. These are photos taken mostly by myself of you at various functions at the Air Canada base and off in YUL. This video of photos are on Facebook under the name of :Frank Pedder (you will need to be a Facebook member in order to access this) Enjoy Musings from the "Between Ourselves" magazine. Issue dated March 1968  Capt. Eric Benson has his son following in his footsteps, here we have this photo. The Vancouver Maintenance supervisors model their new uniforms.Issue dated July 1968  New uniforms have been unveiled in an exclusive preview. We have this photo. Two events celebrated at Zurich occurred in May 1968 with the Tenth Anniversary of service into Zurich was marked and a new cargo record was reached.  We have this photo .Under the banner "Canada's first airmail flight re-enacted" is the story of the flight which took place on June 24th 1918 between Montreal and Toronto. Viscount captain Donald Chamberlin as pilot and an ex-TCAF pilot as a passenger, the Tiger Moth departed Montreal's Cartierville airport to mark the 50th anniversary which was by a Curtiss Jenny flown by RAF Captain Brian Peck having taken off from nearby Bois Franc Polo grounds in Montreal Issue dated August 1968  The DC-8 made their first scheduled appearance at Paris and Frankfurt. At Frankfurt District Manager Jack Kantor and Airport Passenger Manager Erlebach welcome the flight crew of Capt. L.J.Brewin, F/O C.A.Miller, S/O C.S.Rogers, Navigator T.R.Hammond, Purser R.Gregoire, Steward C.Pepin and Stewardesses Y.Drouin, C.Thomas, I.Bachl and I.Glenn. |
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Star Alliance news.
 Star Alliance confirmed that Brussels Airlines, which is owned partially by Lufthansa, will join the organization.Star already is set to add Continental Airlines (now in SkyTeam), Air India and TAM. Lufthansa's recent acquisition of Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines is a "logical step" toward creating a pan-European network. |
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Bytes and Pieces
 Fabulous Fifties ChristmasI was sent a link to a site with Christmas music from the 50's that I thought you may like. "Dream back to yesteryear and those Fabulous 50s Christmas time sleigh rides, mistletoe, decorating the tree, helping mom baking cookies, school and church plays, getting together with friends and family and those unforgettable Fifties Christmas Songs on the radio".  I'm sure most of you will recognize the Christmas Songs of the fifties on this web site. (some even more than me, as I was born in 1950). Click on the image on the left for links to songs from Brenda Lee, Andy Williams, Gene Autry, Nat King Cole, Roy Rogers, Bing Crosby, Brenda Lee, Dean Martin, Johnny Mathis, Roy Orbison, Elvis Presley, Burl Ives and more...or follow this link |
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Canadi>n/CPAir/PWA, Wardair, etc. Events & People
Over the past months we have been publishing various photographs from earlier in-house magazines, should any photos prompt a memory in seeing one of them, feel free to send us your comments and thoughts. Issue dated May 1982  Here are photos of some early offices at various stations Yellowknife, Fort McMurray, Fort Simpson, Red Lake, Whitehorse and Fort St. John.   And these two photos of the Canadair at the inaugurals in 1949 at Tokyo and Sydney.  Flight attendants model uniforms in use from 1942 to 1971.(Note the photo pre-Pegasus mentioned is not included - eds) |
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Reader's Feedback
 Originally published in NetLetter nr 1047 this updated photo now shows the names of the stewardesses, Monica Gillis, Eileen Howard, Helen Sainsbury and Bettey Hemingson.Dave Ohlsson also sends us this information. John Ohlsson, retired from Air Canada believes that it may possibly be him standing on the ramp passing up the box of nylons loading the L10A. He also believes this was a promo photo taken in Winnipeg in 1945/46, introducing the first nylons available since the war to the stewardesses on TCA.
 Here is a "blowup" of the girls and the guys in the background. (Still one unidentified person).Jack Stephens recently visit the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson Arizona, and sends us this information.  PATTING TIGGY'S NOSE It was 86 degrees in the hot Tucson sun, one week ago, Nov. 17, as I reached up and patted Tiggy's peeling nose. Anyone who worked for Transair (Canada) back in the sixties would immediately know who you were talking about.They lovingly gave her the nick name, as she faithfully took off and landed on many runways in Northern Manitoba communities. CF-TGI lent itself quite nicely, to "Tiggy".Towns like Flin Flon and The Pas, got used to seeing this red and gold Viscount coming and going, even in the depths of a typical cold and snowy Canadian winter. Now she sits at the huge Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson Arizona, one of some 275 aircraft. The cactus, and sand blowing around her wheels is a far cry from snow and ice. Tiggy really belongs in Canada. If they had the room, my choice would be the Western Canada Aviation Museum in Winnipeg, after all, she rolled in front of the hangar, as our very first Viscount in 1954. Sporting "601" on her tail, Tiggy's claim to fame is that on April 18 1955 all by herself and with 40 passengers to share in her glory, she introduced the first turbine powered service in North America. This famous flight was from Toronto to New York. The Curator of the museum was to meet me under her wings, so I had an hour to crawl around her, take photos, and shake my head at the deterioration. But then I am a bit worn since I worked on some of her accessories, over 55 years ago. I imagined my Dad inspecting her up on the overhaul dock at Winnipeg and my brother changing "Tiggy's" tires in the Line Maintenance Hangar. A spare Dart engine on a stand, sits in the shade of her wing. James the Curator told me she is on the list to be painted in silver metallic, with Trans Canada Air Lines lettering. He mentioned that the cockpit and interior are complete. We are working with him and have provided the Coat of Arms of Canada for the door. Dave Peters who heads up the restoration team at the British Columbia Aviation Museum in Sidney BC on CF-THG dug up the drawings. Just before I said goodbye to James, I asked him if there was any interest in the aircraft.  He said I was the only one he can recall enquiring, and he has been there 12 years. "People, just don't know about the Viscounts, and the present generation is more interested in war planes and the space age." As we prepare to celebrate Canada's 2009 100th anniversary of powered flight, let's not forget "Tiggy", and her proud place in North American and particularly Canadian commercial aviation. Jack Stephens Canadian researcher as part of the team at www.vickersviscount.net Bert Ollivier sends us this message. My wife, Juanita, and I enjoy reading The NetLetter. We are mailing our contribution cheque for $20 in response to the request for assistance in the production expenses. Juanita is a veteran of both TCA and CPA, going back to the 1940's and 50's. She was with the original reservation staff of Trans Canada Air Lines at 737 Church Street, Toronto. She was selected to be a res agent on the vaunted "North Star Desk." That position was open only to the very best telephone sales personnel. It was during that time, 1952 to be exact, that I met and subsequently married her. I was with a travel agency which was a top producer for TCA. We've been happily married since May 8, 1953. I wrote a book which was published early this year. It covers the history of my life in the travel industry in Canada going back to the post WWII days in 1946. In my true story I visit some "behind the scenes" in the travel biz. My web page can be viewed at: www.trafford.com/07-0448 where you will see that my book is $23.95 retail plus GST. However, I offer my book to the travel industry for $20, including GST and postage. If any readers of NetLetter are interested, just mail a cheque to me at: 3839 King Arthur Drive, Nanaimo, BC V9T 6B9 and I'll send an autographed copy immediately. It could make an interesting Christmas gift. In the meantime, I'm enclosing with our cheque Sincerely, Bert Ollivier, (CTC emeritus) |
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Terry's Travel Tips
 Check the forum in www.acfamily.net for some rather disturbing experiences using PERX. Before using any interline agency check the internet, there are many deals out there which are better than some "interline" deals.  'Tis Christmas time, and many of you are hoping to plus - good luck!This cartoon from "Between Ourselves" December 1968 says it all! When traveling over this holiday season, don't forget that any presents carried in your carry-on luggage MUST be unwrapped. At YVR there is a system, after security, where presents can be wrapped Free of Charge! Beware of traveling through LAX - from my experience several years ago, when changing flights to United, the check-in area had the usual "snake" and monitored by airline security staff to control the progress of passengers, BUT, this "snake" continued OUTSIDE the terminal and was at least 150 yards long with passengers and luggage. (I found a First Class check-in with no passengers waiting, told the agent my sob story, and she kindly checked me through, such a relief as the security line up was just as horrendous.) Eric Scher sends us some information on his trip to SYD/AKL The senior's rate for the day pass in SYD which was AU $ 2.50 (=US $1.70). The Hotel we stayed at was a big mistake on my part. We paid up front at the airport info desk, sight unseen for all three days. At the hotel there was a sign "no refunds", so we were stuck. It was not altogether bad but very "sparse". Would have preferred some more conveniences, but, live and learn. Therefore, no recommendations. First day we used the "Hop-on, Hop-off" bus (free) to get a feel for the lay of the land. It took us around a good part of the city. There are two loops, the City loop and the Bondi Beach loop, and they gave us a fair view of Sydney and surroundings. Second day we used our Senior's pass and took ferries to get around to the various beach towns, starting from the wharfs right next to the Opera House and close to the "Coathanger" (so called by the locals) bridge. The bridge can be climbed for an incredible view from the top of the entire harbor and city. Third day we did some shopping at the QVB (Queen Victoria Building) a beautiful building full of boutiques and eateries, three stories in all. That was quite an experience for someone who likes to shop. Apparently, the train ride to the Blue Mountains is spectacular but we did not go due lack of time. Next day we had to board our cruise liner, the "Volendam". Hotel in AKL was the "Rendezvous" at a stand-by rate of NZ $150.00 (=US80.00) and was gorgeous, appeared to be fairly new, crew hotel for some airlines. The rate included a full buffet breakfast which was quite extensive and certainly very worthwhile, served between 06.00-09.00 a.m. While not exactly downtown, we did get around using the free shuttle bus a few blocks from the hotel and, like in SYD, got a feel for the lay-out of the city. The Auckland museum is full of Maori exhibits and has fabulous displays of Maori canoes, rafts, longhouses, handcrafts, weapons, etc. There is also a daily Maori cultural performance with singing, dancing and music. The Skytower is also worth a visit where you can watch the daredevils jump in a harness by wire from the top of the tower (192 meters) coming down to almost street level at dizzying speed. Anyway I could go on and on but this should suffice for now. Hope to go back there sometime and spend much more time in both countries. Best regards, Eric Scher. |
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Smilies
 On their other aircraft, the engines drown out the cabin noise. [On the A380] the pilots sleep with earplugs but the cabin noise goes straight through them. The problem is most noticeable on the Emirates A380s because they chose to put the crew-rest area at the back of the main cabin, while Singapore Airlines and Qantas have placed it right behind the cockpit. Extra insulation is not a solution because it would add extra weight, Davidson said. The airline may experiment with lightweight noise generators that would create ambient sound to mask the cabin noise, according to Flight International. (Passengers pay good money for this "noise", the crew get paid! - eds) |