Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter

 

I first delved into the CP Air DC-10 fleet back in 2016 NetLetter #1345. While browsing through some issues of CP Air News from 1979/80, I found a few articles on the introduction of the fleet and the circumstances of the delivery of the first three aircraft.

 

Registrations C-GCPC (fin #901) and C-GCPD (fin #902) were delivered in 1979, however for economic reasons, CP Air decided to lease both aircraft to Varig Airlines of Brazil to mitigate financial issues caused by the 1970s oil crisis. 

 

Excerpt from CP Air News February 1979:

 

Calvin Cates and Bruce Austen, both of ramp services, Vancouver airport, made an enthusiastic personal inspection in January of CP Air's first DC-10. The pair flew to Los Angeles and then interlined to Long Beach where George Smith, CP Air's on-site supervisor of quality control, took them on tour.

 

They took the first pictures (C-GCPC below) of the plane in CP Air's colours, which it will wear even though it is slated to be leased in its first year of operation. Leasing negotiations are continuing. The airplane, meantime, is scheduled to arrive at Vancouver Ops Centre in March.

 

 

Fin #901 was returned off lease to CP in April 1980 and named 'Empress of Quebec' followed by fin #902 in June, named 'Empress of British Columbia'.

 

The first DC-10-30 to enter service for CP was registration C-GCPE (fin #903) delivered in November 1979 and named 'Empress of Alberta'.

 

Excerpt from CP Air News November 1979: 

 

The first of CP Air's new DC-10-30s goes into service shortly and to celebrate the arrival of the new wide-bodied tri-jet, special employee familiarization days will be held in Vancouver and Toronto.

 

The DC-10-30 will make short familiarization visits to Montreal and Ottawa December 4 and Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg at a later date.

 

In its first few weeks of operation, the new wide-body will be used exclusively for ground and in-flight training, followed by some limited service as substitute aircraft on transcontinental routes.

 

Then it will begin flying between Canada and Italy. Three more DC-10-30's will go into service next year.

 

 

C-GCPE (fin #903) the first DC-10 to enter CP Air service
at Vancouver, November 2, 1979