We have a created a new website for Canadian Aviation Industry Obits at obits.acfamilynet.ca. We will be adding more features to the Obituaries website in the near future to cover Death notices (only), Full obituaries and In Memoriam postings.

Please note that the website was designed for the airline employee only, and is not meant to list family members (ie: spouse, children, etc.). We also ask that those submitting notices are either a family member of the deceased or have permission of the deceased's families before posting as the website was created for long time archival purposes and will remain online as long as possible.

Regards,

Alan

Betty Morgan has found these photos with the following comment -

This was the staff in Windsor, Ontario where we were from '66 to '69. I used to know all their names. I remember Harry Fase and a couple of the others, but would love to have them all identified.

We loved it there and Jack was in his glory, with all of Detroit for him to sell. My memory is not so good for names any more but maybe these are useful for someone.

Here we have the group on the Advanced Management Course Banff (sometime in the 50's?)

and this photo has, left to right; Claude Taylor, Jack Morgan and Pierre Jeanniot at Air Canada's 50th anniversary - Montreal. 

Betty Morgan

Paul Goodman has sent us this undated photo of Air Canada flight #777 flight attendants.

From the left: Mimi Cadieux, Jannett Pechman and Franca Peusasto. I think this photo is between 15 to 20 years old.

Thank you,
Paul Goodman

Traced to the "Between Ourselves" magazine issue dated February 1972.

Safari jackets.

Pursers flying to all Sun Living destinations began wearing jackets in February. Both Pursers and Assistant Pursers had the option of wearing either a jacket or a sleeveless vest tunic while on board the aircraft. The jackets could be worn with a beige shirt and a choice of two brightly printed neckties.

In our photo, from the left Pursers Bernard Chalmel and Bernard Hoffman are seen wearing the two variations.

At the left, looking on, is Phyliss Amoruse, Fashion co-ordinator.

Williamson honoured.

Personnel from all departments gathered in Halifax to say farewell to Bob Williamson, General Manager Atlantic Provinces who retired after more than 34 years service with the Company. Shown in our photos are four out-of-towners who made a special trip for the occasion.

From the left: Seldon Drake, Regional Aircraft Service Supervisor, Montreal; George Brien, A/District Manager, Yarnmouth; Ed Goff, District Manager, Gander; and Ralph Trites, Personnel & Administration Supervisor, Sydney.

You'll be in good hands if you ever have a accident in Saint John, N.B. Employees who completed a course in First Aid conducted by G.J. Doucet, Regional Supervisor of First Aid for CNR, Moncton, are shown here with their certificates.

From the left: Norm Duffley, Wilma Ross, Frank Foley, Coleen Appt, Jim Smith, Joan King and Ken Sparks.

Most recent class of stewardesses to graduate from the training school in Montreal posed before the main entrance of the International Aviation Building - headquarters for T.C.A.

From the left: J. Hikida, M. Fogarty, T. Bjarnasson, A. Alexander, J. LaFlache, M. Tucker, E. Devine, E. Plaster, D. Altrogge, M. Clark, E. Hastman, E. Morrissey, P. Trudeau, D. Tuckey, V. Woodworth, D. Curlook, W. Phillips, G. Bool, M. Muir, M. McCartan, E. Witt, H. Murr and G. Daniels.

In May 1980, Air Canada agreed to purchase 29% shareholding in Guinness Peat Aviation based in Shannon, Ireland.

November 1980, an Air Canada L-1011, painted in Air Lanka colours was leased to the Asian carrier for a two year period, pending delivery of their own aircraft. The multi-million dollar contract with Air Lanka includes training.

In the photo from the left: S/O Supervisor - L-1011 Len Vandedriesen and Captain Dick Nunday, along with Air Lanka's Captain Seluk Sumerol, First Officer Elmo Jayawardena and Flight Engineer M. Sadoon.

In January 1979, Air Canada purchased 86 1/2% of Nordair outstanding shares.

Airtransit was the first company to operate a fully fledged Short Takeoff and Landing (STOL) service between Montreal and Ottawa. The first flight was July 24th, 1974 the final flight was April 30th, 1976. Airtransit is 100% owned by Air Canada but exists now in name only.

The company women's softball team, dubbed the Air Canada Flyers finished fourth in the Halifax league at the end of the 1980 season, but surprised even themselves when they won the playoffs by defeating Kitz Klan 14 - 9.

The team is shown front row from the left: Pam Love, Debbie Bertrum, Kathy Graham and Mary Haines.

Second row from the left: Ruth Maida, Charmaine LeBlanc, Mary Moriarty and Louise Rowe.

Back row from the left: Louise Loftly, Mark Thompson (coach), Francis MacLeod and Jack Inouye (assistant coach).

Missing are Sherry Grant, Pauline Benoit and Mary Ann Fris.

From the "News Alert" issued April 1986.

On Tuesday April 29th, inaugural flight 451 departed Vancouver on a non-stop routing to Shanghai, China, under the command of Captain Bob Weatherly.

The Shanghai manager was John Gilchrist. Historically China has always been "ours". Beginning in the early 1890s and up until the Second World War, CP Ships linked these two cities. Our inaugural transpacific service got underway in 1949 but, unfortunately, domestic events in China necessitated a suspension of the Shanghai route.

The first aircraft sporting Canadian Airlines International's new livery went into active service in March 1987. Aircraft fin #912, a DC-10, departed YVR as flight 068 destined to YYZ.

Twenty-one B-737's to be fitted with video monitors. Beta video monitors are being installed on Canadian Airlines B-737's for inflight entertainment on multi-class transcontinental and other longer flights. CPAL was the first in the industry to install video systems on B-737-300's and Canadian Airlines will be the first to install them in the model 200's. Several other airlines have now adopted the idea.

Pionairs hold annual gathering.

Almost 800 reservations had been made so far for the ninth annual CPAL Pionairs reunion luncheon being held May 13 1987 at the Hotel Vancouver.

Retirees are expected from at least seven provinces and eight countries. Delegates from the PWA Retirees Association will be in attendance.

Sheldon Stoilen, Group V.P., Marketing & Commercial Services. will represent the senior management on behalf of President Murray Sigler, who is unable to attend due to PWA Corp's annual meeting the following day.

Pass interchangeability between Pacific Western and Air Canada was discontinued effective April 26th, 1987.

Extract from "PWA Flightlines" magazine Issue dated July 1986.

Pacific Western Airlines announced the establishment of a commuter airline network called "Pacific Western Spirit" to become effective September 15th, 1986. Calm Air joined July 15th, 1986 and Time Air July 16th, 1986. 

Pacific Western celebrated 40 years since Russ Baker first started the company in Fort St. James, B.C. Calm Air originally started in northern Saskatchewan by Carl Arnold Lawrence Morberg in 1961 his initials providing the name for his airline started as a supplemental service to a sporting lodge he owned and operated. He gave up the original Calm air routes when he purchased Chiupka Airways in norther Manitoba and renamed it Calm Air in 1969.

Stubb Ross started Lethbridge Air Service in 1966. He saw the need to provide a competitive service to Trans-Canada Air Lines which served the route between Calgary and Lethbridge. Subsequently, TCA dropped their Lethbridge route which secured the territory for Lethbridge Air Service, which was renamed Time Air in the early 1970's.

While doing a check ride for flight attendants on 615/8 July 10th, 1980, (YWG, YTH, YFO, YWG), Sheldon Page (C.O.M., YWG) was caught dancing on the ramp. Observers said "you could have put it to music".

In the photo we have Sheldon in mid-pirouette, a very difficult full turn on one foot in ballet. Sheldon said he was looking forward to his audition soon with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet Company.

Jim Griffith contacted to advise that December 9th 2016 is the 50th anniversary of the tragic loss of TCA North Star Flight 810. Rien van Tilbourg has written an excellent article for “In Formation” that is a nice historical tribute.

We contacted Mr. van Tilborg and he has graciously given his permission to make his article available to our readers. 

Click Here to read the article in PDF format.

The NetLetter Crew

Betty Draper has sent us this media article titled Western Girl Air Stewardess dated July 23rd, 1941.

Following the recent increase in its international service to three flights daily between Toronto and New York and Toronto and Windsor, and general extension of service, Trans-Canada Air Lines has added eight more registered graduate nurses to its stewardess personnel.

Under the supervision of Miss Margaret Dickson, supervisory stewardess, eastern division, the girls received three weeks of intense training at Malton airport, consisting of familiarization flights, maintenance methods, flight operations, meteorological service and traffic operations.

They all passed the written explanations with flying colours and will doff the familiar nurse's garb of white for the natty blue and grey summer uniform of their sister stewardesses to enter regular passenger service. Coming from as far as Saskatchewan in the west, to the province of Quebec in the east, only one of the girls had experienced air travel prior to the inauguration of their course, but they are all enthusiastic and anxious to commence their regular duties.

Included in the class were: Annette Robitaille, Montreal; Doris Richards of Warkworth, Ontario; Anne Taylor of St. Thomas, Ontario; Harriet Broad of London, Ontario;  Margery Noble of Bala, Ontario; Delia Murphy of Belleville, Ontario; Harriet Naylor of Madoc, Ontario and Muriel Hanbridge of Kerrobert, Saskatchewan.

(No photo was available - eds)

John Kneebone refers to the article regarding the Britannia aircraft, in NetLetter nr 1355 and sends this comment -

Hi,

Just read the latest NetLetter and regarding the start date for the Transcon routes Flt 1 and 2, I started in reservations March 9, 1959 and no Transcon at that time, but started in May 1959, I remember it well as we were very busy with the new route.

Many thanks for all the news,
John Kneebone.

(John is quite correct the year was 1959 – eds)

Detoured flight.

Protecting the lives of passengers aboard a flight - even canine - is the number one priority of any pilot. An Air Canada pilot with 232 passengers aboard detoured his flight between Tel Aviv, Israel, and Toronto, Canada, because a dog traveling in cargo risked freezing to death when the plane crossed the Atlantic Ocean.

A heating malfunction caused the temperature to fall in the cargo hold and so, to save the dog's life, the pilot diverted to Frankfurt, Germany, where the seven year old French bulldog was rescued from the chilly compartment and placed in another plane.

Click Here for CBC story on the incident

John Shea has sent us this piece of history -

Pan American World Airways' Boeing 707-121, N711PA (Clipper America), operated the first commercial "707" flight on October 26th, 1958.

The flight departed New York's Idlewild Airport, made a fuel stop in Gander, NL, and arrived the following morning in Paris at the Aéroport de Paris – Le Bourget.

TRANS-PACIFIC PREPARATIONS.

BRITISH COMMONWEALTH PACIFIC AIRLINES, Ltd., are attempting to gain a lead over competitors on the Pacific route by purchasing four long range Douglas DC-6s.

The new aircraft are expected to start operations between Vancouver, San Francisco, Honolulu, Canton Island, Fiji and Sydney or Auckland by March 1949. The B.C.P.A. DC-6’s are 48-seaters carrying a crew of nine, including three pilots, a flight engineer, radio operator, navigator, purser and two stewardesses. (source January 6th, 1949 Flight Magazine.)

(Note: British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines or BCPA, was an airline registered in New South Wales, Australia in June 1946 with headquarters in Sydney. – eds)

Starting December 1, 2016 due to operational reasons, flight AC057 from Dubai to Toronto will have a seat cap for the winter season. Employees who are planning to travel standby should have backup tickets on other airlines with them.

As a reminder, standbys at Dubai are processed at check-in as the Airport Authority does not permit passengers to go to the gate with a standby boarding card.(source Daily Nov 14/16)

A photograph of an aircraft "giving birth to baby airplanes" has delighted aviation enthusiasts around the world. The photo, posted by Matthew Carroll, is actually of an Airbus Beluga - which transports airplane parts - unloading its cargo. However, the facts didn't get in the way of some people's imaginations and Reddit users had a field day with the "baby airplane" story.