Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter

Air Canada - our first 70 years

1964 - Oct 13th British Royal family returns to London on a DC-8 after their Canadian tour

TCA/AC People Gallery

Over the past months we have been publishing various photographs from earlier "Horizons", should any photos prompt a memory in seeing one of them, feel free to send us your comments and thoughts.

Musings from "Between Ourselves" magazine
Issue dated July 1964

This photo is of a DC-8 at YUL where B.C. salmon shipment is unloaded.







Earlier this month, DC-8 fin 813 became the "Cabbage Patch" aircraft when it over-ran the runway at LHR. No fatalities.

Here is a photo of the aircraft, housed in the B.O.A.C. hangar being repaired by a group of Douglas mechanics.






A group of employees involved in the repair of Fin 813 formed a bowling team, here they are.
(Yes, that's our own co-pilot, third from left, couldn't resist - eds)








Employees attended a systems analyst training session in Winnipeg.

Here they are.








Issue dated August 1964

First Vanguard flight fin nr 909 CF-TKH into the Lakehead was on July 29th, and the people of the twin cities of Port Arthur and Fort William turned out to view the aircraft. 





Here is the flight crew.















These four Stewardesses have been remustered having worked in the company at other jobs.








Issue dated November 1964

The Queen and her entourage returned to the U.K. after her tour of Canada on October 13th.The segment from YOW to LHR was on an Air Canada DC-8, the first aircraft to be repainted in it's new colours. Fin 807 CF-TJG. After the Canadian Coat of Arms had been applied to the aircraft, Georges Langlois, Storeman P & S, YUL noticed the incorrect crown, a Tudor Crown instead of a Saint Edward Crown, and arrangements were made to correct by reapplying the correct decal..
We have several photos of the Royal event.

The Queen bids farewell.













The Queen's flight crew   
























Queen's service crew of the aircraft.

Star Alliance

BMI, the UK operator is dropping various UK domestic routes. LHR to Durham Tees Valley, Inverness, Leeds Bradford International and Jersey.

This n That

Ryanair the Irish budget carrier is now offering its passengers the opportunity to use their mobile phones while about one of 20 B737-800 which have been converted, mainly operating out of the Dublin base and are able to send/receive voice calls, text messages or surf the internet on GSM enabled phones.
Those who use the system will be charged at non-EU international roaming rates approximately gbp1.50 to 3.00 peer minute, more than 40p per text and between gbp1.00 and 2.00 per email...

Alan's Space

Hi everyone,

I'm presently in Winnipeg for the Pionairs Reunion and AGM. If you're going too and see me there, please say hi and let me know if you have any suggestions for the NetLetter or the Pionairs web site that I will be administering starting on May 1, 2009.

Help wanted! See below!

Air Canada/TCA's Concorde and Boeing SST's
The Canadian Aviation Historical Society (www.cahs.ca)  is preparing an upcoming story about Air Canada/TCA's involvement with the Concorde and Boeing SST's in the 60's and would like your help.

Although Air Canada eventually canceled the orders for these planes, the CAHS are looking for any photos of the mock-ups, presentations, advertising, or promotional materials from the manufacturers (such as aviation magazine advertising) that show these two aircraft in Air Canada colours.

Searching the internet, I found the following photos that are interesting, but I'm sure we can do better than this. I'm sure there must be some of our readers that were involved with this project in about 1964 or 1965.

Please send any info to Bob Baglow, CAHS Editor at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Canadi>n/CPAir/PWA, Wardair, etc. Events & People

Over the past months we have been publishing various photographs from earlier in-house magazines, should any photos prompt a memory in seeing one of them, feel free to send us your comments and thoughts.

Perusing the "Info Canadi>n" magaizne

Issue dated May 31st 1990

Nine hundred and eighty two retirees attended the annual Association of Canadian Airlines International Retired Employees (CAIRE) in Vancouver on May 7th.










Issue dated June 7th 1990

Toronto - Chicago service will be suspended August 1st due to weak market demand. Service first started to Midway Airport in March 1989.

Issue dated July 5th 1990
Format of the Info Canadia>n magazine changed. A new training centre was opened in the Convair Drive building.

Here was have this photo of the first attendees.  











Issue dated July 26th 1990

Here we have a photo of the hospitality crew at the 11th annual Montreal Jazz Festival where Canadian Airlines was a major sponsor.










Issue dated August 2nd 1990
Ontario's sales team get ready for a travel agent promo.

Here they are.















Issue dated August 10th 1990
The proposed sale of Two B-747-400 to American Airlines has been cancelled as American Airlines were unsuccessful in their application for a route Chicago-Tokyo

Issue dated September 5th 1990

Victoria, BC city ticket office moved and these employees seem happy they did.











Issue dated September 26th 1990
Canadian withdraws Amsterdam service effective November 17th.
Canadian has serviced this route for the past 35 years.

Issue dated October 15th 1990
Canadian announces they will discontinue B-737 service to Kelowna, Fort St. John, Sandspit and Smithers when these routes will be served by Canadian Partner Time Air on January 13th 1991  for Kelowna, and April 1991 for the other three destinations.

Issue dated October 17th 1990
Daily service between Montreal (YMX) and Paris (GDG) effective November 1st.

Passengers flying on Canadian Airlines flights YVR-HNL-SYD will be allowed to smoke only on the HNL-SYD route, but on the return routing, smoking will be allowed all the way! The regulation for smoking on international flights are defined in the Non-smoker's Health Act which states smoking is not permitted on flights between Canada and a point outside Canada, if the flight is six hours or less.

Issue dated October 18th 1991

Canadian's London UK staff at the new check-in desk at Victoria Station allowing passengers to check-in prior to taking the train to Gatwick Airport.

Here we have this photo.
















Keith Pope, general manager U.K., Ireland, Scandivia and Finland is joined by l to r Diane Huber (American Airlines share the facility),
Maggie Appleton, Canadian's customer service supervisor, and
Jenny Flaherty, customer service agent.

Former employees of Maritime Central Airways, formed in 1941, got together for a 50 year anniversary at Chartlottown PEI.

Here we have this photo.











A family that works together flies together! That's what this trio did on a recent flight to Frankfurt.










r to l
Capt. Grover Sinclair, daughter Hilary Sinclair flight attendant and
son F/O John Sinclair. Capt. Sinclair retired on October 10th 1991
after 35 years with Canadian.

From Brian Dunn who issues the email YYZNEWS sends us this -
Vesta and all;

Just by coincidence I was reading Netletter 1065 and saw the note
about the former TCA Connie.  The link below has some great shots of it now restored at Rome NY.  (RME)  ---it will be heading west to the Museum of Flight at Boeing Field in Seattle shortly.
Brian Dunn
http://www.rbogash.com/Connie/connie_done.html

Ken Baker sends us this memory prompted by the photo of the ticket we included in NetLetter nr 1064.

The ticket shown in NetLetter nr 1064 was for myself (J Ken Baker)
This flight was my first flight and was a same day return three weeks
before my 12th birthday. I sold my electric train to get the money to
purchase the ticket. Capt. Jim Burford was the captain and he had been informed that an 11 yr.old, crazy about flying, was on the flight. Shortly after departure I was invited to the cockpit where I remained until landing. I guess you could say it was my first unofficial line flight (DC-3). My first official line flight to establish seniority was 14 yrs later in March 1966 as a second officer DC-8. Capt. Burford gave me a conducted tour of the Maintenance hanger and bought me my lunch in Montreal. I returned the same evening and was sold on flying. I retired in 1991 as a Capt.L1011.
Time sure passes quickly.

Wayne has sent us this photo of the Wardair B-747 inaugural flight to
Leeds Bradford U.K. in the early 80's.






Norman Randall has sent us this story.
During the 1970's I was a Line engineer on the 737 operating in and out of YXY--one flite that I remember was one that was very important to the people of Whitehorse -- When Captain Ron Woods saved  4  locals  in a Cessna 172 from crashing into the
Mountains around Whitehorse.

Nov 7  - 1971 A  Cessna 172 got lost  while sightseeing around the carcross area of the Yukon outside of Whitehorse.This happened when a fast moving snow storm moved in covering the whole region with heavy cloud. In the Cessna were 3  passengers and the Pilot,  the weather was so bad that the only thing that the pilot was able to see was the " big thing mountain " sticking up through the clouds. He was Lost. He contacted the Whitehorse tower and though able to communicate with  the plane air traffic control was unable to help him find the airport. The  pilot was told to continue circling the carcross area using the mountain as a point of reference and told him how to prepare for the Worst. A crash Landing. They circled for some time watching the Fuel gauge going down towards the Empty mark.
It was getting Dark. Meanwhile the CPAir flite from Vancouver to Whitehorse was approaching with Captain Ron Woods listening to the conversation between the pilot and the tower. The CPAir flite landed and off loaded the passengers then Ron Woods and 1st officer Brian McMahon took off with the 737 to look for the Cessna, they found him still circling. Ron asked how fast the Cessna could fly and the answer was about 100 miles per hour while the slowest the 737 could go was 140 MPH. Ron said follow me. When the Cessna could no longer see the 737 lights Ron would circle around and come back. He did this 4 times. When they finally got into an area lined up with the   Whitehorse airport and clear of mountains and hills Ron was able to go down  through the clouds  and told the pilot to follow him down to the airport  through the snow storm.They Landed safely at YXY more than 5 hours after taking off with the Fuel gauges reading Empty.

I thought that this might be of interest to some of the old CPAir people and those that had worked in YXY

Norm  Randall

Terry's Travel Tips

Here is the next segment of the "Round the world" trip by Sheila Moscoe we started in NetLetter nr 1064

Hi everyone!
Well, where does the time go?  After our ordeal in Hong Kong with Shirley having had her purse stolen, we finally got on board this lovely ship. We were a bit surprised to find our stateroom lacking in closet space, but we managed to double up our clothes on the hangers and made the room cozy with our Canadian flag on the door, and another one on our balcony window, and some plastic flowers (which I always bring when traveling) in a vase and managed to put our luggage underneath the beds. We joined this ship on Segment 3 (Hong Kong to Dubai) of its 107 day world cruise voyage. So, needless to say it was a bit daunting to meet our neighbours who have been on board since January. But, they welcomed us to "their floor" and we have settled in now without any problems.

Within days of sailing, I got "bitten" by something (we're still not sure what it was) and was covered with itchy welts on my ears, arms, face, neck - it was ugly. Finally after 5 more days, the welts and blisters subsided and I'm only left with dark scab-like marks.The food's pretty good with lots of choices - have stayed away from the desserts. Having received Platinum Status with Princess, I have 500 free minutes for the Internet; however, it's almost like dialup service. But, who's complaining?  I'm able to use my wireless notebook computer anywhere on the ship, so that's a bonus. Almost every morning I walk one hour on the outdoor track upstairs - starting from around 0600hr. When the sun comes up, it's quite unbearable up there, so the earlier, the better. The guest lecturers are fabulous.  We had one fellow speak on the NASA Space Program, with great slides and stories of the astronauts. The other English gentleman spoke on Her Majesty's Secret Service - with witty ditties! We now have 2 new lecturers - one is talking about Hollywood (his mother was a movie star), and the other fellow has stories of the first navigators of the sea.  Very interesting, indeed (an English expression!). Next week is the start of Passover so Shirley and I are looking forward to attending Seder at Sea. And starting this Sunday will be Holy Week for her. Good timing.

Every night there's entertainment in the Cabaret Lounge - from a magician to a juggler to a comedian to an opera singer.  However, sometimes it's hard to stay awake! We have met some really nice couples, interliners (airline employees), gays, straights, singles, etc. We have received an invitation to attend a cocktail party in a suite. How sweet it is!
Well, that's about all the news from Stateroom 7026.  Time for a Thai-tini on the balcony!
Next letter - ports of call.
Hope you're all well out there.
Love, Sheila
(We will continue in another NetLetter - eds)

Smilies

Here we have an excerpt from an article is an undated copy, possibly 1978,  of CP Air's "Blue Skies" magazine.

Submitted by Frank Healy, Power Plant Shop in YVR and  
a member of Communications Advisory Group.
Airline Passengers - A Hardy Breed!

Consider a typical passenger arriving at the airport. Slightly numbed
by the taxi fare, he moves toward the automatic doors. The doors are cleverly set; if he moves too fast he close behind him and seize him by the ankles. The door is his first real test. Once inside he must cross a minimum of 700 yards of highly polished marble to get to the ticket counter. The chances of his slipping and severely damaging some part of his skeletal frame are very high. By the time he reaches the counter, carrying his bags, his arches and shoulder sockets are making creaking noises and his pulse is racing. At the ticket counter there are seven wickets.
"Passengers with Tickets"
"Passengers Without Tickets"
"Passengers with Reservations but no Tickets"
"Passengers with Tickets but no Reservations"
"Passengers to other Destinations"
"Passengers with 5 Items or Less"
and "Information".
All of the wickets but one are marked "This position closed. Please use next wicket." The open wicket has no attendant, he's gone for coffee. (Most give up at this point). However, our typical passenger perseveres, and having waited the required hour or so, he does get to the counter, where the  attendant takes his ticket, tears the handle off his suitcase and directs him to Gate 27. It should be noted that all gates under 10 have been eliminated, they are too close in, too easy to find.
(We will conclude this in the next NetLetter - eds)