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( For retirees of the new Air Canada family)
Number 505 July 20th, 2000, We first Published in October 1995
Chief Pilot - Vesta Stevenson - Co-pilot - Terry Baker
email address is
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. Need to know.
Standby travel from London a challenge until mid-August.
Until mid-August, Air Canada and Canadian Airlines are anticipating high passenger
loads from London Heathrow to Canada. Standby travel could be a challenge for
employees and their guests—please keep this in mind when making travel plans, and
consider alternate arrangements.
(Whilst this mentions employees and guests, it must surely apply to us retirees too!!! eds)
Denver’s passenger boardings were sky high in June!
Air Canada and AirBC set the bar a little higher in June when they boarded a combined
total of 16,767 customers. The carriers currently operate 10 daily departures to Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, and Montreal, and we codeshare on more than 300 daily United Airlines and Mexicana de Aviación departures.
Canadian Airlines wet leases its Shuttle services between Toronto-Montreal/Ottawa to Air Canada. Effective today, Canadian Airlines will wet lease its flights—excluding its F-28 service—between Toronto and Montreal/Ottawa to Air Canada. This Rapidair® service will show CP codeshare flight numbers. This move streamlines the standby process for Airport Customer Sales & Service Agents who must currently transfer standby passenger files manually between RESIII and Sabre.
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. Need to remember -
Air Georgian and Central Mountain Air will accept Air Canada passes.
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. Since we first started up the NetLetters, way back in 1995, we have increased our readership dramatically. With this in mind, we thought that we would republish some of the stories.
This one from number 40 dated March 29th 1996 -
A reminiscence by Charles Mackie
'Well I started with the company TCA at the time in 1941 as a Radio Operator
and was in Communications more or less during my whole career with the airline.
However I did spend 3 years as a flight Radio Officer on the CGTAS
operation from 1943 to 1946 and also took over the communication facilities from
the Military for the Trans Atlantic civilian frequencies in 1947 while I was posted to
Goose Bay, Labrador for better than a year.
After that I moved from one station to another in Communications and eventually
ended up in Victoria in 1952 and stayed here until I retired in 1974.
Before I was with the airline I was with Canadain Airways Ltd working in
Winnipeg and, then in other northern stations, then did a spell with the DOT at the
Monitoring station in Ottawa for a year or so.
I do run the TCA AC net (radio) every Tuesday and we do have a roster of
some 200 plus names of individuals who do hold an Amateur radio license.
I have a couple of books here that your readers might be interested in, the first
one "From the Flight Deck" published by Van Wells Pub. Ltd.
ISBN 155068-088-9. Author Bruce Champion-Smith a Toronto Star editor.
I believe this book is about Capt Bob Yorks last flight from LHR to YYZ,
just prior to his retirement from Air Canada.
The second book "Ocean Bridge, a History of the RAF Ferry Command" by
Carl. A. Christie. Published by University of Toronto Press, ISBN 0-8020--6389-8.
Excellent book with a lot of references to old TCA pilots in it.'
Charles Mackie email at
(Charles is the Director for the Vancouver Island chapter of the
Canadian Aeronautical Historical Association - eds)
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. Remember when?
. . . Your seat pushed you firmly in the back. Even then there is none of the
shuddering brazen bellow of the high-powered piston engine . . . Combined with a
seemingly uncanny lack of vibration, this gives the impression almost of sailing
through space, the engines with their glinting propeller discs utterly remote from the
quiet security of this cabin.
-- Derek Harvey, first turboprop airliner (Vickers-Armstrong Viscount).
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. News from the districts.
From the Vancouver Island and Gulf Islands summer newsletter -
Past events -
The April 4th luncheon at Princess Mary was attended by 61 Pionairs. Guest speaker
was Ron Gurney, President of Ron Gurney Financial Services who presented a most
informative question and answering session. Emcee'd by Director of Vancouver
Island & Gulf Islands Director John Jeffrey, two members of the telephone committee,
Dorothy Buss and Peggy Davies, both of the telephone committee, were honored for
their past years active support of the many Pionairs endeavors. Dorothy's painting
of 'Wolves' was her gift to the National AGM on behalf of the local district.
June 13/14th saw 56 golfers enjoying a miscellany of weather during the annual
Pionairs golf classic. From the local district, Monique Coyle of Victoria collected
3 wins: ladies low gross, longest drive and closest to the hole on nr 15.
John Patterson from Parksville won men's low gross and Brian McCourt, newly arrived
in Nanaimo, won the men's low net. All three winners probably had the pencil with the
erasers!
Other winners were June Moyles of Cambridge, On - ladies low net. Bernie Davies of
Westbank BC - men's longest drive, Don Graham of Penticton - men's closest to the
hole on the 15th and Colin Lelliott from Chester NS closest on nr 17. Fran Burd of
Peterborough ON won the ladies closest on nr 17.
Pionairs and guests numbered 90 for the wind up BBQ steak dinner.
Under the capable direction of John Innes, a very large number of volunteers made the
whole event a great success.
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. GR's [ie Group Captain G R McGregor DFC OBE and TCAs President]
- First 'Jet' Flight !
Submitted By: H W [Bert] Young
- a Retiree and former pilot with 401[F] Sqdn RACF Auxilliary, Montreal.
NOTE: GR had flown with 401 Sqdn, and eventually lead it, and
the TAF Wing, during WW2.
GR had indicated his desire to have a flight in a 'Jet'- his first - and as we now had
the two-seater/dualcontroled T-33's this was arranged. He drove out one mid-week
morning during a our Summer Camp [mid-fiftys] at St Hubert and I, knowing him quite
well, was detailed to look after him.
GR would be in his 50s by then was quite'stout' so I had bit of trouble getting him into
a flight suit and of course he would not be able to have a 'G' suite. It was 'verboten'
that any of us TCA guys [we had quite a few TCA Captains and F/Os in the Sqdn]
should do the flying [for obvious reasons]. So F/L Bill Schram of the ASU Regular
Air Force was Pilot and allowed GR to have the Front seat.
However the T-Bird could not be started from the back so with me on the wing I
managed to get GR strapped and wired in' [this despite his 'pot'!] and the a/c fired up.
[Cpl Peter Blythe, also TCA', OC of the Photo Sxn took pics of this and we later
presented an album to GR].
And now this according to Bill Schram.
Bill pulled out of the flight line [to get the a/c rolling so the nose wheel didn't cock]
and then asked GR if he'd like to try taxiing. GR did and taxied right down to the
button of 024, lined it up on the runway, and with Bill giving GR the speeds etc. GR
took-off and rapidly climbed into Airway Green 1 !! Schram mentioned that TCA
would probably 'violate' them - to which GR replied that he could 'look after that !'.
GR then climbed to altitude and did aero's which 'blacked-out' Schram who had,
out of courtesy to GR, not connected his 'G' Suite.! GR then came back to the airfield,
did an approach and touch-and-go,a circuit, approach and landing!
Very impressive indeed! And Bill Schram said that he himself had not had 'control'
since they had taxied out of the flight line an hour before !
GR had had his 1st Jet Flght !
Afterwards we had lunch in the Mess and GR, with his briefcase, departed for his
office in the International Aviation Building.
PS: Some of the TCA Pilots in 401 included:
Wendy Reid, Bert Hughes, Peter Reid, Fergy Kyle, Norm Reid,
Dave Robinson, Don Wright, Chuck Carr and Ken Birnham....
Also TCA:
The ADJs Gordie Kay and Jack Roy; Nels Blom [Pilot],
Jack Grisdale, (Engineering), Ian McPherson, (Legal), Norm Hodgson, (P&S)
and the writer, Bert Young [Pilot], (Traffic Training & Advertising.)
Bert can be reached at
(Any comments from those who remember, and sent to Bert, would be welcomed
for a future NetLetter - eds)
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. Found on the internet.
NOT TOO LATE TO BID ON A SUPER CONSTELLATION:
Guess the Internet promoters are correct when they say you can buy just about anything
on the Web these days -- the Internet auction site eBay is featuring a Lockheed Super
Constellation for sale. Offered by Maine Coast Airways, the Connie needs some work to
achieve ferryable condition, and the last we checked the bid was up to $25,100.
Better hurry if you want to impress your fellow pilots at the local airport --
bidding ends July 27.
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. Terry's travel tips.
Peggy Clark, Customer Service Manager for Vancouver Island, AirBC offered the
following comment - "As seats on all flights off the island, this summer and for some
time to come, will be in high demand, all plussers should take special care to be at the
airports service by AirBC early for the desired flights rather than just prior to scheduled
departure".
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. Smilie.
Famous 'Where am I?'s
'I'm Douglas Corrigan. Just got in from New York, where am I? . . . I intended to fly
to California.'
-- 'Wrong Way' Corrigan , upon arrival in Ireland after his un-approved solo
transatlantic flight. He maintained he had 'compass troubles.'
' Where am I?' 'In Gallegher's pasture . . . have you come far?' 'From America.'
-- Amelia Earhart, first solo flight by a woman across the Atlantic, upon
arrival in an open field near Londonderry, Northern Ireland.
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Important reminder, for all new articles, submissions and or comments
for the "The Netletter" please send to:
Our joint e-mail address is:
please add to your Address Books.
This e-mail address has been set up so that both of us (exclusively)
will get an automatic copy and so we can keep up with the continuity of
news for the NetLetter.
Why not check out the Air Canada Retired Employees Web Site
http://www.acfamily.net/acrew/
Independently operated by webmaster Tom Grant.
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Mailing of 'the NetLetter" is courtesy of Alan Rust administrator of
the "AC Family Network" at: http://www.acfamily.net
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