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!
We, at the NetLetter, received this email from Bernie Miller, which we are sharing with you - I have just finished reading Netletter #1043 and it dawned on me how long it has been that I have been enjoying your great work. When I first retired in 1991 I discovered your original newsletter which today has morphed into "The NetLetter". Over the years it has become one of my principal means of staying abreast of what is happening at Air Canada and what my former colleagues are doing. When I inquired , I was amazed to find out that this wonderful publication, coming even before the widespread internet access we enjoy today, was provided to us through the kindness and creativeness of two retired colleagues who did it voluntarily, to fill the information void that retirement often brings; to celebrate our aviation heritage; and to keep the spirit of the "Air Canada Family" alive. Wow,that was impressive and what a pile of work it must have entailed! Who would have guessed that over seventeen years later, you would still be regularly coming to my computer, providing valuable information, entertaining stories and celebrating our achievements in such a professional way. Thank you Vesta and Terry and Alan for a tremendous contribution to the retired lives of so many thousands of us. The Netletter has become such an enjoyable routine that I think I may have been taking it too much for granted, so I just wanted to congratulate you on your achievements in adding a special dimension to our retirements. Your contribution to your retired colleagues is immeasurable! Thank you again for what you are doing; keep doing it for many years to come; and all the best. Sincerely Bernie Miller (Thank you Bernie for your kind words. We are enjoying our retirement by keeping in touch with our "family" - the NetLetter gang) |
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 found us this photo which is undated and no location mentioned. Shirlee Schacter sends this message regarding the "Friends of Front Street" gathering 2008 version. Subject: FoFS PICTURES NOW ON WEBSITE Hi everybody, The 2008 Reunion Luncheon on Nov. 22nd was a great success! Approximately 60 people enjoyed the opportunity to catch up with old friends and colleagues. The pictures from this get-together are now on the website. Please feel free to add your comments through the "Sign the Guestbook" link in the upper left. They're always welcome! Visit: http://www.imageevent.com/fofs This will take you to the page that shows all the albums and you just have to click on 2008. Some viewing tips are: * Click the "Show all" option at the bottom of the 1st page of thumbnails so you'll get the continuous display of pictures and not just 24 at a time. * Double-click on any picture to enlarge it - or - view as a Slideshow through the option "Start Slideshow" upper left of 1st page. Regards, Shirlee Musings from "Between Ourselves" Issue dated January 1967 If Prestwick station, in 1966, bragged about on-time departures, we wonder if it had anything to do with Passenger Agent Gael Gray. Issue dated February 1968 Here we have a photo of the first staff meeting for the Los Angeles reservations team. Issue dated April 1968 Managers from the Operations departments across the system representing Ramp, Cargo, Station operations and administration met for a course in Montreal. Here they are. Issue dated May 1968 The first class trained at the Dorval Programmer school officially graduated. Here they are. (and yes, that is our co-pilot, Terry Baker, in the centre row - eds) |
Bytes and Pieces
Below is a link to an "animated" White Christmas. This rendition of White Christmas was recorded by Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters in 1953. It was #2 on the charts in 1954. Animation is by Joshua Held in 2002.White Christmas was written by Irving Berlin for the Movie "Holiday Inn" and recorded by Bing Crosby in 1942, and received the Academy Award in that year. Crosby recorded it again in 1947, and that recording has become the standard. It was also featured in the 1954 movie White Christmas with Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen. White Christmas is the biggest selling Christmas song of all time. PS - So what does this have to do with aviation? Reindeers fly... (proof here) Click on image to play video or follow this link. (Yes, we know this animation has been available for a long time, but many still haven't seen it) |
Reader's Feedback
John Rogers has sent us more information on the Silver Broom - As you probably know I've been quite involved with getting the Silver Broom out at a couple of the Pionairs National Curling Bonspiels once in Kelowna and in 2005 here in Hudson. It is of great interest to me to see the note from Sigrun Cowan about her experience with the Silver Broom. We just finished our 23rd Bonspiel in The Hudson Legion Curling Rink and I brought out displays of the Silver Broom. We couldn't get the trophy this time as it is now on display at the Granit Curling Club in YWG. Jamie Hay who found the trophy in a cargo warehouse in YWG was a skip in the Bonspiel and is now the official custodian of the broom. Terry Denny who lives in the Hudson area and was the publicity manger for Silver Broom world championships paid us a visit and we heard many stories about the event. He and Jamie had well over an hour together and Jamie went away with some great stories about the S-B and the Bonspiels. When my old neighbor Else Godber sold her house and moved to NB she called me and asked if I would like some artifacts that her late husband Ray had from curling. Of course I said yes and to my surprise I now have several Silver broom pins one being from the 1977 World Curling in Sweden. That was the year Jim Ursiel Skip and Brian Ross second (both worked at AC at the time) were runners up in the Bonspiel. Ray Godber was the Manger of the Silver Broom for several years. I also found a special pin that was given out to certain fans who followed the World Championships. It was quite something to be a member of this club. Please let Sigrun know and I will send her some more stuff on the Silver Broom. She should come to the AGM in the Peg next April as they will have the broom on display at the AGM. Here are photos of some and the poster celebrating 25yrs of silver meaning the Scottish Cup and the S-B. Here is a story about the poster. I saw it in the office of the Curling Club in Kelowna. Bernie Danis and I asked around to see if we could get copies made. As it turned out Bernie got the name and phone number of the artist who did it. He lived in Regina retired and about 84 years old. When Bernie called him he asked Bernie if he could call back after checking in his basement. A couple of days later he called and said he had seven posters and would Bernie like to have them. Long story short. Jamie Hay has one with the trophy, I have the one in the photo. We gave one to Mr Taylor. Bernie kept one for himself and we gave one to AC for display. Best regards John Walter J has identified several more people in the photo we had in NetLetter nr 1045 of the DC8 overhaul crew - Subject: O/Haul Crew Names Greetings, With regard to the photo submitted by Albert Siegman, I would like to submit the following names: 15 - Mike Gresko (not Kalenac). 21 - Walter Jacyk 29 - Rosaire Berube The others, I do not remember... Regards, Walter J. |
Terry's Travel Tips
Interline travel - changes in ZED fares. ZED airline members have recently completed their annual review of the ZED fares. Effective December 10, 2008, when you book for travel on Other Airlines, you will notice a change in the fares. For more information, visit the Employee Travel Website PERX has these interline vacations - MEXICO - Carnival Carnival Elation 3-night Mexico - San Diego round-trip Feb 12, In/Out $159/189 Feb 19, In/Out/Dlx $149/179/499 Mar 12, Mar 19, Mar 26, In/Out $219/259 [San Diego, Ensenada, Fun Day at Sea, San Diego] or 4-night Mexico - San Diego round-trip Feb 15, In/Out $169/179 Feb 22, In/Out $149/159 Mar 22, In/Out $209/239 Mar 29, In/Out $189/219 [San Diego, Catalina Island, Ensenada, Fun Day at Sea, San Diego] Carnival Spirit 8-night Mexico - San Diego round-trip Jan 23, In $559 Feb 8, In/Bal $499/759 [San Diego, At Sea 2 Days, Acapulco, Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa, Manzanillo, At Sea, San Diego] Holland America Oosterdam 7-night Mexico - San Diego round-trip Jan 3, Out/Bal $459/609 Jan 10, Jan 24, In/Out/Bal $409/459/609 Jan 31, In/Out/Bal/Dlx $309/359/509/1309 Feb 7, In/Out/Bal/Dlx $309/359/509/659 [San Diego, At Sea 2 Days, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas, At Sea, San Diego] Ryndam 10-night Mexico - San Diego round-trip Feb 3, Feb 23, In/Out $609/709 Feb 13, Out/Bal $709/2009 Mar 5, 15, 25, Apr 14, In/Out/Bal $609/709/1609 [San Diego, At Sea 2 Days, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan,Topolobampo, Loreto, Pichilingue (La Paz), Cabo San Lucas, At Sea, San Diego] or 14-night Mexico - San Diego to Vancouver Apr 24, In/Out/Bal $709/809/1709 [San Diego, At Sea 2 Days, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Topolobampo, Guaymas, Pichilingue (La Paz), Cabo San Lucas, At Sea, San Diego, At Sea 2 Days, Victoria, Vancouver] Norwegian Cruise Line Norwegian Star 7-night Mexico - Los Angeles (San Pedro) round-trip Jan 10, 24, In/Out/Bal/Dlx $338/433/623/813 Jan 17, 31, In/Out/Bal/Dlx $367/433/623/813 Feb 7, In/Out/Bal/Dlx $386/433/652/813 Feb 14, In/Out/Bal/Dlx $373/445/670/1318 Feb 21, 28, In/Out/Bal/Dlx $373/418/625/778 [Los Angeles (San Pedro), At Sea, Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, At Sea 2 Days, Los Angeles (San Pedro)] Princess Cruises Sapphire Princess 7-night Mexico - Los Angeles (San Pedro) round-trip Jan 10, In/Out/Bal/Dlx $594/764/1029/1249 Jan 17, In/Out/Bal/Dlx $594/744/1029/1249 Jan 24, In/Bal/Dlx $594/1029/1249 Jan 31, In/Bal/Dlx $644/1079/1299 [Los Angeles (San Pedro), At Sea 2 Days, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Cabo San Lucas, At Sea, Los Angeles (San Pedro)] Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas 7-night Mexico - Los Angeles (San Pedro) round-trip Feb 22, In/Out/Bal/Dlx $449/609/769/1499 [Los Angeles (San Pedro), At Sea, Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, At Sea 2 Days, Los Angeles (San Pedro)] Rates listed are per person ($US) Port charges included, but cruise government taxes & fees are additional, based on double occupancy for new bookings only and apply only to eligible airline personnel and their family members. Proof of employment and/or relationship to employee is required. Other terms and conditions may apply. For more travel bargains, call us! In U.S.A. or CANADA 800-200-7170 (toll free) or 512-691-4501 or visit on-line at: http://www.perx.com Eric Scher sends us update on the recent trip. Subject: Our trip to SYD/AKL Thank you all who responded to my request for assistance to find suitable accommodation in SYD/AKL. We've completed our trip and cruise and arrived home safe and sound. We had a fabulous time and thoroughly enjoyed both cities. I'll be happy to respond to any inquiries any of you may submit. We were most fortunate to be in Australia and New Zealand at a time that their currencies reached a very low point compared to the US and CA dollar and found our stay there relatively inexpensive. In SYD we traveled the train (subway), the bus and the ferries on a day pass (good for 24 hrs.) for seniors and took full advantage of that. In retrospect, we should have stayed longer than the three days we allotted ourselves in both cities. There is so much to see and do that it just was not enough time to do it all in such short time. The flights were heavily booked and, in spite of listing ourselves in C-class, those seats were filled with frequent flyers and we had to settle for Y-class. Glad though that we did list C-class as it did buy us the necessary seniority on our return out of SYD where there were 27 cons listed, some of whom did get left behind as the flight was completely filled. Thanks again. David Welham sends us this alternate way to get to Victoria from Vancouver. (Here's) another way to get to YYJ if all flts ex-YVR seem to be full, is by Pacific Coach Lines. It's sort of "mid-price" at $45.50 which takes you right downtown. Buy tickets at their booth in Domestic Arrivals. Coaches depart International Arrivals at 40 minutes past each odd-numbered hour from 07:40 to 19:40. They depart Domestic Arrivals 5 minutes later. Sometimes there is a change of buses at Tsawwassen, but it is a quick "coach to coach", which is better than that cold walk from taxi or transit. They drive right onto the ferry, and can also drop you off at certain stops before the Victoria depot if arranged in advance with the driver. |
Smilies
Pilots who are trying to catch some sleep between shifts on the Emirates Airbus A380 have complained that noise from the cabin keeps waking them up, because the airplane itself is so quiet they can hear all the crying babies and flushing toilets. 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) |