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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
|
Chief Pilot - Vesta Stevenson
http://www.acra.ca/between/vesta/
Co-pilot - Terry Baker
http://www.acra.ca/between
number 287 date July 13th, 1998 1st Published in October 1995
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. PBS are running a 3 part mini-series on Heathrow LHR, listed under the
Title 'Airport'. This is not the movie of the same name.
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. News from the districts.
From Bill Hume's email -
Regarding YEG events -
Coffee & chat on Aug 4th, 1998 at Kingsway Garden Mall
- Smitty's Lounge from 10:00 to 12:00 noon.
This is a monthly event held the 1st Tuesday of every month rain, shine,
sleet, snow.
- Aug 12, 1998 YEG Annual Barbecue - Kinsmen River Valley Place -
4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Everyone welcome.
Regards Marg. H <
From the Okanagan district -
The Third Annual System Pionairs' Golf Tournament held in Penticton on June
23rd and 24th was a marked success.
Forty-six (46) Golfers participated in clubbing a dimpled ball whereas
sixty-six (66) Pionairs dined on a scrumptious evening meal.
And the Winners were (riipp!):
Men's Low Gross - Ian Rennie - Kelowna, BC
Men's Low Net - Stan Duncan - Toronto, ON
Ladies' Low Gross - June Moyle - Cambridge, ON
Ladies' Low Net - Maureen Marshall - Penticton, BC
Wine Basket Raffle - Jean McColl - Calgary, AB
The Fourth Annual System Pionairs' Golf Tournament will be held at the
Bellbay Golf Club in Baddeck, NS in June'99.
Please contact Murray Wadden (902) 567-6434 for details.
Regards From: Ed & Anita McConnell <
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. Peter Kralka shares his bio -
My airline history as I remember it.
Total career involved with financial planning, reporting and controls.
Joined TCA in Winnipeg seven years after Pearl Harbour - December 7, 1948.
TCA headquarters was located in a hangar annex at Stevenson airfield in
Winnipeg. In October 1949 all HQ offices were moved to the International
Aviation Building at the corner of University and Dorchester in Montreal.
In 1953 I transferred to the Maintenance & Overhaul branch - Dorval Airport
in a hangar annex across the street from the Trans At terminal.
In 1966 transferred to the Operations branch in Place Ville Marie. In 1970
I transferred to the Eastern Region offices at Alexis Nihon Plaza across the
street from the Montreal Forum. From 1970 to 1978 the Eastern Region office
appeared to be the training ground for Vice Presidents. We had four different
men in eight years. In 1978 I moved to the Finance branch in Place Ville
Marie.
Retired January 1, 1985 when Air Canada offices were located in Place Air
Canada on Dorchester.
From: Peter Kralka Dorval, Que <
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. More tales from way back -
Zebulon Lewis Leigh was the first pilot employed by Trans-Canada Air Lines
on Aug 20th 1937 at age 31 years. Leigh was assigned, as TCA representative
to a team from the Department of Transport charged with establishing radio
range locations.
Travel was mostly by car, but where necessary, the DOT Lockheed 12 CF-CCT
was used. On Aug 28th 1937 it was necessary to use the aircraft to check a
proposed location at Oliver, B.C. As Leigh was on-board, this means that
the 30 minute flight constituted the first flight ever made by a TCA pilot.
A few days later, Sept 1st, TCA took over the YVR-SEA route from Canadian
Airways and operated the first flight by an aircraft owned by TCA. Piloted
by E.P.H.Wells and F.M.McGregor in a Lockheed Electra CF-AZY - this being
the second flight by TCA pilots.
Among the first pilots to join TCA were Walter Fowler, Ron George,
Bruce Middleton, David Glen, Lindy Rood, Jock Barclay, Howard Sandgathe,
Marlow Kennedy, Herb Seagrim, George Lothian and Art Rankin.
The first forced landing for TCA was Jan 26th 1940 when Lockheed 14A
CF-TCI damaged its landing gear and flaps during a heavy landing in fog
at Vancouver.
The first aircraft fatality for TCA was CF-TCL on November 17th 1938,
a Lockheed 14A crashed at Regina piloted by Dave Imrie and Jack Herald,
there were no passengers on-board.
On April 1st 1938 TCA flights went into operation with paying passengers
and airmail. Flights left from Vancouver and Montreal for Winnipeg. On the
2nd, flights left from Winnipeg for Vancouver piloted by Z.L.Leigh and
Gil McLaren with Margaret Wilson as stewardess.
In mid 1938, pilots from TCA formed the first Canadian Airline Pilots
Association, with Jock Barclay as its first President and Z.L.Leigh
as Vice President.
Z.L.Leigh's brother was Dick Leigh who worked for TCA and was on loan
to the B.O.A.C. section of the Royal Air Force ferry command as Chief
Inspector from 1940 - 1945, when he returned to TCA as Superintendent
of Overhaul at Dorval, Quebec.
(Do any of these names invoke any memories to share? - eds)
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. Bill Fisher, Director Vancouver Island District sends us this information -
From: William Fisher <
The British Columbia Aviation Museum at Victoria International airport
is holding its annual hangar dance on the 18 July starting at 8pm at the
museum. The cost is $15:00 per person and all tickets must be purchased
prior to the event at the museum or at Contrails Book store in Victoria.
Music is by the Swiftsure Big Band, an 18 piece band. All the music will be
from the war years 1939 to 1946. The big band era. Cash bar service is
available along with hot and cold hors d'oeuvres throughout the evening.
If anyone doesn't dance but likes this type of music they are welcome to
just sit and listen, some did that last year and had a great evening.
For more details call 250-655-3300. William Fisher <
(Bill together with several other Pionairs are volunteers at
this museum - eds)
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. Andy Wallace from the UK spotted this -
CRANDALL'S STILL MAKING WAVES
Bob Crandall, the larger than life chairman and chief executive of American
Airlines, was the heart and soul of the airline industry - terrifying and
delighting people in his wake for 20 years.
When the tycoon retired five weeks ago, staff thought he would gracefully
step out of the limelight.
He had even planned to come to England with his wife, pick up his yacht, and
sail to the Caribbean for a getaway break.
But it was not to be, Crandall has turned the retirement trip into a round
the world expedition and has created a website illustrated with a picture of
himself and his wife on board.
Crandall's former staff can follow his every move on the site which details
the peaks and troughs of a life on the ocean waves.
I guess and alternative heading to the story could be,
"Just when you thought if was safe to go back in the water"
Best Regards Andy Wallace
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. On July 23rd 1983 Captain Bob Pearson and First Officer Maurice Quintal
found out about the excellent gliding properties of the B767!
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. Terrys travel tips.
Greater Moncton Airport in New Brunswick have plans to introduce a
Departure Tax of $10.00
Fast Ferries to France offered to airline staff and airline retirees -
'Hoverspeed' operating from Dover to Calais, Folkstone to Boulogne.
Costs are for car including 5 adults -
Sun - Fri Jul 16-Sep 6 GBP35, balance year from Apr GBP24
'Hoverspeed' operating from Dover to Ostend.
Jul-Aug GBP44, Sep-Dec GBP29
Travel on Eurostar from Waterloo Station in London to Paris, France via the
Tunnel.
Return GBP59 pp one-way GBP29.50 pp
Virgin Atlantic offer positive space flights London to South Africa
from GBP257 or Olympic Airways from GBP269.
While in London why not take a one night short break on the Continent -
Brussels, Belgium City Garden Hotel GBP89 pp extra nights GBP19 pp
Astrid Hotel GBP99 pp extra nights GBP31 pp
Bruges, Belgium Ibis Hotel GBP95 pp extra nights GBP27 pp
Sofitel Hotel GBP115 pp extra nights GBP32 pp
or a short two nighter -
Madrid, Spain Hotel Los Condos B & B GBP145 pp extra nights GBP25 pp
Barcelona, Spain Hotel Atenas B & B GBP145 pp extra nights GBP25 pp
Rome, Italy Hotel New York B & B GBP155 pp extra nights GBP29 pp
Milan, Italy Hotel Mistral B & B GBP155 pp extra nights GBP29 pp
Copengagen, Denmark Komfort Hotel B & B GBP175 pp extra nights GBP33 pp
All prices for the 'Short breaks' include positive space Virgin Express.
Contact Lawson International UK tel: 0181-941-7200
The Department of Foreign Affairs is currently advising Canadians to defer
defer travel to the following 19 countries -
Afganistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Burundi, Congo,
Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Liberia,
Montserrat, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan and
Tajikistan.
(Still plenty of countries to visit - eds)
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. Smilie.
A couple more from our Chief Pilot - Vesta
Subject: Tech Support Calls & Other Weird Things
Tech Support: "OK Bob, let's press the control and escape keys at the
same time. That brings up a task list in the middle of the
screen. Now type the letter 'P' to bring up the Program Manager."
Customer: "I don't have a 'P'."
Tech Support: "On your keyboard, Bob."
Customer: "What do you mean?"
Tech Support: "'P' on your keyboard, Bob."
Customer: "I'm not going to do that!"
Overheard in a computer shop:
Customer: "I'd like a mouse mat, please."
Salesperson: "Certainly sir, we've got a large variety."
Customer: "But will they be compatible with my computer?"
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. 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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Copyright 1998 by Vesta Stevenson & Terry Baker.