The NetLetter
For Air Canada Retirees
(Part of the ACFamily Network)
November 24, 2012 - Issue 1231
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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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| Save Our Pensions |
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The Pionairs Pension and Benefits Committee has spearheaded another "write in" or in this case "email in" campaign in another strong drive to "Save Our Pensions".
What are a Solvency Deficit, a Deemed Trust and a Preferred Creditor?
- A Solvency Deficiency at pension plan windup (distribution of assets to pensioners) means the pensioners may receive only a portion of their promised pension.
- A Deemed Trust may be used to secure liabilities of the pension plan. However, it is often not respected by the bankruptcy courts.
- A Preferred Creditor is a creditor which has access to a sponsor's (company) assets in bankruptcy before these assets are available to pay unsecured creditors (Nortel, AVEOS).
They all can have positive or negative effects on pension security. The Air Canada Pension Trust Fund is currently an unsecured creditor similar to Nortel. Our efforts are dedicated to changing this status.
Please visit www.saveourpensions.ca and follow these steps if you'd like to participate:
- Find your MP (clicking on link opens new page to search by Postal Code)
- Enter MP's Name (from your search)
- Enter MP's email (from your search)
- Enter your information
- Submit
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Click on image to
visit website. |
The website simplifies the process by taking your MP's name and address (that you provide) and then sending your chosen letter to your MP as well as automatically copying it to
Right Hon. Stephen Harper, Hon. Jim Flaherty, Hon. Christian Paradis,
Hon. Joseph A. Day, Senator
and sending a confirmation to you.
Since the email contains you contact info, it is recognized by the government and you will most likely get a response from your MP at least. This method has been very effective in past campaigns in getting attention towards our various pension issues.
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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
# 79 Jan 1950 through # 88
December, 1950.
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1945 - August 7th - TCA authorized to carry passengers between Vancouver and Victoria.
1946 - July 1st - Inaugural DC-3 service to Chicago.
1946 - August 1st - Inaugural DC-3 service to Cleveland.
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| Air Canada News |
 ACE Aviation Holdings has sold its 31 million shares of Air Canada (AC) to Cormark Securities, four years after its initial attempt to dissolve the company. The deal also includes 2.5 million warrants to purchase AC shares at exercise prices of $1.51 (1.25 million warrants) and $1.44 (1.25 million warrants) and is expected to generate net proceeds of approximately $58 million for ACE. "ACE no longer holds any shares or warrants in the capital of Air Canada," it said. |
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| Star Alliance News |
 SAS Scandinavian Airlines has reached agreements with all eight of its unions as the carrier seeks severe cost cuts so that it can avoid bankruptcy. |
| 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 these photos and information: I thought I would send a few photos of our display at the WCAM commemorating the 75 years of TCA/Air Canada. The display was carefully put together by volunteers at the museum using many items from the WCAM archives. The exhibit features a vast array of memorabilia including travel posters, photos, airline models and even uniforms that were worn back in the day. |
| This prized collection of carefully selected items is now on display at the Western Canada Aviation Museum which, for those who are not aware, was at one time the headquarters for Trans-Canada Air Lines (now Air Canada). They hosted an Air Canada Commemorative Day on September 20, 2012. Speakers included Keith Olson, a former Air Canada Viscount pilot and Linda Meckling who was a former Flight Attendant. They later chatted with visitors about their tenure with Air Canada from 1966 to modern times. Regards Robert. WCAM is the Western Canada Aviation Museum in Winnipeg.
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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.
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Here we have the second part of the story about the three engine changes which we started in NetLetter nr 1230 as extracted from the "Parts & Pieces" Stores magazine issued September 1986 issued by Frank Pedder. (In the first part Frank's name was mispelt as Penner - eds)
When Rick Scofield arrived in Bombay, he went into action, arranging the transport, helping get the engine out and doing all the miscellaneous stores functions to help speed the engine change along. Also George Spence, the maintenance representative from Singapore and Fred Warwick, the General Foreman, Aircraft Maintenance from London were on hand to help. Then they saw the engine was a "bare power plant" and 26 units had to be transferred over to make it a complete engine. A crane was arranged for, but no driver was available so the bootstraps had to be used. The Haico people did a wonderful job and the engine was changed in 9.5 hours. The aircraft was serviceable and another challenge met. Now Rick was left with the tidying up, i.e. the return of the engine to Montreal, the tools, stands, and equipment to their respective owners. Then on to a well earned rest and home after a job well done.
In the meantime, Vince Newsome was getting another call. Number three engine on aircraft fin 509 decided to follow the example of number 1 on fin 555, and fin 509 had to divert into Shannon. Since it hadn't gone to Bombay, the engine was still in Toronto and a B747 combi was headed to Europe. Now to quickly arrange to get the stands and equipment together and loaded with the engine on the Combi and re-route it through Shannon, Rick is the usual outstation man but he was already in Bombay. Bill Stewart was the only backup, so, vacation or not, he got the phone call just as he was about to leave to celebrate his 10th Anniversary. So, off to Shannon instead of "wine and dine". So far this looks easy and straight forward. First snag, no customs documents, they're missing. Off to see the head of customs. When the head of customs says that the whole shipment, engine and all, can be impounded because there are no documents, it looks like major trouble, but then he agreed to release the shipment if Bill gave him a list of the contents - the engine change can start.
(The conclusion of this story will be in NetLetter nr 1232- eds).
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 Frank Pedder has sent us this photo and text forwarded from Gary Peddle:
I was sitting in the office at work last week watching all the flatbeds come in empty and leave a short time later all piled up with all the equipment from the hangars and the EMC. They basically gutted the place.
You walk in these buildings now and all you see is four walls and a ceiling. The shops in YUL are all completely empty... no tools... equipment... nothing! Same thing in YWG and YVR. We recently had an engine change on a narrow body airbus in YWG and we had to send a crew from YYZ with all the tooling to do it. When they got to YWG and went inside the hangar, there wasn't even a grounding cable or chock to put on the acft... nothing. No stands, cables, lights... etc. There was nothing there to indicate this was a hangar... just a big empty space. It's gut wrenching to see this.
We have to beg, borrow and steal just about everything now. We ground airplanes for $00.50 items like cotter pins and o-rings because we have to purchase them from God knows where... mostly other airlines. It's just unbelievable! (We have not been advised of the location for the photo - eds)
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Issue dated - September 1945
Found in the "Between Ourselves" magazines -
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Vancouver-Victoria Service
Effective August 7th 1945, TCA was authorized by the Air Transport Board to carry local passengers between Vancouver and Victoria on present transcontinental flights originating or terminating at Victoria. Previously such traffic was forbidden. We have not been authorized to institute purely local Vancouver. Victoria services, but the new ruling will fill a great many seats on transcontinental flights that have been going empty west of Vancouver.
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Issue dated - September 1946
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 July 1st - Inaugural service to Chicago. DC-3 CF-TDR under the command of Captains Weatherall and Seagrim. First Officer Renwick and Stewardess Victoria Stuart.
August 1st - Inaugural DC-3 service to Cleveland. Stewardess Mary O'Neil and Supervisory Stewardess Phylis Harding were in attendance.
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 July 10th, a TCA Lancaster, only 28 hours out of London, England to Vancouver marked the completion of the first direct commercial flight from the U.K. to the Pacific Coast and the first non-stop commercial flight across Canada.
The aircraft had taken off from Prestwick the previous evening, landed at Montreal where the Trans-Atlantic crew handed over to a new crew from Vancouver. Passenger count was 10, 7 from London and 3 who boarded at Prestwick. The arrival of the aircraft formed part of the Diamond Jubilee. In the photo we have members of the crew who look over the controls of the TCA Lancaster at Montreal for the second leg of the United Kingdom to Vancouver flight. Left to right: Capt. G. H. Lothian; W. Lucas, Radio Officer; F. M. McGregor, Operations Manager of the Trans-Atlantic Service, who made the night in an official capacity; Capt. J. A. Wright; P. O. Powell, Navigator and D.V. Miller, Purser-Steward. In the foreground are Capt. Lewis (right) and first Officer Harrison, the two pilots who flew the aircraft from Great Britain to Montreal.
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 This is the notice board at Vancouver which followed the progress of the flight 201.
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| Alan's Space - by Alan Rust |
 Please see the Save Our Pensions article above. It's important to everyone, even if you're not retired yet.
Air New Zealand Safety Video
Air New Zealand has released yet another safety video that will get your attention. They partnered with WETA Workshop on a brand new Hobbit inspired Safety Video. It features cameo appearances including Sir Peter Jackson and Mike Baker and Royd Tolkien - great-grandsons of J. R. R. Tolkien.
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| An Unexpected Briefing #airnzhobbit |
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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 containing photos of the North American Sales Group. Here we have the third page.
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 The headline reads "April 8, 1963: PWA launches $11 flights to Calgary"
Pacific Western Airlines air-bus service between Edmonton and Calgary costs travelers just $11.00 each way. The new PWA service offered a minimum of frills for the one hour flight. They had to carry their own luggage aboard, buy tickets during from a ticket agent/cabin attendant, and move quickly through a 10 minute airport check-in time. PWA flights departed from Edmonton Municipal Airport. Officials said the reduction in driving time and check-in time for travelers would reduce serious objections to air travel. Free parking for passengers was also offered. (source Edmonton Journal via www.pwareunion.com)
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Issue dated - Month Year
Items from the "CPAir NEWS" magazine -
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 CP Air Airport Managers from transcon and California met in Vancouver during the spring of 1981.
Back row, from left: Norm Dartnell, Fort St. John, representing Western Canada Services; Dennis Clements, manager, ramp ops, Toronto; John Rusinko, airport services manager, Edmonton; Peter Provost, ramp services manager, Mirabel; Guy Morrison, general manager, operations; Norm Dawkin, passenger service manager, Toronto airport; George McRobble, director, administration technical services; Daile Axe, airport services manager, Victoria; Bill Cameron, assistant director, airport operations, North America; Mario Rosa, airport services manager, Dorval; John Gilchrist, supervisor, airport administration, Vancouver Ops Centre.
Front, from left, Art McCarville, airport services manager, Winnipeg; Neill Saunders, director, Toronto airport; Ron Hoffmann, manager, ramp ops, Vancouver airport; John Berkman, airport services manager, Mirabel; Peter Allchin, director Vancouver airport; Marc Bilodeau, director, Montreal airports; J.P.Gelinas, airport services manager, Ottawa; Mike Symington, supervisor, standards and procedures, Industry affairs, Vancouver ops centre; Al Aden airport services supervisor, San Francisco; Willy Thorogood, airport services manager, Los Angeles; Jlm Millar, aIrport servIces manager, Halifax; Jack Cooke, director, airport operations.
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 Barkley-Grow pioneer aircraft on CP Air's Edmonton-Whitehorse route in the early 1940s, was being restored at Calgary International Airport by Roy Staniland, formerly of Associated Helicopters Co. Ltd. and now with Petrocan's Aviation department.
Staniland, who flew Barkley-Grows commercially in northern Canada in the 1950s, traced CP Air's old CF-BQM to Quebec where it had been left derelict since 1973 after a succession of owners and incidents over the years. After restoration it was destined for the Calgary Aerospace Museum.
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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. Jack Stephens sends this message - Another swell NetLetter nr 1230. John Weston's inquiry as to former work mates made my day, even though he spelled my name 'Stevens' but this has happened regularly over the years. I remember John well, as the shop wasn't all that big. Other names surface such as: Doug Hawkins, Lead Hand, Graham Reynolds, Dave Johnson, Albert Rolf, Bill McNabb, Archie Rynbend, Stan (Bergie) Bergstrom. (We have put Jack in touch with John, as requested - eds) |
 Bill Cameron sends us this information -
In a recent 'NetLetter', mention was made of the "Company Jet' operation by CPAir in 1980. An all 'Business Class' scheduled service. Here is a photo of the B-737 that was assigned to that YYZ-YUL-YYZ only operation. The photo was taken at YYZ.
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 Also, here is a photo of a B-737 in the colours of another CPAir marketing product in 1985 - the 'Attache' service. The name was chosen as it had a similar connotation in both English and French. I don't remember the reason for the 'Pegasus' art work on the fin and rudder. Unfortunately, both 'business class' services did not generate the expected traffic, and were short-lived. Bill Cameron
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Referring to the Honey Bucket story by Jim Griffith in NetLetter nr 1229, Dan Westman sends us this memory:
This story is fact. I too did the infamous dump as the junior man in YEG back in the late 60's. Another prank that I believe was done at almost all stations frequently happened here. As you said there was a Honey Bucket at the front and back. To dump the front bucket, a conveyor belt loader was positioned at the front door. Unfortunately most rookies carrying the bucket down the belt were surprised, to say the least when someone would hit the forward or reverse button on the belt with obvious results. A very dirty trick but it happened all the time.
But thankfully only ONCE to each rookie. We also would send rookies to maintenance or somewhere for the dreaded "SKY HOOK" or the "COMPARTMENT STRETCHER". Was that done at other stations... I very much enjoy the articles, especially the one about the sandwiches and the soldiers (in Alan's Space). I wish I had of been there, there would have been another $25 dollars to pass on. Once again thank you!!
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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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Brian Dunn, editor of www.yyznews.com sends this interesting url - if you are interested in seeing the history of Toronto airport.
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What are your kids doing this summer? Youth Exchange Program now accepting applications for 2013! IYE, The International Youth Exchange Program for families of airline staff members, is currently accepting applications.
IYE matches 14- to 19-year-old youth with a correspondent of similar age from an airline family abroad. The youths spend two weeks together in your home and two weeks in the home of the match family. While overseas, your son or daughter has the opportunity to learn about another culture from someone his or her own age. Living with a family abroad for two weeks is an extraordinary way to experience another country. All that is required is a 300 USD application fee (refundable if an acceptable match is not located), your airline pass, spending money, and an adventurous spirit! For further information, please visit our website at: www.intlyouth.org or contact retired airline staff member: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (source Daily).
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Terry's Trivia and Travel Tips - by Terry Baker
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Jack Morath of LHR sends this information:
FYI trolleys for your luggage at LAX are five dollars now and can be paid by credit card!
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Dave Townson sends this observation regarding the information in NetLetter nr 1229:
When the link to yyznews didn't satisfy my curiosity, I was able to find out on Google that the Canadian destination of Ethiopian's 787 service seems to be Toronto!
Regards, Dave Townson
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Northern Ireland has scrapped Air Passenger Duty (APD) on all direct long-haul flights departing from Northern Ireland airports from January 2013.
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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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 This cartoon by Dave Mathias appeared in "Between Ourselves" issued October 1945.
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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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