The NetLetter #1121

The NetLetter
 For Air Canada Retirees

May 22, 2010 - Issue 1121
5586 Subscribers
First published in October, 1995
  • 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.

 
In This Issue
Our first 70 years
Air Canada Related News.
TCA/Air Canada People Gallery
Star Alliance News
Alan's Space
Canadi>n/CP Air/PWA, Wardair, etc
Reader's Feedback
Odds & Ends
Terry's Trivia
Smileys
About us
Terry, Vesta & Alan Pionair's AGM 2007


Terry, Vesta & Alan
The NetLetter Web Site
The NetLetter Web Site
Sponsors
ACFamily Network
ACFamily Links
Air Canada Pionairs

Project North Star

 
Greetings!
Vesta Stevenson
Vesta Stevenson

We welcome you to allow the NetLetter to 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!

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

We also welcome your feedback in regard to anything we post here. Many readers have commented with additional information names and personal memories from the photos and articles presented here.
 
The NetLetter, which is free, is open to anyone that 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 is today. Thanks for joining us!

Vesta & your NetLetter Team
Betty Skelton 1949
bettyskelton
This a photo of Betty Skelton at the Cleveland Air Races in 1949.
Our first 70 years - Compiled by Terry Baker
Trans-Canada Air Lines/Air Canada1952 - Oct 27 - Service between Montreal and Dusseldorf with North Star equipment commenced.
 
Air Canada Related News - Compiled by Terry Baker
Air Canada News Launched  May 17th, twice-daily flights from Toronto to Memphis, Cincinnati, Syracuse and Portland, Maine.
Also launching the only non-stop daily flights linking the country's capital, Ottawa with Regina, Saskatchewan's capital city.  Non-stop flights from Regina to Ottawa will commence May 18.  These flights also feature same-plane service to and from Montreal.

On June 17 we will follow up with new service between Toronto and San Diego, CA, and Portland, Ore.
 
Air Canada announced that they will introduce the only Montréal-Phoenix non-stop flights Saturdays and Sundays between November 6, 2010 and April 30, 2011.
TCA/Air Canada People Gallery - Compiled by Terry Baker
TCA/Air Canada LogoMusings from the "Between Ourselves" magazine an Air Canada publication from years gone by.
Issue dated - December 1952
Musings from the "Between Ourselves" magazine.
Viscounts ordered - 1954
viscount
In it's 15th year, TCA ordered 15 Vickers Viscount aircraft to enter into the turbo prop era, the first airline to do so in North America. Delivery is due for 1954.
The pre-inaugural flight for Dusseldorf left Montreal on October 27th to arrive on time at Dusseldorf under the command of Capt. R.M. Smith, Capt. A.S. Anders, in CF-TFQ fin 217. The pre-inaugural from Dusseldorf was with a party of the press corps. Overnight in London was spent at the Skindles Hotel in Maidenhead, outside London. Third oldest hotel in England, it used to be the second night stop on the stagecoach route to Bath a city in the west. After a visit to Prestwick, flight dropped in to Keflavik, that evening to flight continued over Greenland and a refueling at Seven Islands. 
Germany 1952
dusseldorf
Here the Pipe Band of Canada's 27th brigade in Germany piped the passengers off and on the aircraft.

Issue dated - March 1953
Bristol 170 Freighter
freighter
Three Bristol 170 Freighters have been ordered for delivery later this year. The aircraft was first flown in December 1945 and became the first British post-war civil aircraft to gain unrestricted C of A and shortly afterwards entered airline service.
A TCA  flight captained by R. G. Nixon was successful in locating a missing fishing boat in Maritime waters. Flight 403 of January 8 had been advised at Sydney of the missing craft, the Sara Morton, and had been requested to keep an eye out over the water.

Flight 403 was running about 15 minutes early and descended below cloud level, to notice a small light to the east over the water, passing over the boat, red distress signals were apparent. A fix taken showed the boat to be about 20 miles northeast of Glace Bay and just east of the Northeast leg of the Sydney range. This information was radioed to Sydney, where in turn it was forwarded to Air Sea Rescue, who had been searching for the boat. It was the RCMP cutter McBride that reached the stranded Sara first and towed her to port. The successful TCA effort was widely publicized in press and radio.
Capt. Nixon - 1953
nixon
Here is a photo of Capt. R.G.Nixon.
YWG Annex - 1952
ywgterminal
An annex to the Stephenson Terminal at Winnipeg was opened at the end of 1952.


Issue dated - August 1996
Gleanings from the "Horizons" magazine.
Tel Aviv - 1996
telavivstaff
Air Canada staff at Tel Aviv celebrate the first years service which started June 1995.
(From left to right): Sara Dor, Noemi Stein, Motty Klar, Iris Lewit, Avivit Erlichman, Simi Seidenman, Ambassador David Berger, Robert Boulert. Zachary Clark, Meetra Ansari. Shirley Greenberg-Tsadok, Allison Liberman, and Hal Malachi celebrate anniversary of non-stop service.

Issue dated - February 1998
 904 - C-FYLD
1998 Olympics
a340
The company launched an extensive program of support for the Canadian Olympic Team who will be participating in the games at Nagano, Japan during February. This is Airbus A340-313  fin 904  C-FYLD c/n 170.

904 Paint Crew
gocanadago
And here is the gang responsible for the paint job.

Star Alliance News
United Airlines celebrates 80 years of the Flight Attendant profession. Eighty years ago on May 15, 1930, United's first stewardesses led by registered nurse Ellen Church took their initial flight on a Boeing 80A from Oakland/San Francisco to Chicago, making a 20-hour journey with 13 stops, 14 passengers and cruising at 125 mph.

To commemorate this anniversary, United is honoring that historic flight on May 15. This year, a Boeing 767 will make a 4-hour nonstop journey with nearly 240 customers and cruising at approximately 530 mph. On this honorary flight, United flight attendants will be invited to wear vintage uniforms that represent different eras of flight and provide a time-line of glamour and style leading up to 2011, when all United customer-facing employees will dress in new uniforms created by fashion designer Cynthia Rowley. (Source: Air Transport News/United)
 
Air India has delayed its plans to join Star Alliance, previously anticipated in the June-October period. "We are targeting internally to be a member in December, officially maybe in the first quarter of 2011," Chairman and MD Arvind Jadhav said.

Alan's Space - by Alan Rust
Alan Rust
Alan's Space
Pionairs new web site announced
Air Canada Pionairs (who I'm sure most of you are familiar with) has just announced the long awaited upgrade of their web site at www.pionairs.ca The web site has had a complete makeover using "Joomla" as the CMS underlying the web site and is database driven.

With the upgrade comes the ability to allow all members to now have their own personal login.

Although the site is currently open to everyone, including non-members, after June 1, 2010 you will be required to log in to the site to access the ever increasing amount of information made available for Air Canada/CAIL retirees in respect to Air Canada travel, pensions, & coffee meetings, etc.

Air Canada Pionairs
Web Site Registration

Web Registration ButtonIf you a presently an Air Canada Pionair member, visit www.pionairs.ca and click on the big Web Registration button to register for web site access.





Join the Pionairs
Join the PionairsIf for some strange reason you are a retired Air Canada or CAIL employee and are not yet a Pionair, you can join them at: www.pionairs.ca/en/join-us.html

 

Canadi>n/CP Air/PWA, Wardair, etc. People & Events
- Compiled by Terry Baker
CAIL TailsNews and articles from days gone by gleaned from various publications from C.A.I.L. and it's "ancestry" of contributing airlines.
Issue dated - April 1998
Extracts from the "Canadi>n Flyer" magazine
YYZ CSA's - 1998
yyzlounge
These CSA's Lynda Dickenson, Zoe Axiotis and George Chang are all smiles waiting to welcome their passengers at the domestic lounge facility  in YYZ.
Communications Network
communicationsnetwork
This unique formation for a group photograph is of the members of the Communications Network. This network was set up to ensure employees receive accurate and timely information on issues that effect them.

Strangely enough, the members were not identified in the photo, despite their terms of reference.

The Network Representatives are:
Jeff Angel, Corp. Communications, Ruth Buhagar, Airports North America,  Ruth Casey, Flight Ops. Paul Flegal, Canadian Regional, Jeff Lafond, International, Mary-Beryl Long, Corp. Communications, Maureen Malanchuk, Human Resources, Jacinta Marcadier, Materials/Controller  Brian Moore, Maint. & Eng., Alexa Nernberg, Capacity Planning, Chantal Podgorski, Sales Support, Theresa Rath, In-flight Service, Connie Stella, Cargo, Lisa Stewart, Passenger Marketing, Heather Tomlinson, Reservations

Issue dated - May 1998
Sales Team - 1998
lhrsales
Under the heading "LHR: Crossroads of the air traffic world". The article details Canadian's operation at LHR.

There are 27 employees maintaining operations in Terminal 4. The group consists of employees in the Customer Service, Ramp Service, Concierge, Cargo and M & E departments.

Effective June 2nd Dayliner flights from YYZ to LHR, Starliner flights from LHR to YYZ and non stop service between LHR and YOW.

Here are some of the Sales team.
From the top: Shilla Gill, Gary Kershaw, Lucy Moore, Denise Mihell, Maggie Coombe, Tony Powles, Nicky Edmonds, Jenny Ruler, Kim Lord, Gary Cross.
Aircraft Maintenance
lhrmtce
Maintaining the aircraft at LHR are Daniel Hetherington & Tim McSharry.
Tony Buckley and friends - 1998
tokyostaff
Some of the staff at Tokyo are helping Tony Buckley celebrate his 30th year anniversary.

This photo was supplied by Miho Iwakawa to the magazine. From left to right: Franz Metzger, Andrew Nazareth, Takane Kaneko, Miho Iwakawa, Nobuyuki Utsuki.

Reader's Feedback - Compiled by Terry Baker
Reader's Feedback
Every week we ask our readers for their stories or  feedback on what they have read here in previous issues. Below is the feedback we have received recently. 
Jack Stephens has sent us this email together with an email he received from Jim Bruce -

Gentlemen.....from Jim Bruce, who is one of our Site artists (At The Blast Fence).  Jim is a renowned Canadian wildlife and aviation artist, and has provided us with some great photos over the years. Take note of the rates of pay, relating to the Viscount, Vanguard and DC8 service, on the last page. Have a look at the rest of Jim's aviation art at: www.jim-bruce.com you will not be disappointed. Jim worked at the Winnipeg Overhaul Base, during the time of the Viscounts.
Cheers! Jack Stephens Canadian researcher, www.vickersviscount.net
Here is Jim's email which accompanied the photos.

Clearing out some old files and found this which may raise a touch of nostalgia. And a feeling of...what were they thinking?
TCA pamphlet - 1963
stew-1
Yes, unfortunately the drawings are mine. I guess I did this for Fred Fraser in PR. Probably around 1963. The change to Air Canada didn't take place until June 1964, two days after I left TCA to go to The  Montreal Star.

Jim

(the images show TCA recruiting pamphlets in circa 1963)



TCA pamphlet - 1963
Image Blank 200px
TCA pamphlet - 1963
stew-3
TCA - pamphlet - 1963
stew-4


Rates of pay -1963
stew-5


Odds & Ends - Compiled by Terry Baker
Odds & EndsNew UK government rejects third Heathrow runway

The UK's new coalition government indicated it will cancel plans for a third runway at London Heathrow and refuse additional runways at Gatwick and Stansted, stating that it is committed to implement a full program of measures to fulfill our joint ambitions for a low carbon and eco-friendly economy.

After reading the information in Odds & Ends in NetLetter nr 1118, Kenneth Mitchell would like to add the following comments :
 
A brief history covering the actions of the 436 R.C.A.F. Dakota Transport Squadron one of the Canadian Squadrons that served in the South East Asia Command (India and Burma ) during World War Two years 1944 and 1945 flying Dakota (DC-3 ) aircraft of which I was a member. The Squadron arrived in India / Burma in 1944 for crew training etc. and in actual operations starting January 1945 through to July 31 1945.

A brief operational record is as fallows :

   Month                  Total flying hours            No of Sorties          Tonnage
January                       2366.15                           825                     2464.0
February                     4319.45                           1550                   3851.0
March                         3946.25                           1143                   3941.0     
April                            3789.05                           1157                   3738.3
May                            4416.55                           1217                   3888.8
June                            4767.30                           1366                   3953.7
July                             4834.45                           1301                   3734.0

Total weight carried January-July 31  25,554.4  Tons
Total Mileage flown same period 3,970,000  Miles or equal to 1,600 times around the world.

Submitted by Kenneth Mitchell - Pointe Claire, Quebec
Terry's Trivia and Travel Tips - by Terry Baker
Terry Baker
Terry Baker
As of May 1, 2010, all Canadian citizens over age 2 are required to present a valid Canadian passport to travel to Bermuda.
 
As of May 1st, 2010, the Cuban government requires that all visitors to Cuba, including Cuban nationals living abroad and persons residing temporarily in Cuba, obtain traveler's medical insurance as a condition for entry into Cuba.
 

Del Horn sends us this warning and advice -
BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN YOU TRAVEL.... And remind your elderly parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and anyone you know who travels. But especially the older generation, as they are more likely to fall for something like this.

It seems that the schemes to cheat people never stops and it won't!  But keeping people informed is a key to helping prevent this from happening to your friends and relatives so please forward to all of yours. Can't be too careful these days!

This so simple, and reading this, anyone could be caught.

You arrive at your hotel and check in at the front desk. When checking in, you give the front desk your credit card, the charges for your room. You get to your room and settle in. Someone calls the front desk and asked for (example) Room 620, which happens to be your room. Your phone rings in your room. You answer and the person on the other end says the following, 'This is the front desk. When checking in, we came across a problem with your charge card information. Please re-read me your credit card number and verify the last 3 digits numbers at the reverse side of your charge card.

Not thinking anything you might give this person your information, since the call seems to come from the front desk. But actually, it is a scam of someone calling from outside the hotel/front desk. They ask for a random room number. Then, ask you for credit card information and address information. Sounding so professional that you do think you are talking to the front desk.

If you ever encounter this problem on your vacation, tell the caller that you will be down at the front desk to clear up any problems. Then, go to the front desk and ask if there was a problem. If there was none, inform the manager of the hotel that someone called to scam you of your credit card information acting like a front desk employee.

"Life As A Con" is the heading for a series of articles. Here is the one from the "Horizons" magazine issue August 1996  by Annette Malvar -

My adventure at Frankfurt's airport would qualify me to compete in Atlanta's Olympic pentathlon. Between marathon and sprint running, high jumping over fellow travellers, dashing over endless hurdles, and weight lifting luggage, I should have made the Canadian Olympic team. All this because FRA has a Hall A, B, & C in Terminal I and a Terminal 2.

My troubles began after my friend and I arrived from Air Canada's flight in Frankfurt's Hall B. Then we went to stand-by for a flight to Athens with Lufthansa in Hall A. Such as our luck, we didn't get on, again. Then, we remembered that there was a flight ten minutes later with Olympic Airways, but didn't know from where it departed. We sprinted to the TV screens to check out that information and of course, Olympic Airlines was located back in Hall B. So. we then ran from Hall A down a corridor which seemed as long as a runway, only to stand in line behind hundreds of other people and go through security in Hall B.

The next event began with dragging our suitcases-on-wheels they hit our heels, carrying our heavy coats, and wearing "con clothes" while dodging and jumping over at times the young families and senior citizens in our path.

We arrived at Olympic's gates panting and totally stressed when we realized that we didn't have ID9O's for their flight. We sure were relieved when the Olympic staff calmly accepted our LH ID9O's and assigned us our seats on their flight. We pulled the Olympic in-flight magazines out of their pockets and frantically fanned ourselves. And to think, some people actually believe those magazines are for reading!
Smileys - Compiled by Terry Baker
Smileys
Brian Walsh - YYJ sent us this list of snags on the aircraft. Several we have published in the past, but some of our readers may have missed them -




P: Left inside main tire almost needs replacement.
M: Almost replaced left inside main tire.
 
P: Test flight OK, except auto-land very rough.
M: Auto-land not installed on this aircraft.
 
P: Something loose in cockpit.
M: Something tightened in cockpit.
 
P: Dead bugs on windshield.
M: Live bugs on back-order.
 
P: Autopilot in altitude-hold mode produces a 200-feet-per-minute descent.
M: Cannot reproduce problem on ground.
 
P: Evidence of leak on right main landing gear.
M: Evidence removed.
 
P: DME volume unbelievably loud.
M: DME volume set to more believable level.
 
P: Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick.
M: That's what friction locks are for.
 
P: IFF inoperative in OFF mode.
M: IFF is always inoperative in OFF mode.
 
P: Suspected crack in windshield.
M: Suspect you're right.
 
P: Number 3 engine missing.
M: Engine found on right wing after brief search.
 
P: Aircraft handles funny. (I love this one!)
M: Aircraft warned to straighten up, fly right and be serious.
 
P: Target radar hums.
M: Reprogrammed target radar with lyrics..
 
P: Mouse in cockpit.
M: Cat installed.
 
And the best one for last
 
P: Noise coming from under instrument panel. Sounds like a midget pounding on something with a hammer.
M: Took hammer away from the midget.
We hope you have enjoyed this issue of the NetLetter, see you next week!
 
Sincerely,

Your NetLetter Team