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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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Chief Pilot - Vesta Stevenson
http://www.acfamily.net/between/vesta/
Co-pilot - Terry Baker
http://www.acfamily.net/between/terry/
Mailing of this "NetLetter" is courtesy of Alan Rust administrator of
the "AC Family Network" at: http://www.acfamily.net
number 372 date June 1st, 1999 BYN 1st Published in October 1995
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. Welcome to -
John McFee with email
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. Need to know.
British Midland.
ALTHOUGH THIS CARRIER HAS A CODE SHARING COMMERCIAL
AGREEMENT WITH AIR CANADA, PERSONAL OR BUSINESS TRIP
PASS TKTS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. THE NORMAL DISCOUNTS
WILL APPLY.
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. Where are they now?
Robert Mitchell has a new email of
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. TCA Alumni.
Mary Ryder sends this message -
I would like everyone to know we have a new president of TCA Alumni,
she does not have e mail but I would like to give her address so
people can write to her and get any information available.
Mary Emerson
1142 South Park St.
Halifax, N.S. B3H2W7
I know there are a lot of people out there wanting information.
Thanks. Mary Ryder
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. As we have, in recent NetLetters, had some commentary on plussing, we
thought this story from Bill Norberg would be appropiate!
Hi folks,
I doubt whether many of today's airline employees can imagine what plussing
was like in the late 1940's and early 50's. The flights were few and the
available seats per aircraft were also few. We were living in Montreal
from 1945 through to 1967 and we made many trips between YUL and YWG to
visit family. The concept of direct flights had not emerged in those days
and much as it is today...."Everything went via YYZ". As a result a trip
west almost guaranteed you would spend from 12 to 24 hours in YYZ trying
to get out.
To make matters worse the priority system had a few holes in it. The
terminal was not air-conditioned in those days and the flies used to
be most bothersome in summertime.
On one occasion my family had travelled west and I was to follow later to
attend a family wedding when my vacation time rolled around. I managed to
get on a flight out of YUL late one evening only to be bumped in YYZ along
with a number of other plusses. I spent the whole day there and finally
managed to get out on a DC-3 flight in the early evening. As was the case
in those days the flight made a number on enroute stops,one of which was to
be Sault St. Marie.
A short time before landing in the Sault the Stewardess (in those days)
came to me and said they had a load problem out of the Sault and would have
to de-plane one plus. She knew of my priority but suggested what a nice
thing it would be if I would offer to de-plane instead of one of the lower
priority plusses. Apparently two young female plusses had been away on
vacation and wanted to travel home together. I explained that I understood
the situation quite clearly and as I also had an important engagement I did
not feel that I should have to de-plane especially when my priority did not
require it. She accepted my position and clearly understood it.
A short time later she was back to try again. This time it was suggested
that the three people involved draw straws to see who gets the short one
and of course de-plane. I said I did not have to do this but would be
sporting enough to take the chance. As luck,and the rules, would have it, I
won and the young girl had to be de-planed. I offered to loan the
individual some money if that was needed. Apparently it was not needed.
The airport at the Sault was in U.S. territory in those days and there was
a fence around the small terminal building out to where the aircraft
parked. Any passengers of course had to be driven 20 miles to the Canadian
side. It was getting dark by the time the aircraft departed and I can still
see the forlorn young lady standing beside her bag as the aircraft taxied
away.
Things are a lot more formal these days. More information is available to
plusses and agents and there are more options with increased frequency and
larger aircraft. Notwithstanding the early problems it still was a
wonderful benefit to airline employees.
"Bill Norberg" <
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. News from Brian Dunn -
..fleet news update...
the next two A340-300s are due shortly.
FLN909 is due Jun 01/99 (C-GDVW) and FLN910 (C-GDVZ) is due Jun 28th.
Meanwhile the first three A330-300s now have registrations assigned as
follows; FLN931 will be C-GFAF (msn 277) and is due Jan/2000,
FLN932 will be C-GFAH (msn 279) and is due Oct 01/99,
(1st delivery),
FLN933 will be C-GFAJ (msn 284) and is due Nov/99.
The remaining three A330s are due in Jun/2000, and July/2001.
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. From the newsletter for RAPCAN issued by Duane Frerichs -
FORMER AIR CANADA PILOT STILL HIGH ON LIFE.
Mirv Harper is highly respected by many people for a lot of
different reasons. Mirv advises young people: "Try and make your living at
something you enjoy doing - for me it was flying."
Friendly, big-hearted Mirv has covered a lot of ground during, and
since his five years with the RCAF, a long career with the TCA/Air Canada
Air Lines, years of involvement with the refugee program, active memberships
with a garden club and a social club, and has made friends all along the way.
One of two children, Mirv grew up in Burnaby, B.C., his birthplace
in 1920. Upon finishing the T.J. Trapp Technical High School at New
Westminster, Mirv found employment with Terminal City Iron Works in Vancouver.
Life moved along smoothly for Mirv and in 1940 he joined the RCAF,
receiving ground training at Winnipeg and Edmonton before his initial flying
training at Sea Island. His final training was at Calgary, Alberta where he
asked for a bomber command.
Mirv remembers the Japanese attacking Pearl Harbour, while he was
home on leave in '41. Instead of going overseas, Mirv remained in Canada and
was sent to Charlottetown, PEI, to navigation school. In 1942 he was
stationed in Gander, Nfld. for two years of convoy escort and submarine
search, before being moved to fly Liberator planes out of Montreal doing
Atlantic patrols and to fly domestic flights for the RCAF.
Another transfer, to San Diego, California, to fly one leg of the
RCAF around-the-world passenger service to Sydney, Austrailia. He remembers
being in Hawaii on a layover when the Germans surrendered, and being in
Sydney, Australia when the Japanese surrendered in '45.
Toward the end of his stay at Gander, he had applied to
Trans-Canada Airlines (TCA) for post-war employment. So after the war he
joined TCA at Winnipeg.
Mirv and Ruth were married in 1951 and settled in Toronto where
their first son and daughter were born. Then TCA transferred Mirv to
Vancouver as captain of the coastal route. Here, their third child was born,
a son.
Yet another transfer for Mirv, to Montreal and tragedy struck - the
family lost Ruth to cancer in '70. Mirv and his three children remained in
Montreal until 1971 when he moved back to B.C. to the scenic North Shore and
he bought the home he still lives in. He lost his pilot's license due to
vision problems that required cataract surgery in '72.
He and Ruth had for many years taken the family and joined friends
for holidays in Florida, so after Ruth's death he continued to do so. It was
in '73 that Mirv and a long-time family friend, Virginia (Ginny) Jones, who
had lost her husband, decided to marry.
In the early '70s, Mirv became involved with the refugee program
bringing Vietnamese out of Hong Kong. He worked with the Highlands United
Church Refugee Committee which sponsored some 60 people - couples, single
men and families to get settled and obtaining ESl training. The government
provided the refugees with living costs and rent. Mirv smiles as he opens
his filing cabinet brimming with files: "We became friends with many of
them, and they still keep in touch."
He has many interesting stories of his trips to Vietnam and the
people there.
Through his church in 1972, the FM Club was started, FM standing for
formerly married, ie. divorced, widowers and widows. Mirv was the first
president of the club which is still going strong, especially on weekends.
Life dealt Mirv another blow, when cancer claimed another loved one
- Ginny, in March 1998. Virginia Jones Harper was an accomplished North
Shore author; her first novel, Time Steals Softly and her last, Wing of the
Raven, are highly recommended reading.
Mirv belongs to the Capilano Garden Club and specializes in growing
begonias. He enjoys gardening, wood working, travelling, and cruising. For
30 years has been on the property committee of the Highlands United Church,
does volunteer work with the Seniors' Hub and Kiwanis Evergreen, and still
has time to play bridge and lunch with friends at both the West Van. Seniors
Centre and at Silver Harbour.
Written by Vikki Finkbeiner,
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. Terry's travel tips.
AirBC announces non-stop service between Winnipeg and Denver.
On July 5, AirBC will launch the only non-stop BAe146 jet service between
Winnipeg and Denver.
Here's a follow up on the parking at YYZ we mentioned earlier -
As reported by
Duane Frerichs in the RAPCAN newsletter -
I saw your note about Park N Fly not giving a discount anymore to retired
employees.
I just parked in Park N Fly's B lot on Carlingview for 4 days and when I
got to the checkout window I told the gal I was a retired employee and
asked if we still got a discount. She said they don't give one anymore.
I questioned her a bit and she asked if I flew Air Canada on this trip.
I said yes and she said give me your boarding pass and I will give you a
20% discount. On giving her the boarding pass she said "Oh, you travelled
executive class so you get a 50% discount."
I think it was a made on the spot policy that may not last beyond shift
change.
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. Smilies
Rhonda Manore sends us these -
Here are some actual maintenance complaints submitted by US Air Force
pilots and the replies from the maintenance crews.
"Squawks" are problem listings that pilots generally leave for maintenance
crews.
Squawk: "Left inside main tire almost needs replacement."
Reply: "Almost replaced left inside main tire."
Squawk: "Test flight OK, except autoland very rough."
Reply: "Autoland not installed on this aircraft"
Squawk: "#2 propeller seeping prop fluid"
Reply: "#2 propeller seepage normal"
Squawk: "#1, #3, #4 propellers lack normal seepage"
Squawk: "The autopilot doesn't"
Reply: "IT DOES NOW"
Squawk: "Something loose in cockpit"
Reply: "Something tightened in cockpit"
Squawk: "Evidence of hydraulic leak on right main landing gear"
Reply: "Evidence removed"
Squawk: "Number three engine missing"
Reply: "Engine found on right wing after brief search"
Squawk: "DME volume unbelievably loud"
Reply: "Volume set to more believable level"
Squawk: "Dead bugs on windshield"
Reply: "Live bugs on order"
Squawk: "Autopilot in altitude hold mode produces a 200 fpm descent"
Reply: "Cannot reproduce problem on ground"
Squawk: "IFF inoperative"
Reply: "IFF inoperative in OFF mode"
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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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