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Subject: [The NetLetter] NetLetter nr 813 Feb 18/04 - The NetLetter
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 12:23:23 -0800
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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 813 Feb 18th., 2004. We first published in October 1995.
Circulation: 2700+
Chief Pilot - Vesta Stevenson - Co-pilot - Terry Baker
To get in touch with either editor/pilot our email address is
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. Need to know.
Bring paper flight coupons as back up - regardless of where you travel to. It
would appear that there is still some confusion as to when and where paper
coupons are required. If uncertain, you’re encouraged to always carry a paper
coupon with you in the event of a travel change to a non-DCS station - a
station not handled by Air Canada - such as Sydney, Australia or Orlando,
Florida. In some instances if you don’t have a paper ticket when one is
required, you may be refused travel. It’s not worth the risk, especially during
the spring break period. Furthermore, it’s important to notice that while the
booking reference may say “paper coupon not required” for a portion of the
travel, it doesn’t mean that it refers to all travel segments. In addition,
don’t worry about whether you need to use the old or new ticket stock, as both
are accepted.
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. Nice to know.
New curbside check-in successfully launched at Fort Lauderdale. Recently,
after months of determined effort, we launched an Outside Check-in operation at
Fort Lauderdale International Airport. Always a busy station, during peak
cruise and winter travel season, busloads of passengers arrive simultaneously
from their cruise ships and want to check in at the same time. This puts an
enormous strain on the operation. By having two additional "outside" check-in
positions, there was a significant improvement in customer wait times. “On the
weekend, FLL processed 1,938 customers, of which 400 were served outside,” said
Brenda Buske, Manager, Customer Service Florida. “Everyone involved in this
initiative put in a tremendous effort to make it happen and I’m confident it
will go a long way towards helping alleviate the congestion. Congratulations to
the employees at FLL for delivering the best ‘cruise season’ weekend in
memory.”
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. Ross Smyth sent us this article -
This monthly column appeared in the Feb. issue of COPA Flight (Can.Owners
& Pilots Assn.)
OUR FLYING HERITAGE by Ross Smyth
The controversial role of aircraft in war. During the week of December 17,
2003, the 100th anniversary of powered flight featured
many television documentaries which stretched our memories. They also made some
of us
consider the role of aircraft in the future.
A one-hour film reviewed the life of William Barker, V.C.., based on the
excellent book
on this great war hero by B.C. writer Wayne Ralph. My mother and I were among
the
50,000 spectators who lined the streets of Toronto near Mount Pleasant cemetery
in
Toronto in March, 1930, in my ninth year - this funeral being one of my
earliest aviation
memories. War hero Barker had been killed in an aircraft accident near Ottawa.
As a youth I studied about Canada’s air heroes in the war of 1914-1918.
Four of our aces
ranked in the top ten pilots on the Allied side. I knew how many planes each
had shot
down. At a teenage party I met the daughter of Roy Brown, the Canadian airman
who was
credited with shooting down the war’s leading ace, Germany’s Manfred von
Richthofen
who was credited with 80 kills.
ln the 1930s I devoured every issues of the Flying Aces magazine from New York
and
formed its first youth squadron in Toronto. An early guest speaker at our boys’
club was
Canada’s first transatlantic pilot, Captain Erroll Boyd of Toronto, who was
taught to fly
by John Alcock in 1915. Boyd flew in the war before guns were carried on
aircraft. Later
in the year he was shot down by antiaircraft fire, did not become a war hero,
and was
interned in Holland.
In 1938 Erroll Boyd, a man ahead of his time, formed the Aviation Scouts of
Canada, a
forerunner of the air cadet movement. Norm Dawber and I became early members.
We
won air trips, Norm to Los Angeles and me to Miami via New York. Captain Boyd
motored us to Buffalo to commence our experiences of a life time. This was
nearly a year
before any inter-city passenger service was scheduled within Canada. Norm later
had a
distinguished career in the RCAF overseas earning the DFC.
Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) had been formed by C.D.Howe in 1937, and its very
first
employee was one of Canada’s top war aces, Donald R. MacLaren. In later years I
would
get to know him well but he rarely talked of his wartime exploits. A believer
in the unity of
mankind he had retired by 1962, the 25th anniversary of Trans-Canada Air Lines
(now Air
Canada) for the celebration. My role was organizing his cross-Canada speaking
tour
about the airline’s contribution in fostering national unity and in shrinking
our nation.
MacLaren was also a peace hero.
At age 19 in 1940 I had joined Canada’s national airline. Three boys who lived
on my
small street in Toronto went into the RCAF and none returned. I had wanted to
be with
them but lacked the medical qualifications for vision. Perhaps that is why I am
alive today,
able to remember them every November 11th..
In 1945 when I was working in TCA flight dispatch in Moncton, I accompanied
Captain
Kent Davis for our periodic flight operations medicals. We both scraped through
but the
examining CN doctor jokingly said “You two fellows give me trouble. One of you
is blind
and the other can’t hear.” Davis, like his pilot brother Bing, had no trouble
however
hearing the radio range signals and my vision was OK for an inside office job..
I always wanted to fly and finally my Morse code speed reached 20 words a
minute.
I had hoped to become a radio officer on the converted Lancaster bombers that
TCA flew
as the Canadian Government Transatlantic Air Service from 1943-1947 until the
Canadian-built North Stars arrived. I soon became a flight dispatcher in the
airline’s
overseas division in the closest possible job to flying.
Interested in community work I became president of the Canada Junior Chamber of
Commerce and, later representing it at a conference in Chicago, I got to know
Lester
“Mike” Pearson and met six Nobel Peace prize winners there. I became active in
the
United Nations Association and the world federalist movement, and traveled
extensively.
The world was opening for me.
In Moscow in the early 1970s I met a Russian veteran who lost two brothers in
defending
Moscow against the German attack in the Second World War. I suddenly realized
that, if I
had lived his experiences, I would have been a good communist. I began to think
that
perhaps the Cold War had been a phony war. President Eisenhower had lied about
the spy
plane shot down over Russia. Both sides used propaganda.
Today I believe that with advances in technology war has become an obsolete
method to
settle any dispute. War on terrorism is misnamed. Terrorists are not caught by
dropping
bombs from aircraft. The solution to terrorism rests with good intelligence,
effective
police action, and strengthening the rule of law. Because we still live in a
very imperfect
world, I still believe however that Canada needs a stronger air force to meet
our increasing
global commitments.
Did you know that Canada presently has more troops in Afghanistan than any
European
member of NATO? And that more Canadian soldiers there have been killed by
friendly fire
than by terrorists.
I have suggested to foreign affairs minister Bill Graham that Canada should
consider
establishing a royal commission of experts with extensive public input to
determine how
war can be made effectively illegal within ten years. At stake is our long-term
survival.
In my voluntary activities I have met many pilots. One, an American Airlines
captain was a
founder of the American movement for democratic world government. Another from
United Airlines served as president of the Association to Unite the
Democracies. Those
who work for peace and justice tend to be ignored by our media (unless their
behavior
becomes violent:). We need more peace heroes.
A international best seller is “Paris 1919”, a book about the peace conference
from which
the League of Nations was formed. The League failed for lack of member support.
After
the Second World War and some 50 million war deaths we formed the United
Nations to
ensure peace and justice. It may also fail because of its undemocratic veto and
under-funding..
I still have my first newsletter of the Aviation Scouts of Canada. In one of
its articles my
boyhood hero, Erroll Boyd, supported a plan for a peace air force for the
League of
Nations, the UN’s predecessor. The recent earthquake in Iran killing thousands
should
remind us that the UN still has no standby peace air force to provide quick
relief in such
emergencies. There are nuclear bombers however on immediate standby with the
capability of completely eliminating this member country of the “axis of evil”.
We have
plans to militarize space. Do we have our priorities right?.
Members of the aviation community should become good world citizens because
aircraft
are shrinking our world community making us all neighbors. Airlines could not
operate
effectively without ICAO and IATA. Everyone of us in the aviation community
should
enhance our efforts for peace and justice in our global community.
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. Terry's travel tips.
Dargal has these offerings -
*** STP VACATION RESORTS ***
Island Resort & Golf Club ~ Bahamas
1 Week from $572 per 2 Bedroom ~ You can take up to 5 non-Interline friends or
family members with you!
Imperial Hawaii Vacation Club ~ Hawaii
1 Week from $544 per 1 Bedroom ~ You can take up to 3 non-Interline friends or
family members with you!
Sunset View Club ~ Canary Islands
1 Week from $544 per 1 Bedroom ~ You can take up to 3 non-Interline friends or
family members with you!
*** ALL-INCLUSIVE RESORTS ***
Breezes Montego Bay ~ Jamaica (Adults Only)
Your Friends & Family can book additional rooms at the same great rate!
Mar 1 to 31: Oceanview Suite Special! 3 Night Stay from $399, Extra Nights from
$130 per night
Breezes Costa do Sauipe ~ Brazil
Your Friends & Family can book an additional room at the same great rate!
Mar 2 to 16: 3 Night Stay from $335, Extra Nights from $109 per night
Club Med Cancun ~ Mexico (Adults Only)
Book by March 31 and Dargal will pay your Club Med Membership fee!
Your Friends & Family can book an additional room at the same great rate!
Feb 21 to Apr 2: 3 Night Stay from $277, Extra Nights from $93 per night
Club Med Sandpiper ~ Florida
Book by March 31 and Dargal will pay your Club Med Membership fee!
If it's an American-style vacation you're after, then you'll find it at
Sandpiper. Head for the golfers' paradise. Your children will love it too.
Your Friends & Family can book an additional room at the same great rate!
Feb 21 to Mar 12: 3 Night Stay from $277, Extra Nights from $93 per night
Grand Nuevo Vallarta by Occidental ~ Mexico
Your Friends & Family can book additional rooms at the same great rate!
Feb 17 to Apr 10: 3 Night Stay $275, Extra Nights $89 per night
Jack Tar Puerto Plata by Occidental ~ Dominica Republic
Your Friends & Family can book additional rooms at the same great rate!
Feb 22 to Apr 10: 3 Night Stay $258, Extra Nights $83 per night
STP Vacations: All bookings for STP Resort Condominiums must be made online.
Rates are quoted in U.S. dollars per resort condominium per week.
All-Inclusive Resorts: Rates are land only, quoted in U.S. dollars per person
(based on double occupancy). 3 Night Stay rates are per person, Extra Night
rates are per person/night. Blackout dates may apply. Club Med Membership Fee
is not included. SuperClubs Interline rates can only be booked within 30 days
prior to arrival.
For more information on these and other Dargal Interline specials:
Call Toll Free: 1-800-690-3223
International Toll Free: (International Access Code)-800-2832-7425
Fax: (250) 861-3283
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. Smile.
Found on the internet.
Many of its workers were scoring high on customer service, so Air Canada
decided to reward them. It selected 100 employees and gave each - you ready
for such excitement and generosity? - a $3.78 coupon good for a fast-food
hamburger. Not only did the lucky employees have to eat fast, they had to act
fast - because the coupons were due to expire. And as they gathered over their
sumptuous lunch, they probably pondered over the multi-million retention
bonuses that the airline was offering their top management.
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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.
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