The NetLetter
For Air Canada Retirees
(Part of the ACFamily Network)
November 17, 2012 - Issue 1230
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First Issue published in October 1995!
(over 5,400 subscribers)
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NetLetter Past Issues
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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!
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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
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| Our First 75 Years - Compiled by Terry Baker |
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 From the Collector's edition and Souvenir copy of "enRoute" magazine. |
 Front covers of "Between Ourselves" magazine issue
#68 Jan 1949 through #78 Dec 1949. |
1940 - The first in-house publication called "TCA News", was issued and later renamed "TRANSCANEWS", edited by Rene Baudru. In December 1941 the "Between Ourselves" magazine was the replacement.
1976 - April 30th - Airtransit service terminated.
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| Star Alliance News |
 Air Canada will boost capacity on regional routes across Western Canada this fall and winter. The airline will also gradually introduce Bombardier Q-400 Next Gen aircraft operated by Air Canada Jazz under the Air Canada Express brand on key markets from Calgary and Edmonton next year. Air New Zealand will operate a second season of Auckland to Bali flights next year. A Boeing 767-300 will operate twice weekly between Auckland and Denpasar between June 1 and Oct. 15. (source Star Alliance Employee web site) Members of the Star Alliance -Adria Airways (JP), Aegean Airlines (A3), Air Canada (AC), Air China (CA), Air New Zealand (NZ), ANA (NH), Asiana Airlines (OZ), Austrian (OS), Avianca, Taca Airlines (AVTA), Blue1 (KF), Brussels Airlines (SN), Copa Airlines (CM), Croatia Airlines (OU), EGYPTAIR (MS), Ethiopian Airlines (ET), LOT Polish Airlines (LO), Lufthansa (LH), Scandinavian Airlines (SK), Singapore Airlines (SQ), South African Airways (SA), SWISS (LX), TAM (JJ), TAP Portugal (TP), Thai Airways Intl (TG), Turkish Airlines (TK), United (UA), US Airways (US), Soon to join EVA Air (BR), Shenzhen Airlines (ZH). |
| ACRA Events now Online |
 ACRA Events now online!
Upcoming ACRA Events for YVR, YWG, YYZ and LHR are now online at: www.acra.ca
Most events welcome retirees, please check the web site for more details.
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| Reader Submitted Photos - Compiled by Terry Baker |
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 Reader Submitted Photos - The photos and information below have been submitted to us by our faithful readers.
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Robert Arnold has sent us this information -
At last, after all this time, the box that contained some of my more rare airline models has been found. Most are of Canadian content like Canadian Airlines, WorldWays and Wardair. I even had a Nordair license plate in the box. The Avro CF-100 and Arrow are still factory sealed with a price tag from The Yea Old Hobby Shop and priced at $1.49. I even found my Dinky Toy Viscount that was done for me in Air Canada livery bearing the register of CF-THS.
If you look closely, you will see a touch of Britain in the mix with a Red Arrows aircraft in tow on a special lorry, a slightly damaged dinky toy Avro York, a Vickers Viking that is still in great shape, along with a Luxair F-27 and an Air France DH Comet.
I also found an Avro Anson fuel primer and some sort of calibrating unit used on Ansons. I just thought I would share my findings with you guys. Enjoy!
 
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| TCA/Air Canada People Gallery - Compiled by Terry Baker |
 Below 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.
While sitting patiently, in the lounge waiting to board your flight as a standby con on pass, only to hear of a delay or even a cancellation due to a mechanical, and, while you wonder what your plan B is, perhaps you may like to know what happens behind the scenes when an engine change is required. This from the "Parts & Pieces" the Stores magazine issued September 1986 by Frank Penner.
Murphy's Law still keeps cropping up in the course of our operations. A prime example are the events of the week starting August 11th 1986.
Engine failures in Bombay, Shannon and then Paris. This may sound like the start of a horror story, with gremlins taking revenge for some mysterious transgression against them, but instead it turns out to be a story of our people rising to meet the challenge and minimize the impact of a series of unfortunate incidents on our operation, courtesy of a group called the "Exigency Task Force". The "Exigency Task Force" was put together in February l986 to handle the non-routine A.0.G.(aircraft on ground) demands such as chartering aircraft to get parts and mechanics to an outstation, or renting trucks to move larger items. This team, headed by Vince Newsome, consists also of Bob Cragg, Bill Stewart, Erv Williston, John McKee, Rick Scofield and Frank Matish. The contact man is usually Bob Cragg, but if he is not available, then Bill Stewart gets the honour and finally if neither is available, Vince Newsome gets the pleasure of handling the call.
Usually we only get one engine change at a time at one of the outstations, but this time we got three in a row, right in the middle of vacation time, a real test for the team. As Bob Cragg and Bill Stewart were both on vacation, Vince was the one who got all the action from the start.
In Bombay, number one engine on fin 555 decided it wanted a rest. A quick check showed that we had no spares in Europe, but we had one in YYZ. Now to check on availability of Hercules freighters to transport it to Bombay. None were free immediately, but if we can wait for a day, they can send one from South Carolina. But, Rolls Royce (R/R) has an engine available for lease in Dusseldorf and a "Herc" was available in Paris. R/R uses the same type of stand as us and the engine is 108" high on the stand, it should fit into the 110" high "Herc" cargo hold. The Herc's load master flew from Paris to Dusseldorf, and behold, it is not on the R/R stand but on an L.T.U. stand, and the height is 112". A R/R dolly was in London for repairs and the Herc was out. More phone calls and Heavy Lift had a Belfast available - so lease the engine, load it into the Belfast and off to Bombay. While all this was going on, Rick Scofield was enroute to Bombay and H.A.I.C.0. in Hong Kong was contacted to provide an engine change crew.
(We will have part two in NetLetter nr 1231 - eds)
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Issue dated - May 1945
Extracted from "Between Ourselves" magazines -
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 This photo is of the famed Kap Hotel at Kapuskasing in 1945 where the local gentry stay and the bumped plusers languish for a daily rate of $2.00 with a meal for another $2.00.(We do not know if this building still exists - eds)
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 Our Island station staff in Victoria, BC. Left to right, front: Jim McDonald, station manager; radio operators; Olga Cravits and Harvey Currier. Back: Mrs. Robbie Miller; radio operator, Gordie Campbell, mechanic; Maude Wildman, radio operator.
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 Here we have a photo of the Pat Bay (YYJ) administration building with the only TCA trailer of its kind in the company, used for the transit of mail and passengers luggage to Victoria, 18 miles away.
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Issue dated - February 1976
From the "Horizons" magazine -
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After April 30th 1976, the little red planes of Airtransit will no longer fly between YUL and YOW. The Twin Otters became a familiar sight on the routes between the two cities. Started on July 24th 1974, close to 140,000 passengers had been carried by the 11-seat aircraft by the experimental STOL project. The success of the project played a key role in the development of the DHC-Dash-7, a 48 seat four engined aircraft produced by de Havilland of Canada.
During January, under the terms of a lease agreement, Flight Operations and In-Flight service were training 8 front end crew and 20 flight attendants for Cubana Airlines to work the DC-8-40, two of which had been leased from the company in preparation of inaugurating the service between Cuba and Canada. (It seems that many of the flight attendants had never seen snow, and the weather dutifully supplied a dose. As the training at Dorval was in the building next to the cafeteria. Naturally the cafeteria was a very popular place for our employees, of which I was one, who delighted in watching the female attendants cavorting in the snow. - eds)
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 Dorval Maintenance employees donated $300 to the Canadian Mental Health Association for the purchase of Christmas gifts for often forgotten mental patients. The money came from the sale of raffle tickets during lunch hour on a collection of wine. In the photo, the organizers prepare to pick the lucky winner. From the left, are: Lois Champoux, Margaret Davidson, Randy Rennick, Pam Langton, Mike Hall, Debbie McArton, Shirley Middleton. Kay Blake, and Lorraine Peck. The raffle has become an annual event at the Base. (Has it? - eds)
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| n's Space - by Alan Rust |
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Local boy makes good!
- submitted by Alan Watson
General George T. Babbitt (born June 22, 1942) is a retired United States Air Force four star general who served as Commander, Air Force Material Command (COMAFMC), from 1997 to 2000.
(please note mandatory aviation reference above)
Remember the VENTURES? As a teenager in the late 1950s, Babbitt became the original drummer for The Ventures rock group.
Just before the band gained fame with their huge hit "Walk Don't Run" in 1960, Babbitt had to drop out because he was not old enough to play the night clubs and bars the band was beginning to work in.
He's now a four start General and came back to play with them again, in uniform...
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| 1998.March 1st.Walk Don't Run with General George Babbitt |
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Canadi>n/CP Air/PWA, Wardair, etc. People & Events
- Compiled by Terry Baker
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 News and articles from days gone by gleaned from various publications from C.A.I.L. and its "ancestry" of contributing airlines. |
 In December 1987, a booklet titled "Meet the Canadians" was issued featuring photos of the North American Sales Group, here we have the second page. |
One of the interesting events recorded on the PWA web site:
On April 21, 1984, Pacific Western Airlines operated the final Hercules flight with aircraft CF-PWN from the Panarctic Oils base camp at Rea Point on Melville Island NWT N75'22" W105'44" to Edmonton International Airport. It was an historic event as the Hercules Division was another structural component that had built the airline.
Those of you who missed the YVR party last June may wish to go to www.pwareunion.com and click on "yvr party"
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Issue dated - February 1981
From the "CPAir NEWS" magazine -
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 THIRTY CP AIR VOLUNTEERS from Toronto airport, in-flight and security helped staff the telephones in a recent television fund drive to help raise $1.3 million for the Toronto Variety Club's Sport and Fitness Centre for Handicapped Children. Recording dollars from donors on the phone are (from left) Ora Harris, Sue Kaluzny, Wendy Murgatroyd and Judy Henderson. Adding encouragement (second row) are Mark Antonio, Denise Haddon, Diane Josie, Marnie Barefoot, Frank Peverseff and Mlrlan Dignam.
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 SIXTEEN CP AIR employees joined travel agents on a 10-day fam trip to Portugal, organized by Chateau Tours of Montreal.
Here's the happy group on a photo break: Front row, from left: Cathy Martin, Ottawa sales; Josee Hansen, Chateau Tours; and Francine Prud'homme of Montreal. Second row: Jeannette Lajoie, Montreal res; Diane Josie, Toronto res; Fran Zilo, Ottawa ticket office; Spencer Wong, Vancouver res; Patricia Wong, Vancouver; Jessie Gray, Toronto; Stephanie Kohler, Montreal res; Cecile Cuillerier, Montreal; Roger Cuillerier, Montreal sales; and Luc Prud'homme, Montreal sales. Third row: Dave Solloway, Vancouver sales; Harry Stilling, Edmonton CTO manager; John Riga, Montreal ticket office; Gordon Sangster, Toronto ticket office; Lois Jenkins, Portland, Ore.; Kurt Kohler, Montreal res; Stan Jenkins, Portland, Ore., sales; Peter Martin, Ottawa sales; Ernie Gray, Toronto ticket office; and Mike Barber, president of Vacances Golf Holidays and Chateau Tours, Montreal.
(During the 1970's, your chief pilot enjoyed many week-end trips to Portugal on the interline "TAP tours" - eds)
CENTENNIAL SOUND-OFF
Canadian Pacific's planes, trains, trucks and ships sounded off for 30 seconds across Canada at noon local lime on Monday, Feb. 16th 1981 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the company.
It was on Feb. 16, 1881 that letters patent were issued in Ottawa under the Great Seal of Canada incorporating the Canadian Pacific Railway Company. In the skies captains of CP Air jets told their passengers about the event in a noon announcement. Simultaneously the company's trains, trucks and ships were sounding their horns on the highways, rails and oceans.
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| 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. Perhaps prompted by the maintenance training photo in NetLetter nr 1227, John Weston sends this email: Hello, I worked in the Accessory shop Winnipeg late 50's early 60's. I wonder how many TCA fellow employees are still around? Some names I remember are Jim Stewart, Pat Murray, Doug Arnold, Bill Borham, Muriel Much, Gordon Boak, Jack Stevens, Dave North, Bill or Doug Menzies?, John Foxton, The Martin Brothers? Steve Stephenson, Dave Scott, Stan Hunt, Fred Kneeshaw, Adam Ursell, Harry Moxon, ?? Reed, Rolly Eade, Grant Gair, Don Scott, George Charbonneau, Don McCannell, etc. etc. Regards, John Weston |
Odds and Ends.
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 Sometimes we receive articles and information that just doesn't fit in our other areas. This is where it goes!
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CANADIAN RESEARCHERS FLY ON PURE BIO-FUEL
Calling it a "historic milestone for the aviation and sustainable energy industries," Canada's National Research Council has conducted what it says is the world's first civilian flight using 100 percent bio-fuel.
Perhaps as a measure of confidence in the fuel, made from oil-seeds grown in Saskatchewan, NRC Chief Pilot Tim Leslie conducted the Oct. 29 flight in NRC's Falcon 20 over the nation's capital of Ottawa, Ontario. "We have been working hard with our partners for many months, and it is most rewarding to see it all come together," Leslie said. "It is truly inspiring to take this step towards an eco-friendly future!"
NRC is a government agency and it worked with private enterprises, including Agrisoma Bioscience Inc., which is now making commercial quantities of bio-fuel based on the seed of the cold, heat and drought-tolerant Carinata, or Ethiopian Mustard plant. The plant, which is related to canola, thrives on marginal farmland not suited to agricultural crops
(source avwebflash)
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Kenneth Swartz has forwarded the following message:
Hi... we have launched the fundraising campaign to re-establish the Canadian Air & Space Museum at Lester B. Pearson International airport. Ken.
The greater Toronto area and YYZ in particular have a rich aerospace and airline history. The link to view a video about the campaign and to make a donation is: http://www.indiegogo.com/casmuseum.
We'd like to encourage all Air Canada/CP retirees to visit this web site and share the link with as many people as possible.
The Museum's fundraising page enables people to make donations from as little as $5 and EVERY donation gets something in return, from free admission to our future museum, to books, models and lifetime memberships. The success of the campaign depends on widespread awareness. Please share the http://www.indiegogo.com/casmuseum link with friends and colleagues.
In the meantime, the Museum has an immediate need to raise funds, as it has not generated any revenue since its closing in September 2011. Phase 1 of the fundraising campaign has a goal of $500,000, of which these badly needed funds will be directed to two immediate needs:
- Preserving the Museum's collection that now sits in 44 freight containers at YYZ. Sizable indoor storage space needs to be found, with proper environmental conditions, for the contents to be unloaded before winter weather sets in. Afterwards, monthly storage rental fees need to be covered.
- Pay to construct a temporary hangar at YYZ to store the Museum's two most precious items - the only full-scale metal replica of the Avro Arrow and the City of Toronto's rare Second World War Avro Lancaster bomber (the aircraft that used to sit atop a pole alongside Lakeshore Blvd, in front of Ontario Place).
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Terry's Trivia and Travel Tips - by Terry Baker
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Brian Walsh sends this:
I saw the info on the Holland America Line Veendam in NetLetter nr 1229: 17-night South America - Valparaiso to Rio de Janeiro* Dec 03
What a deal - I am now booked on it. If you hear of any other NetLetter subscribers taking this, let me know - or they can email me at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
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Paule Sims is asking for your help: Would you please put a note in the NetLetter asking if anyone knows of a nice reasonably priced place, such as a house or apartment, to stay in the south of France? Thank you, Paule Sims This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Airway Vacations - Interline deals:
Winter/Holiday Escorted Tours from $1149*
Holiday and January tour dates have just arrived and the rates are tempting. If you're thinking about getting away for the holidays, it's not too late. Or if you want to see Europe at truly bargain rates, January 2013 is the time to go. Ask about confirmed air options.
- Vienna, Prague and Budapest 8 Days - Begins Jan. 4 from $1149 ppdo
- Amazing Spain & Portugal 10 Days - Begins Jan. 4 $1358 ppdo
- Best of Morocco 10 Days - Begins Dec. 26 $1553 ppdo
- Winter Wonderland 10 Days - Begins Dec. 20 $1568 ppdo
- Highlights of Spain 10 Days - Begins Dec. 17 $1638 ppdo
- Best of Italy 11 Days - Begins Jan. 18 $1923 ppdo
- Rome to London 10 Days - Begins Jan 18 $1933 ppdo
- Highlights of Europe 15 Days - Begins Dec. 24 $3229 ppdo
Prices are us$
See more Hot Deals at www.airwayvacations.com
1-800-422-3727
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| Smileys - Compiled by Terry Baker |
As we surf the internet and back issues of airline magazines we regularly find airline related jokes and cartoons. Below is our latest discovery.
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 Another cartoon by Dave Mathias, this time from "Between Ourselves" issued October 1944.
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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
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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.
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.
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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
- 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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