Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter

February 7, 1995 - Air Canada reached an agreement to increase its ownership of Air BC, from 85 per cent to 100 per cent. Air Canada purchased the minority equity interest held by Mr. Iain Harris, Air BC's President & CEO.

As part of the transaction, Mr. Harris, who headed up the regional carrier for 13 years, resigned his position effective March 1, 1995.

A successor would be appointed by that date.

Issue dated December 1996

Air Canada's 40-year Club celebrates.

There is a small and prestigious group within Air Canada to which only a few employees belong. The key which opens the door of this exclusive club is neither one's department or title, but company service - 40 years' worth.

This year, 1996, 13 new members were welcomed into the 40-Year Club, bringing the overall membership to 245 employees. Mr. Lamar Durrett, President  & Chief Executive Officer hosted a dinner in their honour in Montreal.

During the evening the President then called each guest to the podium in the order in which they joined in 1956 to receive a gold watch along with their 40-Year Club certificate of membership and two positive space tickets.

Captain Barney Stephanson who as a 1994 recipient, was invited to unveil the 1996 40-year plaque. 

In this photograph, Air Canada's executives celebrated with the newest 40-Year Club members:

Back row - left to right: Robert Milton, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer; Bob Thompson, Captain, Toronto; George McKay, Captain, Toronto; Larry Leblanc, Purser, Vancouver; Ken Walker, Flight Service Director, Toronto; Barney Stephanson, Captain, Toronto (retired); George March, Customer Sales & Service Agent, Sydney; Rolly Baggley, Certificated Avionics Technician, Toronto; Bob Gordon, Captain, Toronto; John Wright, Captain, Toronto and Jean-Jacques Bourgeault, Senior Executive Vice President.

Front row - left to right: Lamar Durrett, President & Chief Executive Officer; Doreen Thomas, Customer Sales & Service Agent, Edmonton; Mary Ofrenchuk, Purser, Toronto and Claude Taylor, Chairman Emeritus.

Unable to attend: Bob Cléroux, Food Services Manager, Dorval; Nick Kakanis, Lead Customer Service Agent, Miami and Cary Lennon, Operator 1, Printing Bureau, Dorval.

Mirabel (YMX) Customer Sales and Service Agent Gilles Langlais celebrates his 30th anniversary with his fellow colleagues.

From left to right: Pearl Snow, Hélene Haanpaa, Francine Laroche-Dupuis, Anne-Marie Labelle, Guy Poirier, Gilles Langlais, Gerry Chalifoux, Guy Comtois, Chantal Raymond and Lise Latour-Aubuchon.

Air Canada team finishes WARR.

 Air Canada's US. team manages a smile after completing the 10K and 5K races in the World Airline Road Race (WARR) held in Atlanta, Georgia. Next year's 1997 race will be held in Kuala Lumpur.

From left to right: Diane Dormer, Customer Service Agent, Tampa; Bill Luedemann, Tariff Coordinator, Tampa; Victor Golowaty, Valerie Golowaty, Lead Customer Service Agent, Washington; Mary Ellen Keir, Ramp Coordinator, Newark and Dotty Gibeau, Lead Customer Service Agent, Newark.

Here we have the Paris staff in 1996.

In NetLetter #1456, we had an article "A fond farewell to Prestwick" from the October 1996 issue of Horizons".

In the December 1996 issue we found this item -

More memories of Prestwick.

 As our first transatlantic destination, the Prestwick article rekindled fond memories for many in the Air Canada family. The following photo is of the original house which became Prestwick's Airport terminal building. The airport was built on an estate called Orangefield.

Our thanks to Marion L. (née Paton) Robinson for sending in the photo and providing the historical information.

Derek MacPherson posted this photo on Skies Magazine via Facebook on January 22, 2021.

Air Canada Boeing 737 Max 8 C-FSNU at Vancouver International Airport. 

Source: facebook.com/skiesmag