The NetLetter #1304

netletter logo200t
The NetLetter

For Air Canada Retirees
(Part of the ACFamily Network)

 

July 30, 2014 - Issue 1304
 
First Issue published in October 1995!
(over 5,400 subscribers)
In This Issue
Star Alliance News
Air Canada News
Reader Submitted...Photos
TCA/Air Canada People Gallery
Alan's Space
Canadi>n/CP Air/PWA, Wardair, etc
Reader's Feedback
Odds and Ends
Terry's Trivia
Smileys
NetLetter Past Issues

Past Issues
Web Site Information

The NetLetter Web Site
www.thenetletter.org
Donation Information

Send cheques payable to "ACFamily Network" to:

ACFamily Network
#800 - 15355 24th Ave, Suite 523
Surrey, BC V4A 2H9

Sponsors
ACFamily Links
ACFamily Airlines
Air Canada
Trans-Canada Air Lines
Jazz
Zip
Tango
Air Alliance
Air BC
Air Nova
Air Ontario
Northwest Air
Canadian Airlines
Canadian Air Canada
Inter Canadian
Time Air
Canadian Pacfic
CPAir
Pacific Western
Transair
Austin Airways
Eastern Provincial
Nordair
Quebecair
Wardair
 
 
Terry Baker
Welcome to the NetLetter!

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, Wardair, etal and share your experiences with us!

The Netletter

Terry Baker and the NetLetter Team

Star Alliance News
Star Alliance
Lufthansa has taken delivery of its 14th Boeing 747-8I as the US manufacturer delivered its 1,500th 747. Its first wide body aircraft in history to reach the milestone on June 28th, 2014 at Paine Field in Everett, Washington state.

Boeing has confirmed delivery of the first 787-9 to Air New Zealand, the launch customer for the larger version of the Dreamliner that received FAA and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification during June.
 
Air New Zealand customers to enjoy gate to gate use of electronic devices.
 
Starting on July 16th, 2014, the airline will allow the use of handheld portable electronic devices including tablets, smartphones, e-readers and mp3 players during all phases of flight provided the devices are in flight mode. Previously, customers could not use their devices during the taxi, take-off and landing phases of flight.

Delhi based Air India officially joined Star Alliance July 11th, 2014 opening the world's fifth-largest aviation market to the other 26 member airlines comprising the Star Alliance network.

Air Canada News
Air CanadaOn July 1st, 2014 , Air Canada launched the only non-stop flights year-round between Toronto Pearson and Tokyo-Haneda. The flights will initially be operated with Boeing 777-300ER aircraft until mid-month, when their 787 Dreamliner will be deployed onto the route as planned
 
Air Canada Rouge launched on Canada Day 2013 with 14 routes from Montreal and Toronto into Europe and the Caribbean.
 
Air Canada to launch non-stop service  between Toronto and Panama City beginning December 17, 2014. With the launch of the three-times weekly, year-round service, Air Canada will be the only Canadian network carrier operating between Canada and Panama. The service will be provided with an Airbus A319 aircraft with 120 seats.

 
Reader Submitted Photos - Compiled by Terry Baker

Readers PhotosReader Submitted Photos -  The photos and information below have been submitted to us by our faithful readers.  


 

Norman Hogwood sends us this information - Another Boeing 737-200 variant to visit NZ in the 1990's was Solomon Airlines H4-SAL -2T5 (22395). 

First flown in December 1980, it started its flying career with Orion Airways as G-BHVG.  It then moved to Canada with Eastern Provincial Airways as C-GEPM.  It was later operated by CP Air and Canadian Airlines International before heading to Malaysia Airlines as 9M-MBO in May 1989. During June 1990 the aircraft joined the Solomon Airlines fleet and was christened "Guadacanal". During its time with Solomon it also flew services on behalf of Royal Tongan hence the small titles as seen in this shot. In 1992 ILFC registered the aircraft N501NG and it moved to NICA Nicaraguenese de Aviacion then subleased to LACSA Costa Rica. Like ZK-NAR, it ended up in Kyrgystan's Phoenix Aviation as EX-048 and was last noted as A6-PHD with AVE.com.

TCA/Air Canada People Gallery - Compiled by Terry Baker
 
TCA/Air Canada  LogoBelow we have musings from the "Between Ourselves" and "Horizons" magazine, Air Canada publications from years gone by, as well as various in-house publications.

The NetLetter has been fortunate enough to have our readers donate vintage Trans-Canada Air Lines and Air Canada publications from as far back as 1941 to share with you. These have been scanned and are being prepared for presenting in a special area of the ACFamily Network for archival and genealogy research.

1946
  • July 15th - The North Star prototype took wing from Cartierville Airport. QC. Public unveiling was July 20th.
     
  • Aug 1st - Inaugural DC-3 service to Cleveland.

Here we have this photo of Calgary Pionair Board for 2014 .Left to right: Alexandra Slawek, Liz Smith, Stella LeBlanc, Wendy Kraft with National President Jacques Levesque and his wife Dorothy.



Issue dated - September 1946
Some items gleaned from the "Between Ourselves" magazines.
Presiding over the inaugural ceremonies that accompanied departure of the first TCA flight from the Cleveland Airport were the Misses Jo Ann and Barbara Burke, daughters of Cleveland's Mayor. Jo Ann cut the ribbon prior to passenger boarding. In  attendance were Supervisory Stewardess Phyilis Harding (left) and Stewardess Mary O'Neill (right).



Issue dated - December 1978
Some items gleaned from the "Horizons" magazines.
Parts fly south.
Under a contract signed with General Motors, the company is flying a series of DC-8 charters from Toronto to Caracas.

Scheduled to operate until year-end, the flights carry parts to GM's assembly plant in the South American capital. Loading the first of the weekly flights at Toronto are, from the left: Station Attendants Mike Corkish, Frank Phin, Ken Derbyshire, Mick Molloy, and Cargo Agent Bob Knight.


New in-flight base opens
The company's newest In-flight service base was officially declared open for business when flight 160, December 2nd  took off with a Calgary based crew.

Marking the occasion are, from the left: Flight Attendants Mawney Boyd, Barbara McLeod and Suzanne Riley, crew members of flight 160; Ross St. John, Base Manager; Marion Sweeney, Personnel Supervisor; Judy Laird, Administrative Coordinator and Peter Charuk, Personnel Administration and Scheduling Manager. Seated is John Sinclair, Flight Attendant Coordinator.

Base staff currently total 48, and was expected to increase to 138 in January, 1979. During the peak summer period some 250 flight attendants and in-flight staff will be based at Calgary.

Alan's Space - by Alan Rust
Alan's Space
Farnborough International Airshow 2014

"Forget the Red Arrows, the pilots of this Boeing Dreamliner have been captured on film showing what the plane can really do in the air.

From a terrifying vertical climb after take-off to a series of dramatic turns, pilots Mike Byran and Randy Neville put one of the world's most advanced planes through its paces, proving commercial jets can do tricks too.

The moves, which include a turn so tight that the plane almost seems to stand still as it banks around, imitate tricks more associated with a compact fighter jet." 
 
Awesome Boeing 787-9 display at #FIA14 Farnborough International Airshow 2014
Awesome Boeing 787-9 display at #FIA14 Farnborough International Airshow 2014
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 its "ancestry" of contributing airlines.
Issue dated - July 1985
Items from the "PWA Flightlines" magazine -
Kamloops Airport terminal opened April 12th, 1985.





Will the real Kamloops PWA Station Manager please stand up?

Jim Wyse the current CSM of Kamloops (since 1983) is joined by Lorne Perrin (CSM 1979-83), Steve Bullock (CSM. 1975-79) and Jake Huibers (CSM 1968-75)


Calgary based Flight Attendants ( l to r in uniform): Kim Friesen, Bridget Webber and Joanne Clarkson-Simpson with one of the twenty-four Guides and Pathfinders who distributed Guides cookies on the 5th Annual "Cookies Take Flight" promotion on Calgary - Edmonton and Fort McMurray flights on May 3rd, 1985.


Bob Green, Cargo Sales Manager for Edmonton surveys his area (downtown YXD) prior to a major sales blitz in July to launch the PWA Air Express product.





These smiling Customer Service Agents, pictured in front of the YXD Airbus counter are (L to R): Cristine Livingstone, Wayne Fifield, Bill Cooney, Pat Miechkota, Frances Stevens and Lorraine Diamond



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.





Jim Griffith has sent us this short article -
November 29th, 2013 marked the fiftieth anniversary of the crash of Trans-Canada Air Lines flight 831 in which 118 people died when their DC-8F crashed almost vertically into the swampy outskirts of St Therese Quebec. This year the 29th ironically, is also a Friday just as it was in 1963. And just as it was in 1963 it will probably be over shadowed by the fiftieth commemoration of the assassination of President Kennedy which occurred exactly one week to the day before 831 went down.

The transition from props to pure jets was in full swing and many of the aircraft manufacturers were having teething troubles in the designs of their new infant prodigies just as pilots were adjusting to the higher speed regimes and operating envelopes of the exciting new planes.
As horrific as the crash was, it also ushered in a new era of accident investigation. Ironically Trans-Canada Air Lines management was on the cusp of a decision whether or not to install flight recorders on their aircraft and the uncertainty and controversy of being unable to pinpoint preciously the cause of the accident resolved the issue in favour of the move. Trans-Canada Air Lines was the first in North America to do so and resulted in government legislation mandating the installation of flight recorders in all commercial aircraft in Canada and was subsequently followed by other countries.

This probably wasn't much consolation for family members of the victims; nevertheless the tragic loss of 118 lives did contribute to the overall safety of subsequent airline travel. Many people don't realize just how huge the change from props to pure jets was in terms of money and lives.

Jim Griffith
 
In NetLetter nr 1302, Jim Bruce provided a link to the NFB documentary introducing the TCA Viscount to North America. The commentary did not introduce the captain on the North Star flight deck nor the person at the met briefing.

Jim Griffith sends this suggestion - I think Jim Bruce was thinking about a scene that comes later in the clip where what is actually a North Star Crew getting a weather the briefing. I thought for a video about Viscounts there was a lot of North Star stuff in it.

The North Star Captain at the weather briefing is Johnnie Clarke, recognizable by his neatly trimmed mustache, later Captain of ill-fated flight 810 that crashed on Mt. Slesse in 1956 killing all on-board. I recognize the F/O but can't remember his name. He wasn't killed with Clarke.  Jim G.

Marty Vanstone sends this information after reading NetLetter nr 1302 - In response to the query regarding the pilots in the NFB documentary "On the Spot", I am certain that the Captain shown receiving a weather briefing was Captain John Clarke who perished on Mt Slesse in November 1956. Jim Griffith may be able to confirm.
Marty Vanstone

(Jim Griffith did indeed confirm this) 

Norman Hogwood in New Zealand sends this information referring to the article in Odds and Ends NetLetter nr 1301 - The item and photo about the Australian National Airways aircraft at YVR in 1949 has me puzzled.

First of all the reference to ANA being the predecessor of Qantas is quite wrong. Qantas was established in 1920 and is one of the oldest airlines. ANA was a private company and according to Wikipedia only operated within Australia. It was eventually absorbed into the Ansett group and was known as Ansett-ANA  And yet a close inspection of the photo shows that aircraft was definitely one of the ANA fleet. The only conclusion I can reach is that it was operating some sort of charter.
I will have a "chat" with an Aussie mate and see what he can come up with Norman received this information from his Aussie friend - I have a response from my Aussie mate already. Quick worker - that's why he was employed by Air NZ!! He says British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines chartered ANA DC-4's before they got their own DC-6's so that's the answer. This is confirmed by Wikipedia.

He is very impressed with the NetLetter and wants me to send him future copies.
Cheers, Norm

Comment from Alan - Anyone can subscribe to the NetLetter by going to www.thenetletter.org

Trivia from Alan - The name "QANTAS", is an acronym for "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services".
 
Ron Carradine refers to NetLetter 1302 with this comment - Its been a long time since I enjoyed a video as much as the BEAVER song. Also the golf rules during the war, as I was raised in that era and can relate to some extent as there were many rules brought about in everyday life. Keep up the good work......
Ron
 
In NetLetter nr 1299 and 1302 we had an article regarding the retirement of Captain Penrose. Tom Rogers identifies his wife - Re the pic of Bob Penrose last flight--Flight Attendants were YYZ based.  F/A in lower left corner is my wife Arleen Rogers who was then known as Arleen MacPherson.
Cheers, Tom Rogers

Odds and Ends.

Image Blank 200pxSometimes we receive articles and information that just doesn't fit in our other areas. This is where it goes!

Help Wanted...

Val Frost is researching the Royal Air Force Ferry Command which operated during WWII.


To date, RAF Ferry Command has been referred to as, considered as, and believed to have actually been, a "top secret" organization. However, I also found to back this up by an article - also verified as to authenticity - that RAFFC was a "covert" operation, thereby justifying the "secrecy" end of things.


So... we have it verified that is was a "secret" operation. We have evidence that a radio operator had to sign a "secrecy pledge" prior to being hired by the RAF FC at Dorval.

 

I'm pretty sure that my father, David Harry Archibald, would have had to sign one of these "secrecy pledge" papers - but I don't recall his actually saying so. The subject just never came up.


What I need to know and have searched hi and low for, is evidence that someone else working in maintenance on the bombers at Dorval did in fact have to sign a "secrecy pledge.


If anyone has a relative who worked for the RAFFC and could shed any light on the signing of a "secrecy pledge", Val would like to hear from you. Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

 

Comment from Alan - Please... no "if I tell you I'll have to kill you" comments. (because I was first) 


Laszlo Bastyovanszky sent us this -
KEEP THIS UP & WE WILL BE GETTING THERE BEFORE WE LEAVE

Twice as fast as the old Concorde: The supersonic jet that will fly from London to New York in TWO HOURS.

SonicStar plane will have a top speed of Mach 3.6. Plans for a 20-seat aircraft were unveiled at the Paris Air Show. A jet that can fly from London to Sydney in five hours could rob Concorde of its title as the fastest-ever passenger plane.

Plans have been unveiled for the HyperMach SonicStar, a business jet which will be capable of a top speed of 2,664 mph, twice as fast as Concorde.  It will fly at 62,000 ft, allowing passengers to see the curvature of the earth.

HyperMach chief executive Richard Lugg wants the plane in the skies within ten years and has already secured funding from the Department of Trade and Industry, which has agreed to support the company in Britain.


Early photo of Vancouver Airport sent in by Doug Robinson
A shiny new de Havilland Comet Jetliner arrived at Vancouver International Airport in 1954, heralding a new age of aircraft design.


Terry's Trivia and Travel Tips - by Terry Baker

Terry BakerDue to the recently introduced anti spam law by the Canadian Federal Government, which eventually could carry a heavy penalty, we will not be providing any interline deals until we update our mailing list to ensure we have "express consent" from all subscribers. This will be done over the coming months through the ACFamily Network. We suggest you Google for Dargal, Perx, Ceasars Interline, Interline Allstars, KVI Travel or Time-4-Travel for your future Interline travels.

 


In one of the smartest marketing campaigns this year, US ultra-low cost carrier Spirit Airlines has launched a "hug the haters" promotion. 

 

Spirit CEO Ben Baldanza, who is also one of the smartest airline CEOs out there and who regularly makes fun of himself and his (nicely profitable) airline, says in the press release recently issued,  "We want to change the way people think about air travel and educate them about the Spirit way of traveling. We're going to Hug The Haters. They can share their frustrations with flying, and in return, we're going to give them 8,000 FREE SPIRIT Miles, which gets them very close to an award flight."


And those Fort Lauderdale, Florida based folk have come up with an entertaining video: The song, which admits many of its passengers seem to hate them and send them hate tweets, includes the wonderful line: "It's a cheap seat for a cheap ass."


And they invite people to go to www.Hatethousandmiles.com to "let go of their hate" and learn why and how Spirit keeps their costs low so they can go... even if, as the song says, some people would rather eat glass.  


Carry-on electric devices subject to extra checks in stepped-up airport security.
Passengers may be asked to power up their carry-on electronic devices as part of stepped up security measures, the US Transportation Security Administration announced Sunday, July 6th. Affected airports have not been named, but major European hubs such as London Heathrow, Frankfurt and Paris Charles de Gaulle are believed to be among them.

 

So far, there have been no reports of delays at security checkpoints, but Heathrow and Manchester have advised passengers to keep their electronic devices charged up and be prepared as these may be checked at the security entrance and/or the gate prior to boarding.  


The Reply from PWA to the letter of complaint we printed in NetLetter nr 1303


Thank you for your letter
regarding 802,
We're really very sorry
to have inconvenienced you
Sometimes these things do happen
(that's no excuse, it's true),
But when fog is the culprit
there's little we can do.
Nonetheless, your message
has come through loud and clear,
We"ll pass it on to everyone
of that, you have no fear.
Our staff is always conscious
of announcing each delay,
But in the "thick of battle''
we miss some anyway.
So your poem will be published
in our monthly magazine,
Reminding each employee
(even those behind the scene).
That for 'The Competition''
to truly make its mark,
We must inform our passengers,
not keep them in the dark.
Once again we thank you
for the effort and the time
you took to tell your story.  

Smileys - Compiled by Terry Baker
Smileys
As we surf the internet and back issues of airline magazines we regularly find airline related jokes and cartoons. Below is our latest discovery.

Derek Buckell refers to NetLetter nr 1303 - Hi gentlemen, from England, much as I enjoy your publication, I cannot let you get away with the picture of a so-called English pub sign!


It is not an English pub, in fact it looks like somewhere in Quebec, with the French signage on the pavement, sorry sidewalk, and the overhead traffic lights and road sign.   

 

Thanks again, Derek Buckell (regards to all my friends and ex colleagues in the Pionairs)

 

Alan Rust decided to do some in depth investigation and came up with this result - "We're both wrong, this pub is in Coquitlam just outside of Vancouver... I found it on Google Maps  (follow this link if your interested)" 

(We would point out that it was the sign that was in English, we did not speculate as to the location - eds)

 

Vern Swerdfeger has sent us some photos of English Pub signs. Here is one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


The NetLetter is an email newsletter published (usually) once a week 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!

We hope you have enjoyed this issue of the NetLetter, see you next week!  
Sincerely,
Your NetLetter Team

Disclaimer: Please note, that neither the NetLetter or the ACFamily Network necessarily endorse any of the airline related or other "deals" that we provide for our readers. We would be interested in any feedback (good or bad) when using these companies though and will report the results here. We do not (normally) receive any compensation from any companies that we post in our newsletters. If we do receive a donation or other compensation, it will be indicated as a sponsored article or link.

 

E&OE - (errors and omissions excepted) - The historical information as well as any other information provided here is subject to correction and may have changed over time. We do publish corrections when they are brought to our attention.
First published in October, 1995
  • Chief Pilot - Terry Baker, Nanaimo, B.C.
  • Co-pilot - Alan Rust, Surrey, B.C.
  • Flight Engineer - 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.