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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.

For our new readers

We now estimate that the NetLetter is read by over 2702 retirees when counting our email distribution and those that print the NetLetter and give them out to their friends.

To get in touch with either the Editor/Pilot or Co- Pilot our email address is still This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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 in similar to the following image. (The image below doesn't work but your links at the bottom will).

Thank you

Alan Rust - ACFamily Administrator

Getting ready to ship those holiday packages? With the holiday season fast approaching, it's time to think abut those packages you plan to send to friends and family. Federal Express offers all ACE employees a special discount shipping rate of 75 per cent on a "space available" basis subject to load limitations. So, if you intend on using Fed Ex for your shipping needs, please do so early.

This year, the holiday blackout period is from Dec. 19 to 24.

Also, specific FedEx locations may limit interline shipping to 90 minutes prior to station closing during December.

To send that special shipment, a valid picture identification card must be presented at any of the FedEx shipment locations. Air Canada and Air Canada Jazz retirees are eligible to use the FedEx discount. If the FedEx agent is unsure about the policy for retirees, ask him or her to refer to DRS in COSMOS, screen 4, category 12, and use the keyword "airline" for a complete list of who's eligible. Also, as this is both a privilege and a busy shipping period, try to use "off peak" office hours when using Fed Ex services. More information can be found on Aeronet under Tools and References/ Employee Discounts, on the FedEx website at www.fedex.ca or by calling FedEx at 1-800-GoFedEx.

In addition to the Air Canada partner trip pass allotment, participating Star Alliance members allow travel partners (maximum of two per trip) to travel on their flights using ZH (high level) ZED fares. Active employees and retirees are eligible for ZL (low level) ZED fares and must accompany their travel partners:
- Adria Airways
- Austrian Airlines (Lauda Air & Tyrolean Airways)
- British Midland (BMI Regional)
- LOT Polish Airlines (Eurolot SA)
- Lufthansa Airlines (Augsburg, Condor, Lufthansa Cityline & Contactair)
- Scandinavian Airlines (SAS Commuter, Air Botnia, Braathens & Wideroes, Flyveselskap)
- Spanair (Aerolineas de Baleares)
- United Airlines (Ted)
- US Airways (Air Midwest, Allegheny Airlines, Chautauqua Airlines, Colgan, Mesa Jet, Midway Airlines, Midatlantic, Piedmont Airlines, PSA Airlines, - Shuttle America & Trans States Airlines)
- Varig Brazilian Airlines (Rio Sul Services Rgnls & Nordeste Linhas Aeras Rgnls)

AC and ACR active and retired employees eligible for travel on other carriers qualify to purchase 8 Star Alliance travel partner ZED tickets per year at a ZH level (high).

Each eligible employee and retiree's profile has been updated to display their Star Alliance Travel Program allotment of 8 tickets. This year the Star Alliance Travel Partner Allotment is separate from the AC partner pass allotment.

Air Canada DVD - Your co-pilot has received his copy and screened it. I was a tad disappointed in the content. It does not mention the leaders who provided guidance in the informative years ie Gordon McGregor, Harris Hollis or the popular Claude Taylor, nor the lack of guidance under of that of Pratte and Baldwin. Very good dialogue from Fraser Muir our historian, Kevin Fisher in the YVR SOC, Steve Slater and Randy van Ness pilots, Rick Joyce F/A , Bruse Twnedy and John Sakala ramp YVR, Eva Mossop an early F/A and Ivan Subaza YVR ramp and observations from some unidentified personnel.

Many in flight segments of most of the aircraft operated over the years. Anyone contemplating getting their own copy may want to wait until it is aired on TV next February as part of the "Wings over Canada" series before deciding to shelling out their own ca$42.05 for a copy.

Those planning to travel over the Christmas season and carrying gifts, either in carry-on or checked luggage, should be aware that the gifts are subject to examination.

You are advised NOT to wrap and seal the gift packages.

PASSENGER WANTED TO STEP OUTSIDE FOR A SMOKE - A French tourist has been given a stern warning by an Australian judge to "behave yourself" on airplanes after she apparently tried to open a door in flight to have a cigarette. Sadrine Helene Sellies, 34, was also ordered to post a $1,000 AUD bond that she'll get back as long as she doesn't try something like that again in the next year. Through an interpreter, Sellies told the court she's terrified of flying and consumed alcohol and sleeping pills before walking to the exit, cigarette in hand, and trying to move the handle. She was spotted by a flight attendant and put back in her seat. Sellies said she doesn't remember anything about the flight.

A book recently published called "A Mojava Scrapbook - Vol 1" details information regarding aircraft stored and scrapped, including the ex- Continental DC10-30 reg N137AA, the ill fated aircraft implicated in the Air France Concorde crash because a piece of the engine fell onto the SST's take-off path at Paris.

AerCap makes $14 billion A320 commitment Airbus is finishing strong in Dubai after receiving a commitment for 70 A320s from AerCap, the Amsterdam-based leasing and asset management firm formerly known as debis AirFinance

JetBlue Airways Corp. today introduces online bag check in, available at all of the low-fare airline's U.S. locations. Customers may check up to two bags in online, and bag tag numbers will automatically print on the boarding passes.

Albert Kolk, the Canadian rancher whose SR20 parachuted to safety April 8, 2004, in the rugged Monashee Mountains of south central British Columbia, said his plane is undergoing repairs and he hopes to have it back by Christmas.

According to the Canadian Transportation Safety Board report on the incident, the plane went into a spiral dive while flying on autopilot at about 9,500 feet. Kolk pulled the chute and he and three other occupants stepped out of the aircraft on a rockslide near Edgewood, B.C.

Sandy Ironside sends this information - Some time ago, 4 of us booked Caesar Tours to China, which included a trip along the Yangtze River to visit the 3 gorges. Most of it went well, except that the tour of Shanghai was cancelled because Pres. Bush was there (the city was pretty well shut down). However, when we boarded the cruise boat for our cruise, we were told that the 2 cabins we had booked were oversold by Caesar Tours, and all they had for us were 2 offices - they brought in 4 rollaway cots (tricky sleep on a ship on the river), furthermore, there were no bathrooms. We had to use the washrooms in the fitness rooms. The captain said we could have free facilities on the boat to make up for this.

We had free laundry and a free haircut. We sent a message to Caesar Tours while we were on the boat (for $50) which they never responded to. When we returned home, I sent photos of the accommodation to Caesar Tours. One girl said they received them. Everyone else said they never arrived. I tried for a month, two times a day, to talk to a supervisor or manager, at the 1 800 number you show. Everytime the agent took a message, promising an immediate reply. The supervisor/manager was always on a call, or in a meeting. Once the agent said perhaps a $50 credit toward future trips would be sent to us. The management person never....repeat....never... was available, and never responded. After over a month of trying, I gave up, as I'm sure they expected me to.

I would highly recommend you try to talk to a supervisor at their 1 800 number, asking for any kind of refund, or siting any made up problem, and see how you make out.

I will never use Caesar Tours again. If you can't get a supervisor or manager to speak to you, you can be sure the business is not legitimate.

They are in business to increase their profits, but never to speak to a customer about any possibility of a problem.

Again, I've been meaning to advise you of their service ever since you started advertising, but never got around to it until now.

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

(The information mentioned in 'Terry's travel tips' is NOT on behalf of any interline company mentioned, but is for information only - eds)

CANADIAN MAPLE WINGS ASSOCIATION: Flight Attendant History. Editor, April Tredgett. Private Publishing. 2005.

Layout , photographs and jacket cover, Underline Studio, Toronto Jacket cover photo, graduating class on a downtown Montreal street, 1951.

Publication of a 500-page volume of flight attendant memoirs. The 133 storytellers offer lively, informative, and amusing insights into their work experiences during the formative years of TCA/Air Canada.

Black and white edition $40 Special colour edition $80 Plus $10 Canada Post and packaging.

Contact Beryl Smith email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (905)728-8499

We recently placed some photos on the photo section of the Pionairs web site, under Sept- Isle and sent to us by Paul Cromier - One picture mentions a jumbo, however, Jean-Louis Trépanier Ex Québecair a Rimouski et Montréal. identifies it as a C- 124 Globe Master used for an airlift Mont-Joli and Frobisher Bay for the DEW LINE...

We wish to point out that the interline tours printed in our NetLetter is for information only and is no way intended to be a recommendation for either any trip or the interline company involved. We receive information from about 10 different interline companies and we arbitrarily select samples to print. In no way are we coerced in our selection, nor do we receive anything in the way of sponsorship from any company, personally, or otherwise!.

Travel

Written after a report that an airline pilot, with his aircraft on automatic pilot, had fallen asleep at the controls and had to be woken by members of the crew!

No Alarm on the Flight Deck

We're on automatic pilot and the lights are soft and low, The passengers are sleeping wrapped in blankets, row on row,

But I'm on full alert on every aeroplane I take, One question always haunts me: 'Is the pilot still awake?'

Up beyond the curtain is he slumped at the controls, Sleeping like a baby with an aircraft full of souls,

Are we in his Jumbo, DC-I0 or one eleven On a one way ticket not to Sydney but to Heaven?

Has he got a little bedside table for his cash, Does he put his slippers on and cross them on the dash,

As the automatic pilot steers us out across the deep, Does he slacken off his tie and gently fall asleep?

Droning through the cumulus, dancing with the dawn, Does the pilot shift a little, stretch himself .and yawn,

As the sun appears, flirtatious, pink upon the brow, Does he idly wonder 'Where the blazes are we now?'

Does he struggle upright, shrugging on his pilot's coat, And chipper to the crew say 'Well, the old bus stayed afloat! ,

As the panorama is unfurling underneath, Is he lifting up the glass and fishing out his teeth.

As a ray of sun illuminates the line of dials, Does he rub his eyes and say 'Good grief! We've done some miles!'

Seeing his co-pilot does he gently pat his hand, And softly say 'Wake up! I think we're coming in to land!'

Bronzed and manly pilot, here's a message from the rear, Do not fall asleep for we're counting on you here,

Keep your wits about you as you circle, as you climb. So we can die of fright when coming back in six weeks' time.

The mailing and formating of the NetLetter for HTML format is provided by 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!

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!)