Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter
Since 1995 Saturday March 29, 2026
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Atlas Air N1709A (Former Canadian Airlines - C-FCAJ) Boeing 767-375ER
December 29, 2024 - Houston, Texas (IAH) Air Canada Boeing 737 MAX 8
Fin #531 (C-GELU) in background
Photo courtesy of 1219Quida
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Dear Welcome to The NetLetter, established in 1995 as a dedicated newsletter for Air Canada retirees.
We have evolved into the longest running aviation-based newsletter for Air Canada, TCA, CP Air, Canadian Airlines and all other Canadian-based airlines that once graced the skies. The NetLetter is self-funded and is always free to subscribers. It is operated by a group of volunteers and is not affiliated with any airline or associated organizations. The NetLetter is published on the second and fourth weekend of each month. If you are interested in Canadian aviation history, and vintage aviation photos, especially as it relates to Trans-Canada Air Lines, Air Canada, Canadian Airlines International and their constituent airlines, then we're sure you'll enjoy this newsletter. Please note: We do our best to identify and credit the original source of all content presented. However, should you recognize your material and are not credited; please advise us so that we can correct our oversight. Our website is located at www.thenetletter.net Please click the links below to visit our archives and for more info about The NetLetter. |
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 We have welcomed 44 new subscribers so far in 2026.
We currently have 4585 subscribers.
We wish to thank everyone for the continuing support of our efforts.
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 Back issues of The NetLetter are available in both the original newsletter format and downloadable PDF format.
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We always welcome feedback about Air Canada (including Jazz and Rouge) from our subscribers who wish to share current events, memories and photographs.
Particularly if you have stories to share from one of the legacy airlines: Trans-Canada Air Lines, Canadian Airlines, CP Air, Pacific Western, Maritime Central Airways, Eastern Provincial, Wardair, Nordair, Transair, Air BC, Time Air, Quebecair, Calm Air, NWT Air, Air Alliance, Air Nova, Air Ontario, Air Georgian and all other Canadian based airlines that once graced the Canadian skies.
We will try to post your comments in the next issue but, if not, we will publish it as soon as we can.
Thanks!
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Toronto (YYZ) - Aviation & Airline Collectibles Show
 Upcoming show dates Sunday, April 12, 2026 & Sunday, October 4, 2026 John Paul II Polish Cultural Center, 4300 Cawthra Road., Mississauga, Ontario |
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In NetLetter #1577 we published a black & white copy of vintage flight attendant uniforms that had been published in Horizons magazine June 1997.
Thanks to Barbara Dunn and Joan Racey for submitting the original unaltered photo below.
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Issue dated October 1997
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Farewell Mirabel
 The message below was prepared by Pierre Richard, Customer Service Manager, Mirabel, and delivered to the passengers of AC870 on September 14, 1997, Air Canada's final departure from Mirabel to Paris.
"In a few minutes, Air Canada will begin boarding its last flight to Paris from Mirabel. All the Air Canada ground employees at Mirabel - passenger agents, baggage agents, airside employees, office employees and mechanics - wanted to come and wave goodbye to you from the main departure lounge. We are very sad to see you go, but also very proud.
Sad, because we have to leave this magnificent airport that over the years has become much more than just a workplace for us. Proud, because we sincerely feel that we have served you well right up to the very end.
We promise that starting tomorrow we will continue to give you the best service possible, so as to keep the Mirabel spirit alive and well for many years to come."
Left, on the return flight a ramp agent ushers in Air Canada's first international scheduled flight, AC871 from Paris to Dorval Airport since 1975.
Below the flight crew: Captain Bob Tucker, First Officer Dave Osborne and second officer André Bujold.
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Found in 'Horizons' magazine
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Issue dated May 1997
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Halifax Customer Sales and Service Agent Bliss FitzRandolph said goodbye to her co-workers after 30 years with the airline. She's looking forward to an exciting new life in Holland where her husband has accepted a new job.
Front row, left to right: Giselle Baird, Shirley McDonald, Steve Macdonald, Bliss FitzRandolph, Naomi Walsh and Bob Lockyer.
Second row: Mary Foster, Bonnie Bailey, Joni Dubeau, Marlis Dupupet, Donna Jussup, Debbie Graham, Karlene Dooks, Gord Misener and George Robertson.
Back row: Craig Corbett, Gus McDonald, Mike Whitehead, Pam Harnett, Gord Simons, Ron Allain and Joyce Wedmark.
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Winnipeg's Machine Shop got together to pay tribute to Lead Mechanic Ron Smith who retired after 28 years of service. During that time Ron worked in Dorval and later Winnipeg.
From left to right: Jim Pirie, Ross Hudson, Manfred Wolff, Steve Fallon, Ross Watson, Jeff Page, Ted Puzzio, Joe Reis, Ron Smith, Jon Maksymowicz, Ken Lodge, Dave Nash, Jacques Martineau (Dorval representative) and Sal Raquid.
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Found in 'Horizons' magazine
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Issue dated November 1997
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In 1997 Air Canada was an official carrier of the World Police/Fire Games and sponsored the VIP Opening Ceremonies reception held in Calgary.
Left to right: Linda Murphy, David Mitchell (AC Board member), Frida Audette, Jackie Davey, Janaina de Lorenzo, Mike Olson (Air BC), Cythia Polumbi, Company President Lamar Durrett, Margrit Fischlin and Graham Edwards.
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Robert Milton, Executive Vice-President & Chief Operating Officer, visits our Port of Spain office and met with staff.
Seated, left to right: Robert Milton, Asha Chotack, Shiva Beepat and Deanna Pilgrim.
Standing, left to right: Kawal Singh, Victoria Leps, Dean Bissoondial, Indra Maharaj, John Pluthero, Errol Dhanpath, Thomas Wallace and Natasha Forde.
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Air Canada took first place in the Vancouver Sun 10K Run - Food/Hospitality division, for the second year in a row.
Left to right: George Agnew, Customer Service Coordinator, Cargo; Station Attendants Stephen Phillips, Richard White; Peter Villella, Lead Station Attendant; AIlison Willis, Customer Sales & Service Agent; John Zakala, Lead Station Attendant; Brooke Sheridan, (race sponsor, Temporarily Yours) presenting the plaque; Station Attendants Stuart Mcdonald, Bill Hawke and Nasser Shaikh.
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CP Air / Canadi>n People Gallery |
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| From CPAL News |
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Issue dated May - June 1986
Expo '86 edition
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Our Skyride, CP Pavilion are Expo hits!
The show is on, and what a tremendous success!
First, let's look at the CPAL Skyride, where there have been long lineups. Our major display is at the mid-site International Terminal.
Here, we have depicted many of our destinations utilizing poster art in the lineup area. The idea is to give Expo visitors a brief tour of our world while they wait for a gondola. In the boarding area, if you look up, you will see a display of people of the world in native dress - another glimpse of the colourful world we serve.
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Let's review the CP Pavilion, since it's a focal point for all of us as CPAL employees. It's certainly a unique pavilion, with its innovative and stimulating shows, and it's been declared one of the best on the site.
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Salute to the DC-3 at Expo
No other aircraft has carried more freight, hauled more passengers or flown more miles than the Douglas DC-3.
This year (1986) marks the 50th anniversary of the DC-3's entry into commercial service and to celebrate this remarkable achievement, Expo 86 will host a DC-3 Airmada June 5-7, the largest rally of DC-3s ever staged.
Born in Santa Monica, California as a larger and more powerful development of the earlier DC-2, the DC-3 became the turning point in the growth of the world's commercial air transport industry. No longer did companies have to rely on air mail contracts and subsidies to make passenger services profitable. Here was an aircraft that was rugged and reliable..
Long before Canadian Pacific Airlines purchased the first of 17 veteran C-47s in 1945, company personnel had considerable experience on the type.
A pair of DC-2s were briefly leased from Canadian Colonial Airways of Montreal early in he war, and company pilots assigned to the RCAF flew C-47s in the north, across Canada and overseas.
CPAL personnel also repaired damaged C-47s for the RCAF at company operated wartime overhaul facilities.
At the end of the war CPAL found itself with a fleet of 80 aircraft of 12 different types. The 17 surplus C-47s were purchased to modernize the fleet and form the backbone of renewed peacetime services.
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One of CPAL's DC-3s
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More defunct airlines of Canada
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Great Lakes Airlines was a regional airline in Canada. It was formed in 1958 in Sarnia, Ontario by John Blunt.
In June 1987, Air Ontario Ltd. merged with Austin Airways to form Air Ontario Inc. which in turn subsequently operated Air Canada Connector codesharing flights on behalf of Air Canada with Convair 580 and de Havilland Canada Dash 8 series 100 and 300 turboprops. Air Ontario also operated Fokker F28 Fellowship jets at one point.
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Convair CV-440 Metropolitan CF-GLC
Zurich, Switzerland
October 31, 1969
Photo by Swissair
(Before delivery to Great Lakes)
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Air Ontario Convair 580 C-GDTC
at London International Airport (YXU)
August 16, 1983
Photo by Eduard Marmet
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Canadian Western Airlines was a short-lived Vancouver-based carrier operating roughly between 2001–2004, offering scheduled regional routes (e.g., Nanaimo, Tofino, Masset) and charters.
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Canadian Western Air C-GXPZ Cessna 401A
Photo by Ken Fielding
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Canadian Airlines B-767-300ER - C-FCAJ
Looking for a topic for this issue, I was browsing through the former Canadian Airlines fleet of B-767s for something interesting to write about.
Not sure just how interesting this may be to our readers but I found something that did surprise me. I have always been under the impression that all of the B-767s originally acquired by Canadian were transferred to Air Canada.
However, one of them was not. Registration C-FCAJ - Fin #635 (photo in issue header), was leased from Westinghouse Credit Corporation and delivered in March 1989. It left the Canadian Airlines fleet in November 1997 and was leased to Varig, well before Air Canada acquired the fleet.
It was later acquired by EuroAtlantic Airways of Portugal circa 2007 and converted to cargo configuration. It was acquired by Atlas Air of the U.S. (registration N1709A0 in February 2017. It shows on planespotters.net as still active with ABX Air since November 2024.
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Canadian Airlines - C-FCAJ
London, England (LHR) - April 4, 1997
Photo by Aero Icarus
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Varig - PP-VPV
Porto Alegre, Brazil (POA)
May 9, 1998
Photo courtesy of Rémi Dallot
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TMA Cargo - CS-TLZ
(Leased from EuroAtlantic Airways)
Toulouse, France (TLS) - April 15, 2014
Photo courtesy of Clément Alloing
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EuroAtlantic Airways - CS-TLZ
Lisbon, Portugal (LIS) - May 29, 2015
Photo courtesy of Maksimov Maxim
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ABX Air - N1709A
Ontario, California (ONT) - October 13, 2025
Photo courtesy of Ethan Xia
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| Terry's Trivia
& Travel Tips |
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Terry Baker, co-founder of the NetLetter scours the internet for aviation related Trivia and Travel Tips for you, our readers, to peruse.
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Air Liaison is a regional airline based in Quebec City. It operates scheduled flights to 15 domestic destinations from Monday to Friday, and has a morning-only schedule on Sundays.
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Air Liaison Beechcraft 1900D
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On January 26, 2026, Pierre Gillard flew to San Salvador, where he took photos of various aircraft for his collection. One such aircraft was this Eastern Air Express aircraft.
Pierre did notice, however, a strange flight number scheduled in the arrivals section on FlightAware, 'TYSON46'. No airline name was given, so he had to wait a while to discover this mysterious aircraft. It was, in fact, the Boeing 737-484, registration N149XA, of Eastern Air Express. It is suspected that this may have been a charter flight for the U.S. government.
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This aircraft was originally delivered to Olympic Airways, registration SX-BKG, in June 1993 (photo below).
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Photo by Ken Fielding
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Lots of mirth with Mathias
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Wayne, Ken & Terry Richmond, British Columbia - December 2019
(Bob Sheppard was not available for the photograph) |
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Wayne, Bob & Ken Richmond, British Columbia - December 2023
(Terry Baker was not available for the photograph) |
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We wish to honour the memories of
Vesta Stevenson and Alan Rust. They remain a part of every edition published. |
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E&OE - (errors and omissions excepted):
The historical information as well as any other information provided in the "NetLetter" is subject to correction and may have changed over time.
We do publish corrections (and correct the original article) when this is brought to our attention.
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