Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter

1989 -

April 6 - Service between Toronto - Zagreb, Yugoslavia via Zurich commenced with L-1011 or B-767 equipment.

April 26 - Service between Toronto-Birmingham U.K. commenced.

Here is the cover of the enRoute magazine issued May 2010.

(Source: issuu.com/spafax/docs/enroute-201005)

The following items are reprinted from the archives of FlightGlobal.com

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Early Trans-Canada Air Lines historical event in 1946/7.

Rates Halved.

Trans-Canada Air Lines have halved their fares for the carriage of food parcels on their transatlantic service between Canada and England. The new charge, which started on October 15, 1947 covers the cost of local delivery in England, and T.C.A. hope to provide a 48-hour delivery service, thus making consignments of fresh food by air available at a reasonable cost.

Fare paying pax.

Trans-Canada Air Lines have announced February 26, 1946 that their service to the U.K. is now available to normal fare-paying passengers.

In the past, this service has been confined to priority ticket holders. The new arrangement does not, however, apply to the westbound route, for which British priorities are still necessary.

Calling at Prestwick.

When Trans-Canada Air Lines begins to use London Airport as its terminal in the United Kingdom for trans-Atlantic flights, it will nevertheless, continue to be the policy of the company to make Prestwick a port of call in each direction between Montreal and London.

As from the beginning of this month T.C.A.'s trans-Atlantic flights have been increased to six weekly in each direction, plus a seventh "special flight”. The company has also announced that its services between Canada and the United States have been speeded up from July 1, 1946 with the inauguration of a new direct service from Toronto to Chicago.

TCA becomes Air Canada... en français

Air Canada is semi-officially christened! On January 1, 1954, Air Canada becomes the new official French name for Trans-Canada Air Lines.

On February 1, 1954, TCA launches "Tourist class" economy fares, made possible by adapting higher-density seating arrangements. The move lowers fares by 20 percent.

1955 - TCA welcomes gallant Viscount. 

TCA becomes the first airline in North America to bring turbo-driven aircraft into service on April 1, 1955, with the gallant Vickers Viscount.

The Viscount’s window is about four times the size of those on the average aircraft today – imagine the panorama! This pressurized airliner is the first TCA airplane powered by Rolls-Royce turbine engines, which reduce noise and vibrations, making it a luxury ride when this poster graced walls in 1955.

1956 - New high standards

Air Canada develops standards for technical specifications for the preparation of technical instructions which, on June 1, 1956, become internationally recognized and adopted in principle by the Air Transport Association of America.

(Source: moments.aircanada.com/timeline)

Issue dated June 1949.

Here we have this photo of the "Orangefield" building, a favourite haunt of Robert Burns, which became the control tower for Prestwick airport.

This photo of "Old Hundred" CF-CMS fin #0100 on the ramp at Prestwick.

In the centre of the group is Captain Jock Barclay who helped pioneer TCA's Atlantic service.

Issue dated August 1988.

The TCA Alumni 17th annual 'beach bash' was held on November 8 to 10, 1988 at the Breckenridge Resort Hotel in St. Petersburg Beach, Florida.

The 10th annual A.C.E. Fly-in was held at the Burlington air field in 1988 and attracted more than 1,000 people including employees, retirees, toddlers and aviation buffs of all ages.

Three female employees,  Lois Moore, Gwen Helmes and Shannon Down,  put on an impressive display of their flying skills.

Back in June 1988 a team of Air Canada runners from all across the system, Europe, Great Britain, the United States, Jamaica and Canada, participated in the ninth annual Jasper-Banff relay race. One of the premier long distance races in Canada... and one of the toughest of its kind in the world.

In this photo, our team of 'fit and over 40' runners are, standing, from left to right:  Neville Walker (Jamaica), Duncan Rokahr (Montreal), Bill Johnson (Los Angeles), Sid Selver (Montreal), Mike Dwelly (London, England), Rick Hogg (Vancouver), Dennis Smith (Vancouver), John Wall (Montreal), Dan Murphy (Montreal), George Agnew (Vancouver) and Dennis Midgley (Montreal).

And, kneeling behind the enRoute banner are, in the same order: Bruce Hughes (Montreal), Nick Boere (Toronto), Fred Parker (Montreal), Guenter Veeser (Oslo).

The support team are: Jean Bruneau and Marg Cardinale and Moe Laurin (Montreal). 

Our proud addition.

Just as proud parents show off photographs of their newborn, we thought you would  like to share these shots of our new 767-200ER, Fin #613, as it was being prepared for service.

After two weeks of modification work in the paint hangar at the Dorval Base, aircraft  C-GDSP went into service on July 30, 1988.

Photography: Jean-Pierre Laliberté, Mechanic, D & C Check Program, Montreal.

Issue dated September 1988.

When Bernie Miller, Vice President, In-Flight Service, addressed a new group or Flight Attendants, he had more than congratulations to pass on to the audience.

He was there to celebrate a personal achievement with fellow graduates who, over the past six weeks had shared a special experience; one fraught with stress, anxiety and laughter.

In our photos we have:

Standing, left to right are: Kim Holmes (Instructor), Louise Lebrun (Flight Attendant Graduate), Christina Lawn, Robert Chapman, Marc-Antoine Morin, Bernie Miller, Chantal Marchand and Jennifer Whitnall (Instructor).

Seated, are: Claire Longhurst, Susan Simpson, Heidl Smith, Chantal Soucy and Janet Gaetz.

Other Flight Attendant graduates are, standing, from the left: Mark Olivier, Chantal Bonneau (Instructor), Elise Meloche, Helene Corbeil, Roy Keenan, Guy Marion and Francine Rivest (Instructor).

And, seated are: Linda Cox, Beth Mahan, Chantal Lavallee, Paulette Brendt and April Irving.

In June 1963, Trans-Canada Air Lines held its first bilingual course for flight attendants. After their graduation the 19 young women (and two instructors), who came from around the world, marked the occasion with a photo taken in the lobby of the old Berkeley Hotel in Montreal. (Unfortunately, there are no names - eds)

Although the above article states that the first multi-language course for stewardesses was held in 1963, we do have this photo, from the "Between Ourselves" magazine issued March 1958, with the caption "The first group of multi-language stewardesses .............."

Note: the balance of the article is of poor quality - eds)

Twenty-five years later, 15 members of the original 1963 group reunited at the Holiday Inn, Montreal.

Standing from the left are: Shirley North, Lorette Desmarchais, Joyce Ernyes, Joan O'Connell, Madeleine Trutschmann (who organized the reunion), Grace Therrien, Louise Lisowski and Lucille Carriere.

Sitting from the left are: Jocelyne Rouleau, Barbara Emery, Claudette Dumas, Nicole Rochon, Gertrude Schuerer, Madeleine Ranellucci Blair and Nicole Geoffrion.

London Heathrow (LHR) celebrates Canada Day.

Passengers checking in at Heathrow Airport, London on July 1, 1988 were greeted by Passenger Agents in Stetsons and colourful posters brightened the check.in area.

Bob Lynch. Airport Passenger Services Manager, explained: "Many American carriers celebrate Independence Day at Heathrow so we thought it was time we celebrated Canada Day. The weekend was fun and colourful and our passengers certainly appreciated it."

In our photo we have: Passenger Agents Carrie Llewelyn-Davies (left), Linda Richards (centre) and Nicola Stirling salute Canada Day with their white Stetsons at London's Heathrow Airport.

Bombay gets cooking.

Bombay's ACRA hosted its first event — a cooking competition, at the Lela Penta Hotel.

Eleven airport staff put their culinary talents to work and created an assortment of tantalizing dishes. The hotel's two executive chefs were the judges, but others, including Fred Kossecki, Manager. Indian Sub Continent and Ingo Hirt, Airport Manager, had a chance to sample the goodies.

In the salads category, first prize, a brunch at one of Bombay's five-star hotels, went to Melissa Drego for her rice salad and in the desserts category, an apple pie in the shape of a maple leaf earned Dinaz Kheshwalla top honours.

In the photo are from the left: Elaine de Souza, Mario de Souza. Ingrid Lobo, Ingo Hirt, Dinar Kheshwalla, Melissa Hancock, Vincent Daniels, Melissa Drego and Ashwani Malhotra.