The NetLetter
For Air Canada Retirees
(Part of the ACFamily Network)
August 20, 2013 - Issue 1268
|
|
| |
|
First Issue published in October 1995!
(over 5,400 subscribers)
|
|
NetLetter Past Issues
|
 |
|
Donation Information
|
Send cheques payable to "ACFamily Network" to:
ACFamily Network
#800 - 15355 24th Ave, Suite 523
Surrey, BC V4A 2H9
|
|
Sponsors
|
 |
|
|
|
Greetings!
|
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
|
| Air Canada News |
 Air Canada is extending its seasonal daily Montreal-San Francisco Airbus A319 service to year-round beginning in November. They expect the 2014 capacity to increase by 9-11% vs 2013 via addition of five 777-300ERs through February 2014 and its first six 787s (of 37) in 2014. CRANE AIRCRAFT PARTNERS extended leases of two PW4060-powered 767-300ERs C-FMWU fin 633 c/n 25585 and C-FMWV fin 634 c/n 25586 with AIR CANADA for 7.5 years for operation by AIR CANADA ROUGE. (source SpeedNews Aug 9/13) |
| Upcoming Events - Compiled by Terry Baker |
|
This gentle reminder is from Ron Castelli and the System Golf Committee:
2013 Annual Air Canada (ACRA) System Golf Tournament to Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia from September 7th, thru 12th.
Full details at www.acra.ca.
|
| Reader Submitted Photos - Compiled by Terry Baker |
|
 Reader Submitted Photos - The photos and information below have been submitted to us by our faithful readers.
|
Robert Arnold has sent us this information: A friend of mine was kind enough to lend me this bit of information the other day, so I thought I would share it with your readers. This has to do with the retirement of the Viscount from Air Canada and the joint sale to Beaver Enterprises and United Aviation Services Ltd. Both firms are from Montreal. The text in the document explains the contents of each photo. A little information on the Viscount in photo nr 1 that might interest your readers. According to the Vickers Viscount website, CF-THJ was withdrawn from service and stored in Winnipeg January 21, 1969. By July, 1971 the aircraft had been broken up for scrap.
 VISCOUNT RETIRED
The tough and venerable Vickers Viscount, seen here flying over the Quebec countryside, has been retired from service since April 28th 1974. The durable little 48-seat aircraft had been a part of the Air Canada fleet since April 1st, 1955, when they became the first turbine-powered aircraft to enter scheduled service in North America between Montreal, Toronto, Fort William and Winnipeg. Air Canada once owned 51. The last 24 were sold to two Montreal companies. (Air Canada Photo - April, 1974)
|
 SHOWS PRIDE IN PURCHASE
Russel Scrim, Executive Vice-President of Beaver Enterprises Ltd., holds up the model of a Vickers Viscount in Trans-Canada Air Lines markings while Air Canada President Ralph Vaughan looks on following contract signing for the purchase of 24 Viscounts from Air Canada by Beaver Enterprises and United Aviation Services Ltd. The aircraft
were withdrawn from service April 27th 1974 and were turned over to the two Montreal firms the following year.
(Air Canada Photo - April, 1974)
|
|
|
| |
 CONTRACT SIGNING ENDS ERA
Robert Pierson, President of United Aviation Services Ltd., gets ready to sign a contract to jointly purchase 24 Vickers Viscounts from Air Canada. Sitting on his left is Ralph Vaughan, Air Canada President while co-purchaser Russel Scrim, Executive Vice-President of Beaver Enterprises Ltd., stands between them. On the desk is an early model of a Viscount. (Air Canada Photo - Apr 11, 1974)
|
 This article from the "TCA Flight Horizons" magazine issued April 1953.
|
| 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.
|
 Trans-Canada Air Lines Flight 831 remembered. Almost fifty years following the crash landing of TCA flight 831 in Ste-Thérèse, QC, where all aboard perished, a commemorative book is being published.
Titled Voices from a Forgotten Tragedy: Trans-Canada Air Lines Flight 831, this work, co-written by Bob Page, Ernest Dick and Jean Grant-Page, pieces together the memories of family members, first responders and residents of Ste-Thérèse, their mementos, photographs and media sources, allowing the reader a deeper understanding of the event and an opportunity to remember those whose lives ended in the tragedy on November 29, 1963. The history is available for purchase at www.tcaflight831.com.
|
Robert Arnold spotted this article in the "TCA Flight Horizons" magazine issued April 1953.
Complimentary meals on Tourist Flights.
Tasty meals on TCA's popular trans-Atlantic tourist services are now served without charge, with our compliments. Bar service also is available for those who wish it. In 1952, TCA made 692 North Atlantic crossings, of which more than 80% arrived on schedule.
These two photos appeared in the "Parts & Pieces" magazine issued September 1987 for the Stores people.
(However, there were no identifications - anyone want to try - eds)
  |
|
Issue dated - November 1977
Some items gleaned from the "Horizons" magazines.
|
 Royal Service Praised
When Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth arrived in Nassau from Toronto on a Canadian Forces 707, the company, being official agents for the Department of National Defense, handled the flight as if it were one of our own. In the photo are some members of the team, representative of all departments, that met and handled the flight. From the left: District Manager Wilse Foote; Fairie Kraft, Passenger Agent; Airport Customer Service Supervisor Richie Christie; Frank Deveaux, Station Agent; Passenger Agent Jenny Cates; and Station Agent Jerry Smith. Missing are Station Agent Edison Rodgers who manned the communications centre and Rod Hall, Mechanic who was busy servicing the aircraft. The Canadian Forces crew were most complimentary of the company's involvement with the Royal Flight, especially the meals.
|
 Jamaica Throws a Party
The Pegasus Hotel was the scene of the Jamaica's celebration for the 40th company anniversary. Shown at the party are, back row, from the left: Warehouseman Eric Campbell; Jim English; Leonard Ricketts, Senior Operations Agent; Passenger Agent Richard Cuthbert and newly named Montego Bay Manager Neville Fong. Second row, from the left, are: Ivy Codner, guest; Operations Agents Winston Chambers and Victor Gibson; Passenger Agent Carlysle Hudson; Senior Passenger Agent Fay Buckley, Passenger Agent Joan Eccleston; guest Marcia Graham and Passenger Agent Nat Brown. Front row, from the left, are: Sales Rep. Fay Bartley; Reservations & Sales Office Supervisor Deirdre Gruchy; Senior Passenger Agent Flavia McFarlane and Montego Bay Passenger Agents Hazel Tenn-Black and Neville Walke.
|
 During a trip to Madrid to attend the IATA General Meeting, the President, Claude Taylor, took time to visit the Brussels office and meet with the staff at a luncheon. The occasion was a milestone for Sales representative Gilbert deHerder who was celebrating his 10th anniversary with the company. Taylor's visit coincided with the inauguration of the new telephone "Group 800" service giving travel agents in Holland direct access with the Brussels Reservations department. This service was identical to that used in North America. The company and Eastern Airlines were the first airlines in Europe to introduce this facility.
President Taylor with the Brussels staff, from the left are: Archie Segers, Cargo Sales & Service Manager; Claude Taylor; Gilbert deHerder, Sales Representative; Georgette Mosselmans, Passenger Agent; Jackie Staessen, Senior Secretary; and Ed Gallant, Manager, Benelux. Missing is Passenger Agent Herman Peeters.
|
| Alan's Space - by Alan Rust |
 Alan is on vacation!
|
Canadi>n/CP Air/PWA, Wardair, etc. People & Events
- Compiled by Terry Baker
|
 News and articles from days gone by gleaned from various publications from C.A.I.L. and its "ancestry" of contributing airlines. |
|
Issue dated - May 1984
Found in the "PWA Flightlines" magazine -
|
 Crew Commended for Quick Evacuation
The five crew members of Airbus Flight 501 on Thursday, March 22nd, 1984, have been commended for their quick and professional actions in evacuating the aircraft after it caught fire during a take-off roll. The Boeing 737-200, Pacific Western's fleet number 754, was subsequently destroyed in the fire after Captain Stan Flemming and First Officer Andy Bodenbender aborted the take-off and stopped the aircraft on taxi way C-4 at Calgary International Airport. Purser Patti Dickie and Flight Attendants Greg Wittig and Grant Sherritt then proceeded to evacuate the aircraft utilizing the three escape doors on the starboard side of the aircraft. All 114 passengers and 5 crew members escaped the burning aircraft, although 26 passengers and 1 crew member, Flight Attendant Greg Wittig, were taken to hospital for examination. A few of the passengers were detained in hospital with injuries such as broken bones in the feet, a fractured hip, and smoke inhalation. The photo of the back end crew are left to right: Grant Sherritt, Patti Dickie and Greg Wittig.
|
 Now that the airlines are charging extra for checked luggage, passengers expect their luggage to receive TLC for the whole journey. In the past, at PWA, Laurie Brackhaus of the Vancouver Customer Relations branch would provide bag packing demonstrations to various groups and conventions.
|
 We have these photos of employees involved with the repairing of luggage for both PWA and Air Canada at the PWA Luggage Centre at Vancouver. This photo shows Barry Badenhorse, foreground, and Dan Bader who repair luggage for many of Canada's airlines.
|
 Here is Judy Wilson at the reception desk in the PWA Vancouver luggage centre sorting some of the paper work. |
 Roger Williams is the supervisor who keeps an eye on the work at the PWA Vancouver luggage centre.
|
| 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 McIvor sent us this information after perusing NetLetter nr 1265 recently - A friend from TCA days forwarded a copy of your NETLETTER and in it you (unknowingly) had a picture of me when I was with TCA, I wish to thank you after all these years for making me famous. It was from an issue of "Between Ourselves" dated February 1948 showing the 'complete' staff of TCA in Kapuskasing. I am the top right hand fellow and my name is Jack McIvor. I was a Radio Operator with TCA from 1947 until they changed to Air Canada and the radio positions were eliminated except in the major stations. I read that through from top to bottom and even went through the obituaries. I found many names that I recognized from my time with TCA and it was very sad to find out that they were no longer with us. I found the articles quite interesting. |
Here is the continuation of the DC-3 story started in NetLetter nr 1267 by Kenneth Collie
The flight attendant was a very pretty young lady who had only just started her career. Having finished her training in Winnipeg, she was posted to Churchill. Today was her first trip in a DC-3. Normally she would have been on one of the larger planes where she would have been with a senior flight attendant, but a mix up in scheduling put her into a DC-3 where only one attendant is required.
The captain, sensing the possibility of a great practical joke, had reviewed with her all her duties during the flight. "I don't suppose that your training included the bit about take-offs and landings and your duties in the cockpit, did it? They tend to never mention that in the schools." "I thought that all the cockpit duties were just for the pilots."
"No," he went on "not totally. The DC-3 main wheels are retracted or lowered by hydraulic power from the engines, but the tail wheel has to be raised and lowered by this pump here." He explained as he showed her the auxiliary hydraulic pump handle on the left side of the centre consol in the pilots special kingdom. "Because we are so busy just after take-off and just prior to landing, on the DC-3 we require that you come in here each time and pump up or down the tail wheel. It takes about twenty five strokes but to be safe you should give an extra five strokes. I'll buzz you on the Flight-Attendant call buzzer when we need you. Do you think you can handle that?" "Okay, Captain, Sir. I think I can do it, I'll certainly try?" And so the long flight began. Immediately after take-off from Churchill, and each subsequent take-off she was summoned to the flight deck to 'retract' the tail wheel. Each landing she faithfully answered the call and lowered the tail wheel. Up and down all day long. And she never once complained even though she was working harder than she ever thought she would. Eskimo Point, Rankin Inlet, Chesterfield Inlet, Coral Harbour, and back again.
When they finally approached Churchill, the weather was so bad that both pilots were concentrating all their efforts on flying and finding the runway. On the fourth pass at the airport when they finally had the runway in sight, just before touchdown the cockpit door flew open and our new, cute, innocent flight attendant called out, "You can't land, you have to abort the landing, please it's an emergency."
The well trained pilots immediately initiated the proper "go around" procedures. Engines powered up, full rich mixture, full fine props and all the other pilot things they trained for, for years. When they were finally back into normal flight the captain turned to the flight attendant, still standing in the open doorway behind him, "So what was that all about, what's wrong? Did you see something we missed?" "Well, Captain, Sir, you forgot to buzz me to lower the tail wheel."
Kenneth Collie
|
Odds and Ends.
|
|
 Sometimes we receive articles and information that just doesn't fit in our other areas. This is where it goes!
|
 Tony Iudica has sent us a photo and this information: Hi Guys. As usual, I love every issue. I always tell AC people to please sign on and enjoy. Well I ran across a picture of me in a carcass of a F86H which was part of the Mass Air National Guard 102nd Tactical Fighter Group in the 1960s. My father worked for the Mass Port Authority (operates Logan) and I was always on the field with him. There was actually a dump in the middle of the field, yes middle of the field. When my father was on the Bird Patrol (legally shoot seagulls) we would go to the dump with my .22 rifle and shoot cans/rats etc. Anyhow this acft would later be used for firefighting drills. Just kinda of neat to be a kid always around an airport. I was sort of a Massport mascot back then. Cheers to all! Tony Iudica 36yr Retiree in Tampa
|
Terry's Trivia and Travel Tips - by Terry Baker
|
|
Here is a selection of the many deals by Dargal Interline offering vacations for Interliners & their Friends & Family.
|
|
7 Night Caribbean ~ Royal Caribbean International ~ Allure of the Seas
Dec 01 Fort Lauderdale; At Sea; Labadee; Falmouth; At Sea; Cozumel; At Sea; Fort Lauderdale; From: Inside:$529, Oceanview:$859 Balcony:$629, Suite: $1329.
12 Night Mediterranean ~ Cunard Line ~ Queen Elizabeth
Oct 04 Athens (Piraeus); Mykonos; Ephesus (Kusadasi); Rhodes; Santorini; Heraklion; At Sea; Katakolon (Olympia); Corfu; At Sea; Messina; Naples/Capri; Rome (Civitavecchia); From: Inside: $499, Oceanview: $599, Balcony: $899, Suite: $4499.
12 Night Mediterranean ~ Cunard Line ~ Queen Victoria
Oct 24 London (Southampton); At Sea; At Sea; Lisbon; At Sea; Cartagena; Barcelona; Valencia; Gibraltar; Seville (Cadiz); At Sea; At Sea; London (Southampton); From: Inside: $1299, Oceanview: $1399, Balcony: $1699, Suite: $3999.
14 Night Alaska ~ Princess Cruises ~ Sapphire Princess
Sep 07 Vancouver; At Sea; Ketchikan; Juneau; Skagway; Glacier Bay Scenic Cruising; College Fjord Scenic Cruising; Whittier (Anchorage); Hubbard Glacier (Cruising); Glacier Bay Scenic Cruising; Skagway; Juneau; Ketchikan; At Sea; Vancouver; From: Inside: $799, Oceanview: $929.
Cruises: Rates are quoted in U.S. dollars per person (based on double occupancy). PORT CHARGES ARE INCLUDED. Taxes & fees are not included. Fuel supplement may be applicable. All rates are subject to change, availability and eligibility. All offers apply to new bookings only, are capacity controlled and may be withdrawn without notice.
Highlights of Spain 10 days Barcelona to Madrid Sept. 6 from $1779.
Easy Pace Italy 11 days Rome to Venice Oct. 12 from $2259.
Treasures of Spain, Portugal & Morocco 19 days Madrid to Madrid Sept. 14 from $2805.
Britain & Ireland Explorer 17 days London to London Oct. 3 from $2845.
Country Roads of Switzerland 15 days Zurich to Zurich Oct. 5 from $3339.
Spectacular Scandinavia & Its Fjords 16 days Copenhagen to Oslo Sept. 7 from $3699.
Tours: Rates are quoted in U.S. dollars per person (based on double occupancy). Taxes & fees are not included. All rates are subject to change, availability and eligibility. All offers apply to new bookings only, are capacity controlled and may be withdrawn without notice. For more information on these & other Dargal Interline specials: Call Toll Free: 1-800-690-3223. International Toll Free: (country code)-800-2832-7425 Suite 200-1632 Dickson Ave Kelowna BC V1Y 7T2. www.dargal.com
|
| 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.
|
|
|
 Our cartoon is by D. Fallwell (YXT) which appeared in the "CPAirNews" magazine issued February 1978. The caption reads "Vancouver Operations this is Empress five; Any chance you missing a ramp handler?"
|
|
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.
|
|
| |
|
