­
Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter Since 1995

Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter

Since 1995

The NetLetter #1232

The NetLetter

For Air Canada Retirees
(Part of the ACFamily Network)

 

Dec 11, 2012 - Issue 1232
 
First Issue published in October 1995!
(over 5,400 subscribers)
In This Issue
Our First 75 Years
Reader Submitted...Photos
Save Our Pensions
TCA/Air Canada People Gallery
Alan's Space
Canadi>n/CP Air/PWA, Wardair, etc
Reader's Feedback
Odds and Ends
Terry's Trivia
Smileys
NetLetter Past Issues

Past Issues
Web Site Information

The NetLetter Web Site
www.thenetletter.org
Donation Information

Send cheques payable to "ACFamily Network" to:

ACFamily Network
#800 - 15355 24th Ave, Suite 523
Surrey, BC V4A 2H9

Sponsors
ACFamily Links
ACFamily Airlines
Air Canada
Trans-Canada Air Lines
Jazz
Zip
Tango
Air Alliance
Air BC
Air Nova
Air Ontario
Northwest Air
Canadian Airlines
Canadian Air Canada
Inter Canadian
Time Air
Canadian Pacfic
CPAir
Pacific Western
Transair
Austin Airways
Eastern Provincial
Nordair
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

Our First 75 Years - Compiled by Terry Baker
75-years-09 From the Collector's edition and Souvenir copy of "enRoute" magazine.
Front covers of "Between Ourselves" magazine issue
# 89 Jan 1951  through
# 99 Dec 1951.

1968 - September 15th - first of 15 charter flights from Vienna to Toronto with Czechoslovakian refugees.

1968 - October  - London Super Show Tour introduced with BOAC until April 19th 1969.

1968 - October 27th - A new half-fare for senior citizens introduced for travel within Canada on a standby basis.

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 Christel Weindl has sent us this photo and information: Memories of the last day of Canadian Airlines International - Toronto - Terminal 3 - June 2, 2000. A merger with Air Canada. From right to left: Christel Weindl, JanNeilson, Cathy Field, Rosemary Ferguson and Joan Stockley. CAIL had an excellent service with well trained staff. It carried more than 11.9 million passengers to over 160 destinations in 17 countries on five continents. Passengers loved to fly with Canadian Airlines until the day it was taken over by Air Canada. It was a very unique Airline to serve its passengers and Canada lost one of its finest.

Image Blank 200px Tony Iudica shares this story and photo with us: Hi Guys, as always, I completely enjoy your site. Here's something cool
I found in a box in my mothers attic. On May 5, 1955 I was nine months old. My mother took me to Chicago from Boston to visit her family. Well It was an American Airlines DC7 inaugural flight Bos to Chi... 1st brand new DC7 on the route. She says red carpet and champagne... the whole star treatment. The stewardesses carried me all around the cabin. 

I got this certificate for the flight (my inaugural flight too). Jet (prop) fumes in my blood! Thanks again for all the info/pics you
publish. Tony Iudica retired AC emp enjoying Tampa sunshine!
 

 
Save Our Pensions

Save Our Pensions
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". The website has recently been updated to be fully bilingual and more content has been added.

 

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  
Save Our Pensions
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,
      and
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.

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.
Here we have the conclusion of the story about the three engine changes which we started in NetLetter nr 1231 as extracted from the "Parts & Pieces" Stores magazine issued September 1986.

This time it's an Air Canada crew made up of personnel from Montreal and Toronto doing the change with A/C equipment. The engine change goes well and the aircraft is serviceable in the morning. The spare stand from Toronto now in Shannon and the leased engine on fin 555 needs the stand so that it can be returned to R/R, we pay by how long we keep the engine, so it is imperative to get it back to Toronto. Also, the U/S engine has to be returned, and the equipment. Most trucks in Ireland are 104" wide and the stand is wide. The widest trucks on the road are 106" but in Ireland they must have wooden sides so the space available is less. After numerous phone calls, one is located in Dublin and arrangements are made for it to go to Shannon. The stand and equipment is squeezed in, bowing the side of the brand new truck, and off to London to catch the Combi home. Also Air France agrees to transfer some of the Cargo from their N.Y./Shannon/Paris freighter onto another N.Y./Paris freighter to make space for our engine so that it can get to Paris to connect with the Combi for return to Canada.

In the meantime, aircraft fin 303 decides it wants in on the action, and
Bill and the engine change crew are off to Paris. Again, the engine is
available in Toronto and this time it is "fifth podded" to Paris. For a
change no major problems in supply or transport, so it is relatively
routine, a nice change.

Three different situations with different problems, all met well and
handled efficiently due to the help of the "Exigency Task Force, the
contact men, the outstation men, and the specialists. The real story is
that they all work as a team to solve emergencies efficiently, (So that
their fellow standby pass holders can get on their way - eds).

Found in the "Between Ourselves" magazine
Issue dated October 1968

All six "short bodied" DC-9-14 were sold back to the builder McDonnell
Douglas. The first fin 702 was returned in September which coincided with the delivery of the first DC-9-32.

The 5th annual Air Canada Ball was held on October 18th, 1968 at the
Commonwealth Room, in the Hotel Nova Scotian in Halifax. (Did this
"annual" event reach the 39th? - eds)

Image Blank 200px A touch of elegance was added to the recently opened District Sales facility in Vancouver when a number of Reservations Agents wore their newly-purchased, smartly tailored green uniforms for the first time in September 1968. The girls bought the uniforms themselves and judging from the smiles, appear delighted with the results. (Except their identities are a secret apparently - anyone? - eds)

From the "Horizons" magazines. Issue dated December 1975
Image Blank 200px
A two-day employment forum was held In Montreal to review changes implemented this year in the company corporate policies and procedure in the areas of employment, induction and probation. In attendance were Personnel representatives from across the system. Shown at the meeting are, from the left: George McMurray, Toronto; Ron Vigar, New York; Bob Lynch, London, Eng.; Lilian Rayson, Montreal; Art Symes, Dorval; Jean Collard, Manager, Employment, Montreal; Ben Vezina, Montreal; Cliff Murray, Vancouver; Warren Reeves, Montreal; Jean-Marie Boisvenu, Dorval (partially hidden); Roger LaRue, Project Manager, Employment Service, Montreal; and Bill Griffith, Winnipeg.

Alan's Space - by Alan Rust
Alan's Space
(Submitted by Paul Peron and Andre Chevalier)
  
From Andre: Please find a memorable video on Nordair I just received. It might bring a " tear of joy " to many ex employees. I found it to be a short, awsome and  interesting  footage of one of the best airlines ever.

 
From John Desramaux (who created the video); I have been fooling around with some video production since I "stopped working". I thought I would do a tribute to Nordair as I still think of this as the best part of my career. So I put this tribute together. Let me know what you think?  
 
From Alan: What a wonderful collection of photos and videos, well done! It brought back many fond memories of when I worked for Nordair in 1973. 
 
Nordair
Nordair " A Tribute - Un Hommage"
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 its "ancestry" of contributing airlines.
Image Blank 200px In 1981, The CP Air Orange Ski Club was looking for new members from all departments to participate in outdoors activities. "It's basically a social club, we're not into competitions," said president Bob Comack. "We usually try to plan one trip abroad annually, and there are year-round events monthly in the Vancouver area." Dues were $10 annually single or family. Although called a ski club, non-skiers were welcomed. Among the founding members are Bill Schneider, Gord Potter, Fred Zapf - Treasurer, George Stoneystreet, Judy Sedge,  Gerrl Davies, Joan Corb, Ralph Lang - Vice President, Hans Classen - membership chairman and Doug Drummond - Chairman social events. (We have no idea if this club still exists, but it would be interesting to know - eds)

Image Blank 200px In December 1987, a booklet titled "Meet the Canadians" was issued featuring photos of the North American Sales Group. Here we have the fourth page.
Issue dated - June 1981
Items from the "CPAir NEWS" magazine -
Image Blank 200px "THE SPORTS SALES DEVELOPMENT" team held a marketing seminar in Halifax
during the spring of 1981 to plot new strategies. Here's the whole gang back, from left: Bill Slean, manager, Atlantic Provinces; Don Maitland, Boston; John Oatham, Saint John, N.B.; Jack Webb, director, sales development, Vancouver; George Gray, Halifax; Ed James, Hamilton; Neil Atkinson, manager, New York and Eastern U.S.; Wayne Cummins, London, Ont; Gilles Rozon, Montreal; Russ Worgan, Halifax; Brian Sigurdson, Winnipeg; Dick Bell, Edmonton; and Greg Smith, Vancouver. Front: Barry Greaves, Toronto; Jacques Dallaire, Ottawa; Bill Wright, Calgary; Mike Durkin, Victoria; and Hugh MacDonald, manager, sports sales and Arnie Pedersen, co-ordinator, sports sales, both Vancouver Ops.


Image Blank 200pxVictoria, the capital of British Columbia, rejoined CP Air's route system on June 15 after an absence of 35 years. Although only 46 air miles from Vancouver, CP Air had for several years been anxious to link the two cities because of the international traffic that Victoria generates Initially, there will be two B-737 flights daily.

CP Air predecessor company Western Canada Airways began serving Victoria in 1929 using Sikorsky flying boats. Later Canadian Airways absorbed Western Canada Airways and introduced deHavilland Rapides to the route. CP Air was formed in 1942 and introduced Barkley-Grow aircraft. The Victoria route was relinquished in November, 1946 to Trans-Canada Air Lines, which later became Air Canada. CP Air re-established its presence in Victoria in September, 1957 when it transferred Jack Hann from the Vancouver District Sales Office to the capital to serve as a roving sales rep in charge of all of Vancouver Island.

Here we have several photos. This one of the Victoria sales staff. Left to right at back: Mike Durkin and Tom Woodman. In front are Willy Keepence and Betti Lott.
victoria-cto Manning the new and enlarged city ticket office are, from the left: Lew MacDonald, Brian Kort, Lawrence McCart.
vic airport staff AIRPORT agents Dick Alexander, Ed Scromeda, Ron Robson, Paul Gatschene, Paul Fallis and Airport Service Manager Dave Axe. All are ex-Vancouver
except Robson and Axe, who came from Calgary.
Image Blank 200px TRAINING in Vancouver prior to postings as agents at Victoria airport are Shirley MacNeal, ex-Prince George; Maureen Horgan, ex-Vancouver; Al Graham, ex-Prince Rupert; Keith Yow, ex-Vancouver cargo; and Bob Wilson, ex-Vancouver airport.
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.

Ken Pickford spotted our error with two photos in NetLetter 1231 :
I just have finished looking at NetLetter 1231 with one glitch spotted. In the item from Bill Cameron referring to CP's "Company Jet" and later "Attaché" service, you have the photos transposed. The 737 photo in CP Air orange livery should be next to the first paragraph referring to the Company Jet, and vice versa. Regards, Ken

Peter Wakefield sends this information:
In the west side of YUL line maintenance hangar is shown. The upper case AIR CANADA logo was brought down in the summer of 2012 and is now replaced with lower case aircanada.com. Nothing to do with AVEOS (or bankruptcy). Regards, Pete W









 

 

Referring to NetLetter nr 1231, Glen Powell sets the record straight: Just a correction on the Lancaster story. The navigator is P.G. Powell
(not PO Powell). Glen Powell

Ferg Kyle sends this after his memory was prompted by the video in
NetLetter nr 1227: I enjoyed the video trip back through Heathrow's early days, much before I arrived on the scene. The arrival and departure was centered on the north side of runway 10-28 with plenty of green grass by the side of the tarmac. It was not unusual for a football or softball to be thrown around by the ground crew during quiet periods. By the time I was part of the crew, we were housed in wartime structures, carefully joined together to admit ever-increasing traffic and the whole became a rabbit warren of barn after barn from the booking hall to the boarding gate. The halls between were walled with three coloured lines of bulbs in similar coloured horizontal stripes to guide travelers to their appointed gates. However, this may reawaken some old memories. The Tannoy (loud-speaker) went something like this: "May I have your attention please. Passengers for Trans Canada four zero zero to Montreal are requested to take leave of their friends, and following the yellow markers, proceed to gate 17. Thank you". Ferg Kyle

This photo brings back a memory for Terry Baker, our chief Pilot. This building was the office for T.C.A. at Heathrow (LHR) and was on the north side of the airport. In 1954 when I joined TCA, this was the office I worked in together with Jack Ross (Station manager), John Summers (Office Manager), Nancy Perry (Secretary), Sheila ???? (typist) moved to Scotland, Tom Carr Hodgson (Purchasing &
Stores Manager), Cyril Cavanaugh (Purchasing  agent) moved to Ottawa. Valerie Phipps (typist) moved to Montreal as Flight Attendant, Terry Baker (office clerk), Phil Smythe (purchasing clerk), Daphne Steele (Secretary). In the next similar building was the Flight Dispatch  and Ramp Office with Tony Blencoe, Harry Berry, George Steele, Alex Murray, Barbara Edwards (Telephonist), among others.

 

When construction of the tunnel for the central area was begun, we were two similar offices located behind the old control tower on the north side. 
 
 

Odds and Ends.

Image Blank 200pxSometimes we receive articles and information that just doesn't fit in our other areas. This is where it goes!

The Quarter Century in Aviation Club has a chapter in Vancouver.
This Club was formed in 1952 by Bill Windrum, a pilot who flew for
Canadian Airways out of Thunder Bay, Prince Albert and Edmonton.

 

While a member of management at Canadian Pacific Airlines in Vancouver, Bill wanted to find a venue where people from all areas of Aviation could meet as friends to share their experiences without interference from the constraints of competition that were common in this fledgling industry. Membership is in excess of 150. Anyone who has been associated with aviation for a minimum of twenty-five years, in any form, is welcome to join this unique Club.


The present day Club's meetings still provide members with the opportunity to share a social time with fellow aviation enthusiasts and to listen to guest speakers. The meetings are held on the third Tuesday of October, November, January, February, March, and April at the Richmond Curling Club, 5540 Hollybridge Way, located in Richmond. A very good buffet is served and, although it is not at the 1952 prices, it is still very affordable.


The club are always looking for new members, so please join them at one of their dinner meetings, have a great meal and meet new and old friends!

 

See: ww.quartercenturyclub.ca
(Please note that the site needs updating as the webmaster (Alan Rust) was taken off their mailing list last year and to date has not been re-instated).

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Terry's Trivia and Travel Tips - by Terry Baker

Terry BakerTraveling to Argentina?
For travel to Argentina on or after December 28, 2012, Canadian, U.S. and Australian citizens must pay Argentina's reciprocity fee in advance of travel by visiting Argentina's Ministry of the Interior or Provincia Pagos
website.
http://www.migraciones.gov.ar
http://www.provinciapagos.com.ar/dnm/ 

 

Proof of payment (in the form of a receipt) is required upon arrival at Ministro Pistarini de Ezeiza Int. Airport (EZE) in Buenos Aires.

Change in Air France and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines ZED ticket policy.  We have been notified by Air France and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines that with an effective date of January 1, 2013, they will no longer be able to accept ZED (Zonal Employee Discount) paper tickets. Therefore the ZED agreement will be temporarily suspended until both carriers are able to accept NET (non-eticket). While this temporary change may be disappointing, we must emphasize that this is not a permanent suspension and we look forward to reinstating our agreement between Air Canada and these carriers in the future. All paper tickets for travel on these carriers that have issued and unused prior to January 1, 2013 will require to be refunded. (source Daily Nov 21/12)

Family Affair extension! The Family Affair Program has been extended with anew last ticket/last travel date of March 31, 2013. Remember that Family Affair tickets feature confirmed travel and can be used by eligible family members traveling without you. Please review the eligibility and booking procedures on the Portal Employee Travel News & Policies Family Affair.

Customers may enjoy a new sleeping cushion with a 250-thread-count outer cover in addition to the standard plush duvet, soft pillows and
Philosophy-brand amenity kit. Upon request, crew members will position the cushion, duvet and pillows within the flat-bed suite for customers. The service is available for United Global First customers on all long-haul international flights. (Source: United Continental Holdings, Inc.).


First class passengers have always been cossetted. Here is what TWA came up with in June 1961. Royal Ambassador first class service. The product was designed to offer customers personalized service before, during, and after their flight. At red-carpeted counters, dedicated representatives introduced customers to an agent for completion of formalities, then directed them to a first class departure lounge; from there they were escorted to the gate. Hand luggage was taken at the counter and placed onboard at their pre-assigned seats. A Polaroid snapshot of each passenger was taken after takeoff and presented in a folder. From March 1961, in-flight motion pictures were shown in the first class sections on trans-Atlantic and transcontinental nonstop flights, making TWA the first airline to show feature films on jetliners (it had been done so on a DC-2 in 1934 as a publicity stunt).  

 

Travelers who are flying out of Changi Airport, Singapore from April 1, 2013 - departing passengers will pay a total of $34, including the passenger security service charge (PSSC) of $8 and the aviation levy of $6.10. (source yahoo.com)

Passengers flying out of Hong Kong International Airport are liable for a departure tax of HK$120 per person (12 years and above), with exemptions given to passengers who: arrive and depart from Hong Kong within the same day; or arrive at HKIA by ferry from a port in the Pearl River Delta (PRD). Passengers should obtain a refund coupon for the pre-paid Air Passenger Departure Tax when they check in at the PRD port. The tax will be included and charged together with your airline ticket. (source hongkongairport.com)

The departure tax for Aruba is US $36.75 to the USA (It is usually
included in the purchased airline ticket). For all other destinations, the departure tax is US $33.50. (source aruba.com)

Departure tax at LAX is us$3.00 (source airporthotelservice.com)
 

Smileys - Compiled by Terry Baker
Smileys
As we surf the internet and back issues of airline magazines we regularly find airline related jokes and cartoons. Below is our latest discovery.

Image Blank 200px This cartoon by Jake Visser appeared in "Canadi>n Flyer" issued May 1997.


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.
 

NetLetter Subscription

Please fill in the form below to subscribe.
Airline
Referral

Thank you. We hope that you enjoy The NetLetter.
­