Bytes and Pieces
Identity Theft! There is a growing concern regarding Identity Theft in Canada and elsewhere and there is some good information available from Public Safety Canada regarding this. Rather than copying the info here, below is a link to their web site. I personally use the Internet for all kinds of credit card transactions and have had no problems. Some things to look out for though are;
Just click on the image to view more information regarding Identity Theft or click on this link. |
Canadi>n/CPAir/PWA, Wardair, etc. Events & People
This was the second such reunion, the first being five years ago. This diverse group of approximately 50 people consisted of GM,s Managers, pilots, flight attendants, maintenance and ramp personnel, reservations and general clerical staff who, at one time in their careers, worked or passed through Yellowknife or Whitehorse. The atmosphere of the group was quite electric as people who had not met since the last reunion, or even longer, greeted, hugged and bussed each other, and caught up with past memories. On Saturday a full day had been arranged to include a 4 hour cruise and golf, followed by a dinner and dance in the evening. Those who survived the evening had a farewell breakfast on the Sunday morning. Many voiced the thought "Why did we wait so long?" We hope to include some pictures later, meantime, check the web site http://cedarcoast.ca/yxycp and see what you missed. Extracted from the www.pwareunion.com web site - QUICKET - Self Serve Kiosks. Calgary-Edmonton Airbus.- G. Hickey During the 80's the ongoing popularity of the Airbus service was resulting in lengthy line-ups each day creating the need to find a solution. The Company looked at various options, one of which was to study how self service might help. American Airlines had been pioneering the development of Self Serve ticketing in the U.S. and following a series of meetings with them and with their major supplier, NCR we decided that the technology they were using and their approach was not suitable for the Airbus product and so we elected to design our own system from scratch The software component was designed in conjunction with Air Canada computer services to PWA specifications and in order for it work with the AC Reservac System Development took some months throughout 1986 and was not without it's challenges and not all were technical. Labour Relations issues, Transport Canada security issues and accounting issues, particularly the credit card industry requirement for signature authorization. All were addressed and all were firsts in the industry in Canada. The physical kiosk design came from a local Calgary design company. The Quicket name and graphic design came from our Advertising Agency and two kiosks were installed in each of the Calgary and Edmonton Municipal Airbus counter areas. Credit Card driven, passengers made their choices through a keypad and could choose either window or aisle and smoking or non smoking and were issued with a printed ticket/boarding pass Branded as "Quicket" the service was launched successfully and while the uptake was quite slow, as expected, (with the exception of Japanese business men who took to it readily) the expectation was that the usage would grow in similar fashion to the experience the banking industry first saw when they introduced ATM's. Sadly, we would not find out as the subsequent purchase and merger with Canadian Pacific Airlines in 1987 meant the kiosks, designed to work with the AC system now could not function with the CP System. It is testament to PWA thinking of the time however, that airports not just in Canada, utilize similar technologies extensively in order to assist passenger processing today, however, the first development and live trial of this type of technology by any airline in Canada was by Pacific Western Airlines. Here are a few pictures from yesteryear that should bring back some memories. Sent in by Viv Rivers - The Wardair ex A310 in CAF colours was having an engine run-up when it suddenly rolled forward 600 ft into the chemical storage building behind CP's YVR hangar and imbedded itself in the structure. White is fire chemical. DC-10 in National tail colours. Aircraft went to National on lease after construction instead of directly to CP Air DC-10 with slides deployed was the result when take-off at YVR was aborted and aircraft left the runway and came to rest in soft ground. (If anyone has any information of these incidents, we would like to hear it- eds) |
Readers Feedback
In NetLetter nr 1036 we had this picture showing a Viscount asking for identification. We received this email from Brian Burrage. It shows Viscount Model 805 C/N 258 CF-MCJ of Maritime Central Airways with one of their Curtiss C-46 Commandos in the background. They operated this Viscount from June 59 until April 62. Kind regards, Brian Burrage (Brian is the website co-founder of www.vickersviscount.net) We at www.vickersviscount.net invite all you Canadian Viscount lovers to tour the Virtual Museum and check out all those TCA/Air Canada classics. Sincerely, Jack Stephens Goldendragon posted a correction to a statement in NetLetter nr 1036 Lamar Durrett succeeds Hollis Harris I believe the year was 1996. (Actually, we published the correct info in NetLetter nr 1035 - eds) In NetLetter nr 1033, Under TCA/AC People gallery: "Musings from Horizons: Aug.1995": Dave Welham makes this observation - Re AC884/21Jun at TLV: "...only Canadian carrier to land in Israel". This is perfectly correct for that day or that year, but it might give the impression that AC was the only Cdn carrier to ever land in that nation, which of course is not true. I think somewhere I have a certain orange timetable showing an earlier Canadian airline that, I believe, pioneered that route for Canada and offered a regular scheduled service for several years. Your avid reader, Dave Welham, Pionair, Toronto. (In checking the book "Canadian Pacific Air Lines It's History and Aircraft" by D.M.Bain, CPAL operated YYZ-ROM-Tel Aviv DC-8-63 service from April 2nd 1971 and suspended in 1976. - eds) In NetLetter nr 1032, we mentioned that a model of an A380 was erected at LHR, we received this information and photograph from Dennis Kennedy - With reference to the article that a model of an A380 in Emirates colours was being built at Heathrow (LHR), I happened to be in LHR this summer (July) and snapped a photo as we drove buy. I have attached it for your info. Regards Dennis In NetLetter nr 1033 - The part titled 'BYTES AND PIECES", TIME TO SAY GOODBYE VINTAGE SLIDESHOW with soundtrack by ANDREA BOCELLI, was amazing says Liz McGeough of Kelowna, B.C. who sent us these comments - The slideshow showing all the old airlines, crews and Andrea Bocelli singing in the background, literally choked me up. It brought back feelings of how the airlines truly were a family for many years. There was joy and excitement (along with hard work) to be associated with the air industry. At the end of the slideshow, I had tears in my eyes, as I felt proud to have been a part of the airlines. I originally started Dec. 1965 with Canadian Airlines in the old airport,in Richmond. I then went to the Sales Dept. on Hornby St. until June 1973. I then left and went travelling for a few months to Israel and Europe. It was a wonderful adventure and I remember being so excited at Athens airport when I saw the "Orange Bird" (CP Air). I returned to the airlines in Feb. 1974 and worked as an Agent in Payload until Feb. 2001, when I took early retirement. During that period there were all the changes, PWA buying Canadian Pacific, then they bought Wardair and then Air Canada bought us. I saw many changes during this period and was happy to retire with Air Canada. Thank you to all the people who made my experience in the airline industry, one that I will never forget. I cherish all the good memories over the years. Vesta, I wish to thank you for keeping this newsletter going. Liz McGeough Kelowna, B.C. Gord Girvan has dug into the depths of his memory to send us this - The references to MCA by Don Palmer in NetLetter 1032 twigged more memories for me; with the part about Resolution Island in particular. One look at the picture Don included tells the tale. Can you imagine anyone flying over that island and dropping something out of the aircraft window and missing the island below? Well I have the dubious distinction of having done just that. The scenario was a DC-3 flight from Frobisher Bay to Goose Bay with Capt Doug Stults at the controls. I was along for the ride. Doug had a friend who worked at a weather station on the island and he had wrapped a bottle of booze very carefully for a 'free drop' and I was the designated 'dropee'. The plan was for me to stand by one of the removable hatches at the rear of the aircraft and when Doug put his hand down once, I was to open the hatch. When he put his hand down the 2nd time I was to throw the bottle out. We were about 500 feet off the deck I think and I saw him put his hand down, so I opened the hatch and put it on the floor. Doug put his hand down the 2nd time and I belted the bottle into space. Apparently Doug factored in the fact that the hatch was sometimes a bit difficult to remove and he didn't realize that I had removed it so quickly, so he considered his 2nd 'hand down' to be his 1st. Needless to say the bottle undershot the intended target and dropped into the water, and his friend was unable to retrieve it. It was a 'dry' night at the weather station. End of story. Gord Girvan |
This and That
Frank Pedder sends us this information - First flight of the Avro Arrow on March 25th 1958 - An excellent film of a piece of Canada's aviation history. Sound track and picture of Jan Zurakowski, CF-100 and F-86 chase planes, and even a brief glimpse of a TCA Super Connie in the background, seen during the landing.. Guaranteed to bring tears to the eyes of real airmen! Don't forget to turn up the sound. Good views of the undeveloped area around Malton in 1958. Produced by AVRO CANADA for the first flight of the fantastic CF-105 Arrow interceptor on March 25, 1958; this film is a nostalgic look on the incredible lead Canada had in aircraft design and production in the post-war years. The Arrow was so advanced that its performance figures and concept were at least 20 to 25 years ahead of all the other countries that were producing such aircraft. Even today, close to 50 years after the Arrow first flew, Canada's front-line fighter, the CF-18 Hornet, can't match the performance of the Mk.I Arrow in top speed (Mach 2.0). There was a Mk.II model with the Canadian Iroquois engines that would have exceeded Mach 2.5, and a high-altitude Mk.III that was predicted to reach Mach 3.0! What an aircraft! Too bad it was cancelled in 1959, because it would have kept the Arrow flying high all the way up to the early 1990's before being replaced by another design. Maybe this was the stuff of dreams, but it actually was done here in Canada in 1958!!! For video, click on image or visit this link. We received this story from Ray Wall in YVR. Airline Stewardesses Before 1930 only men served on airplane crews. Ellen Church, a nurse and student pilot, convinced United Airlines that having females on board would help ticket sales... but not for the reason you'd think: "don't you think it would be good psychology to have women up in the air?" she asked the directors, "how is a man going to say he is afraid to fly when a woman is working on the plane". United agreed and told her to hire seven women. The women had to be under 5'4" and 115 lbs,age 25 or less,single and registered nurses. Their wage:$125 a month for each 100 hours in the air. On top of serving passengers, the first stewardesses also had to help the crew clean the plane, load the baggage, gas the plane and push it from the hangar. Here is a stamp issued to celebrate 100 years in aviation, includes military & civil. |
Terry's Travel Tips
Travelling with a ZED ticket? Jim Pearce sends this information - A site that indicates space available chances in colour. WWW.FLYZED.COM Login info; User ID: ACA Password: 014 Cheers Jim P. Subject: ICE - 'In Case of Emergency' Apparently this is a standard procedure all paramedics follow at the scene of an accident when they come across your cell phone. ICE - 'In Case of Emergency' Most of us carry our mobile phones with names & numbers stored in its memory but nobody, other than ourselves, knows which of these numbers belong to our closest family or friends. If we were to be involved in an accident or were taken ill, the people attending us would have our mobile phone but wouldn't know whom to call. Yes, there are hundreds of numbers stored but which one is the contact person in case of an emergency? Hence this 'ICE' (In Case of Emergency) Campaign The concept of 'ICE' is catching on quickly. It is a method of contact during emergency situations. All you need to do is store the number of a contact person or persons who should be contacted during emergency under the name 'ICE' ( In Case Of Emergency). In an emergency situation, Emergency Service personnel and hospital Staff would be able to quickly contact the right person by simply dialing the number you have stored as 'ICE.' For more than one contact name simply enter ICE1, ICE2 and ICE3 etc. A great idea that will make a difference! Let's spread the concept of ICE by storing an ICE number in our Mobile phones today! It really could save your life, or put a loved one's mind at rest. ICE will speak for you when you are not able to. |
Smilies
Found in the national newspapers |