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_| TCA |_ B E T W E E N Y O U R S E L V E S
_|\| AIR |/|_ N E T L E T T E R
> CANADA <
>_./|\._< for Air Canada retirees
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Your crew is: Chief Pilot - Vesta Stevenson
Co-pilot - Terry Baker
number 208 date Nov 6th 1997
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. We recently welcomed Ron Groves, and he sends us this bio -
I started with AC in April of 1969 as Passport and Facilitation
Clerk. Back when there was only one passport office in the country
(in Ottawa).
All urgent passport and visa requests came to me for expediting.
this only lasted about a year and a half because regional passport
offices opened up, but it was a very interesting year and a half
and I got to know many embassy staff. After that short stint I was
Budget and Expense clerk for a few years. Some people may remember
the local Ottawa publication "Flypaper". I was chief editor,
photographer, writer, layout and everything else involved in getting
that little newsletter out. It was great fun and I enjoyed every
minute of it. I still have some copies somewhere in the house.
Around 1974 I moved into reservations as an agent in CTS (Central
Travel Service), AC's special setup for Gov't travel. After a short
six months I moved out to the airport. That was when I knew I worked
for an airline. I still remember the feeling when I walked in for
my first shift at 0600hrs. After a couple of years I was promoted
to Supervisor and was also a relief Duty Manager in the STOC Centre.
I worked pretty much all aspects within the airport environment,
including a little ramp work during 1 short strike.
With everybody above me in the "food" chain, as young as myself and
content in their positions, I felt the only way to get ahead was to
seek promotion in the larger AC system.
My wife suggested she would be very happy if I got a promotion to
one of the islands. Guadeloupe came close but I finally came home
one day and told her I got an island. That was Gander, Newfoundland.
Not quite what she wanted but the the H... .
I reported there on June 1st 1988. My wife remained in Ottawa a few
weeks to finish off her work commitments. I called her one day and
interupted her vacuuming the pool, only to tell her that I was
looking out the window at 13 inches of snow on the ground. Not a
promising start!! We were supposed to be there 3 to 5 years.
I hoped to get the experience needed to then maybe get a posting
out of the country. No such luck. By Feb 1989, AC announced the
closure of Gander and turnover to Air Nova.
So in June of 89 I ended up in Fredericton. That was about the time
that reorganizations and cutbacks were picking up steam. Well I
managed to dodge the bullet for a few years. BUT!!!!
April 94 was my official retirement with 25 years and 24 days of
service.
Ron Groves.
~-=o0o=-~
. 60th ANNIVERSARY -
Cory McAdam sends us this update
Fredericton has just advised that they will be holding a
reception to celebrate AC's 60th anniversary this Friday,
November 7, from 1830 to 2130 at the Sheraton Hotel.
Bermuda has planned a dinner on November 24.
I'll send along more details as I receive them.
Zurich is holding an event on November 27 at the Marriott Hotel
Paris is hosting a Kart Race and buffet on December 1
Glasgow is holding a dinner on December 15 at the
Brig a Doon Hotel, in Ayr.
With just a few events to go for the 60th, I am preparing a
re-cap of the events for Air Canada. I welcome any comments or
suggestions you may have as a result of attending your local
celebrations. Please forward them to me and I'll include them
in my report.
Many thanks Cory McAdam at
~-=o0o=-~
. NEWS FROM THE DISTRICTS.
Pionair Executive Meeting will take place in Toronto on Nov 19/20th
One item on the agenda is the site selection for AGM-99 and AGM-2000.
Olie Moore has asked each District Director to come with a sampling
of member preferences for Canada or the USA. Your comments would be
most welcome. Send items for inclusion on the agenda to your local
District Director prior to Nov 15th.
~-=o0=-~
. Found on the Internet.
On July 1, 1999, all duty free sales for passengers travelling
between European Union member countries will be banned by a EU
directive, affecting not only air travellers but also ferry and
train passengers across Europe. European Commission Director for Air
Transport Michel Ayral explained the EU decided to abolish all duty
free sales because the principle of duty free sales doesn't fit with
the end of border controls between EU member countries.
AIRCRAFT ORDERS
Finnair (AY) has placed an order for five Airbus A319s (126 seats),
three A320s (150 seats) and four A321s (188 seats) all powered by
CFM56-5 engines from CFM International. The carrier also took option
on an additional 12 aircraft. It's the first time a customer
purchases all three A320 family models in a single order, according
to Airbus.
Delivery will start in the first quarter of 1999.
Lufthansa (LH) has exercised options for two Boeing 747-400s
(420 seats) in a deal valued at USD 330 millions.
Tunisair (TU) has signed a contract for three Airbus A319s
(144 seats) and four A320s (174 seats), with delivery scheduled to
begin for summer 1998. The carrier is the first African customer
for the A319, Airbus' latest narrow body aircraft.
China has ordered (1) B747, (8) B777, (36)B737 and (5)B757 from
Boeing.
Maersk Air, a Birmingham UK franchise of British Airways has
ordered (3) RJ's and options on (12) from Canadair.
=================
Dutch carrier KLM has suspended a pilot and two flight attendants
for dancing on the roof of one of its Boeing 747-400s grounded in
Guatemala City (Guatemala). The one week suspension came after a
picture of the scene was widely distributed by Dutch newspapers.
Had one of the participants slipped, the likely result would have
been death as the top of a 747 is about six stories high.
(Only Olympic allows dancing - but that is in the aisles! - eds)
AIR INDIA CAPTAIN POPPED FOR "HORSE" SMUGGLING:
In this case it was a kilo of heroin in the false bottom of a chart
bag an Air India 747-400 captain tried to take on his Bombay-JFK
flight.
~-=o0o=-~
. Interline stuff.
Travelling out of London Heathrow (LHR) after Nov 1st will incur
a UKP20.00 passenger facility tax.
Montreal has recently announced a CA$10.00 passenger facility tax.
CARNIVAL PANAMA CANAL CRUISE (NOV 10 and DEC 1/97)
****************************
***PLUS UPGRADES TO THE BEST AVAILABLE STATEROOM***
- 11 Day Panama Canal Cruise from San Juan
- November 10 and December 1/97 only
- Inside Cabin from US$799
- Outside Cabin from US$899
- Rates include port charges
- Based on Double occupancy
See http://www.interline.ca/cruise/carnival/trop_11day.htm
for itinerary and more information!
Call Toll Free at: 1-800-665-3100 and mention Pionairs.
Ed Scarth sends us this plea from Winterpeg!
Subject: Help!
Do any of your readers have any suggestions for us...we were going
to head to Myrtle Beach at the end of the month for a couple weeks,
but weather is too crummy, so now are planning on going to St.
Pete's, Florida. Does anyone have any suggestions for hotels or
condos, on the beach, not too pricey (we're not fancy folk) or in
that area? Just need somewhere to hide for a short while from the
snow!!!! If we love and adore it, will spend February there perhaps!
By then we should be completely insane from being snow-ridden.
Thanks for any help or ideas.
Let Ed know at: Eddie & Peach
~-=o0o=-~
. Smilie.
Pilot to ATC:
"...it's rougher than a stucco bathtub up here!"
~-=o0o=-~
. That's it for this time, please we need your input, send
comments and email addresses of any others who may be
interested to Vesta with a copy to Terry.
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