~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|\^/|
_| TCA |_ B E T W E E N Y O U R S E L V E S
_|\| AIR |/|_ N E T L E T T E R
> CANADA <
>_./|\._< for Air Canada retirees
|
Your crew is: Chief Pilot - Vesta Stevenson
Co-pilot - Terry Baker
number 230 date Jan 14th 1998
Published since October 1995.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
. Anyone looking for Bob Lennox, try his new email
~-=o0o=-~
. Vesta has suggested anyone interested in the tale of the cancelled
Avro Arrow project would be interested in some photographs of what
was a rather gorgeous aircraft.
http://freespace.virgin.net/bill.casey/military.htm
~-=o0o=-~
. NEWS FROM THE DISTRICTS.
From the Montreal Pionairs 'Sentinel' magazine -
The 1997 Annual Christmas Party
By : Yvonne Moffard
Russ Reynard who acted as M.C., introduced Herb Guilfoyle, our
District Director who welcomed the 140 of us and gave us an idea of
hat was ahead for the next year, i.e.,
Bowling, Trips to Quebec and Paris, etc.
As we came in, we were greeted by three Pionairs ladies, namely,
Pam Rosholt, Majorie Moon and Mary Timmons, who checked us in.
Michel Bériau and Jacques Gaucher were also there to sell us tickets
for the raffle of Sam Gatelaro's beautiful painting. They succeeded
- with the help of Russ Reynard - to raise $500.00, to be donated to
the West Island Volunteer Bureau for their Christmas baskets to the
needy. The winner of the painting was Beth Vézina.
Our guest speaker was Olie Moore, National President of the Air
Canada Pionairs who was accompanied by his wife, Mary who is the
Pionairs National secretary.
Olie told us about a very special project that the National has
underway. It is a document for retirees, which will attempt to
clarify any questions we may have about completion of personal trip
passes, to avoid errors and unnecessary service charges as well as
provide us with info on other airlines. As Olie put it, he needs
questions to give answers and would therefore like to hear from
retirees or surviving spouses about problems they've experienced or
queries they may have. However, the Employee Call Service will
always be the main source of keeping us updated.
Real Henri, immediate Past Director, spoke a few words in French to
thank Olie and also requested any TCA items that retirees have in
their possession to be given to Fraser Muir who is the designated
co-ordinator of artefacts and memorabilia.
February Casual Lunch - Wed Feb 25th.
Casa Crecque Restaurant.
A chance to shake off the blahs of ice storms and hear the tales
from your fellow Pionairs.
Call Herb Guilfoyle 696-5286
Brian Wright 458-7355
to reserve. Deadline Feb 20th. Visiting Pionairs welcome.
~-=o0o=-~
. Philip Helms sends us this information -
'Here's something that maybe of interest for many TCA and
Air Canada personnel be they retired or still active.
Remember when we "flew into" HMCS Shearwater (YAW) in the forties
and fifties?. That was the Naval airbase located across the
harbour from Halifax (YHZ) in Eastern Passage, NS.
They have a very interesting Museum - "The Shearwater Aviation
Museum" to give it it's official name.
For all of you all the web try this URL
http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/awmuseum/
They have many aviation and military products such as models,
books, prints, lapel pins, crests, clothing, toys and more.'
From: "Philip R. Helms" email:
~-=o0o=-~
. We welcomed Duane Frerichs in NetLetter nr 229, and this is a bio -
Served with the Royal Canadian Air Force from 1955 to 1967,
mainly in Maritime Air Command. Flew Chipmunk, Harvard,
Mitchell B-25, Dakota, Neptune, Argus & Douglas DC4.
Joined Air Canada in 1967 and took an early retirement in 1992.
Flew DC 9, DC 8, B 727, L1011, B747, & A320. Based in Toronto
flight operations for duration of Air Canada service.
From:
~-=o0o=-~
. Bill Norberg sends us this memory -
I am sure that not many may be aware of this particular aspect of
the North Star fleet experiences. When the specifications were
drawn up for the North Star aircraft in the 40's one of its many
innovations was a Flight Path Control System (FPC).
The aircraft were delivered in 1948 and were to go into T.C.A.
operation with the FPC system along with a state of the art
PB-10 electronic autopilot system and Fluxgate remote sensing
compass system.
The FPC system was intended to provide an automatic approach system
which would automatically guide the aircraft to the selected runway
and down to an altitude of 25 feet. The autopilot system utilized
four throttle servos to control engine power and an automatic
elevator trim tab system to ensure perfect longitudinal trim
throughout the flight.
The Instrument Landing System,or ILS as it was called, provided a
directional beam to line the approaching aircraft up with the
selected runway and a 2.75 degree glide slope beam to guide the
aircraft down from its approach altitude to the end of the runway.
The aircraft could be vectored in automatically as long as the
aircraft was within 45 degrees of the selected runway heading when
the FPC system was engaged. The pilot would then select Glide Path
Approach as the aircraft intercepted the glide slope beam. The
aircraft was then guided down to the end of the runway using a
combination of elevator and engine throttle adjustments to
maintain proper glide slope positioning.
At that time I was responsible the maintenance, modification and
testing of the FPC and autopilot systems. The FPC system was not
operational when the aircraft were first delivered as there were a
series of modifications were required and the aircraft wiring had
to be thoroughly examined and certified before the aircraft and its
system could be placed into operation. It wasn't until the early
50's before these units were all modified and aircraft certified
for line operation.
We had to do a great deal of flight testing to determine the proper
settings and procedures to achieve acceptable system performance.
Ron Baker and Jack Grisdale were the pilots on these tests and I
would would fly with them to handle the electronic aspect.
It was a great thrill for me to be on board and experience these
automatic approaches, many down to 25 feet altitude at Dorval
airport.
From: "Bill Norberg" <
(More next time - eds)
~-=o0o=-~
. INTERLINE STUFF.
Duane Frerichs sends us this timely reminder -
Personal trip pass and family affair coupons are now valid until
used or the end of each calender year that is imprinted
on them, whichever occurs first.
Joan Wong sends us this 'call for help' -
My husband and I will be taking a world trip commencing in
February, after 28 years with Air Canada and 6 years as a city
of Ottawa politician I have retired and look forward to this trip.
What I require are some suggestions from you or others regarding
where to stay and what to do? These are all locations that we have
never been to but always wanted to go.
Our ports of call will be:
Buenos Aires
Capetown
Bali
South Island New Zealand
Bangkok
Athens
We plan to stay 5-7 days in each location.
Joan Wong email at:
~-=o0o=-~
. Smilie.
Mark Caduc found this smile for us -
A student became lost during a solo cross-country flight.
While attempting to locate the aircraft on radar, ATC asked,
"What was your last known position?"
"When I was number one for takeoff," replied the student.
~-=o0o=-~
. That's it for this time, please we need your input, send
comments and email addresses of any others who may be
interested to Vesta with a copy to Terry.
/------------------------\ |~~\_____/~~\__ |
| Between Yourselves |______________ \______====== )-+
| NetLetter | ~~~|/~~ |
\------------------------/ ()
~Between Yourselves-Netletter~
mailto:
mailto:
...................................................
. GREETINGS FROM .
. Vancouver Island .
. BEAUTIFUL B.C. CANADA .
...................................................