Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter

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Safety Tip - car alarm

Air Canada News

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Readers Comment

Historical Photos - 1947 Between Ourselves

Terry's Travel Tips

AC Heritage Poster

Sponsors

Submissions

NetLetter Archives

Since October 1995, Vesta Stevenson and Terry Baker have been issuing an email newsletter for those ex Air Canada types who have provided us with their email addresses. The Newsletter was created by Vesta, who gave the name 'NetLetter' and added 'Between Ourselves' - a TCA periodical with which you are probably familiar with from the 50's and 60's. It was then changed to "Between Yourselves" to avoid confusion when "Horizons" resurrected the name. Then finally simplified to just "The NetLetter".

We believe that our NetLetter, which originates from Vancouver Island, was the FIRST to use this medium to disperse information for retirees of Air Canada.

The NetLetter contains airline related information such as anecdotes or stories supplied by some of the recipients, Internet tips, travel news, cheap... excuse me, "inexpensive" accommodations, tours, interline travel, and, in some small way, we help keep our Air Canada family together and in touch.

Our 'NetLetter' is NOT sponsored by any Pionair group, nor are we seeking any financial support, only the Internet email addresses of those who would like to receive our 'NetLetter'. Please forward this to other retirees who can then subscribe right from the forwarded link at the bottom of this email.

Welcome to the 961st issue of "NetLetter". The NetLetter is the longest running newsletter (since 1995) that is dedicated to Air Canada retirees.

We now estimate that the NetLetter is read by over 2746 retirees when counting our email distribution and those that print the NetLetter and give them out to their friends. The "NetLetter" is written by Vesta Stevenson and Terry Baker from Vancouver Island (see sidebar) and also with articles and comments from "you" our readers. Formatting of text, photos, etc. for this HTML version is done by Webmaster Alan Rust and it is published courtesy of the ACFamily Network at www.acfamily.net

Visiting Canada for the Annual General Meeting of the Pionairs in Victoria BC? - You can claim a refund on Goods Services Tax (GST) you pay. Pick up a form when you arrive at the airport or at any tourist bureau.

GST Visitors’ Rebate Program
On September 25, 2006, the Government of Canada announced the elimination of the GST Visitors’ Rebate Program effective April 1, 2007 as part of a package of spending restraint measures.

You can apply for a GST/HST refund if all of the following conditions apply to you:

* You are not a resident of Canada when you apply for a refund;
* While in Canada, you bought eligible goods for your personal use, and/or you paid for eligible short- term accommodation (e.g., hotels, motels, resorts, bed and breakfasts, hostels, and camping);
* You paid GST/HST on your purchases;
* You have the original receipts that list each item you bought (we do not accept photocopies, debit or credit card slips);
* All of the receipts with eligible goods listed have Proof of Export;
* Each receipt with eligible goods must have a total purchase amount (before taxes are added) of at least $50 CAN (without rounding);
* The total of all of your receipts on eligible goods and eligible short-term accommodation (before taxes are added) must be at least $200 CAN;
* The eligible goods you bought are removed or exported from Canada within 60 days of the date they were delivered to you; and
* We receive your refund application within one year after the date the eligible goods were delivered to you or the tax on the eligible short-term accommodation became payable.

You can claim a refund on short-term accommodation (e.g. hotels, motels, resorts, bed and breakfasts, hostels, and camping) if both of the following conditions apply to you:

* Each accommodation unit was provided to you for less than one month of continuous occupancy; and
* Each receipt shows the number of nights of accommodation in each unit of a lodging establishment made available to you.

You do not need a minimum of $50 CAN on each accommodation receipt to be eligible to claim a refund.
There is no refund of the GST/HST on such items as:
* Car rentals, automotive fuels;
* Entertainment (such as movie tickets, admission fees, ski lift tickets, tourist rides);
* Services such as dry cleaning, shoe repair or hairdressing;
* Food, alcohol, tobacco products;
* Air, train, or bus tickets; or
* Rentals of travel trailers or other recreational vehicles, cruise ship cabins, train berths, or timeshare arrangements.

Start keeping your car keys next to your bed on the night stand when you go to bed at night. If you think someone is trying to get into your house or if you hear a noise outside your house, just press the panic alarm on your car key chain.
Test it !! It will go off from most everywhere inside your house and will keep honking until your battery runs down or until you reset it with the button on the key fob chain. It works if you park in your driveway or garage. If your car alarm goes off when someone is trying to break in your house, odds are the burglar or rapist won't stick around. After a few seconds all the neighbours will be looking out their windows to see who is out there and sure enough the criminal won't want that. And remember to carry your keys while walking to your car in a parking lot. The alarm can work the same way in this situation.

Expansion of service to China - with second daily Vancouver-Beijing flight and more Toronto- Shanghai non-stops. We announced today that we’re doubling our daily Vancouver-Beijing service and increasing the frequencies of its Toronto-Shanghai non-stop flights.
The added Vancouver-Beijing daily flight will operate between July 1 and September 30, using a Boeing 767-300 aircraft.
The Toronto-Shanghai service will begin April 6 with service three days a week. Effective June 30, it will increase to daily service starting for the summer peak and continue as a three-day-a-week service for the 2007-2008 winter schedule.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. has passed on this appeal -
*We are looking for stories that relate to BUSH FLYING IN THE ARCTIC, especially relating to the DHC-2 Beaver and other bush workhorses. Tales of bravery, heroism, valor, survival, rescue, tragedy, love, inspiration, and/or simply stories of flying, and its history, in the Yukon, Alaska, British Columbia area, for our upcoming book. Anecdotes relating to Dick and Theresa Bond, and flying supplies around Atlin BC, Juneau and Whitehorse would be gold dust. Please email stories within the e-mail text (without attachments) to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Cell 404 488 4642.

TCA and forgotten airports

Fergus Kyle sends this story following the article in NetLetter 959 -

The trip to Quebec City via YRQ had to be a perfect example of the interference of mere servants of the public in the business of transporting passengers by air.

My log book says we flew Viscounts on the Montreal- Quebec route in 1967 as AC358-361 without YRQ stops, but by August I had flown Montreal-Trois Rivieres as AC358-7351, with two passengers and empty returning!

By March 1968 I had moved to DC9-14 and -32 and first entry of YRQ was AC358-361 09SEP68 with a/c 712. My earlier experience had taught me that the strip was used in winter by skidoo enthusiasts, and that they had used the approaching landing lights as a warning to evacuate the runway.

Unfortunately when winter snows deepened, the sides became too steep to escape and we saw one or two hiding in the snow drifts at the side. I saw this as truly dangerous and telephoned the local Chief of Police who promised to patrol the strip before scheduled landing.

Next trip, same again.

As the landing was essentially a touchy one anyway (snow and ice with high sides), I decided next time to take precautions. Approaching the field we doused the lights and threw the whole shebang on at the last minute. Sure enough, there were 10 or15 skidoos lit up all over the strip. Our low-and-over (contaminated landing area) gave them a new appreciaiton for noise - and when we came around the second time, the strip was bare except for hats and mitts strewn along the sides. Reversing the thrust on a snowy touchdown must have complicated later ownership claims.
Nary a skidoo in sight.

Funny - never had a problem after that.,

Ferg Kyle This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

PS: For some reason or other (lethargy?) I didn't log the other pilot, so if he reads this, he can confirm the facts.

This photo was taken from an issue of "Between Ourselves" dated March 1947 and sent to me by Terry Baker our co-pilot for the NetLetter.

You can click on the image to get a larger version, but before you do it's interesting to note that the title is "Historical Photos" showing pictures from 1939 which in "1947" was the "early days".

It reminds me of the saying "some one is not old unless they are at least 10 years older than you"

Alan Rust
(F/E - Flight Engineer of the NetLetter)
(I also take care of emptying the honey bucket)

BRITISH AIRWAYS New simpler baggage pollicy
A single allowance system based on the number of bags that can be checked in will be introduced for travel from 13 February 2007.

FIRST and Club World - Customers will be able to check three bags into the aircraft hold free of charge.
Club Europe and World Traveller Plus - Customers will be able to check two bags into the aircraft hold free of charge.
World Traveller*, Euro Traveller, BA Connect & UK Domestic Customers will be able to check one bag into the aircraft hold free of charge.

FIRST - 3 bags (23kg each)
Club World - 3 bags (23 kg each)
World Traveller Plus - 2 bags (23 kg each)
World traveller - 1 bag (23 kg each)

Some of the many deals offered by Dargal for interliners, friends and family -

8 Night Mexico ~ Carnival Spirit ~ Carnival Feb 19
Ports of Call: San Diego, California; Acapulco, Mexico; Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa, Mexico; Manzanillo, Mexico; San Diego, California
From: Interior: $379 Oceanview: $479 Balcony: $749 Suite: $1,149

Enjoy this visual display of Air Canada’s historic fleet from its beginning in 1937 to the present including aircraft from:
- Trans-Canada Air Lines
- Canadian Airlines
- Pacific Western
- Eastern Provincial
- Nordair
- Transair
- Wardair

This 68 x 96 cm (27 x 38 inch) poster is printed in full colour on high quality paper and depicts over 300 aircraft and liveries flown by Air Canada throughout its history.

The cost of the poster is $24.99 plus tax and shipping where applicable. This is a great gift for Christmas, reunions, retirements and birthday gifts, etc.

A donation is made to Dreams Take Flight for each poster that is sold. Any other profits support the operation of the ACFamily Network which brings you this newsletter.

The hosting and mailing of the NetLetter as well as the conversion to HTML format is provided compliments of the ACFamily Network and Nerds On Site. Content is researched and submitted by Vesta Stevenson and Terry Baker. Thank you for letting us into your homes!

Important reminder, for all new articles, submissions and or comments for the "The Netletter" please send to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (Please add to your Address Books).

This e-mail address has been set up so that both of us Terry & Vesta (exclusively) will get an automatic copy and so we can keep up with the continuity of news for the NetLetter.

To make changes to your e-mail address or to unsubscribe, please see the links at the bottom of the page for "Update Profile/Email address" and SafeUnsubscribe. This is now automated so that you can remove yourself from the list or change your email address (or name) without our assistance. We will still do this manually if you have any difficulties.

Many of our members are having difficulty finding these links. You will need to scroll to the bottom of the page, the link is similar to the following image. (The image below doesn't work but your links at the bottom will).


Vesta, Terry and Alan thank you for your co- operation.

The archives of the NetLetter are kept on the ACFamily Network Forums area. They are in plain text format so you can print them from there if desired. If you are not a member of the ACFamily Network yet, we encourage you to join us there. Non members can Register here. (It's Free!)