 The photo of the sign "The Dawn of Civilized Travel" published in NetLetter nr 1057 was sent to us by Hilton Cranston-Whittaker and NOT Harold Whittaker. Our apologies to Hilton. A.G.Driver sends us his observations regarding photos in NetLetter nr 1057 - Norman Wells aircraft miss-identified in pics below the C46 is a SINGLE Otter [see exhaust stacks below cowling] and the pic saying Ottor fleet....the pic is of a BEAVER A.G Driver And Ken Collie sends us this information about the same photos - In netletter #1057 in the photos of PWA the photo identified as a Twin Otter is misidentified, the aircraft is indeed a DHC-3 Otter, the twin otter did not have augmented exhaust system and the first Twin Otter flight was not till the spring of 1965. I did enjoy looking at the photos, brings back memories of years gone by in another part of the arctic and another airline, thanks! Ken Collie. Ken did a quick reassessment of the information above, and sends this email - Ten seconds ago I pointed out a mis-identification of a DHC-3 Otter. Now I point out that the photo identified as a PWA Otter is in fact a DHC-2 Beaver, CF-GQV Ken Collie And so did Bev May who pointed out the discrepancy - Your photo caption of Twin Otter and Norman Wells 1955. That isn't a Twin Otter. It's a single engine Otter DHC3. Your photo caption of P.W.A. Otter at Norman Wells. That is a Beaver aircraft DHC2. Cheers Bev. May (Thank you all for sending in those comments - we are only the messenger - eds) Here we have another set of photos contributed by John Anderton - Alan Hardie next to CF-MAK at YZF January 1955. John Anderton sends these web sites for a follow up of the registration CF-MAK - http://1000aircraftphotos.com/NorthernCanada/Fairchild82.htm http://1000aircraftphotos.com/Contributions/3312.htm CF-TFX of Wardair at YZF in 1955. CF-GBY of Wardair at YZF in 1955 CF-CUY Canadian Pacific Convair at Prince George 1956. After reading the article about the Great Air Race, Gerdina Olson sent us this information - While catching up on my e-mail messages I came across the stories in your newsletters about the Great Air Race. I thought you might be interested to know that there was another Air Canada pilot participating in the race. My late husband, Myron Olson, was an F.O.on DC8s at the time. He piloted a Staggerwing Beech from Calgary to London and back across to Victoria. The Staggerwing was the only bi-plane in the race and the only "fabric" one. They were sponsored by the Royal Trust Company, who were also instrumental in the design of the 260 special letters, carried by the airplane,depicting a photo of the Staggerwing on the envelope and signed by both the owner, George LeMay and the pilot, Myron Olson. The envelopes bore the postmark of the Abingdon Post Office, where the race started July1, and the Victoria Post Office where the race ended, July 7. Letters were accepted by the Queen, the Governor-General, Prime Minister, Premiers and Mayors of the provinces and cities through which the Race passed. My husband always considered this race the highlight of his flying career. Though I must say, he must have wondered at some point during that endless Atlantic crossing what possessed him to trade the relatively comfortable seat on the flight deck of a DC8 with 4 engines and 2 wings, with the extremely cramped and uncomfortable quarters of a fabric aeroplane with 1 engine and 4 wings!! And cramped quarters they were, what with extra fuel tanks etc.etc.,and Myron being 6'5"! I just thought you might like to add this additional story about the Great London-Victoria Air Race to aviation history. Gerdina has sent us these three photos.   As you know, the "PRESS" always goes for the sensational incidents, but there are many untold stories out there....... By the way, there was another airline pilot in The Race, Doug Ireland. Doug was a colleague of my husband way back in Associated Airways days. Doug flew a Howard DGA aircraft in the race. He retired from Canadian Airlines on the Boeing 747 in July 1982. He just recently passed away, on Jan.17 2009. Larry O'Brien, at that time a navigator with Air Canada, co-piloted a Piper PA-30-160 in the race. Kindest regards, Gerdina Olson, Langley, B.C. and from "Horizons" issue July 1971, we have this photo of the trophy. Glen Jeffrey sends us this information following the "Spirit of Skeena" saga which started in NetLetter nr 1053 - Regarding DC3 aircraft now called "Spirit of Skeena" while I was CP air base Engineer in Terrace B.C. a strike was called by the Machinists union. The local airline at Terrace, Trans Provincial Airlines, chief mechanic Peter Dychakowsky asked me to come and work for them while I was temporarily jobless, he asked me to commence dismantling DC3 PWH which was considered time expired and a derelict. The wings were removed and horizontal stabilizer together with elevators and ailerons and any parts considered salvageable. The wings and fuselage were to wedged outside into the bushes where they sat for some years where they were vandalized, later they were obtained by the museum people in Langley. A small piece of that aircraft may be still be flying, while I was in Terrace I was the owner of a Cessna 185 and while converting this aircraft from floats to wheels we needed a small hydraulic fitting the TPA stores not having the correct part one was obtained from the old DC3, no doubt there are many other parts from the old bird still in the skies. Best regards to all from Glenn Jeffrey Lake country BE.CO. Dave Wenham sent us this information following the article regarding in-flight entertainment in NetLetter nr 1055 Hi, folks! I enjoyed the "Air Canada - our first 70 years" mention of the first BE-747 in 1971, and how AC was a Canadian pioneer in in-flight entertainment. Meanwhile, we at CP finally got to enjoy in-flight movies early in 1974 on our new B-747 acquired late in 1973. I remember the very first picture shown was "A Touch of Class". The name of the film was added to the flights/gates list taped to each check-in counter (for agents' viewing only). Of course, some of my naughty colleagues were quick to scratch out the "CL" portion of the last word in the title. Perhaps they envisioned that a humorous inadvertent error might be read out to one of our customers! More "X-rated" alterations followed, notably a complete substitution for the word "Touch", which I will leave to your imaginations. Those were fun days and a bit of adolescent humor alleviated some of the professional attitude we all strove to maintain! Sincerely, Dave Welham, Pionair.
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