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In reference to our Skyvan piece in NetLetter #1495 My name is Kent Davis, a retired pilot with Air Canada. I remember back in about 1969 or 1970, when I was flying with Selkirk Air Service, we acquired a Skyvan. We operated it up and down the coast of Lake Winnipeg. We also took hunters out moose hunting. The aircraft could land and take-off on a dime. It operated into places that would appear impossible. I remember shortly after we bought it, a hunter discharged his shotgun inside and blew a good-size hole in the floor. Management was not impressed. I am not sure what happened to it but it might have gone to Transair. Just not sure. Thank you for your great work. Kent ... A country that forgets its past has no future - Winston Churchill. |
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Bob Baker sent this observation to his father, Terry Baker - I noticed in the NetLetter #1494 a reprinted article by yourself from NetLetter #960 regarding LHR and personnel back in the day. In the Customs section, you mention Phil Smythe, Wally Evans and Terry Baker. Should that have read Harry Baker or did you work in customs too? Just wondering if it was a typo. Editor’s Note by Terry Baker: Actually, Wally Evans was responsible for comat shipments & customs documentation, Phil Smythe and Terry Baker (myself) were expeditors chasing up orders and AOG requests from Canada. Harry Baker (my father, Bob's grandfather) was not part of the TCA crowd, but was senior customs officer; his job title was 'Chief Preventative Officer'. He originally set up the customs presence at Heathrow when it reverted from RAF to civil aviation in 1946. Also a correction, we failed to identify Colin Bailey, Andy Cunning and Bill Cameron as being within the maintenance branch. Just trying to set the record straight - Terry Baker. |
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Staying with NetLetter #1494 Jack Morath responded to same 'Remember When' article on the LHR staff. Regarding your item about former colleagues, I will add my own 'bit' as follows: Supervisors were Les Barett and Reg Stoakes. Imports consisted of George Bourne, Bill Lewis and Bill Brown. That was Imports! At that time, we had one flight a day; except Tuesday when there was no flight. Exports were next door with a few more staff. Our building was on the North Side of the Airport opposite the Air Hostess pub. I lived about a mile away on the Bath Road and went to work on my bike and went home at lunch time! The aircraft operating at the time I was in cargo were Super Constellations. We had to wait a year before being able to use a pass to Canada, which was free at that time. The following year I took my first flight on TCA. It took sixteen hours flying time to Toronto, stopping at Prestwick, Goose Bay, Montreal and finally Toronto. Those were the days! |
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Neil Burton found this item in the archives of the Kamloops Daily Sentinel of February 10, 1970. Airline cancels flight to Spain. More than 1,600 Canadians who had planned two-week vacations on Spain’s Costa Del Sol this year have been notified that their trips have been cancelled. Wardair Canada Ltd. of Edmonton, the charter airline was to take the vacationers to Malaga, Andalusia. Funseekers International Ltd. of Calgary, the travel organization that arranged the package tour, expect to absorb heavy financial losses from the cancellation. John Paddon of Vancouver, Wardair branch sales manager, said a sudden decision by the Spanish government to impose a punitive landing surcharge had forced the cancellation. He said he understood the surcharge would amount to about 30 per cent of revenues, or $15,000 a flight. Ten Boeing 707 flights were planned, including six from Western Canada, starting February 23, 1970. Neil Burton commented "Definitely short notice of cancellation". |
