Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter

About us!

Need to Know - Vesta

Nice to Know...

Air Canada News

Other items

Canadian Aviation Historical Society

ACRA System Bowling

Terry's Travel Tips

Smilie

Archives

Sponsors

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.

Spring is here! (at least in BC) Please don't forget that you can print the NetLetter and give a copy to an airline friend that doesn't have Internet access. Also, if this is too fancy to print, you can always print the text only version from our Archives on the ACFamily Network. See the bottom of this email for further details.

We now estimate that the NetLetter is read by over 2700 retirees when counting our email distribution and those that print the NetLetter out 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 Safe Unsubscribe. This is nowl 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 (of course) manually if you have any difficulties.

Spring Break

Many retirees forget about Spring Break at this time of year. It's best to keep this in mind if you are planning to travel this month, especially to Florida.

Ontario Spring Break is from March 14 - 18, 2005

British Columbia Spring Break is from March 21 - 25, 2005

Also, Easter weekend is early this year from Good Friday, March 25 to Easter Monday, March 28, 2005.

Check the flight loads carefully!

Letter of Verification
Letters of Verification of Air Canada Retiree status, required by cruise lines and other providers of interline discounts may be obtained by sending an e- mail request, including your name and employee number, to Elaine Tremblay at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Please submit these requests well in advance of the date they will be required. Letters are valid for 90 days from date of issue.

Be aware that the insurance company Johnson Inc., advertised by Pionairs, do not provide house insurance for either mobile or manufactured homes.

Update on new Air Canada uniform. The prototypes of our new uniforms revealed during cross- Canada employee events last October received overwhelmingly positive response from our employees. Since that time, a lot of work has gone into refining the details of the designs based on feedback from the uniform committee on which both CUPE and the CAW have representatives. With these initial changes now incorporated in the designs, we will begin two-months of wear testing in April. The Globe and Mail reported recently that CUPE had filed a grievance on the basis that the company has not consulted with them on the new uniforms in a meaningful fashion. "Because we know just how important the uniform is for our employees, we have been diligent to include them throughout the process, since it began last fall," said Susan Welscheid, Vice-President, Inflight. "Everyone agrees that the current green uniform, which is more than 10 years old, is in urgent need of an update. Furthermore, the wear test will give us the opportunity to make further changes - that's what the process is all about."

Web check-in expands and goes worldwide. The one thing everyone wants when they travel is for things to go simply and smoothly. Long an industry leader in using technology to simplify travel, Air Canada's growing list of innovative travel tools has just gotten better. Effective today, March 4, we've expanded our popular online check-in service to include all its flights departing Canada. Now, customers leaving from Canada to any destination in the U.S. or overseas can check-in and print their boarding passes from the convenience of their home or office by visiting www.aircanada.com - international flights bound for Canada will be added in the near future. In tandem with this week's earlier announcement about customers being able to use our self-service kiosks without using a credit card or frequent flyer member card, we're working hard to make our customers' entire travel experience an enjoyable one.

Latest on CF-TCC

The Lockheed has not flown for almost three years now due to recent happenings throughout the airline, as you can understand. It is parked in the museum in Winnipeg and kept in fine condition by those great mechanics who always volunteered their time , from Winnipeg Maintenance base. Good on them. It certainly could fly again should the occasion arise in the future !
Capt. Al. MacLeod
Retired Lockheed pilot !

From the monthly UK Pionairs newsletter issued by Tony Coleman
First of all, we've arranged a great day out which will be both interesting and unusual. Our coach will depart Heathrow (Radius Park) on Monday, 18th April, and will take us to the London Eye area where we will match up with a Duck Tour, taking us on a 75-minute tour of Westminster and along the Thames river. After this amphibious ride, we will finish up at the Dickens Inn in the Thames Basin where there are a number of old boats you can see as well as some shops. We will have 1.5 hours here to wander around and have a snack/meal and a drink in the Inn. You can bring sandwiches if you wish to eat outside. We aim to be back at Heathrow by 4.30 pm. We will be hiring out one of the Ducks, and if we have sufficient numbers, we will hire out two. For Pionairs/ACRA members and their families, the cost will be £23 per person, and £25 per person for friends.
This price includes the hire of the coach and the duck.
(ACFamily Editor - this quacks me up)

More thoughts from Bill Norberg
In the summer of 1989,the Mynarski memorial Lancaster paid a visit to the Western Canada Aviation Museum. It was a thrilling sight to see and hear the aircraft on its approach to Winnipeg. The snarl of those throbbing Merlin engines brought back so many memories of the CGTAAS days when we operated the Lancastrians.
My son Donald and I had a fascinating time viewing the aircraft and taking pictures from all angles. Don later made an album of the photos for me and wrote a poem that appears as an introduction.
I thought you might enjoy reading it and it might bring back memories to many of our dedicated airline employees. I have Don's permission to have it printed in the NetLetter if you feel it would be right.
Take care and be well.
Regards Bill Norberg

Yes Bill, we feel it would be right, here is the poem...

Tarmac,Wheels and Sky
In flight,man
in some small way,
knows the freedom of the Angels.
In flight,man,
for a short while,
soars like the timeless spirit.
And then returns to earth
where human hands,
guided by a ritual of faith,
Labour with painstaking care
upon the imperfect flesh
and prepare the Mystery
to soar again.
Watching,
from the ground,
some part of me responds
and soars in sympathetic ecstacy,
as if
I saw my soul set free
and wished it
Godspeed.

Donald V. Norberg August 10th 1989

Vancouver Island Chapter, Canadian Aviation Historical Society - members, guests and friends are invited to the CAHS Meeting on Tuesday, March 8, 2005 at the BC Aviation Museum - Norseman Room, at 1:00 pm.

There will be a short business meeting followed by a guest speaker. The speaker will be Keith MacDonald.

Keith's general aviation career includes owning, flying, building and working on a variety of aircraft. He will speak of his various aviation life experiences, starting with growing up in Edmonton and seeing Wiley Post on his around the world flight. He was to go on the RCAF and become one of the youngest officers at the age of 19. Following his discharge he was to work on the design and development of the Bellanca Skyrocket and the Bellanca Senior Skyrocket CF-DOJX.

Keith's interest and enthusiasm continue today as he works on reconstruction of the Auster at the BC Aviation Museum. He has also just assumed a position on the BCAM Board of Directors.

Lunch 11:30 am., All interested members and guests will meet for lunch at Mary's Blue Moon Cafe before the meeting.

Confirm with Stoney Jackson, (250-478-7567).
Guests are welcome, as are all aviation history enthusiasts. Non Aviation Museum members will be charged admission.

All CAHS members are reminded of this years National Convention, "One to One Hundred: Aviation History in Saskatchewan". May 12th to 15th, 2005. A number of great trips and speakers are being planned. For details go to www.cahs.com, under convention.

Jacqueline Frampton, 250-544-2183,
email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

ACRA SYSTEM bowling tournament in TAMPA June 3rd / 4th /5th 2005 the hotel is the Wyndham Westshore Hotel the rate is $79.00 usd per night. Contact hotel direct at 813 286 4400 or 800 866 7177 ask for the Air Canada rate. The cost of the Bowling & Banquet is $80.00 or $50.00 banquet only.
Please make cheque payable to ACRA SYSTEM BOWLING - cheques in us$ only.
to send monies or for info contact;
NORMAN STEINHARDT
AIR CANADA RESERVATIONS,
4890 W KENNEDY BLVD,
TAMPA, FL 33763.

Here are some great deals from KVI Interline Cruises & Tours

PANAMA CANAL Apr 16 ~ 22 night ~ Panama Canal aboard ms Veendam Tampa, Cruise Gulf of Mexico, George Town/Grand Cayman, Cruise Caribbean Sea, Cartagena/Colombia, Cruise Panama Cana, Cruise Golfo Dulce, Punta Arenas/Costa Rica, Cruise Pacific Ocean,Puerto Quetzal/Guatemala, Santa Cruz Huatulco/Mexico, Cruise Pacific Ocean, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Cabo San Lucas, Cruise Pacific Ocean, San Diego, Avalon/Catalina Island, Cruise Pacific Ocean, Seattle, Victoria/British Columbia, Vancouver Inside $1599, Oceanview $1799

Apr 19 ~ 22 night ~ Panama Canal aboard ms Volendam Fort Lauderdale, Half Moon Cay/Bahamas, Cruise Caribbean Sea, At Sea, Cartagena/Colombia, San Blas Islands/Panama, Cruise Limon Bay, Cruise Panama Canal, Cruise Golfo Dulce, Punta Arenas/Costa Rica, At Sea, Puerto Quetzal/Guatemala, Santa Cruz Huatulco/Mexico, Acapulco, Manzanillo, Cruise Pacific Ocean, Cabo San Lucas, Cruise Pacific Ocean, At Sea, San Francisco, Cruise Pacific Ocean, Astoria, Portland, Victoria/British Columbia, Vancouver Inside $1499, Oceanview $1699

Apr 23 ~ 21 night ~ Panama Canal aboard ms Zaandam Port Canaveral, Fort Lauderdale, Cruise Atlantic Ocean, At Sea, La Romana/Dominican Republic, Cruise Caribbean Sea, Cartagena/Colombia, Cruise Panama Canal, Cruise Golfo Dulce, Punta Arenas/Costa Rica, San Juan Del Sur/Nicaragua, Puerto Quetzal/Guatemala, Santa Cruz Huatulco/Mexico, Cruise Pacific Ocean, Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas, Cruise Pacific Ocean, Los Angeles, Cruise Pacific Ocean, Astoria, Vancouver Inside $1399, Oceanview $1699 ********************************* Rates are quoted in U.S. dollars per person (based on double occupancy). PORT CHARGES ARE INCLUDED. Government taxes & fees and trip cancellation insurance are not included.

All rates are subject to change, availability and eligibility. All offers apply to new bookings only, are capacity controlled and may be withdrawn without notice.

All rates above were available at time of email transmission

Patti Gordon
YOUR Interline Specialist
Toll Free in N.A.: 1.866.765.3694
Collect to Canada: 250. 491.4815 ext. 305
Fax to Canada: 775.305.7900
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web: www.kviinterline.com

A college student at a recent USC football game challenged a senior citizen sitting next to him, saying it was impossible for their generation to understand his.

"You grew up in a different world," the student said loud enough for the whole crowd to hear. "Today we have television, jet planes, space travel, man has walked on the Moon, our spaceships have visited Mars, we even have nuclear energy, electric and hydrogen cars, computers with light-speed processing and ....uh.."

Taking advantage of a pause in the student's litany, the geezer said, "You're right. We didn't have those things when we were young; so we invented them, you little twit! So now what are you doing for the next generation??"

I love senior citizens.

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!)

The mailing and formating of the Netletter 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!