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Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter Since 1995

Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter

Since 1995

The NetLetter #1274

The NetLetter

For Air Canada Retirees
(Part of the ACFamily Network)

 

September 28, 2013 - Issue 1274
 
First Issue published in October 1995!
(over 5,400 subscribers)
In This Issue
Upcoming events
Star Alliance News
Air Canada News
Women in Aviation
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

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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!

The Netletter

Terry Baker and the NetLetter Team

Upcoming events - Compiled by Terry Baker
photo The 2013 ACRA System Photo Competition will be held on the weekend of November 30 in Frankfurt, Germany at the renowned Christmas Markets! Please continue to check on this website for event info and updates.


Badminton tournament October 10-12th 2013. Come enjoy the fun & games in Copenhagen, Denmark.


Check www.acra.ca for details.

Roger Slauenwhite has brought our attention to the Toronto Aviation and Airline Collectibles Show on Sunday October 6th at Hilton Garden Inn, Toronto Airport, 3311 Caroga Drive, Mississauga from 10:00 to 15:00.
More details at www.torontoairlinershow.com.

Star Alliance News
Star AllianceLaunch customer SWISS applauds new C-series aircraft.
Bombardier's new CS100 jetliner completed its first flight on Sept. 16. SWISS is the launch customer for the new airliner, with which it will be gradually replacing its present Avro RJ100s.

 Lufthansa orders 34 Boeing 777s and 25 Airbus A350 long haul jets.
Lufthansa is ordering 34 new jets from Boeing and 25 from European rival Airbus as it updates its long-haul fleet to make it more fuel efficient and lower costs. Lufthansa said the orders were worth 14 billion euros ($19 billion) at list prices.

Air Canada News
Air CanadaAFI KLM E&M extended contract with Air Canada to continue to maintain GE90s for its 777s (20 in service with three on order).

Montie Brewer, former President & CEO of Air Canada, was appointed to the Board of Directors of Swiss International Air Lines. (Source SpeedNews Sep 19/13).

Women in Aviation - Compiled by Terry Baker

The Indian LCC GoAir has decided to hire only female cabin crew members in the future because male are, on average, 20 kgs heavier than females, thus likely to increase fuel burn. It is estimated this decision will result in a saving of INR30 million. Existing male flight attendants will keep their jobs.

 

 

 
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.

Issue dated - March 1978
Some items gleaned from the "Horizons" magazines.
This photo was submitted by Tom Sandilands to "the Horizons" magazine and appeared in issue March 1978, who thought it may be of interest to employees. It was taken at one of the Overseas Pay Programs Manager, Montreal management development courses held in the Laurentians north of Montreal sometime between 1953-55.

From the left standing are: John Sinden, Les Paquin, Art Johnston, Paul Emmerson, Bill Williamson, Don Westman, Andy Bertoia, Bill Glass and Sam McCrae. Kneeling are: Pete Jerome, Tom Sandilands, Ted Duftield, Stan Howe, Al Martel and Pat Labrie. In the foreground are Gerry Palliser and Pat Wilson.


Celebrating milestone anniversaries at Quebec City are Passenger Agent Rita Pinsonnaull who achieved 25 years service and Gerard Samoisette, Airport Customer Service Manager who chalked up 30.

Shown at a luncheon marking the occasion are, from the left: Guy Poirier, Supervisor, Personnel & Administration; Bruno Fragasso, District Manager; Marcel Renaud, Customer Service Supervisor; Rita Pinsonnault, Passenger Agent; Gerard Samoisette and Normand Picard, Passenger & Cargo Sales and Service Manager.


Kicking a football around Kapiolani Park in the shadow of the Diamond Head in Hawaii sounds more appealing than playing on a cold Canadian winters day.

That was why the Vancouver Air Canada Soccer team decided to play four games in the sunny climes against teams from the University of Hawaii. The result was won 2 lost one and drew one. Another team from Pacific Western Airlines also participated.

Shown dressed in Air Canada t-shirts from the left at the back are: John Lowe, Frank Koerner, Tom Milford, Ivan Berkovic, Jim McLees, Lionel Gock, Wayne Brown, John Iverson. Front row we have: Dave Groat, Jim Fitzgerald, Bernie Allardyce, Rick Roberts, Dennis Tarr and Walter Low.

Alan's Space - by Alan Rust
Alan's Space
Virtual Tour of a Convair B-36J Peacemaker's Cockpit
Below is a 360 panorama of the flight engineers station on a B-36: Six reciprocating R-4360s and four J-47 jets to keep an eye on, plus fuel, pressurization, hydraulics, electrical, and other systems.

The plane is in the National Museum of the United States Air Force near Dayton, Ohio. (Admission is free).


Responding to the U.S. Army Air Forces' requirement for a strategic bomber with intercontinental range, Consolidated Vultee (later Convair) designed the B-36 during World War II. The airplane made its maiden flight in August 1946, and in June 1948 the Strategic Air Command received its first operational B-36.  Some B-36s served as photographic reconnaissance aircraft, and others were adapted to launch and retrieve specially modified RF-84F/K reconnaissance planes.


Powered by six Pratt & Whitney R-4360 engines, the B-36J cruised at 230 mph, but for additional bursts of speed its four General Electric J47s increased the maximum speed to 435 mph. It carried 86,000 pounds of nuclear or conventional bombs. When production ended in August 1954, more than 380 B-36s had been built for the U.S. Air Force. In 1958-1959, the USAF replaced the B-36 with the all-jet B-52
. Although never used in combat, the B-36 was a major deterrent to enemy aggression. Making the last B-36 flight ever, the aircraft on display flew to the museum from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., on April 30, 1959.

Click on image for high resolution photo (and don't miss the cockpit view below as well) 

TECHNICAL NOTES: 
Maximum speed: 435 mph 
Cruising speed: 230 mph 
Range: 10,000 miles 
Ceiling: 45,700 ft.
Span: 230 ft. 
Length: 162 ft. 1 in. 
Height: 46 ft. 9 in. 
Weight: 410,000 lbs. loaded 
Serial number: 52-2220
 

Click on image below for full panoramic view.
 
 
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.

Bill Wood sends us YouTube video: Airline History-Canadian Airlines International - Proud To Be Canadian. 8.43 minutes long

Airline History-Canadian Airlines International - Proud To Be Canadian
Airline History-Canadian Airlines International - Proud To Be Canadian

Also on this web page the NetLetter gang noticed this video: CANADIAN AIRLINES 25 YR REUNION PARTY. 17.16 minutes

CANADIAN AIRLINES 25 YR REUNION PARTY
CANADIAN AIRLINES 25 YR REUNION PARTY
Issue dated - August 1981
Items from the "CPAir NEWS" magazine.
THE LAST CREW to train in CP Air's DC-8 simulator bids it a fond farewell. In operation since 1966 when It was purchased for 51.5 million, the simulator was sold late in July to ARCA, a Colombian airline, along with CP Air's last two DC-8-43s. From left, on the last training day July 24, Monty Fetterly, Mike Pearson, Ev Abbey, and Instructor Bill Brooke.

CHALLENGERS from anywhere in the system were welcomed by the Sheet Metal Hi-Loks, Vancouver Ops Centre, who defeated the Upholstery Shop 4-3 on July 14 to become the first holders of a new challenge soccer cup for CP Air teams. Subsequently, they defeated Engine Overhaul 4-2 In their first challenge game. Back, from left, assistant coach Tony Dunn, Sandy Sandford, George Campbell, Marvin Bath, Steve Leggett, Ken Tate, Paul Simpson, Dan Cooke, Gary Donald, John Cousrey, coach Al Carter. Front, Humphrey Van Der Star, Marlo DeFine, John Gregg, Kirk Pickering, Paul Tobin, Bjorn Andersson, Bob Dott. On grass, George Klassen, Roger Lee. (Anyone know where the Challenge cup is now? - eds)

A NEW CITY TICKET OFFICE was opened in the shopping arcade in a Santiago office building. June brought smiles to staffers (from left) Marla Antonieta San Martin, time payment clerk; Cecilia Sanchez and Elena Zenteno, both passenger sales agents; and Veronica Gomez, senior passenger sales agent.

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.

After reading the article regarding the "Gimli Glider" that appeared in Alan's Space in NetLetter nr 1264, Allan Gray had fond memories of 604. "After it's recovery it was one of the best aircraft not to have a mechanical delays."




And I even made a cartoon that Gimli should be a new destination for AC.
Allan Gray  

Great moments as Bob Hallworth retired on 604 (AC115 Nov 27 1984).

Jack Stephens refers to Alan Rust's article on the Gimli Glider story on CBC, my brother Gary was part of the repair crew that drove north from Winnipeg to Gimli. Gary mentioning that the day the crew headed to Gimli, they took back roads, apparently to save time. He said they got lost!

The 2009 response to an www.acfamily.net Forums search for anyone who remembered my brother (he passed away in 2003) prompted this reply from Dave Goddard:

My wife's parents have a farm exactly 3 miles North of the runway in Gimli, (we were there 2 weeks ago) on the weekend 604 landed there we were at the farm, like most weekends I had off. At that time I had transferred off the overhaul crew (where Gary worked) and was on the line maintenance crew. I was due to work that Sunday night, so I figured if they were going to turn around and send me back out to Gimli, I might as well stay there. So I went down the 3 miles to the airport but nothing was organized and they appeared not to need my help so on the Sunday afternoon we drove back to Winnipeg for my night shift on line maintenance. In hindsight I probably should have phoned the hangar first.

On the morning they ferried 604 out of Gimli, I was close to finishing my shift when I was told to get a crew together and have a tractor and tow bar outside the hangar door but keep the doors closed until 604 arrived at the hangar. To ferry the aircraft out it was necessary to lock the gear in the down position and the nose wheel steering was deactivated. This meant that differential braking would be used to steer the aircraft. On landing the emergency equipment chased the aircraft all the way to the hangar as on every turn the tires were smoking. We were hooked up and the aircraft was on its way into the hangar before the engines had spooled down, the doors were closed and there it sat for the next few months.

That November, I was laid off and bumped to Edmonton, when AC recalled 3 months later, I decided to stay put. I spent the next 20 odd years working with Conrad Yaremko, he was the CAT (Certificated Aircraft Technician) who originally had the problem in YEG on the outbound flight to YOW/YUL. Any fuel drips that came up on 767's I usually had to do, but for sure if it was 604 Conrad wouldn't touch it, LOL. So I never did work on 604 with Gary in Gimli, a few times in the hangar afterwards but many times on the line in YEG.

Dave Goddard retired LLAT

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!

 

Continuing Dispatching flights the early days by the late Ross Smyth which started in NetLetter nr 1273:


Via the Azores
The return flight with Captain Roger Smith took two days because we had an overnight weather delay at Lagens in the Azores. Today one would hardly agree with the interpretation in my report of Feb. 7/46: "The first leg of our flight to Lagens was routine... moderate turbulence and rain for about 20 minutes at 3,000 feet passing through a cold front when it was necessary to reduce power... the cockpit leaked in several places... the passenger were cold as the cabin heating did not work.  I spent all of my time up front as there way a full load of 10 passengers.  

 

About our overnight stay in the Azores... "The four lady passengers spent the night in the hospital, and the crew and male passengers slept at the airport in chilly RAF huts. Our TCA rep Gus Campbell arranged to obtain flying boots for the passengers to wear back to Dorval to keep their feet warm. We departed at daybreak, planning 12 hours direct to Dorval with 14 hours fuel, but we had a greater headwind than forecast and landed at Moncton for fuel. I don't think the fuel gauges gave a very accurate indication of our consumption.


Early negotiations (to be continued in NetLetter nr 1275 - eds).   

 

Terry's Trivia and Travel Tips - by Terry Baker

Terry BakerRecently, CEO Michael O'Leary of Ryanair signed for 15 billion worth for new aircraft from Boeing. His complaint was that all he got was a pen!

 

 

 

 

 

 

RumRabbit & StarTrips News for interliners.  
We have opened a new HOTEL RESERVATION portal in association with a top hotel wholesaler. Over 45,000 hotels worldwide at special discounted rates. You can also book tickets for shows, sporting events, attractions etc. 

 

Soon we will be adding Transfers, Holiday Villa & Apartment rental, and Car Hire.
Just go to www.rumrabbit.com for immediate access to fantastic hotel deals. Happy Traveling!   

 


 Upcoming events by (World Airlines Clubs Association) W.A.C.A. during 2014 http://www.waca.org/events.  

 

 

07-13 April - BALI - Island of the Gods.
25 May - 2 June -  MADAGAGAR 2014.
18-28 June - Great Circle Tour - Vancouver return.
Check with your local Interline club for details - there are deadline dates for these tours.

 

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.

Our cartoon, by Dave Mathias, is from the "Between Ourselves" magazine issued August 1955.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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.
 

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