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| March 27, 2010 |
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Issue #1113
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Since October 1995
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4,169 Subscribers
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- Chief Pilot - Vesta Stevenson, Victoria, B.C.
- Co-pilot - Terry Baker, Nanaimo, B.C.
- Flight Engineer - Alan Rust, Surrey, B.C.
- Ground Technician - Bill Rowsell, Londesboro, Ontario
To contact us, send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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| Greetings!
The NetLetter is an email newsletter published every weekend and contains a mixture of nostalgia, current news and travel tips. We encourage our readers to submit their stories, photos and/or comments from either days gone by or from present day experiences and trips. If we think that the rest of our readers will enjoy it, we will publish it here
The NetLetter is open to anyone who wishes to subscribe but is targeted to retired employees from Air Canada, Canadian Airlines and all the other companies that were part of what Air Canada has become today. Thanks for joining us!
Your NetLetter Team
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Vesta's Jump Seat
By Vesta Stevenson
Vesta Stevenson
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We welcome you to allow the NetLetter to be your platform, and opportunity, to re-live your history while working for either TCA, AC, CPAir, CAIL, PWA, AirBC etal. and share your experiences with us!
In the "Canadi>n Flyer" magazine issue July 1997, I noticed an article headlined "Capt. Bjornson marks milestone".
 Pictured here is Rosella Bjornson, with the husband, First Officer Bill Pratt, celebrating her induction into the Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame.
Hired by Transair in 1973 Rosella became the first female First Officer in North America. Also the first female to be hired by a commercial carrier in Canada.
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Our first 70 years
Air Canada and Trans-Canada Air Lines
1949
 Sept - The last four of the Lockheed Lodestar fleet became part of the airlines history.
Dec 1st - Inaugural service between Montreal and Barbados.
1950
Jan 1st - Major revision to the pension plan introduced.
1993
Sept 15th - Family Affa(i)re reintroduced.
Nov 1st - New Delhi service with B747-400 equipment.
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Air Canada Related News
Current News
Expanded service to Jamaica - Beginning this May Air Canada will significantly increase their service from Toronto to the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston by doubling the number of weekly flights to the Jamaican capital and deploying larger aircraft on certain days of the week.
AC will also offer special introductory fares starting as low as $149 each way.
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Alan's Space
By Alan Rust
Alan Rust
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I was sent this interesting video of a "snap back" of a broken arresting cable. It happened aboard the USS George Washington in the Atlantic Ocean on September 11, 2003.
What I found interesting is the reaction time in which the pilot ejected and also the one ground crew member that managed to jump the line not once but two times. Amazing!
September 11, 2003
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TCA/Air Canada People Gallery
Compiled by Terry Baker
Musings from the "Between Ourselves" magazine Issue dated November 1949 -
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Winners of the inter-departmental soft-ball championship were the Montreal Sheet Metal Shop "Bombers".
 Standing left to right:
A. Lockman, B. Kutchiran, I. McGilp, B. Price, R. Proulx, T. Humberstone, J. McIntosh.
Front left to right: K. Domaratzki, D. Todd,
A. LeBlanc, G. Peck, L. Cool, T. Murray. |
Issue dated December 1949
Here is a group of advertising posters used -
 Anytime is flying time theme to flatten seasonal traffic curves. |
 One of a series of ads aimed at the UK businessmen.
This is the first advertisement featuring personnel designed to inspire confidence in the organization. |
 Capt. George Lothian |
 Space ad featuring the case history of an average passenger. |
 This is a special format for "local services" ads in US newspapers. |
At Sydney, staff moved to new accommodations in the remodeled Hangar #1.
Members of the Montreal Stores Department.
 left to right: L.Cerulli,
A. H. Magnusson, H. Sproul, J. McRae, C. Charbonneau, G. Clapp, J. Stracina, T. Fisher, H. McCarthy, A. Wilson, L. Sutton, I. Hawkins, A. Lippe, D. Wilcox, S. Marlin, J. Lefleur, W.C. LeBlanc. Missing: P. Tessier.
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Dorval Maintenance Superintendent's Office staff
 left to right:
Dorothy MacDonald,
Hector Levac, Mel Wood, Audrey King, Eleanor Anderson, John Reid, Harold Walker, Reg Donnelly, Claude Castonguoy, Lois Burrows, Ken Green, D. Bamforth, Dave Downie, Sam Reid, Emily Tuppen and Joan Bryant.
Pictured here are the smiling faces of the Dorval Planning Office Staff.
 Left to right: Bruce Henry, Norm Pitt, Bob Gauthier, Bob Kerr, Ed Hartley, Dorothy Champion, Art Smith (behind), Mary Lawson, Alice Watson, Jeannine Grenon, Gloria Manti, Dick Leigh, Arline Morrison and George MacMillan.
The Montreal Draughting Department produce more than 1000 drawings annually.
 Shown from left to right, they are; George Anderson,
Richard Rogers, Enrico de los Santas, Norm Stevenson, William Kinash, Leo Styrczula, Albert Penneton, Claud MacDonald, John Savidant (chief draughtsman), John Perreault, Harry Vann and Bruno Vermander. Missing: James Shand.
(Note: Leo Styrczula is TCA's youngest five year man)
With the inauguration of service between Montreal and Barbados. Barbados is served by the Seawell Airport. Present runway facilities and loading considerations prohibit the landing on northbound flights.
Consequently it will be necessary for northbound passengers to proceed first to Trinidad with TCA, until the new 6,000 ft runway is completed during 1950.
Gleanings from the "Horizons" magazine
Issue dated August 1993 -
With the reintroduction of service to Delhi, employees at YYZ will not see a B747-400 parked on the ramp all winter. The service was first introduced in 1985 utilizing L1011 equipment with cargo payload restrictions, which the B747-400 doesn't have the same limitations.
Two B747-400 have been sold to G.E.C.C. and leased back.
Air Canada is the first airline to project "Daily News" broadcasts on short haul and commuter flights.
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In NetLetter nr 1024 we had two photos taken in Vancouver celebrating 1,000 years of service marking 25, 30 and 35th service anniversaries for employees between Jan to Jun 1993.
Here we have three more groups.
 left to right: Bill Devlin, Roger Paquette, Mike Meakin.
 left to right: Larry Swanson, Bill Powell, Dick Sumislawski.
 From left to right: John Brocklehurst, Ron Whitehurst, Carol Yap Chung, Gloria Hokazono, Lynda Carson, Art Wilson.
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Working in the Hotel Esplanade in Zagreb
 we have this photo
Bojana Golac and Gordana Pavlisa
Pionairs held their 16th Annual General Meeting in Los Angeles, 430 attendees were introduced to the new executive.
 Wilse Jesse, Sheila Snow, Marvin Lohnes, Bill Nicholson, Vera Hoare.
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Star Alliance News
 Continental Airlines is following the footsteps of other US legacy carriers by eliminating free economy class in-flight meal service on North American flights under 6 hr. and some shorter Latin American flights beginning in the fall. |
Canadi<n/CPAir/PWA, Wardair, etc. People & Events
Compiled by Terry Baker
 Juanita Ollivier (nee Scott) who worked in YVR 1949 -51 has loaned us a set of coasters issued by CP Air to promote the "Orient Express" service to the Far East.
Extracts for the "P.W.A. Flightlines" magazine
Issue dated May 1984 -
On March 22nd, flight 501 operated with a B-737 fin #754 suffered a fire during take-off roll due to a failure of a fan blade and the flight was aborted. All 119 were evacuated successfully Under the command of Capt. Stan Fleming, F/O Andy Bodenbender
 We have this photo of
Purser Patti Dickie,
Flight Attendants Greg Wittig, Grant Sherritt.
This crew entertained royalty in the form of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain when they operated a VIP charter for the Royal couple.
 Left to right: Capt. Mike Lynch, Capt. Vic Sideroff, Purser George Peggi, Flight Attendants Yvonne Stinka, Maria Brathwaite, Lee Webber, Karen Reid.
Perusing the "Info Canadian" magazine -
Issue January 1995 -
This issue is the first edition of the "new and improved" magazine.
The Marketing and Communications department ran a domestic promotion of Thailand. Here we have some of the employees of that department.
 Back row left to right:
Paul Lacey, Sam Orthlieb, Jerry Philip.
Middle row:
Audrey Arnold, Wendy Page, Kari Grist, Philip Coppard (Agency), Brenda Redel.
Front: Jacqueline Lemieux, Janet Gilmore.
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Reader's Feedback
From our subscribers
Jack Stephens sends us this comment. Hello NetLetter Team....the new format is clear and an easy read! Nice to see my article on the Western Canada Av. Museum, 360 video tour. Appreciate your efforts in helping all of us at www.vickersviscount.net compile the history and keep alive the memory of this vintage turbo-prop. Sincerely, Jack Stephens Calgary, AB
Mike Power sends this memory prompted by the photo in NetLetter nr 1112 - Oh what memories these pictures bring back - I was with Aer Lingus at that time and was on the ramp when the first T.C.A.flight arrived - the body looked like a DC 4 with the noisiest engines anyone had ever heard.! Those Canadians, Hal Baxter, Jim Allen, Gordie Ghent, etc. were a great group and it was a pleasure working with them as we in Aer Lingus were their handling agents. I left Shannon in Sept. 1950, bound for Canada and a career in T.C.A./AIR CANADA which began in Jan. 1951. Wonderful years and lasting memories. Regards - Mike Power.
Warwick Beadle spotted our error in the title for Canadian - Wanted to comment of the use of the > symbol when talking about Canadian. The use of > was never permitted in the printed word. I think I still have a copy of the logo manual around somewhere. It was only intended to be used on the aircraft as a logo. IF it was ever used in print, the faced to the right and not as shown in the newsletter. Perhaps someone else can comment. Cheers, Warwick Beadle (Our response was that we were aware of our error and that the was also in printed form i.e. letterheads for the "Flyer" magazine - eds)
The following is extracted from the monthly Newsletter issuedby the U.K. Pionairs #215 dated March 2010 Anniversary of the " Cabbage Patch Incident" - 6th November 1963Yvonne Peel emailed in to say: "I was interested to read about the DC8 that crashed in the Cabbage Patch Incident, and the subsequent crash in l967,because no sooner had I started flying in l969, the same week another DC8 crashed on landing in a Toronto stopover on its way to Los Angeles, killing everyone on board. Apparently the two British pilots were arguing (never really did find out if that was true), but anyway, it was not pleasant. The DC8 was such a beautiful aircraft, and it was my favourite for quite a long time. You really felt as if you were flying; not like today when you feel very little. And it was ever so noisy! Mind you, it was so exciting to be a young stewardess then(sounded much more glamorous than flight attendant). Those were the days! Still I managed 3l years and saw plenty of changes on the way, I can tell you." Thanks for that Yvonne.
Staying with the Cabbage Patch theme, Roy Novell, now working for Virgin Atlantic Airlines, contacted us regarding the plaque that Archie Furzer queried in a previous newsletter which was given to Air Canada by the Army Regiment. Roy says it was in a drawer in the Aircraft maintenance Department at LHR. Roy says this piece of track is mounted on a piece of stained wood with a hanging chain. Thanks for that Roy. Can anyone out there confirm if it is still in that drawer?
The Cabbage Patch feature certainly brought back memories for Glyn Lovell, who emailed us as follows: I was phoned by my sister-in-law who had heard a newsflash advising that one of our aircraft was down. I dashed to the airport as fast as I could. As a mere sales type, I had no airport experience to offer, but I was seized upon by the Airport commandant and charged with accounting for all the passengers. He was anxious to re-open the airport, but would not withdraw the emergency vehicles to be available for other contingencies until it was certain that every one of our passengers was away from the site. Some were in Hillingdon hospital, some seemingly non-plussed, thoroughly enjoying a meal in the restaurant, and some milling around the concourse. I will never forget a tweed-clad English lady, covered in mud up to her knees asking "Young man, when are you sending another aircraft for us?" Next day, two little incidents stand out! The contents of bags torn open on the impact, were laid out on blankets, and passengers shuffled wordlessly around them looking for any belongings.The tension was broken when an exceedingly attractive young lady pounced and waving the skimpy garment cried "Look everybody - my panties!" Then I recall being terribly embarrassed by a middle-aged lady in Hillingdon Hospital asking me if I would contact her friend and ask her to bring in her girdle when she came to visit! Oh dear, what one has to do in the line of duty! Thanks very much for that Glyn.
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This and That.
Compiled by Terry Baker
Airline launched by 'baby Branson' grounded one week after take-off. A SECOND airline launched by the so-called "baby Branson" has been forced to suspend flights after only one week, because it allegedly failed to pay aircraft bills. Varsity Express, which operated daily flights between Edinburgh and Oxford, has been grounded, leaving some 500 passengers with bookings. The fledgling airline's troubles come four years after Martin Halstead, then aged 19, launched Alpha One Airways, which flew between Edinburgh and the Isle of Man for just six weeks.
What Are Your Kids Doing This Summer? The International Youth Exchange (IYE) Program is accepting applications for the summer of 2010! IYE is a world-wide youth exchange program that matches airline youth for two-week exchanges in many countries. Participants, aged 14-19, spend about two weeks visiting each other's homes and countries, socializing and meeting each other's friends. Exchanges are typically arranged during the months of June, July and August. IYE is coordinated by a retired airline staff member, Camille Wheeler. Since 1995, over 2000 youths have participated in IYE. Exchanges are available to: Germany, France, Italy, Canada, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, Portugal and the USA. For further information, please go to: www.intlyouth.org or contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. |
Terry's Trivia & Travel Tips
By Terry Baker
Terry Baker
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Increase in the Canadian Air Travelers Security Charge: The Canadian Air Travelers Security charge will increase for all departures on/after 01APR10. Any fare quotes/bookings made
prior to 01APR10 will not reflect the change but will be billed at the higher rate for any travel on/after 01APR10. The increased amounts will be:
Domestic travel within Canada -
CAD $7.12 plus GST/HST as applicable to a maximum of $14.25 per trip (currently CAD $4.67 plus GST/HST/QST as applicable to a maximum of $9.33 per trip)
Transborder travel
CAD $12.10 plus GST/HST as applicable to a maximum of $24.21 per trip (currently CAD $7.94 plus GST/HST/QST as applicable to a maximum of $15.89 per trip)
Transborder travel (US Based Employees)
CAD $12.71 to a maximum of $25.42 per trip (currently CAD $8.50 to a maximum of $16.68 per trip)
International Travel
CAD $25.91 per trip
(currently $17.00 per trip)
Travel to the US via Canada from other countries:
Effective, March 15, 2010, customers, and employees, friends and family who are nationals from countries participating in the
Visa Waiver Program (VWP) wishing to travel on Air Canada to the United States must obtain prior approval through the Electronic system for Travel Authorization (ESTA).
After March 15, 2010 passengers without a valid ESTA will be denied boarding for trans-border flights. For a complete list of participating VWP countries and full information about the program, please refer to http://cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/id_visa/esta/
To apply for an ESTA, please refer to http://www.aircanada.com/en/travelinfo/before/traveldoc.html and click on the details pertaining to Travel to the US via Canada from other countries. |
Smilie
The lighter side.
 Vern Swerdfeger sends us this story -
Aviation Monkeys
A guy walks into a pet store and was looking at the animals on display. While he was there, an engineer from the local airport walked in and said to the shopkeeper, "I'd like a Line Service monkey, please." The clerk nodded, went to a cage at the side of the store and took out a monkey. He put a collar and leash on the animal and handed it to the engineer, saying, "That'll be $1,000."
The engineer paid and left with the monkey.
Surprised, the first customer went to the shopkeeper and said, "That was a very expensive monkey. Most of them are only a few hundred dollars. Why did that one cost so much?"
The shopkeeper answered, "Ah-----that was a line service monkey. He can park, fuel, and service all types of aircraft, conduct all required ground ops testing, rig aircraft flight controls, and all with no mistakes. He's well worth the money."
With his interest peaked, the customer then looked around and spotted a monkey in another cage with a $10,000 price tag.
"That one's even more expensive! What can it do?" he asked.
"Oh, that one is a Maintenance Supervisor" monkey. She can instruct at all levels of aircraft maintenance, supervise all corrective and preventive maintenance programs, supervise a crew of maintainers, and even do most of the paperwork.
A very useful monkey indeed," replied the shopkeeper.
The customer continued to look around the shop a little longer and found a third monkey in a cage. The price tag read $50,000.
Reading that, the customer said, "$50,000!!!! Holy smoke, what does this one do?"
"Well", the shopkeeper said, "I've never actually seen him do anything but drink beer and chase women, but his papers say he's a pilot!"
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We hope you have enjoyed this issue of the NetLetter, see you next week!
Sincerely,
Your NetLetter Team
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