The NetLetter
For Air Canada Retirees
(Part of the ACFamily Network)
July 01, 2013 - Issue 1261
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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!
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| Happy Canada Day! |
Terry Baker and the NetLetter Team
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| Star Alliance News |
 EVA Air joined the Star Alliance network on June 18, 2013. Referring to the article in NetLetter nr 1259 regarding the new terminal which will accommodate the Star Alliance airlines at LHR, Roddy Brodie sends us this update: If I can point out that LHR's T2 is not a 'revamped Terminal that 'reopens' on Jun 4th 2014 after a GPB 2.5 billion 'upgrade'. The very, very old Terminal 2 LHR was demolished a few years ago. The new Star Alliance Home at LHR T2 is a completely new build. Terminal 1 will close and be demolished after the replacement new T2 building opens next year, allowing this new T2 to be extended by about double the size making it LHR's largest terminal when the second phase opens in 2018-2019.
Regards, Roddy Brodie CSSA, AC LHR T3 (ex AC PIK)  From the Daily we have extracted the following information: The new Terminal 2 will be the home for all 23 Star Alliance member airlines serving Heathrow and representing over 20% of the airport's traffic. It is the first time all Star Alliance carriers will be in a single Heathrow terminal, creating a superior travel experience for passengers, new business opportunities for the member airlines and providing an improved working environment for employees. From Terminal 2, the Star Alliance airlines - Aegean Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Brussels Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, Ethiopian Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, SWISS, TAM Airlines, TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines, THAI, United and US Airways - will provide 136 flights a day to over 51 worldwide destinations. Future member carrier EVA Air will also join the member carriers in T2 during the course of 2014. |
| Air Canada News |
 Employees/Retirees need to be prepared if traveling during peak too! Employee Travel reminds you that from now until Labour Day, employees should be aware of the very high flight loads across our network and particularly departing all our European stations. As our colleagues in Europe are busy with our revenue customers, they may be unable to assist employees in obtaining back-up ZED tickets on other airlines.
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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.
Robert Arnold has sent us some more information and photos:
I thought I would include a few photos I took of some of the early aircraft we have on display that were used by Canadian Airways Ltd, later to be known as Canadian Pacific Airlines. You can post them if you so desire as a filler if need be, or keep them together as a bit of a visual history on "early" CPAL if you so desire.
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Below are a couple views of a replica of the only Junkers JU-52-1m to operate in Canada CF-ARM as it arrives at the WCAM on April 13, 1985. It was converted from a Junkers JU-52-3m by Bristol Aerospace of Winnipeg. The first view I took from the roof of the museum as it was being towed by on its way to the museum. That's Lou Mac Donald from Bristol walking the wing. The second photo shows CF-ARM after it was parked in front of the hangar doors at the museum just prior to the acceptance speeches given by various dignitaries from the WCAM, Bristol Aerospace and the Richardson family.
Thought I would also send along a couple of the aircraft arriving at Gimli where we put it in storage till we have our new facilities at the airport. These were taken in September 1982 as it arrived and just before shutdown. Note the strange registration, "CG"??? Someone goofed. The weird thing is the aircraft had this strange registration right from the beginning when it left Orlando Florida and arrived in Winnipeg. Still with CG-ARM painted on the side, it then went to Gimli for storage a few months later. On its return flight to Winnipeg the same register was still visible. I would like to see the actual logs and the ferry permit to see what the aircraft was permitted under.
After a few hours of research, I lucked in and found a date as to when it went to Bristol Aerospace for conversion to a 1-M. That date was August 17, 1984. From here I was able to put the remainder of the timeline together based on what I already had written on some of the photos. Here is the timeline that I was able to finally put together:
- June 10, 1982, CG-ARM arrives Wpg from Orlando Florida. September, 1982, the aircraft arrives at Gimli from Wpg.
- July 1984, prepping for the return flight to Wpg begins August 1984, the aircraft arrives at Wpg from Gimli.
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 August 17, 1984 the aircraft goes to Bristol Aerospace for the conversion to a Junkers JU-52-1M.April 13, 1985 the aircraft is returned to WCAM as Junkers JU-52-1M, CF-ARM in original Canadian Airways livery.
 
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 Another photo shows another aircraft that was operated by Canadian Airways Ltd. The Fairchild Super 71, CF-AUJ. This aircraft was completely rebuilt by the highly skilled restoration team at the Western Canada Aviation Museum using the remains from the original Fairchild Super 71, CF-AUJ. Many of the parts had to be made or built from scratch using original drawings and blueprints. The floats that CF-AUJ sit on are the original floats from this aircraft and were also restored by the restoration team at the WCAM. Note CF-ARM in the background.
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 The third and last photo shows Fairchild 71c CF-AKT, also in Canadian Airways markings. The third and last photo shows Fairchild 71c CF-AKT, also in Canadian Airways markings.
In 1928, the original CF-AKT was built as a Fairchild FC-2-W-2. Later, in 1932 it was converted to a 71b. Later again, in 1934, it was converted to a Fairchild 71c. This aircraft was also rebuilt using most of the original parts from CF-AKT. Many of the components had to be rebuilt or in some cases, made from scratch using original Fairchild blueprints.
I hope you find this of interest.
Robert 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.
Historical highlights.
1946 - Trans-Canada Air Lines biggest effort in the charter field was the transportation of British immigrants to Canada. Acting in conjunction with the Ontario Government immigration scheme, the Company was flying thousands of Britons to their new homes in Canada. Due to a shortage of equipment, much of the work was undertaken by Trans-Ocean Airlines in sub-contract to TCA. TCA's North Stars were making eight such flights each month.
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Issue dated - December 1986
Some items gleaned from the "Parts and Pieces" magazines.
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 Here we have the "Pirates", champions of the ACRA Fastball league for 1986.
Back row, left to right: D. Page, J . Walker, L. Kolibev, D. Allison, P. Sukkivan, R. Kelly, A. Palmer
Front row, left to right: J. Patterson, S. Hemmerich, P. Dorion, K. Shephard, J. D. Gauthier.
Missing are: D. Diggle, J. Devlin, G. Speirs, S. Sumsion, N. Dupont, T. Robertson and J. Palmer.
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Issue dated - December 1947
Some items gleaned from the "Between Ourselves" magazines.
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 The photo is of 10 Montreal employees after receiving their 10 year pins in October 1946. A further 23 were awarded in Winnipeg and more were presented in Vancouver.
Ten-year men at Montreal are pictured with Mr. Symington and W. F. English, Vice-President of Operations, after receiving their pins.
Left to right: F. T. Wood, Director of Facilities and Supply Control; C. Van Der Linden, Supervisor of Service, Trans-Atlantic Service; F. M. McGregor, Operations Manager, Trans-Atlantic Service; J. D. Leigh, Supervisory Inspector; J. L. Scott, Storekeeper; T. L. Keillor, Supervisor of Stores; Captain J. L. Rood, Flight Operations Superintendent, Trans-Atlantic; Mr. Symington; C. M. Adams, Assistant to the Facilities and Supply Director; Mr. English; Captain G. B. Lothian, Chief Pilot, Trans-Atlantic; S. Reid, Chief Mechanic; G. W. Roper, Maintenance Service Supervisor, Eastern Region.
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 Don Wood has sent us a photo of the certificate he has in his possession. |
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Issue dated - July 1977
Some items gleaned from the "Horizons" magazines.
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 Shown in the Supply Support Expedite Office area at YUL are, from the left: Dave Robinson, Aircraft Expedltor; Chris Marsella, Aircraft Expedite Supervisor; Ernie Dzlewir, Aircraft Expeditor; and Secretary Sheila Davies.
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 "Where are they?" was the header for this article - To paraphrase the old conundrum: "Where do flies go in winter?" - one might ask: "Where do former Air Canada people go when they finally pull the plug?" We know some head south to Florida. But there's also a sizable group who firmly believe that beautiful Salt Spring Island in B.C's Gulf of Georgia has what it takes.
A total of nine retired employees have so far settled for the island existence -- with every indication that there will be more to come. Shown are former Airport Customer Service Manager Vancouver, Roy Lockhart; newcomer and former Operations Control Manager Eric Bracher; ex-Line Maintenance and Technical Training Manager Charlie Gulland; former DC-8 Captain George Smith; former Manager, Flight Dispatch Al Brown; one-time Station Service Manager Kirby Herchemer and former Director of Scheduling Chuck Woolley. Not shown, but also living on Salt Spring are former Radio Operator
Al Whorley and former Regional Operations Manager (Overseas), Stan Hewitt. Total length of service of all these former employees on Salt Spring add up to slightly more than 300 years.
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 At a mini-receplion held at Ottawa airport in the summer of 1977, retiring ACRA president Janet Ferguson was honoured. Janet was the driving force behind the inauguration of the ACRA in Ottawa and has given much time and effort in making it a success.
While turning over the gavel, Janet has not turned off her interest and remains an active member of the executive in the capacity of Vice President. At the reception were, from the left: Rose Pilon, Director; Bob Johnson, Secretary-Treasurer; Vera Mahoney, Director; Murray Wadden, Personnel & administration Supervisor; Janet Ferguson, Vice President; Paul Marcil, Passenger Service Manager; Angela Rancourt, Director of Membership; Candy Jamieson, Recording Secretary and Barry Bourassa, President. Missing were Director Gordon George and Wayne Wilson.
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| Alan's Space - by Alan Rust |
 Lufthansa Virtual Pilot Online Game
- submitted by Al Watson
Click on the image below to visit a neat little game that will help you hone your geography skills. It will take you to a screen where you can try your hand in placing an aircraft (Lufthansa) as close as possible to the city of destination in increasing levels of difficulty. It's not a flight simulator (and doesn't try to be) but is good for challenging your memory to where the various major cities are in Europe.
Caution, it can be addictive!
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| Virtual Pilot Game |
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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 Canadi>n Airlines International Ltd. and its "ancestry" of contributing airlines. |
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Issue dated - November 1982
Extracted from the PWA "Flightlines" magazine -
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Pa cific Western's first Boeing 767 rolled out of the factory at Everett, Washington on November 9th, 1982. The aircraft will be painted in Pacific Western's colors between the 10th and 15th November, and then the engines will be mounted.
The Boeing Company planned the first test flight on December 21st. The aircraft was scheduled for delivery to the Company March 3rd, 1983, followed by the second Boeing 767 in April, 1983. Deliveries of the 3rd and 4th B767's had been deferred until 1987. The first Boeing 767 will be aircraft #671 and will carry registration C*GPWA.
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 Here we have three Flight Attendants from Edmonton in 1982.
From the left: Anne Amarie Sharp, Jane Lavoie and John Muller.
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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.
Norman Hogwood, in New Zealand, sends this comment: The story in Alan's Space in that Netletter (1259) was one of the most fascinating and evocative related to WW2 that I've ever read. I have sent it to a lot of people and have had a response from an Air NZ A320 pilot friend who said it brought tears to his eyes. I'm sure he would not be alone (in fact I can vouch for that myself!).
Regarding the identities of the crew in NetLetter nr 1257 - plaque commemorating the first trans-Atlantic flight of a L1011, Phil Pawsey points out that W. McKenna was a Second Officer not a First Officer, Just to set the records straight.
Continuing the comments sent in by Dave Welham which we started in NetLetter nr 1259 - In NetLetter nr 1184 issued Oct 27th 2011, we ran this article submitted by Brian Walsh - Brian Walsh sets the record straight about the following item in NetLetter nr 1183: Just a little correction. On March 24th, 1987 it was announced that Canadian International Airlines LTD would be the integrated name of Pacific Western and Canadian Pacific Air Lines. The actual name is Canadian Airlines International LTD. And, BTW, we were told NEVER to use the abbreviation CAIL. Cheers, Brian Walsh Dave's comment was: Brian Walsh wasn't kidding when he said using CAIL for Canadian Airlines International Limited is a "no-no". There was already a company called C.A.I.L., which asked us to "cease and desist", threatening legal action. From then on, we were instructed to use "CDN."
Continuing with our " first flights", here's one from Betty Morgan:
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| DC-3 Low Pass |
I can look back a long way to my first flight. Moncton to Shearwater - DC3. It was in 1945 and I was 15 and was invited to a graduation dance at the Lord Nelson Hotel. Long before I met Jack and we had so many flights. Watched the first landing of "Fat Albert" from the far fence at Malton where it dropped all those wheels over our head as it landed not far from where we were standing. Flew the first 747 from New York to LA and I think that "caviar" menu is in my scrapbook. Not sure. We had some wonderful trips with AC. My last trip, literally and figuratively was to Paris last month where I needed a wheelchair to get to the train to Avignon. That is a huge airport (CDG). My flying days are over, but I have so many memories of TCA and AC. Thanks. Thrilled too to see the video of the Spitfire and its pilot in NetLetter nr 1259. Wonderful. Cheers, Betty Morgan
 This " first flight" is from Bob Ellis - My first flight was at Air Cadet summer camp in Summerside in the late 40's', in an R.C.A.F. Expediter. My second flight was a bit more exciting. It was in the back end of a Lank from Moncton to Summerside. Four of us were at the MFC in 1951 for flight training, and the Lank stopped in at Moncton to take us home. A big thrill  for an 18 yr old. Little did I realize at the time, that five years later I would spend a few hundred hours listening to those purring Merlins in Avro Yorks flying the Dew line. I enjoy the NetLetter very much, and am always awaiting the next issue. Keep it coming. Thanks very much. Bob Ellis
Ross Taylor shares this memory by the article in NetLetter nr 1259:just read the latest issue, and the item about the book "tales from the Lakeview" jumped out. I had to look into it, as there is a hotel in Lac du Bonnett Manitoba that sits across the street from the location of the old Central Northern Airways/TransAir water base. That building, particularly the beer parlor (remember those), could tell a story or two for sure. I stayed there several times on assignment to the float base. Keep up the great work. Cheers,
Ross Taylor AME (retired) |
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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History of Air Mail in Canada.
When the first flights were made years ago into the mining areas, no Canadian air mail stamps or rates existed and each air transportation company issued its own for prepayment of such service.
First Air Mail flown and flight made between Haileybury, Ontario and Rouyn, P.Q.,
on August 1924, by Laurentide Air Service Ltd.
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First Air Mail flown and flights made between the Pas and Flin Flon on December 23, 1927, by Western Canada Airways serving the mining areas.
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First Air Mail flown and flight made between Whitehorse, Mayo and Dawson on November 7, 1927, by Yukon Airways and Exploration Co. Ltd.
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First trans-Atlantic Air Mail attempt London, Ontario, to London, England, under private venture made in August, 1927, in a Stinson Detroiter aircraft. After the second departure from a special runway at East London, Ontario, they were forced down at Caribou, Maine and proceeded to Harbor Grace, Nfld. They departed from there at 7.29 a.m. on September 7 for Croydon Airport, London, which haven they never reached. They carried special mail, using specially Canada approved air mail adhesives at $25.00 per ounce. Only 100 adhesives were printed and used.
In April. 1927, the Post Office called for tenders for an aerial mail service between Father Point, Quebec and Montreal to speed up mail arriving from overseas by ocean liner. On October 27, 1927, the first air mail delivery off a trans-Atlantic liner was made to Ottawa at 12.56 p.m. by a Fairchild aircraft which landed on the Ottawa River, with a bag of mail off the steamship "Montroyal".
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In NetLetter nr 1257, we had an article about one of the first airports at London, UK. Jack Morath has sent us thus url which shows London Airport (LHR) in 1964, which he received from Frank Knight who had this comment: Hi gang, a trip down memory lane... Great times had by all am sure... enjoy Frank.
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| Look at Life - City of the air 1964 |
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Terry's Trivia and Travel Tips - by Terry Baker
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 Air Canada in a new and desperate attempt to squeeze every ounce of space on certain flights will introduce "Sardine Flights" to Europe this summer. (Sounds fishy to me) yes it's another attempt to see who can out do each other on passenger discomfort. Air Canada will introduce these sardine flights on the Montreal to Paris and Toronto to Munich routes.
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Instead of 349 tight seats there now will be 462 really tight seats. To make your flight more enjoyable all employees/retirees will only be allowed to carry on one small piece of luggage. That item must fit under your seat. However, if a vertically challenged person (midget) is occupying the space under your seat your S.O.L. for the next seven hours. So when they check in your bag, say a prayer and sayonara to your belongings. The odds are 50/50 the bag will show up in Manila.
Ok so I took a cheap shot at HRConnex but it felt good. All is fair in war and employee services.
(source Pionairs USA monthly newsletter - with tongue in cheek)
 
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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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 Yet another cartoon by Jake Visser, this one appeared in the "Canadi>n Flyer" issued September 2000.
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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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