The NetLetter
For Air Canada Retirees
(Part of the ACFamily Network)
April 6, 2013 - Issue 1249
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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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| 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 another photo for the Vickers Viscount aficionados -
CF-TIE c/n 385 was delivered new to Trans-Canada Air Lines March 20, 1959 as fleet number '649'. The above photo was taken at Hurn, Bournemouth, Dorset, England November 24, 1958 while on the production line.
The fuselage behind is CF-TID (C/N 384). This photo was taken during a visit by TCA representatives who were checking on the progress of a number of their Viscount aircraft under construction at the time. (TCA/Air Canada Viscount Blueprint Archives are now administered by Robert W. Arnold)
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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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The last issue of the NetLetter was incorrectly labeled as NetLetter nr 1238, this was in error, and should have been 1248. The gremlins also had fun with the first article under the TCA/AC people gallery banner. The photo below was published, but the identification text was missing - here we bring you the correct article:
 Unearthed from the "Horizons" magazine
Issue dated February 1977-
At the beginning of the year 1977, the Rouyn/Noranda district changed its reporting relationship in the company. On paper, it moved from the jurisdiction of Ottawa and now reports to the Quebec district. Quebec District Manager Bruno Fragasso and Ottawa District Manager Roger Alain, along with Jocelyne Dumont-Jerome, Public Affairs Manager, Quebec, visited the station to explain the organizational change.
Shown during the familiarization tour are, from the left: Station Agent Jean Plourde; Bruno Fragasso; Station Agent Fern Langlois and Station Attendant Denis Roux.
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Issue dated - March 1947
Some items gleaned from the "Between Ourselves" magazines.
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A year by year history of TCA for its third three years -
1943 -This was the year that TCA first flew the Atlantic.
The Company had matured rapidly. At the request of the Canadian Government, converted Lancaster aircraft manned by TCA crews and serviced by TCA mechanics, began to carry mail to the Armed Forces overseas across 2,000 miles of ocean.
At home, transcontinental services reached out to include Victoria, joining the extreme west to the nation's east coast at Halifax.
1944 -By mid-summer, TCA was operating three round trips a week
between Montreal and Prestwick, Scotland.
International air conferences began discussions on world civil aviation. TCA, now a recognized major airline, participated as part of the Canadian delegation in the British Commonwealth Conference at Montreal and the World Conference at Chicago.
Mainline service was brought closer to Fredericton and St. John, N. B. by rerouting a Maritime round flight through Blissville. A direct service was begun between Halifax and Sydney.
The company personnel now totaled 2,790 employees. The fleet consisted of 14 Lodestars and 12 Lockheed 14's.
1945 -The year the war ended. TCA began to expand rapidly.
Plans and preparations were made for additional routes and services. New personnel, most of them ex-servicemen and women, were brought in to the airline and trained as pilots, mechanics, passenger agents, salesmen, etc.
A new fleet of DC-3 type aircraft made its first appearance. Conversion of the C-47's into commercial carriers was begun at Canadair in Montreal. Three of these aircraft entered the fleet before the end of the year. Work was begun on the DC-4M at Canadair.
Schedules multiplied on an unprecedented scale. A third daily transcontinental flight was established. Four daily flights operated between Lethbridge, Calgary and Edmonton. A fourth daily was begun between Montreal and Halifax and a second daily between Halifax and Sydney. An alternate "weather" route was instituted between Toronto and Winnipeg, through the United States.
Moncton became a major maintenance base. Winnipeg acquired additional hangar space. Experimentation in civilian radar use was begun at Winnipeg.
Trans-Atlantic passenger tickets were sold for the first time, and air express was launched on this route. Additional specialized technicians and four more Lancaster's were added to the CGTAS.
TCA employees continued to take an active part in the world's air councils as members of IATA and PlCAO.
(to be continued in NetLetter nr 1250 - eds)
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Issue dated - June 1947
Some items gleaned from the "Between Ourselves" magazines.
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1947 - May 1st - DC-3 replaced Lodestars between St. John's, Gander and Sydney. The only Lockheed aircraft remaining in operation on the Lakehead service, and between Lethbridge - Edmonton, Vancouver - Lethbridge and Vancouver - Calgary. All eight of the Lockheed 14's were sold to Montreal Air Services, and one Lodestar sold to the D.O.T. |
 Traveling across Canada by TCA, the coy kangaroo named Bluie poses at Winnipeg with Stewardesses Isobel Oliver and Ann Hall. Bluie was asked to carry the mail, but declined as he was a gentleman and he did not have a pouch. Bluie was destined for Toronto to represent the Australian newsmen, who were unable to attend, at the Toronto Press Club convention. |
 The third Service Training Group competed their DC-4M1 lectures in Winnipeg on April 18th, 1947 and then on to Dorval under the supervision of L. M. O'Neil for the practical portion of the course. The group found their experience both at Dorval and Canadair very helpful as understanding the aircraft. Back row: Leo Bourbonnais, Bill Sansom, H. Stone, Pat Damskov, Kenny May, Sid Willis, C. MacWilliam, George Myers, Stewart Hay, Phil Munchester, H. Griffiths and Norm Dennison. Front row: Earl Johnson, H. Critchley, T. Story, Dick Green, Ernie Antilla, Jack Douglas, Jack Hardman, Bert Stephens and George Taylor.
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Alan's Space - by Alan Rust
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(Submitted by John Shea)
Owner-trained Guide Horse flies Commercial - (June 2004)
Here is a great story that will widen your eyes, the first owner-trained Guide Horse to fly on commercial flights in the USA. True story, my sister in-law Frances Shea and my brother Cletus were introduced to Cheryl and
'Confetti' her Seeing Eye Pony at an RV campground in Central Florida.
John Shea, Ottawa-Retiree
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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. |
 Richard Alexander sent us this copy of a menu for the CP Ops centre dated 1973:
A friend came across this Ops Centre cafeteria menu. An office boy at the time, part of his duties included distribution to the various departments on the 3rd floor.
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Issue dated - October 1988
From the "Info Canadi>n" magazine -
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Pay bar reinstated in domestic economy:
Canadian Airlines re-introduced pay bar service and pay headsets Oct. 1st. to the Canadian Class (economy) cabin on scheduled North American routes. Drinks in Canadian Business Class and First Class will continue to be complimentary. The policy change will help offset costs experienced on North American routes, said Ted Ranson, vice president, in-flight service. "Complimentary bar will still be offered on charter flights," explained Peter Nitzsehke, director, catering and commissary, "and we will continue to offer complimentary wine with major meals in all cabins. Wine will be $2 when not complimentary." On domestic flights economy passengers will be charged $3 for cocktails and $2 for beer and wine Headsets are $1. Research has shown that free liquor does not rank in the top five priority concerns of passengers, and that on-time performance and scheduling convenience are considered far more important.
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Issue dated - August 2000
Items from the "Canadi>n Flyer" magazine -
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 Alumni hoedown in Calgary
Stampede week in YYC provided a perfect opportunity for head office staff to reunite with their former colleagues who have gone on to other companies since the merger process began. About 250 former and current employees met at "Cowboys," a popular bar in downtown Calgary for lunch drink reminiscing and catching up on the latest merger news. Of those who attended, most agreed that the alumni party should become a regularly scheduled event; especially during the fun-filled stampede week celebrations. (Did this become a regularly scheduled event? - eds) |
 Here are three former Canadi>n employees settling into their new surroundings at Air Canada in Montreal during August 2000. Left to right: Juan Franky, Lisa Le and Torben Bentzen. |
| 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.
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John Rodger sends us this:
A note on the photo from Horizons 1976, in NetLetter nr 1244 under Smileys: My father was involved in shipping cattle to Cuba with AC. He went around our area (Lachute) to buy cattle for Cuba and would come in with the truck load to ship them by AC. Cuba was trying to start up some dairy herds run by the Cuban government. I was a mechanic on the ramp back then and would go over to see them loaded when my father was there. My father wasn't a happy camper when he found out that with one of the shipments, the Cubans went and used the cattle for meat instead of breeding for milk cows. They were all good stock and young heifers around 1 1/2 years old ready to breed and come in to milk cows. He was working with the federal government who made the deal with Cuba. John |
 Brian Walsh sends us this message:
I'm in Hainan China finishing off a one-month Mandarin course. I came across this book on the course and was surprised to find a CDN DC-10 in one of the photos. Brian Walsh (Victoria BC) |
 Dave Davies sends this referring to the photo of the paint job in NetLetter nr 1247 - The picture was with my brother Paul Davies who was kneeling. It was cool to see and timely also as its been a year March 18/2012 that he passed. I forwarded it to his 4 daughters they were pleased. Thanks. I retired from A/C 2006 after 29yrs. Great newsletter as it brings back great memories. Cheers. Dave (Mo) Davies
(We asked Dave to clarify which was his brother, and we have this amended photo to set record straight - eds)
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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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Cathy Ross sends this plea for assistance:
From: The Garibaldi Park History Project
RE: 1933 'A FLYING TRIP TO GARIBALDI' FILM
On July 23 1933, eleven members of the British Columbia Mountaineering Club (BCMC) landed on Garibaldi Lake in a Sikorsky plane piloted by E. P. H. Wells and co-pilot Gordon Bulger. Hiking from the foot of Sentinel Glacier to the top of Mount Garibaldi, these BCMC members wrote an article and made a film about their adventure.
I have a copy of the film, and as a result, I am in the process of researching the historical background of the people and elements featured in it. The Sikorsky plane, pilot Wells and co-pilot Bulger are of interest to me and I am hoping your organization may be able to provide some further information.
My research up to this point has found that the aircraft was probably the Sikorsky S-38 designed by Igor Sikorsky http://www.vancouverhistory.ca/chronology1932.htm
and at the time, pilot Wells was the 'Chief Pilot' for the Pacific Division of Canadian Airways
Perhaps at this time, I should share some background on my project.
For well over two years, I have been volunteering for B.C. Parks and working on a project related to the history of Garibaldi Park. I have been passionately organizing and gathering historical material because I felt it was important to preserve and honour the traces of those who have gone before us.
Finding dusty boxes of old material at the Alice Lake Ranger Station, I soon ended up out in the community, collecting information from various archives. Then, I began interviewing people and organizations that had been involved in creating the history of the Park. As a result, I have constructed an extensive historical timeline of events and developed a resource library of documents, film, photographs and other relevant material. The goal of the project is to use the collected material to create educational programs and digital stories that will increase public awareness and help preserve Garibaldi Park as a living legacy. Last July, I made a public multimedia presentation at the Squamish Library celebrating the One Hundred Year Anniversary of the Rubble Creek Trail. As a result, I was interviewed for a newspaper article at:
I was asked to be one of the presenters at the Squamish Culture and Heritage Festival being hosted at Quest University this year. It is my belief that Garibaldi Provincial Park is an important cultural landscape that is of significant historical value. The geology of Garibaldi Park combined with diverse human interactions has created a history that reflects great achievements and defining moments. The Park is a unique wilderness environment that has contributed to the social, cultural and economic value of the community it serves. The past historical events of Garibaldi Park clearly illustrate the values and identity of the people of British Columbia. If you know of someone that you think may be able to assist me, it would be greatly appreciated. Sincerely, Cathy Ross
 This photo is of Sentinel Bay with Table Mountain and Mount Garibaldi in the background:
"Honouring the Past to Inspire the Future"
(If you can help Cathy, contact can be made This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - eds)
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Terry's Trivia and Travel Tips - by Terry Baker
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 Those of you visiting Honolulu and are not particularly interested in renting a vehicle may be interested in getting a bus pass. These are obtained from the bus station, cost us$15.00 complete with your photo and lasts 5 years. Each calendar month will cost us$5.00. Without this pass, single trips cost us$2.50 return with a transfer good for 3 hours.
In NetLetter nr 1246 we mentioned the suggestion by Dargal Interline Worldwide to visit www.visacentral.ca which prompted Diane Dixon to send us this information:
I recently traveled to Australia and New Zealand getting off the Celebrity Solstice the day (Jan. 28th, 2013) Alan (Rust) got on in Auckland, NZ. Using the web site Visa Central is $45.00 CAD for an Australian Visa (ETA), much more expensive. If you use the Australian government web site, you pay $20.00 AUD ($21.95 CAD in Jan. 2013) and is very easy to use. When you use Visa Central, you are sharing your info with a third party and paying more than double in the case of the Australian visa. Going directly to the local government web sites can prove to be a great saving.
I also used the local gov. websites for the orient in 2011. If you are interested, we, my husband and I flew from Auckland to Perth, rented a car and put 3,310 kms traveling south along the coast (Indian Ocean) then across to the Southern Ocean to Albany, Denmark and Esperance. Some of the most beautiful beaches imaginable. We also visited three different wine producing areas, Swan River, Margaret River and Frankland Valley. Just thought I would pass on the info about Visa Central and their higher prices.
Regards, Diane Dixon, retired AC employee, Winnipeg airport.
In a further email, Diane adds:
You should remind employees/retirees they can use their EMPLOYEE TRAVEL SITE for visa/passport info., click on NEWS & POLICIES then PASSPORTS & VISAS and you have the TIMATIC and just fill in. As you read the requirements, you will be given a government contact for that country and how to apply. I would hope people are using this as it will save them money rather than using VISA CENTRAL. Also the TIMATIC is right on the 1st pop-up page as you sign into the employee site under QUICK LINKS (lower right hand corner) is so user friendly.
Regards Diane
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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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 More Miscellaneous Meanderings of Joe Mech by J. F. McDevitt of Toronto which appeared in "Between Ourselves" magazine issued February 1948.
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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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