Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter

Following the short article in "Wayne's Wings" NetLetter #1365 regarding the DC-9, here we have information regarding the retirement of the final DC-9 in Air Canada.

After 35 years of service with Air Canada, the DC-9 was retired from the fleet on January 13, 2002. Our photo - 'Goodbye to an old friend' - shows retired Captain Carl W. Sandelin, giving the thumbs up while waiting in a seat he is very familiar with. Carl holds the world record for most hours flown in a DC-9. 

Air Canada’s last scheduled DC-9 passenger flight was operated with CF-TLL Fin #711 from La Guardia to Montreal on January 18, 2002.

Issue dated October 2009. (with permission)

Air Canada Jetz flies U2 on its 360° tour (2009).

The Irish rock band's current North American tour is now underway with Air Canada Jetz flying U2 on its 360° tour until the end of October. 

"This is the third time U2 has chosen Air Canada Jetz for its airline when on tour in North America and it clearly speaks volumes to the service the Jetz crews are renowned for said Caroline Cristofaro, Manager Charter Marketing & Sales.

''Thanks go to everyone involved in Jetz for your passion and drive in making the Jetz product one of the best out there!`"

Air Canada's Rapidair service launched in 1972 as a convenient new service between Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto.

Originally the service included special lounges with telephones at the gate area, a first which allowed customers to call and tell their wives they would be home early for dinner! Plus there was coffee and refreshments.

There were dedicated airport gates, high frequency flights departing every half hour through morning and evening peak period, and hourly during the day. A bar was also operated in Montreal, but denied by the LCBO at our Ottawa and Toronto locations. In October 1974, our first B727-200's were introduced in a 144 seat all economy configuration. 

Some of the airlines which have competed on the Eastern triangle include Quebecair, Nordair, EPA, Nationair, Intair, Royal, Canjet, Canada 3000, Jetsgo, Greyhound, CP Air (including The Company Jet and Attaché), Canadian, City Express and Wardair.

The Rapidair brand was expanded in Western Canada in the 1990s as a shuttle service called "Rapidair West" between Calgary - Vancouver and Calgary - Edmonton

Stylish walkway. (Source: moments.aircanada.com)

It may look like a space-age tunnel or a scene from Apollo-13, but it's actually a sewer pipe.

When Air Canada launched Rapidair in 1972, it looked for an innovative way to connect Montreal's Raidair lounge to departing aircraft.

With a little help from designers, the pipe becomes a stylish, heated walkway painted with white stucco finish and outfitted with mauve carpet and chrome handrails.

Engine change in Halifax.

On August 21, 2009, flight AC654, C-FKCO fin #221, had just taken off from Halifax when it experienced an engine in-flight shut down. The aircraft, A320-211, had to return to Halifax for an engine change.

The crew was Captain John Baird and First Officer Geoffrey Hamblin. Flight service crew members were Lynn Leveille, Martin Cloutier, Trong-Qui Dao and Genevieve Page.

Air Canada had an AOG (Aircraft on Ground) situation. Engine changes were not scheduled in Halifax and had not been for several years, therefore there was no spare serviceable engine immediately available nor a crew capable of performing an engine change. A crew was assembled from volunteer Licensed Aircraft Technicians from Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal. The replacement engine was transported by road in 16 hours from Montreal on a flatbed truck by DB Schenker.

By August 24, the A320 was declared serviceable and flew passengers to Montreal on flight AC665.

Here we have a photo of the engine change crew. The multi-city engine change team.

From left to right: Troy Carkner (YOW), Roland Vroye (YUL), Jesus Concepcion (YYZ), Greg Milley (YOW), Byron Budden (YHZ), David Gatner (YYZ), Mark Vatta (YYZ), Brian Fissel (YHZ) and Nathaniel Doucette (YYZ).

YUL Stores lose 775 years’ experience.

There were over two hundred in attendance at the Dorval Community Centre on January 24, 1992 to say farewell.

In our photo we have the YUL retirees. From left to right: Tony Virqona, Mike Teesdale, Peter Thomson, Jerry St-Germain, Leo Beauchamp, Don Dryden, Robert Hibberd, Tony Leon, John Dratva, Sam Barclay, Ralph Stone, Mike Kukla, Bill Eaton, Hugo Guilbault, Ian Wilson, Frank Robertson, Joe Nagy, Robert Poth, Guy Turpin and Andy Roy.

Missing from the YUL photo are: Andre Lauzon (YMX), Ernie Smith, Ron Johnstone and Lawson Garayt. Also retired Harry Moxan (YWG), Ernie Chudly (YVR)

From YYZ: Bill Cantwell, Les Stevenson, Norm Brown and Tom Griffin.

From the Southern Alberta Pionairs Winter 2018 newsletter

We have this photo of the Calgary Pionair Board, which was taken at their Christmas luncheon December 2017.

Left to right: Mike Cush, Membership Coordinator; Liz Smith, Courtesy Coordinator; official Santa (Mrs. Claus was out with the elves and missed the picture); Stella Leblanc, Secretary; Alexandra Slawek, Social Coordinator; Rene Hale, Treasurer; and Wendy Kraft, District Director.