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Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter Since 1995

Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter

Since 1995


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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   This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
http://www.acfamily.net/between/vesta/

Co-pilot     - Terry Baker         This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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 416   Date Oct 21st, 1999  BYN 1st Published in October 1995

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. DID YOU KNOW?
You can read or retrieve back issues of the BYN?
Just visit our web site at:
http://www.acfamily.net/between
and click on the "Archives" button.
This area is only open to "BETWEEN YOURSELVES - NetLetter" subscribers
and you will need the following password to enter -
User Name: byn  Password: vesta

Why not check out the Air Canada Retired Employees Web Site
http://www.acfamily.net/acrew/
webmaster is Tom Grant.

Don't forget the new web site forum on THE MERGER!
http://www.acemployee.com

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. Need to know.
We recently received the following query re Buddy Passes -
A Vancouver Island Pionair couple is taking a cruise together with their
friends.
The cruise is from Athens and return, they plan to fly to Frankfurt,
then LH from there, and will provide their friends with a buddy pass.
They will return the same route.
The buddy pass only lasts 60 days, their cruise is an around the world
affair taking 6 months or so.
The problem - how can the Pionair get a buddy pass from his 2000 allotment
to cover the return. He understands that buddy passes can be requested
from February onwards(?), but he will be in Australia by then.
What are his options to obtain the pass? Perhaps being made available at
FRA, or can they be mailed c/o the cruise line?

To which Linda Kwoon - Industry Travel YUL responds -

I have been able to get a response from the Winnipeg ECC on the
best solution for our retiree to travel with his buddy on the round
the world tour.
First, all partner tickets issued from 1999 allotment expire on
January 31, 2000.  Therefore, our retiree must purchase a new
ticket for his partner for the return.  Since they will be on the
cruiseship, ECC has informed that they will accept a telephone call
or even a fax from our retiree to request a partner ticket as of
February 1, 2000.  ECC will mail the ticket to the forwarding
address c/o the cruiseline.
Regards, Linda Kwoon, Industry Travel.
(You may wish to keep this info with 'Your Travel Guide' - eds)

US Air Transportation Tax (US ATT). As of September 1, active and
retired employees can receive a refund for the US departure and
arrival taxes (US $12.20 each) when connecting to an international
destination via the US. Travel must originate anywhere outside the US
and applies to travel with Air Canada or other carriers. Tickets
bought in the US are not eligible for a refund. To comply with US Air
Transportation Tax requirements, Air Canada must collect the
international US ATT on standby travel. To receive a refund, send a
copy of ticket(s), boarding pass(es), employee ID, name, address, and
pay period of the original tax deduction from your pay/pension
statement to: Refund of US Transportation Tax, Refund Services, P.O.
Box 6475, Winnipeg, MB, R3C 3V2. Allow four-six weeks for processing.

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. From the AC Daily News -

Skipping down memory lane. On October 2, 1995, Air Canada inaugurated
CRJ service between Toronto and the twin cities of Minneapolis/St-Paul.
Oct 1st marks the fourth anniversary of our service between Vancouver
and Maui. Aloha!

Another first for the Star Alliance network. Web-based bookings.
Effective October 2, Star Alliance customers now book and ticket their
itinerary on line. Bookings include any Star Alliance member's
flights, codeshare flights within the Star Alliance network, or
Regional Carrier/Partner flights. Customers can also make car and
hotel reservations, thanks to this booking engine that uses Apollo and
Amadeus computerised reservations systems (CRS). This convenient
product complements each carrier's existing website and booking
engine. The Star Alliance network is the first global alliance to
accept web-based bookings. Check out the website at
http://www.star-alliance.com.

Carry-on baggage policy update. Effective November 15, in response to
feedback from customers and In-Flight Service and Airport personnel,
the existing carry-on baggage policy will be modified. Limits, such as
baggage quantity, size, and weight will be easier to understand and
monitor. In addition to keeping employees informed, our communication
plan includes advising customers and travel agencies of this change.
You'll be hearing more about it in the coming weeks.

Teatime at the Savoy-wear you're dancing shoes. According to The
Gazette, an old tradition returns to The Savoy in London, England.
Sunday afternoon tea dancing. If
you'd like to savour a little bit of bubbly, try wearing a hat_you'll
get a free glass of champagne. For the price of 23.50£ per person,
about CA$56.00, you'll enjoy sandwiches, pastries, tea, and music to
sway to by a four-piece dance band. Is that Tea for Two I hear?

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. During a recent trip through Washington State, your co-pilot had
occasion to stop at the Wenatchee Airport. It was here, in October
1931, that Clyde Pangborn and Hugh Herndon flew a single-engined
Bellanca monoplane from Sabishiro Beach, Japan to Wenatchee, Washington
- the first nonstop flight across the Pacific Ocean. Pangborn and
Herndon were on the last leg of an around-the-world flight challenging
the 8 day record set in June by Wiley Post and Harold Gatty in
the famous Winnie Mae. The 41 hour 13 minute, 4,500-mile flight wrote
the names of Pangborn and Hendron forever into the annals of aviation
history. A suitable plinth, and pictorial display is in the airport
terminal.
In an unrelated trip - Lauda Air B767-300ER flew around the world
piloted by the airline's president, Nicki Launda (former world champion
formula one driver). The flight of 21,460 nautical miles took 47 hours
in the air. On board were a group of 100 passengers, who had won their
trip in a newspaper contest and a crew of 14.

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. News from the districts.
The Vancouver Island fall luncheon was held on Wednesday Oct 6th at
McMorrans in Victoria. Pionairs, spouses and friends total 66, with
out of town members from Delta, Vancouver, Surrey, Nanaimo and
Ladysmith.
MC'd by District Director John Jeffrey who introduced John Innes who
invites all Pionairs to the 5th Pionairs Annual Golf Tourney which
will be held at Glen Meadows Golf Glub on June 13/14th next year.
Applications are being sent to all Pionairs across the system. The cost
for 2 rounds of golf and the steak dinner is ca$120.00 per person,
For non golfers, caddies and support groups the steak dinner will be
ca$25.00 per person.
Saville Hambleton the National President of Pionairs was next introduced
and told us that he and his wife had spent the last 10 days visiting
and speaking to Pionair groups in 3 cities over 4 1/2 time zones. The
Pionairs are in good finacial state, taking over a modest surplus from
the preceding directorate. The total Pionairs now numbers 6,324.
With Newfoundland organized the number of districts is now 16.
With regard to the take-over bid by Onex, Saville mentioned that the
pension will remain untouched as it is a separate entity to Air Canada,
is fully funded and by law inviolate. The fund is ca$4.1 billion.
Saville urged any and all Pionairs who write to their respective MLA's
do so on a personal basis and not as an Air Canada Pionair.
In closing, all Pionairs across the system  were all invited to
Party2000 the annual A.G.M. in Vancouver Apr 28/29 & 30th next year.
Richard Paquette, President & CEO of Victoria Airport Authority gave us
a visual display of past and future happenings at the airport. The 60th
anniversary party will be on Oct 22nd at the BC Aviation Museum. Oct 1st
sees the introduction of a ca$5.00 Airport Improvement Fee being
added to passengers ticket.

From the London England Pionairs monthly newsletter -
The monthly luncheon of the Scottish retirees was held on Tuesday
Oct 5th at the St. Nicholas Hotel in Prestwick.
Upcoming Pionair events at LHR -
Oct 28th Visit to Disney on Ice at the Docklands Theatre.
Dec 5th  Christmas lunch at the Heathrow Park Hotel, price GPB12.50 pp.



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. Found on the internet.
Deja vu - hasn't something like this happened before?
METRIC-ENGLISH CONFUSION DOOMS NASA SPACECRAFT:
Okay, we'll be the first to admit that we sometimes confuse our meters
and yards, but for NASA, a metric mix-up apparently caused last week's
loss of the $125 million Mars Climate Orbiter spacecraft.  Orbiter
manufacturer Lockheed Martin Astronautics used pounds for thrust, while
NASA's JPL was thinking in newtons, the metric unit for thrust.
NASA has convened three panels to investigate the failure mode, we suspect,
inch by inch -- or is that centimeter by centimeter?

AMERICAN AIRLINES LOSES SUIT OVER TURBULENCE ENCOUNTER:
As if airlines didn't have enough problems dealing with flight delays
and complaints of poor service, now they have to worry about how badly they
scare their passengers.  Setting new lows for both unreasonable lawsuits
and unconscionable jury awards, 13 American Airlines passengers who suffered
approximately 30 seconds' worth of severe turbulence during a 1995
flight were awarded $2.22 million last week.  With the exception of one,
none of the plaintiffs suffered lasting physical injuries.

YOU RECYCLED WHAT?  It will take a lot of recycled soda cans to pay back
this mistake.  An employee smashing crates so the wood could be recycled
accidentally destroyed three new 737 rudders at Boeing's factory in
Renton, Wash.  Boeing officials were not sure how the unmarked crates
were put on carts identifying them as ready for disposal.  The rudders
cost an estimated $500,000.

Our baby!
The 2,001th Airbus, an Air Canada A340-313X (Fleet No 910/MSN 278)
was rolled out at Toulouse in May with a smiling baby face, a blue
tail with '2001' in white, and 'Aerospatiale Matra Airbus' titles.
(Check web site http://www.acfamily.net/acrew/ for photo - eds)

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. Terry's travel tips.

. Help wanted -
Cheryl Mott asks
Could someone please advise us about which part of Barbados is the best
(South Coast, West Coast??) and a few names of lovely  hotels or condos
right on the beach. We're going early December, hopefully
and
any suggestions where we might find places to stay in the Greek Islands
in February....even though the weather will be crummy!??
Thanks, Cheryl Mott Send mailto:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Overnight in LHR - Gordon Pike sends this -
I note in BYN 414 that Terry mentions a Windsor B&B. In case you are
unaware,  there is another one ten minutes from LHR called The Chimeys.
It is  two miles nearer than Windsor and is owned an operated by an AC
employee - Margarette Greenham who works in LHR reservations. Address 55
London Road, Datchet Berkshire. Tel: 01753 580401. Fax 01753 540233 or
Email:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Rates per night - Standard single room GBP28.50. Ensuite Single room
GBP38.50. Standard Twin room GBP40.00. Ensuite Twin room GBP48.50.
Standard Double room GBP40.00. Ensuite Double room GBP48.50.
George Pike <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>

Land only -
Sharjah  - the Historic Emirate.
3 nights per person for -
Holiday International on edge of Khalid lagoon GBP49 extra nights GBP16
The Marbella Resort all villa with beach access GBP49 extra nights GBP16
Lou Lou A'Beach beachfront 15 mins to Dubai  GBP49 extra nights GBP16
Holiday Inn Resort beachfront hotel  GBP59 extra nights GBP19
All include free transfers and breakfast. Note: Sharjah is a DRY state.
Al Hamra Fort at Ras Al Khaimah GBP42 extra night GBP12
This hotel has 75 air conditioned rooms large balconies, chilled and
heated pools. 6 kms private sandy beach. 45 minutes from Dubai airport.
Transfers from airport included.
Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Resort GBP79 extra nights GBP18
includes transfers and breakfast.
Qatar Airways return LHR to Dubai from GBP290 including taxes, transfers
and 3 nights stay on B&B basis.
Call in the UK 0181-715-1322 or fax 0181-335-3663 for details.

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. Smilie.
Gordon Dalziel sends these musings -
What Their Acronym Stands For
-----------------------------------------------
AA (American Airlines)      ----   Always Awful
AI (Air India)         ----  Allah Informed
ALITALIA    ------     Always Late In Takeoff Always Late In Arrival
Air Line     ----   In Tokyo And Luggage In Amsterdam
BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corp.)  --- Better On A Camel
--- Bloody Old and Careless
CA (China Airlines)   --- Choose Another
CAAC (Chinese Avation Airl.Comp.)  --- Chinese Airline Always Canceled
China Airlines   --- Almost (Always) Crashes
CPA (Canadian Airl.Intl.)--- (New code CAI)
--- Can't Promise Anything
--- Crash And Ignite
--- Call Ambulance Immediately
--- Circle Airport Indefinitely
--- Cruise Above Iceland
--- Cancel Alaskan Itinerary
--- Call Attendants "Idiots"
--- Check All Items
--- Copilots Are Imbeciles
--- Casual Atmosphere Inside

On the final leg of a trip from Chicago to Ohio University, KUNI, I
turned south in my C172 over APE VOR and shortly thereafter heard
Columbus Approach call a bizjet at 8000 inbound to CMH:
Approach:
"Bizjet 123, traffic one o'clock, 7000, a Cessna 172 southbound."
Bizjet 123:
"Roger, we got him on The Discovery Channel."
Approach:
"Cessna 89L, traffic eleven o'clock, 8000, a bizjet."
Cessna 89L:
"Negative contact, but then we don't have The Discovery Channel."
With no hesitation at all, the bizjet pilot keyed his mic and said -- in
the slowest, deepest, most deliberate announcer-like voice he could
muster -- "CALL YOUR CABLE OPERATOR."

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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:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.


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