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Vesta's Jump Seat
Why not allow the NetLetter be your platform, and opportunity, to relive your history while working for either TCA, AC, CPAir, CAIL, PWA, AirBC etal. and share your experiences with us!A MALE PILOT IN UNKNOWN TERRITORY - THE STORY OF THE WOMEN'S WORLD FORMATION FREEFALL RECORD BY A HOPELESS MALE PILOT Jump For The Cause (JFTC) just set a record on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009, for the largest female-only formation parachute jump of 181 women. The previous record was 150 women about three years ago for the same breast cancer research cause. This year's event raised just under a million dollars, almost twice the previous JFTC record-breaking formation total. Check out the story at: and their web site at: |
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Our first 70 years.
1946 - Nov 19th - CF-TEK is the first North Star aircraft to be delivered.
Capt. R.J.Baker brought the aircraft to Dorval. 1972 - Nov 12th - The first of a regular DC-8 freighter service out of Copenhagen operated. 1973 - Jan 1st - enRoute, the in-flight magazine created for the exclusive use of passengers has been revamped. The new issue will be bilingual and include, for the first time, paid advertising which will help with the costs of producing the magazine. |
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Air Canada Current News
 Air Canada becomes the first North American airline to release a free BlackBerry® application providing travellers with BlackBerry devices convenient and easy real-time access to a wide-range of flight information including; retrieving electronic boarding passes, tracking flight information in real-time, receiving notification of itinerary changes and obtaining other details about Air Canada flights. |
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TCA/AC People Gallery
 Over the past months we have been publishing various photographs from earlier "Horizons", should any photos prompt a memory in seeing one of them, feel free to send us your comments and thoughts. YEG June 1961 Harry Armstrong, Sadie Hughes, Gabriel Johnson, Gerry McHale, Barb Messenger, Angela Simon, Betty Anderson, Barb Park (Hildebrand), Bill McPherson, Elaine Tait, Norm Selwood. Cliff Andrews, Ashley Thomas, Dick McCullough, Gloria Gloves, Marion Sinclair, Mary Martin, Delores DePowa, Dan Saul, Alex Pentaul, Grant McCarty, Doug Stewart, Corrine Rent, Gerry Chaffe, George Pike, Jean Cunningham, Richard Hillker Mary Gilmour, Micky Barringan. YEG Oct 26th 1960 Back: Sadie Hughes, Jean Zrien, Betty Anderson, Lois Barry, Joanne Switzer, Grant McLarty, Doreen Carpenter, Jean Cunningham, Mary Cunningham, Jane Cooper. Centre: Lesley Edgar, Marguerite Fisk, Gloria Irwing, . Front: Les Lafebvre, Corrine Kent, Ester Chong, Bernice Whiteley, Marg Anderson, Mavis Usher. From the "Horizons" magazine Issue December 1972 November 5th celebrated 20 years of service to Germany for the first time, extending the Montreal-London, England to Dusseldorf using the 40 seat North Star. Here is a photo of the inaugural arrival in Germany. It was business as usual following the official opening of the biggest ticket office on Bay Street Toronto, but agents and management took time to record their participation in the ceremony. On the left of the counter, from the left are: Jim McFarland; Reg Brewster, Don Stanbridge, Doug Powell, Sandy Mcintyre. Reservations Agents shown are, from the left: Judi McKinnon, Mary Doherty, Peter Robinson, Georgina McConaghy, Jean Bilanski, Marilyn Reynolds, Kay Rooney, Martin Barry, and Jim Halls.. From "Between Ourselves" magazine Issue January 1947 TCA's 1000th Atlantic Crossing. Officials of TCA who were present to give the history-making flight an appropriate send-off, and members of the crew of the aircraft. Front row: S. Hewitt, J. L. Hood, H. J. Symington, W. S. Thompson, D. Mathias, G. Wilson, Back row: Purser-Steward J. Champagne; Navigator G. Stringer; Radio Officer Frank Brusatore; First Officer M. Mclnnis and Captain J. G. Hames. |
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This n That.
57 years ago the jet age began when a B.O.A.C. Comet 1 was on the first scheduled flight from London to Johannesburg. In command was Capt.Trevor Marsden. |
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Alan's Space
(Thanks to Ken Bjorge and Bill Wood and Rob Hemmett for sending these photos and story to us)
AVRO Lancaster C-GVRA There's only two of them still flying in the world and one of them flew over Saskatoon to promote the Canada Remembers Air Show in August 2009. The Avro Lancaster, one of the most famous bombers of World War 2 entered Saskatoon air space, went around with a low fly past at the airport and then circled around and above the city before leaving for Ontario on 3 August 2009. Thousands of Canadian aircrew served with the RCAF and the Lancaster Squadrons. Over 400 Lancaster MK X's were built in Canada and shipped overseas for flying duty. Throughout the entire world, only two still fly today, one in England and one in Canada. The bomber is one hundred and two feet long and just under 70 feet wide. It can reach top speeds of 287 miles and hour and has four Rolls Royce Merlin Engines. The fly past is a tribute pass to our veterans and a farewell salute to the Cameco Canada Remembers Air show. Note: I've kept the images below (when you click on them) to full size as they are exceptional and could be used as wallpaper. Click on images for larger photos.
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Canadi>n/CPAir/PWA, Wardair, etc. Events & People
 Over the past months we have been publishing various photographs from earlier in-house magazines, should any photos prompt a memory in seeing one of them, feel free to send us your comments and thoughts.Vern Swerdfeger has sent us this information. On September 16th CF-CPY, the largest weathervane in the world, was lowered from its pedestal at the airport in Whitehorse and moved to its new home in front of the Yukon Transportation Museum. It's still a weather vane but not directly on the airport. Here we have some photos of CF-CPY while it was on and also down off the pedestal this past July. The lady in the pictures is the curator of the The guys were applying silver tape to the raven-pecked holes in the fabric control surfaces. Perusing the "Info Canadi>n" magazine Issue dated November 14th 1990 Canadian's first B747-400 made its first test flight from Paine Field, Washington on November 7th. and scheduled for delivery Dec 14th. Why are these people smiling? Because this bin isn't full of garbage, it's full of aluminum cans recovered by flight attendants for recycling. J Dickson, left, Alcan Aluminum, Louise Audet,flight attendant, Roberto Solarino, In-flight Standards and Procedures, Malcom Metcalfe, Environmental Affairs, and Sarah Austin-Smith,flight attendant, were on hand when the first container in the flight attendant recycling project was filled in Vancouver. Other bases in the project are Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Montreal, Toronto and Winnipeg. The program is organized and run by volunteers from the flight attendant group and management. 23 Canadian Airlines employees travelled to Fort Worth for the Ninth Annual World Airline Road Race (WARR) in October. Here is the group of 18 runners. (Sorry no identifications were supplied. Any offers? - eds) But they did come 5th out of the 40 teams entered. Issue dated November 28th, 1990 Canadian announces they will begin service Vancouver and Taipei - Hong Kong with DC-10-30 equipment commencing December 5th. as a result of a new code-sharing agreement with China Airlines. |
 Kath Lockhart sent us these comments referring to the Prestwick information in NetLetter nr 1090 My late husband was Station Manager at Prestwick as of April lst 1952. I can still hear Jimmy say "Nae bother lass" when I wondered if he could find a Christmas tree for me. He did and I decorated it in a cold living room in a lovely old house called The Glen. Roy was also very involved in Nartel long before we met and spent part of one year in Bermuda. We married in April of 1950 and moved to Montreal due to this service no longer managed by TCA. You are filling in some blanks for the family, and I am glad to be on the mailing list with thanks for your efforts. So many of the names in this Netletter are old friends...Jack Ross, Ian Edwards and of course the famous Jimmy, along with a few others. The group in Victoria, Vesta, was mostly for friendship and lasted for a fairly long time. I think the last gathering had six members there. Kath Lockhart Here we have the rest of the information that Alan Dakin sent us, the first part was in NetLetter nr 1090 ALAN FRANK DAKIN - I started with TCA on June 30, 1960 until September 30, 1960 as a learner 1 in the Sheet Metal shop as summer temporary help. Doing different chores and helping any mechanic who needed help as well as painting stands. I left in October as their was no jobs available for me. My father got me a job in the Printing Services Department. I started on November 6, 1967 and stayed there until retirement on July 1, 1999. I ran all different machines - collator, bindery, printing presses - colour - black & white, then worked my way up to the Xerox machines in 1992. I was a Xerox operator from June 1992 until July 1, 1999. Also worked the afternoon shift from 8 ½ years as a Lead Operator - we worked four days a week - 10 hours a day with Friday off. I ran Xerox Machines and ordered paper. Ran Xerox 9200, 9400, 9900, 5090 & Docutech 135. One of my co-workers was Kevin Horan. And in the group is Andrew Bartram, Frank Butler, (partly hidden), Jessie Bonner, J.P.Hall and Rena Brunnelle (back facing) When it was decided by Air Canada to sell the Printing Services department to Xerox in April 1999. I could of stayed and worked in stores or go to an offsite location and work for Xerox doing the same job which I decided to do - and stayed there for 5 ½ years. I retired from Xerox in March 2005. Here is a photo of me receiving my 30 year pin from Jean-Pierre Hall, my Manager. I flew each year and took quite a few tours in Europe, Switzerland (3 times) Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Hawaii & Vancouver & the Rockies. I have flown on different aircraft DC-8, DC-9, L-1011, 747, & 767. I visited Florida with my late parents for 13 years in October each year. A trip they both enjoyed especially my mother. I have spent a bit of time in England with my Uncle & Aunt who lived in Hounslow (near Heathrow Airport). My Dad took me to Derby & Nottingham (where I was born) and showed me around all Robin Hood & Sherwood Forest, the area where I lived before coming to Canada. I worked on the introduction of the Boeing 747 as a volunteer, and was on the special flight I think in 1973 to Ottawa and back which was enjoyable. Here is the certificate issued to everyone. Also on March 31, 2007 was involved at the Dorval Maintenance Base with the introduction of the new Boeing 777 that was truly a special event for all employees, families, retirees & friends. I was on the executive of The Montreal Interline Club for a number of years (I think 14 years but not too sure) helped at our dances then published our "On the Wing" newsletter every month. After that I joined ACRA - Montreal, as Ways and Means chairman - ran Flea Market in Spring & Fall, as well as help to organize two or three very successful New Year's Eve Parties in the mid 1970's. They were a lot of hard work but lots of fun. Then I became Membership Chairman for at least 10 years. I enjoyed my years doing all this extra work then I decided to leave as my mother was ill and not too well. My Mother died in March 2006. I have met and enjoyed all the friends that I made over the years and try to keep in touch with some. Others have passed away. One of my father's & mine is Gerald Wolfe who worked in Maintenance Training as Manager before he retired in 1982. He lives in Waterloo, Ontario with his daughter as his wife Marjorie is in a home nearby. I have know them for over 50 years as well always spent Christmas & New Year's together until they moved away when Gerry retired to Kitchener, Ontario. Photography is a hobby of mine that I enjoy, just like my father & late uncle in Nottingham, England who was a professional who worked for the local newspaper. I still love to take photographs and have moved into the digital format now which is a lot of fun and enjoyment. I also like gardening a bit, riding my bike and sightseeing. I enjoyed working for TCA/.Air Canada it was a great company to work for and enjoyed all the extra benefits that their was. Saw great places and was able to take some fantastic pictures of other places far from my home CANADA. I Was very fortunate to win in the first ACRA Photography Contest - 3 first place awards. Was able to go to Winnipeg for the system winners that year. So Between my late father and myself - we have a total of 57 years, 7 months. My dad had 25 years, 11 months & I had 31 years, 8 months. I have seen a lot of changes over the years and are proud to have been able to enjoy it all. As well I have all my father's and mine TCA/AC pins as well as others things books, photos as well as plaques. Lots of great memories to last a long time. Thank you very much to all the employees, friends and associates, management, executives of TCA/AIR CANADA. Yours very truly; Alan Frank Dakin. Retiree - Air Canada. |
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Terry's Trivia & Travel Tips
Marshall Baldwin sends us this correctionIn (Net)letter 1090 Terry mentions using the Canada Line to the airport. The bus from Horseshoe Bay to downtown Vancouver is through 2 zones. The senior fare would be $2.50,except after 6:30 pm weekdays and all day Saturdays & Sundays and Holidays, when it would be $1.75 Caesar Hotels Airway Vacations has this offer - 4 Nights Dublin with confirmed air from us$399* Flights to Ireland from the East Coast are priced more than us$500 roundtrip this winter, but we are offering a new Dublin package that includes roundtrip airfare from New York City and four nights at the three star Regency Hotel for us$399* per person. This package is available from Jan. 1 - March 10 or it can be booked for spring travel, March 11 - April 30 from us$499* per person. Departures can also be made from Boston for an extra us$50 per person, or Chicago for us$60 more Book by Oct. 23. Package available for groups. per person price based on double occupancy, airline taxes are additional. These deals move quickly...CALL TODAY! 1 800 422 3727 |