Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter

• 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

Issue dated March 1951 -
To mark Moe Mallett's transfer from Winnipeg to Dorval as foreman of the Metal shop his friends got together to say farewell.

In October 1945 the first Stewards were hired by TCA. Five men formed the nucleus and served as Purser Stewards on the Lancaster aircraft operated by TCA for the Canadian Government Trans-Atlantic Service (CGTAS).

In June 1947, Stewards were introduced to the Domestic service.

Issue dated April 1951 -
On April 15th a new ticket office was opened in Quebec City and located at 59 1/4 (yes 1/4) Saint Jean Street. CTM was Andre Gauthier.

Lufthansa confirmed it will take delivery of its first A380 on May 19 and conduct a series of trial flights for pilot training across 13 German airports plus Zurich and Vienna from May 31 through June 3. The aircraft's first "passenger" flight will occur on June 6 to transport the German soccer team to Johannesburg for the World Cup tournament in South Africa.

 

FORMER EASTERN AIR LINES DC-7B WILL FLY AGAIN

Historical Flight Foundation (HFF) has received FAA approval to operate its restored Douglas DC-7B N836D (43545), painted in the 1940 Falcon colors of Eastern Air Lines.

Representing an investment of over $1m, the restoration project began in May 2004 at Holman Field in St. Paul, MN and is currently based at Opa-locka Airport, FL. The aircraft has been fully restored, including a full passenger interior with lounge in the rear. HFF said the restoration was completed through the efforts of the crew of Legendary Airliners, Florida Air Transport and volunteers, and amounted to more than 32,000 hours of work.

The aircraft will be flown to airshows around the world and used for fundraising events, Eastern Air Lines Historical Foundation President Roland Moore said, adding that he expects the aircraft to carry "about" 60 passengers in its newly restored first class and coach class cabins. This configuration is "virtually identical to when it flew in Eastern Airlines revenue service during the late 1940's early 1950's," Moore said.

More information here!

  

Eastern Airlines DC-7

News and articles from days gone by gleaned from various publications from C.A.I.L. and it's "ancestry" of contributing airlines.

1985 - Canada-New Zealand service is resumed after a 15-year absence.
 - Non-stop flights from Vancouver to Hong Kong resume. The "Official Carrier" status for Expo '86 in Vancouver is awarded to CPAL.

1986

• A majority of Nordair's shares are purchased to gain presence in Central Canada.
• A new corporate image is adopted.
• Canada-China service begins.
• Executive offices are moved to downtown Vancouver.
• The operations of CP Air Holidays are consolidated with those  of Treasure Tours, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nordair.
• CPAL becomes a major aviation participant in Quebec on July 31 when the provincial government sells Quebecair's 35 per cent interest in Nordair to CPAL, which already held 65 per cent, and sells Quebecair itself to CPAL commuter carrier Nordair Metro. The transactions pave the way for CPAL and Nordair to merge, thus making CPAL a powerful force in domestic aviation.

Extracts from the "Canadia>n Flyer" magazine
Issue dated June 1997 -

Issue dated October 1997

• October 28th 1987 inauguration of service to Thailand. New services effective winter 1997
• October 29th renewed service to Auckland from YYZ & YVR via HNL with B767 equipment.
• December 17th Vancouver - San Diego with B737 equipment.

Recently, this request was spotted on a forum at www.acfamily.net
Air Canada B727 Last Flight?
Would anyone have info regarding the last revenue (or operational) Air Canada B727 flight? Details such as date, fin#, route, even crew, would be appreciated. Thanks, One-O-Wonder.

This was the response from us at the NetLetter gang; The Horizons magazine nr 790 issue Nov 1992 has a photo on page 4 of a B727 with the caption "B727 Last Flight" The date for the last flight is given as November 21st 1992.

Later in the issue is the statement that the aircraft were officially retired in October 25th 1992.In the Horizons magazine issued January 1993 nr 792 is a letter from the Capt of the final flight which operated flt 435 and 424. November 21 1992 between YUL-YYZ Rapidair with fin #418 C/N 21671 C-GAAR.

The crew was Capt. Steve Bradley, Tim McCullagh, Dahl Mancharne, Nicole Miles, Daniel le Martel, Andre DesLauriers, Jean-Claude Doumit, Francine Picotte, Danielle Riendeau, Francine Poitras, Louise Lamorre, Jeanne Layzett, Lorraine Nantel and Mary Weyland. On November 28th the aircraft was ferried to YWG to be readied for FedEx. (and the registration C-GAAR was assigned to a Beech 900 operated by  Air Atlantique - eds) (Information gathered by the NetLetter gang)

Extract from the "Info Canadian" magazine Issue July 1966

A Look Back at the Municipal airport in Edmonton

• 1920's - From farmer's field to air harbor Government of Canada issued air license #1 to Blatchford Field, the first "public air harbor" in Canada. Legendary bush pilot Wop May operating May Airlines Ltd. helped establish Edmonton's claim at "Gateway to the North".
• 1930's- While the depression was causing havoc for Canada's economy, the airport was growing steadily spurred on by northern mining development.
  The era of the bush pilots and gold and silver flowed through the airport from northern mines.
• 1940's World War II began an era of unprecedented expansion for Blatchford Field. The federal government  leased the airfield for $1 per year during the war.
  - It was used for flying training under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, as a staging point for the US. Air Force on its northwest route to Soviet Union and as a supply base for the construction of the Alaska Highway and the Canol Pipeline.
  - On Sept. 29,1943, Blatchford Field set a US record for daily landings when 860 aircraft landed in a 24-hour period.
• 1950's - By 1957 the airport was transferred to the city and became the first self sufficient municipal airport in Canada. Pacific Western Airlines began its first scheduled passenger service, using DC3.
• 1960's. On Nov. 13, 1963, city council Jornis changed the name of Blatchford Field to the Industrial Airport. PWA started the Calgary arid brought the first B737 to the airport.
• 1970's- on May 15, 1975, city council formally changed the name to Edmonton Municipal Airport. In Nov. 24 1975, the existing terminal Iii was opened. Dec.31, 1976, the Municipal  was designated an historic site
• 1980's - Oct. 9, 1984, a comprehensive airport management program, a first in Canada, was adopted by city council.
• 1990's - May 31, 1996, the Municipal airport closed to scheduled passenger travel.

Flying on what used to be a "no frills" airline!

Extra charges on Ryanair flights have increased by up to 700 per cent since 2006, it emerged this week.

The airline has announced it will increase the fee to check in luggage by 33 per cent - to £40 per bag per return flight - during the peak travel months of July and August, potentially adding £160 to the cost of a holiday for a family of four. This compares with the original £5 charge in 2006.

Passenger must also now pay a £10 online check-in fee per return flight (not payable on "promotional fares"), a charge that did not exist in 2006. A fee of £10 per person per return flight is also added to all payments made by credit or debit card, with the exception of those involving prepaid MasterCard debit cards. This compares with a charge of £3.50 per person per return flight in 2006.

These two charges can add a extra £80 for a family of four. Further additional fees apply to passengers carrying excess baggage (£20 per kilo per flight) and sports and musical equipment (£80 per item per return flight) and a baby's travel cot (£20 per return flight). Anyone failing to check in online faces an £80 charge per return flight, while the fee for checking in a bag at the airport will rise to £70 per return flight.

On top of these charges, the airline has again said it plans to install coin-operated lavatories on its fleet, charging customers £1 a time to use the toilet.

As we surf the internet and back issues of airline magazines we regularly find airline related jokes and cartoons. Below is our latest discovery.