Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter

Here is the front cover of the current 'enRoute' magazine March/April 2022.

Mai Lee, the main character in the Toronto set movie 'Turning Red', turns into a giant red panda when she gets over excited.

Here she is overlooking the city of Toronto skyline.

From the 'Horizons' magazine.

Issue dated November 2000.

Montreal's Engine Maintenance Centre is the Big 4-0.

While cleaning out a filing cabinet during the summer of 2000, Bill Erith, Manager, Technical Marketing and Customer Service-JT8D/APU came across what turned out to be a very historic document.

It was a third party contract signed years ago, October 24, 1960 to be exact, between Trans-Canada Air Lines and Canadian Pacific Airlines Limited (CPA), to overhaul and repair engines at the original Power Plant in Montreal.

Putting out a contract.

Marking our 40th anniversary of third party work it's the first contract for outside work completed within any Technical Operations branch. The 15-year long jet engine contract was for overhaul and repair of Douglas DC-8 aircraft equipped with Rolls-Royce Conway MK509 and MK 510 engines.

"That was our first crack at third party work," says Dave Diggle, General Manager, Component Maintenance.  "Back then, we weren't as focused on building the business as we are today.
In those early days we accepted or rejected opportunities that came our way, as opposed to creating those opportunities.

"It wasn't until the 1990's that Technical Operations expanded its focus and aggressively pursue outside contracts. In 1990 we broke the $100 million revenue mark. By comparison, Technical Operations 2000 revenue is expected to exceed $175 million, with significant additional growth in future years.

As of 2000, current outside contracts in the Engine Maintenance Centre include operators throughout North and South America, Europe and the Middle East."

The photo does not identify the two employees.

A silver broom emerges from the dust.

For 18 years, the Air Canada Silver Broom was the coveted trophy of curling champions from around the globe. From 1968 to 1985, Air Canada sponsored the World Men's Curling Championship. During this time, nine of the teams that swept their way to victory were from Canada. In 1985, the Air Canada Silver Broom was retired.

Treasure hunt begins in Switzerland.

The original Silver Broom was discovered in a curling rink in Wildhaus, Switzerland by a group of touring Air Canada curlers. After some detective work on the part of Administrative Assistant,
Barbara Walker and retiree Ken Meek, a replica of the Silver Broom was found in a private Montreal storage warehouse.

In 1999, after many years in seclusion, the 4 foot high, 40 pound replica of the Air Canada Silver Broom trophy emerged from the dust. The replica had spent the winter of 1999 in the Manitoba Curling Hall of Fame, located at The Bay on Portage Avenue, in downtown Winnipeg. It went on tour at various large bonspiels in Alberta, and returned to its rightful place of honour, the Manitoba Curling Hall of Fame.

Canadians can take pride in this trophy and it's only fitting that it resides in the unofficial curling capital of the world.

The photo of the Air Canada Silver Broom, which had its first World Curling Championship, in March 1958. Holding the coveted trophy is Calgary's Ron Northcott (third from the left) who was presented with the Silver Broom by then Air Canada President Gordon R. McGregor.

Issue dated May 2001.

Decals detail our history by April Harris.

By June, eight of our A320's will be flying with a new decal located near the aircraft tail. Decals will be applied this month, with all eight aircraft completed six weeks later. To reflect the history of Air Canada and its many family members, the decals read 'Spirit of / Une fière tradition'.

Incorporated into the phrase and executed as a decal, logos from each of CP Air, Canadian Airlines, EPA, Nordair, PWA. Transair, Trans-Canada Air Lines and Wardair will adorn the aircraft.

Air Canada's genealogy is impressive. With so many people coming from so many different backgrounds, we truly have a proud heritage. April Harris is a communications student from Concordia University in Montreal. 

Editors' Note: Unfortunately, no one in Air Canada let April know that the correct title for TCA is 'Trans-Canada Air Lines'.

Issue dated June 2001.

Uniquely ours.

On May 10, 2001, in Toronto, Air Canada unveiled Free Spirit, a Boeing 767-300ER designed to help build awareness of Aboriginal tourism. The image of a majestic eagle in green and gold dominates the aircraft's fuselage. It's a work of art and a powerful message in support of Aboriginal tourism.

A traditional smudging, where First Nations elders blessed the aircraft, took place before the unveiling, and was followed by a traditional Aboriginal ceremony.

Arnold Aron Jacobs, an Iroquois artist from the Six Nations Reserve in Ontario transformed the 'bird' into an eagle.

'Free Spirit' measures 120 foot (37 metres) long by 12 foot (3.5 metre) high. Using 49 gallons (11 litres) of paint, it took a crew of 29 Air Canada employees, 25 painters and four groomers, 1,461 hours to give the eagle its wings.

The image is clearly aboriginal, dignified and easily recognized as Canadian. Fin 645, C-GBZR, and its eagle will soar on our Domestic and International routes.

Editors' Note: This aircraft remained in the Air Canada fleet until March 2017 when it was transferred to the Rouge fleet. 

It was withdrawn from service and stored at Marana Pinal Airport in Arizona in July 2020. As per PlaneSpotters.net, it was returned to the leasing company, AerCap of Ireland, in January 2022.