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Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter Since 1995

Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter

Since 1995



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T H E                    _| TCA |_
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N E T L E T T E R   >  CANADA   <
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( For retirees of the new Air Canada family)


Number 525 Oct 11th, 2000,  We first Published in October 1995



Chief Pilot - Vesta Stevenson   -      Co-pilot  - Terry Baker


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


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. We welcome
John and Joyce Dozois  email is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
John  joined TCA in 1949 and retired from Air Canada in 1983.
Last position held was Airport Manager Dorval.


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. Need to know.
Employee Travel policy in effect October 22.
To coincide with RESIII migration, the Employee Travel policy will come into
effect October 22. Please review the document sent to your home so you’re
ready to travel come October 22. New trip pass tickets for personal,
parent/partner, and business travel will be available at most ticketing locations
around October 16, for use October 22.


The Employee Call Centre (ECC) will accept parent/partner travel requests under the 1999-2000 allotment until 11:00 pm CT October 16.
In accordance with their commitment to process parent/partner tickets within seven days, ECC agents will accept requests for parent/partner tickets until 11:00 pm CT, October 16. New parent/partner trip pass tickets (T423) can be used for travel October 22. Note: Air Canada partner tickets issued on 014 revenue ticket stock before October 16 will be accepted until January 31, 2001.


New trip pass tickets in effect around October 16.
Barring unforeseen delivery problems, Air Canada, Canadian Airlines, Canadian Regional Airlines, and the Regional Carriers’ ticketing locations should have the
new personal (T421), parent/partner (T423), business (T425), and crew movement
(T405) tickets on hand by October 16.
We urge you to read the appropriate instructions prior to completing the new passes.


Air Canada will purchase 12 A321 and two A319 aircraft.
Today, as part of our on going growth and fleet renewal strategy, Air Canada
confirmed the purchase of 12 160-seat A321 and two more 112-seat A319 aircraft. Aircraft delivery will take place between October 2001-December 2002, for
immediate deployment in Domestic and Transborder markets.
This acquisition will allow us to start our fleet renewal program to replace older
generation aircraft such as the DC-9 and Boeing 737. Introduction of the A321 to
our fleet builds on the many benefits derived from commonality of A320 family
aircraft types.


It’s all in the voice—Speech Recognition system up and running.
If you’re an active or retired self-ticketing Air Canada employee eligible for personal travel privileges, you now have access to an exciting new Speech Recognition system. The interactive voice-enabled system will let you register for personal travel on Air Canada and its Regional Carriers’ flights, modify existing registrations, and check
flight loads and schedules. Later this month it will include flights operated by
Canadian Airlines and Canadian Regional Airlines. A mailing with all the details—including your Personal Identification Number (PIN)—is now on its way
to your home address. Eligible employees at the Air Canada Regional Carriers,
Canadian Airlines, and Canadian Regional Airlines will have access to Speech Recognition early in 2001.



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. Nice to know!
Air Canada Makes History with Installation of In-Flight E-mail Service.
Air Canada completed the installation and certification of Tenzing's on board e-mail
and web server recently on aircraft 607. The system will be beta-tested (trial run) for
a month followed by a six-month customer trial. It will allow customers to send and
receive e-mails through a telephone connection to their laptops. Tenzing was
impressed with the professionalism and dedication of Air Canada employees working
on the project


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. I goofed!!!
In the piece about the TV program of the flight from YYZ  to FRA, I had Jim Guild listed
as both Captain and First Officer.
Now I am unable to recollect the name of the First Officer. BUT I notice Jim Guild was
on the inaugural flight from Toronto to Amsterdam last July 3rd as per article on
page 2 of Horizons this month.


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. Bill Norberg has sent us another interesting story -
Subject: Airline memories of Pierre Elliott Trudeau
The happenings of the past number of days have brought back many memories of our
departed Prime Minister. No doubt many of our employees both active and retired can call
upon incidents or occasions when his presence or influence had an impact on the destiny of
Air Canada. I know I have had a number myself and the events of the past few days have
refreshed them in my mind.
As we all know our President Mr. G.R.MacGregor retired in May 1968 after some 20 years at
the helm. The question of his replacement was of great interest to many individuals both
within and outside the airline. It was common knowledge that his preferred choice as
replacement might well have been Herb Seagrim. But, as was the case before
privatization, selection of a new President of Air Canada was in no small way a political matter.
Another event was to take place that same  year. The Honorable Lester B. Pearson, the then
Prime Minister had announced his intention to step down and the race was on to select his
replacement. It was obvious that no selection of a new President for Air Canada would be
made until his successor was chosen.
The political plum was just too valuable to be dispensed lightly.
There was a vacuum and the then President of Canadian National Railways, Mr. Norman MacMillan QC, who was also a member of the Board of Directors of Air Canada,  served as
Acting President.
At the same time as all this was going on Air Canada had just gone through the Thompson
Commission Hearings about the closing of the Winnipeg Maintenance base which had a
great deal of political significance at all levels of Government.
The then Minister of Transport was the Hon. Paul Hellyer who was also very interested in
becoming the next Prime Minister of Canada along with a number of other hopefuls.
We had two races going on concurrently:-
1. Who would be the next Prime Minister of Canada?
2. Who would be the next President of Air Canada?
The memories of Expo 67 in Montreal and General DeGaulle's famous statement
"Vive Le Quebec Libre!" from the City Hall building in Montreal had inflamed the bi-lingual
question.
This too was to have an implication on who would be the next President of Air Canada.
I was Director of the Winnipeg Maintenance base at the time and was heavily involved in
resolving that political problem. I was contacted by Headquarters in Montreal to arrange a
meeting for the purpose of meeting with the Minister of Transport to discuss matters
relevant to the Base issue.
I set up the meeting and a number of Air Canada top people were in attendance in addition
to myself.-
Herb Seagrim who would have liked to be President of Air Canada.
R.H.McIsaac a Board member from Winnipeg who apparently also would have liked to be
President of Air Canada.
The Minister of Transport who was actively campaigning to become the next Prime
Minister, arrived  along with his deputy Minister and the meeting was to start.
Before the meeting got underway the Minister made a statement:-
"If you think Air Canada is going to get in the way of my political career,you have another
thought coming.  Now lets get on with the meeting".
As history records, Paul Hellyer didn't get the nomination to head up the Liberal party and
become the next Prime Minister...Pierre Elliott Trudea did.
Neither Herb Seagrin nor R.H.McIssac became President of Air Canada.
Pierre Trudeau in order to satisfy the bilingual issue selected Yves Pratte as Chairman
of the Board and the Deputy Minister, who was in the meeting along with Paul Hellyer,
became President of Air Canada...Mr. John Baldwin.
We all know  the chain of events that followed that important selection.
My wife and I were on a flight from Kingston Jamaica to Montreal . The flight was loaded
but for some reason it was not departing on schedule. After about 10 minutes or so a
helicopter landed just a short distance away from the aircraft.  A tanned Pierre Trudeau
jumped out of the helicopter and bounded up the stairs into the aircraft.
It departed immediately.
He quietly set about reading some papers and kept very much to himself. A group of
people were in the First Class cabin who had apparently won a flight in some contest.
Once they realized Mr. Trudeau was on board they set about trying to speak to him and
eventually wanted him to pose for a group picture with the family. They weren't very subtle
about it but Mr. Trudeau was most gracious and consented to their request. It was a typical
example of his ability to deal with people in a most understanding way.
We were very impressed with his funeral service today and in particular the eulogy by his
son Justin. One of the finest we have ever heard.
Maybe some others have memories of  Pierre Trudeau they might wish to share.
Take care and be well.
Sincerely  Bill Norberg    <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>


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. Found on the internet.
..AND ASIA BUYS IN ON EXTRA-BIG JETS
Singapore Airlines has signed with Airbus Industrie for as many as 25 of its huge-body,
550-plus-passenger-carrying, long-haul A3XX aircraft.
The contract may be a loss for Boeing, whose 747X Stretch aircraft was in the running,
but perhaps more important, the purchase proves that the big jets are indeed in our
future -- whoever builds them.  The needs of those superjumbo jets are sure to have an
impact on the entire industry, from ATC procedures to ground operations to passenger
facilities.


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. John Gallagher sends us this information -
Subject: Bank Cards
All Bank card 'Pin" numbers throughout the world will only accept
FOUR PIN digits by next year. At the RAPCAN Reunion in Germany last
month, several of us with Royal Bank 6 digits could not get $$ from the
local ATM machines. Most TD and CIBC customers were OK.
The Royal Bank is advising all customers to change their pin numbers
to 4 digits.
John Gallagher   <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
(Could be an excuse by John to have his friends pick up his tab! - eds)


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. From the YYZNEWS issued by Brian Dunn -


For any photographers or plane spotters who may have seen a strange looking 767-300 arrive at YYZ on Sunday afternoon.....the mystery is solved.  It was a 767-300 leased to Balair of Switzerland which had previously worked for Air Europe in Italy, hence the
Balair tail scheme with the Air Europe cheatline.  It was HB-IHT and was brought into
the Air Canada paint hangar where it will be rolled out in new Air Canada colours and Canadian Airlines titles as C-GHLA (FIN656).  This of course, also leads to speculation that there must be a FIN655 about to arrive as well, but so far no sightings.
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. Terry's travel tips.
Visiting Canmore, Alberta?
The Canmore Airporter has scheduled, daily door to door Calgary Airport shuttle.
ca$34.00 door to door, $28.00 Bow Valley Trail.  1-877-609-1616.
From Calgary Airport to Banff, Canmore or Lake Louise - Laidlaw Motor Coach serves
this area - to Banff $30.00 rtn $54.00, Senior 55+  $23.00 rtn $54.00 (2 hr trip)
to Lake Louise $38.00 rtn $68.00, Senior 55+ $29.00 rtn $52.00 (3 hr trip)
1-800-661-4946
Banff Airporter operates similarly for $36.00 rtn $70.00 1-888-hiway-01


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. Smilie.
Author unknown - contributed by Gord Dalziel
FLYING  BROTHERS ...
My younger brother and I, Canadians of Japanese descent, were assigned to
the same unit as navigators on 437 Transport Squadron at the Trenton, Ont.,
airbase. As soon as my flight landed in Lahr, Germany, after one routine
flight, I reported to the weather office to debrief the duty meteorologist
on the transatlantic weather my crew had encountered. As it happened, an
hour later the next home-bound crew, including my brother, reported to the
weather office for their preflight briefing. The meteorologist hadn't spoken
for long before he peered quizzically at my brother in his flight suit,
handed him the pointer and said, "Here, you know the weather much better
than I do."
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Important reminder, for all new articles, submissions and or comments
for the "The Netletter" please send to:
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please add to your Address Books.
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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.org/acrew/
Part of the ACFamily Network


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