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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.

Our co-pilot is off on his travels again, back late June.

Chief pilot Vesta will still be in the 'left seat' handling the NetLetter.

Important reminder, while Terry is away - For all new articles, submissions and comments or to just get in touch with either the Editor/Pilot (Vesta) or Co-Pilot (Terry) our email address is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

We now estimate that the NetLetter is read by over 2719 retirees when counting our email distribution and those that print the NetLetter and give them out to their friends.

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.

Friends and members of the BC Aviation Museum;
Dates to be noted for 2006.
The B.C. Aviation Museum is staging their Annual Open House for 2006, on August 5th, from 9:00 to 5:00 pm. We are celebrating the 16th year for the Aviation Museum and “A Century of B.C. Aviation History”, dating back to 1909.
The day will begin with a Pancake Breakfast starting at 9:00 a.m. Aircraft, large and small, aviation displays, a classic car line-up and more will be featured along with “kids’ stuff”, hamburgers and hotdogs, pop and ice-cream.
Admission is by donation. The museum is located at 1910 Norseman Rd. in Sidney, on the East side of the Victoria Airport. Visit www.bcam.net or call 655-3300 for more information or details.
Do you have an aircraft or an aviation related display that you would like to bring out to the museum on Open House day for public display? Contact a Board of Directors member to participate. (All Board Members are listed on the museum web site.)

Also...
On Saturday, August 12th, at 8:00 p.m. the BC Aviation Museum will again hold their annual Hangar Dance featuring the “Big Band” Sound of the ‘40’s. Advance ticket sales only (no tickets will be sold at the door).. Tickets may be purchased in advance of this date at the Museum Gift Shop. Call 655-3300 for more information or to make reservations.
Jacqueline Frampton
Valerie Richards
Joan Kornegay-Glass
Media Relations Group
BC Aviation Museum

Less than two weeks after establishing a foothold in China with the addition of Shanghai Airlines, Star Alliance on May 22nd., solidified its presence with the addition of Air China, the country's most profitable carrier.

Clint Ward reminds us of this historic event which took place June 1st., 1957 - The first non stop flight for T.C.A. First the correspondence with Capt, Cartwright -

Dear Captain Cartwright:
You are probably aware that Flight 5/June 1st,(1957) which we understand you will be taking to Vancouver, will be launched with considerable ceremony from Toronto and we thought it best "to give you some of the details beforehand.
As this is an important flight, being the first non-stop in TCA history, both headquarters and we here would like to get as much publicity, as possible by 'Way of the press, TV, etc. We have arranged for a giveaway to the passengers in the form of an hourglass appropriately inscribed, and these will be placed on board to be given to all passengers and crew members enroute. We are also asking the attendants on board to pass around a form, see attached, and would appreciate if you or the First Officer would cooperate by, announcing the official take-off time in order to help the passengers determine the E.T.A. in Vancouver. We do not wish to involve you too much in this contest except to ensure that you will be the final judge on arrival in Vancouver, as indicated in the instructions.
There will be photographers and CBC representatives meeting your flight at Vancouver and to obtain the maximum publicity I would like to suggest that the presentation of the watch be made after the passengers disembark from the aircraft.
We are also presenting a gold wristwatch, appropriately inscribed on the back, to Mayor Fred Hume of Vancouver, as well as a cigarette lighter, gift of the City of Toronto to Mayor Hume. We would appreciate if you would, after landing at Vancouver, contact Al Carlson, Regional Public Relations Officer, who will arrange to present these to Mayor Hume. By copy of this letter to Mr. Carlson I am asking him to make the necessary arrangements.

TRANS-CANADA AIR LINES
E.D.T.


INAUGURAL FLIGHT - JUNE 1, 1957 PACIFIC MERCURY NON-STOP SERVICE TORONTO - VANCOUVER
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

10.15 a.m. - Georgetown Girls Pipe Band - arrival and parade on ramp.
10.30 a.m. - Passengers check in for Pacific Mercury Flight 5 - TCA check-in counter.
10.35 a.m. - Arrival Flight 5 from Montreal.
(A red carpet and decorated passenger stand will be rolled up to the aircraft for send-off ceremonies)
10.45 a.m. - God Save The Queen
Acting Mayor, Mrs. Jean Newman, accompanied by Mr. Frank Young, TCA Central Region Operations manager, will be escorted to platform where inaugural ceremonies are to take place. Mr. Young was co- pilot of the first trans-continental flight on April 1st, 1939.
D. F. Barclay, Reg. PRO, will introduce Mr. Young and Mrs. Newman. - Following her address Mrs. Newman will autograph, on behalf of the City of Toronto, a message to the City of Vancouver. This reads; GREETINGS FROM TORONTO TO VANCOUVER FIRST NON-STOP FLIGHT - 8 HOURS
(President, Toronto City Council)
10.50 a.m. - A cigarette lighter, gift of the City to Mayor Fred Hume of Vancouver, will be presented to Captain Roy Cartwright of Flt. 5 for delivery in Vancouver.
TCA stewardess will present flowers to Mrs. Newman.
10.55 a.m.
11.05 a.m.
11.45 a.m.
Passengers board flight. TCA stewardesses and band form "Guard of Honour". (Prior to departure individual pictures of passengers and crew will be taken) Departure of Flight 5 for Vancouver. ******* Guests proceed to Toronto Flying Club for refreshments and luncheon.

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

(If anyone was involved in this event, Clint would be happy to hear from you - eds)

CHINESE PILOTS TRAIN IN CANADA
A flight school in the Canadian province of New Brunswick says it will train up to 900 pilots for China Southern Airlines over the next five years. Officials of Moncton Flight College, of Moncton, N.B., say they expect to sign the $70 million deal in the next few days. The deal is the result of more than five years of inspections, negotiations and renovations (the college did a $6 million CAD expansion).
"This is part of a very large growth and expansion program over the next five to ten years," Mike Doiron, the school's principal, told the New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal. "It's really going to place New Brunswick as a key player in the flight training market." Full article here...

A chapter of aviation history came to a close Tuesday when the final two 717s, numbers 155 and 156, were delivered to Midwest Airlines and AirTran Airways respectively, the No. 2 and No. 1 largest customers for the twinjet, which started life as the MD-95 in 1995

There's a club for that, too...

An exchange overheard between an Australian charter company and ATC. The company was in mid- April flying a DC-3 carrying a wedding party at 2000 feet over Sydney harbour while the nuptials took place. The flight's pilot made sure ATC was aware and ready to coordinate a return to the airport...

DC-3: ...and, Sydney, we'll soon be finished with the ceremony and looking for a higher altitude for the return.
[soon after]
DC-3: ...So that's it. He does, she does, and that much is done.
ATC: Very well.
[pause]
You're cleared for the return at 5280 feet. (Laughing) And tell them to make it snappy.

Enjoy this visual display of Air Canada’s historic fleet from its beginning in 1937 to the present including aircraft from:
- Trans-Canada Airlines
- Canadian Airlines
- Pacific Western
- Eastern Provincial
- Nordair
- Transair
and 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 reunions, retirements and birthday gifts, etc.

A donation is made to Dreams Take Flight for each poster that is sold.

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.

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!)