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Vesta's Corner
  This weeks postcard sent to me from Dubai - Oct 2007 Dubai, United Arab Emirates Vesta Here is one for your collection from Dubai, enjoy Regards. LG WILSON. Note: for our new readers, I have been collecting postcards from our travelling NetLetter "family" for many years. If you are away and have a minute, I'd be delighted to get one from you as well. You can obtain my address by sending an email to |
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Christmas Gift Ideas
 Cabin Fever Calendar - 2008The 2008 issue of "Cabin Fever - In the Wings" calendar is now available. "In the Wings" depicts the many roles that flight attendants play both on and off the aircraft. All proceeds are to the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation. Cost: $20.00 and includes postage. See: www.cabinfevercalendar.com  AIRLINE PILOTS OF CANADA - Editors Kip Powick and Duane Frerichs. © 2006 Memorable Collectors Edition CD containing 2,245 pages of biographies, stories, and memoirs, plus over 1200 photos. Cost: $29.95 + postage and handling See: www.acfamily.com/CD/  The AC Heritage Poster is a perfect gift for present, past and future Air Canada, Canadi>n employees and all the other airlines that had at one time been part of what is now Air Canada. There are over 300 aircraft on the poster that made up the fleets from Air Canada, Jazz, Tango, Canadian Airlines, Wardair, Pacific Western, Canadian Pacific, CP Air, Nordair, Transair, Eastern Provincial Airways, etc.Cost: 24.99 plus shipping and handling See: www.acheritage.com (A portion of the proceeds of every poster sold goes to Dreams Take Flight) |
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Dreams Take Flight
 Dreams Take Flight - Norma Morin |
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Air Canada - the first 70 years
 1977
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TCA/AC Events & People Gallery
 Posing at Dorval in April 1946 Garry Gauvis teletype operator Dorval, Agnes Beerman radio operator Moncton and Elaine Fife teletype operator Dorval.  Windsor in 1945  Some of the staff at Windsor. Left to right: Radio Operator Bob Edgar, Station Manager G.C. Munro, Captain R. Leek, F.O. J.Foy, Passenger Agent J.K. Barbesin, Stewardess L. Housman, Passenger Agent Jack Eaton and Passenger Agent B.A. Soullier. The first DC3 flight arrived December 1st 1945.  Pictured is the crew for that flight, Windsor Station Manager Gary Munro, Stewardess Cora Donahue, Captain R. Leek and Captain L. Weatherall. |
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Canadi>n/CPAir/PWA, Wardair, etc. Events & People
From the "Contact" magazine March 23, 1990 loaned by Bill Wood. 
Some of the "girls" of the operation A - Ursula Rhodes Aircraft mechanic - YVR 
Delores Klatzel - mechanic Calgary Remember when? During the first week of January 1991, a severe storm hit Vancouver which necessitated the de-icing of aircraft, the first time for 20 years to be de-iced in a hanger. Some 11 aircraft were being de-iced, the first being the B747-400 of CPAir. Supervisor was Bill Wood, Line Maintenance. A full load of Honolulu bound passengers were onboard and sat through the event. |
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Readers Feedback
Subject: B747 Hangar Your article re the B747 hangar at Dorval was indeed extremely interesting. However, I think that a few clarifications are in order and they are as follows: As the Operations manager for Air France, Dorval airport, I have been personally involved in the company's 747 incident and was specifically assigned by the station manager at the time the task of liaison between Air Canada, the Boeing team detached from Seattle and the Air France maintenance team sent from Paris to assist in the retrieval and repairs of the damaged A/C. Incidentally, the air mattresses used were borrowed from PanAm JFK and shipped by road to Dorval. This 747 (Flight 031 Paris to Chicago via Montreal, not the reverse as stated in the article) took off around 1:30 PM on runway 28 but the captain (Captain Chanoine) decided to return to YUL a short time after due to hydraulic problems and the A/C lost its steering ability after landing and hit the snowbank with the resultant engine snow ingestion (3 engines changed) and damages to the front landing gear. Due to the very cold weather conditions, arrangements were made to use the AC hangar after arduous negotiations between the two airlines presidents caused by the fact that the hangar was not fully operational and penalty fees would be charged by the contractor due to the facility's unavailability. It took two weeks to return the airplane into service. I am now a full member of the AC Pionairs, having left AF and served with AC from 1977 to 1992. Sincerely, B. Halsey-Russaouen Dorval  Archive Alert! Note: See Netletter #994 and #995 for the full story. Bill Norberg sends us yet another memory for your enjoyment- The Super Constellation years. The introduction of the Super Constellation fleet into Trans-Canada Air Lines service was an exciting time. The North Star fleet was well settled into its operations and the Viscount fleet had entered service with excellent customer approval. The addition of the Superconnies became the bridge between piston powered aircraft era and the planned arrival of the jet powered Douglas DC-8's in early 1960. An exciting time. The Superconnie was powered with 3350 HP Wright Turbo compound powerplants with Curtiss Electric hollow steel blade propellers. The only other time TCA had used Wright engines was when three DC-3W aircraft were based in Vancouver to operate the mountain flights. These Connie engines were to be overhauled by Bristol Aero Engine in Montreal as it was not economical to set up the power plant shop for the relatively few engines involved. This was the only time engine maintenance for TCA/Air Canada was subcontracted. The Superconnies were an interesting aircraft from a design viewpoint. They had a sweeping cambered fuselage shape that it was claimed, provided around 2.8 % of the aerodynamic lift, as well as having three tail fins. The powerplants were unique in the sense that 350 horsepower of its rated power of 3350 horsepower came from 3 Power Recovery Turbines that were powered by the exhaust gases as they exited the engine exhaust system. This was a costly system to maintain and while it contributed 10 % of the rated engine power, it was accountable for about 24 % of engine material costs. The propeller system was unique in the sense that it had, in addition to a Curtiss Electric propeller synchronizer system, it had an auto feathering system. This system was designed to feather a propeller as quickly as possible should there be a loss of engine power. This was required to reduce the drag presented by the large propellers. A torque cell was incorporated in each engine that measured Brake Mean Effective Pressure, or BMEP, and when this pressure dropped by 10 % or more, it would automatically feather the affected propeller. With this system in operation only one propeller could be auto feathered. If this system was not in operation due to choice or being unserviceable, then a 5000 pound payload loss would be invoked. This imposed a serious financial penalty on the profitability of the aircraft. Pilots consider the feathering of propellers to be a serious decision and one that should only be done with the full knowledge and decision of the pilot in charge. The pilots were suspicious of this system and insisted that Engineering carry out a very thorough investigation before this system would be approved for operations. They wanted to know for sure that this system could not be accidentally activated without their knowledge. Accordingly, when the first Superconnie arrived in Dorval from Lockheed it underwent the most detailed engineering examination possible. Every unit, switch junction box and wiring run was examined in detail and finally it was declared to be safe and airworthy. It was technically impossible to inadvertently feather a propeller, or to auto feather more than one propeller at a time. This was accepted by Flight Operations and the system was operational. I forget the exact date, but it was before 1955, when I was to become aware of an incident involving a double propeller auto feathering on a Superconnie during a ground run in Dorval. I was acting Foreman of the Accessory shop at the time and Walter Chopp was the Assistant foreman in charge of Electrical Line maintenance. After his morning tour he came to the shop and said there had been an incident of double auto-feathering during a ground run .My reaction was very simple..."It was not possible...The system will not allow it due to the interlock relays which deactivate the feathering circuits once an auto feathering has occurred." He agreed, but nevertheless said it had happened. I then asked what was found to be the cause. His answer was concerning in that they could not find a cause...the system appeared normal. The aircraft was released for service and departed for London England. The next thing we knew, the same thing happened in London during a ground run. The system was decommissioned, and the aircraft flew back with a 5000-pound weight penalty. Upon arrival in Dorval another detailed examination of the system came up with the same answer...again, everything was normal. Out it went for another ground run and guess what...it had another double auto-feathering. Walter was beginning to tear his hair out at this point. What to do next? He was sitting at the Flight Engineers position during the run up and when he went to stand up he bumped his head on the overhead panel. Immediately 3 auto-featherings happened! We now knew where to focus the investigation. The upshot of the investigation determined that the interlock relays, while operating perfectly from an electrical aspect, could be actuated by a physical blow or harmonic vibration caused by engine vibration during run ups. The solution was a redesigned relay box with relays that could not be activated with physical blows or vibrations. The other serious problem with operation of the Superconnies was engine over-speeds caused by a failure in the propeller synchronizer system. Cases of engine over-speed required inspection of the affected engines for possible damage. The Superconnies were often ferried back to Dorval on a "Three engine ferry basis" when a power plant change was necessary as spare power plants were not stocked at all stations. to be continued ..... John (Bill) Norberg You may recall that CF-TGE ended its life in a field in Quebec where it was rescued and set up outside the Constellation Hotel in Toronto, and then moved to the north side of Pearson Airport as a restaurant. Unsuccessful efforts were made to keep the aircraft in Canada.- eds. Fred Coyle sends us this update on CF-TGE fin 405  Pictured is CF-TGE at Seattle. I thought this might be of interest. They are making good progress and I think one day we will be proud of our restored old TCA Connie Kind regards, Fred Coyle The Connie has been towed and hangared - see here: Check the following web site for more pictures. www.rbogash.com/connie_tow.html A short history -  Pictured abandoned in a field in Quebec  Guarding the Constellation Hotel in YYZ  As a restaurant on the north side of YYZThere are a lot of photos of CF-TGE at the Super Connie web site created when there was an attempt to have this airplane remain in Canada. See: www.canadiansuperconnie.org (We're very pleased that it ended up in good hands, even if not in Canada) |
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Terry's Travel Tips
Sydney Marriott is offering the Travel Industry a special for the summer months! - $199.00 per deluxe room per night including two fully cooked buffet breakfasts. Valid from 23 November 2007 to 27 January 2008 (excluding 28 December 2007 to 03 January 2008) - all bookings are strictly subject to industry rate availability. To book send an email directly to the hotel: 9361 8400 (+61 2 9361 8400) or fax 02 9361 8599 (+61 2 9361 8599). Located on Sydney's picturesque Hyde Park and minutes from Oxford Street, the gateway to Paddington, our Sydney Hotel is boutique in size and grand in style. At the Sydney Marriott Hotel experience world class service at the perfect location from which to enjoy all Sydney has to offer. Our Sydney hotel is at the junction of downtown Sydney's business precinct, cultural delights and moments from Darling Harbour, the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Botanic Gardens. With views of Sydney Tower, our contemporary guestrooms blend comfort with convenience including Marriott 'Revive' bedding. We distinguish Sydney Football Stadium and ourselves with exemplary staff and world class facilities, all within easy reach of vibrant nightlife, Oxford Street restaurants and for sports enthusiasts, close to major stadiums such as Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). Sydney Marriott Hotel 36 College Street Sydney, NSW 2010 Australia Tel: +61 2 9361 8400 Fax: +61 2 9361 8599 Email for Reservations: Website: www.mirvachotels.com.au |
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This weeks Smiley
 (Click on image for larger photo)
Picture courtesy of
Canadian Aviation Historical Society (Montreal Chapter) Are you an aviation buff? Join the CAHS! See: www.cahs.ca for details. |