This is what it was like to fly in the 1950s (we covered the 1930's and 1940's in previous issues)
(Originally submitted by: David Bellamy)
We’ve traveled backwards against the tailwinds of time in recent weeks, revisiting what it was like to fly in the birth of the commercial airline industry in the 1930s and then looking back on how innovation and industry really began to pump the gas in the 1940s. Now we get along to the real meat and potatoes (carved by hand and served on fine china in first class, naturally). Welcome to the golden age of commercial aviation! This is what it was like to fly in the 1950s:
Welcome to The Jet Age. The Boeing 707 made its first flight on December 20, 1957, and was put into commercial service the following October by Pan Am. Boeing had dedicated $16 million in the 50s to develop a commercial jet of its own following the tragic British de Havilland Comet midair explosions. At $142,807,547.16 with today’s inflation, Boeing president William Allen is said to have bet the company on the jet’s success, putting up nearly the entire profit that Boeing had earned since the end of WWII. And you know what? It worked. Boeing may have made the 707, but the 707 also made Boeing, and continued to be sold until 1994.
CPAir Boeing 727 Fleet
Although the Boeing 727 has been very successful, its service as a passenger aircraft has been relatively short lived. As a medium range aircraft it may have been too large for domestic routes and too small for international routes. However, they have a long history of service as cargo aircraft that continues today.
CP Air operated four B727-100’s from 1970 to 1977 and two -200’s from 1975 to 1984. We suggest that you visit an excellent site administered by former CP Air employees, cpair.blogspot.ca, for a more detailed history. 
Following is my research on the fate of the six aircraft that flew in CP Air livery with the original delivery dates and last known registration.
- CF-CPN (pictured) – March 11, 1970 – VP-BPZ. Private jet of Peter Nygård, a Finnish-Canadian business man. View at Planespotters.net
- CF-CPK – April 20, 1970 – HC-BLV for TAME Linea Aerea del Ecuador and stored at Latacunga in 2004.
- CF-CUR – March 3, 1971 – N311AG. Registered to Gordon Getty of the Getty family since December 17, 2001. Also was a part of the Executive Air Fleet of Revlon as N767RV from 1978 to 1986. View at Planespotters.net
- CF-CUS – April 26, 1971 – N327JL for Command Credit Corporation of Miami. Broken up in July 1998
. - C-GCPA – April 1, 1975 – 5NRKY. Operated by Allied Air of Nigeria, currently withdrawn from use.
- C-CGPB – April 8, 1975 – 5N-JNR - Operated by Allied Air of Nigeria, currently withdrawn from use.
(Source: RZJets.net)
Special thanks to Gary Vincent for allowing us to use his image of CF-CPN. View more of his collection at Airliners.net
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Here is the original photo of six stewardesses on the North Star tail CF-TFE fin #205 first appeared in "Between Ourselves" issued October 1949 and in NetLetter nr 1288 issue January 2014. The names are from the left: Jean Thompson, Olga Zawaski, Vickie Stewart, Thelma Moore, Mona Gaugh and Margarite Renaud. |
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Robert Arnold has sent two more photos showing a Merlin engine overhaul at Winnipeg, circa 1957. Robert Arnold |
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Robert Arnold has sent us three more photos from his collection -
Who are these young fellows and what are they actually doing. My guess is fuel sampling. Of course, any help from you fine readers is always gratefully appreciated. |
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Heard on the air waves.
ATC: Cessna 123, what are your intentions?
Cessna: To get my Commercial Pilot's License and Instrument Rating.
ATC: I meant in the next five minutes, not years.
Our cartoon was sent in by Frank Pedder.
The caption "This is the reason it takes more training to become an aircraft mechanic than a pilot".
Sugaring Off Time
Quebec Pionairs are having their Sugaring off time on Thursday, April 7th, 2016.
Why not join this Pionairs Group's Spring Event at the Sugar Shack Luncheon.
Set your GPS to: Cabane à sucre Lalande 862, Montée Laurin,
Saint-Eustache (Québec), J7R 4K3.
Full details from Pionairs.ca Click Here
(source Quebec district newsletter #92)