Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter

Alan's Space - Reader Condolences

We received several messages of condolences for Alan from our readers.

We thought that the best way to share these messages appropriately would be to post them within the final Alan's Space article that will be published in the NetLetter.

Alan's fondest wish was to leave his body of work to NetLetter readers and, we believe, that he would agree that his 'Space' should be turned over to our readers before ending.

We are in the process of archiving Alan's Space articles on the NetLetter website at www.thenetletter.net/article-archive-alan.

Please visit and enjoy! Thank you.

I was so sorry to hear of Alan Rust's passing it was kind of shocking to read. He was so dedicated working with the NetLetter and did a great job too.

He will be missed by all who worked with him and also the readers of the interested group on the Netletter.

Betty Draper

So sorry to read about the passing of your friend and collaborator Alan Rust.

Hopefully you will be able to keep up the publication of the NetLetter.

Thanks,

Aron P. Charad

Sad news to hear of Alan's passing, R.I.P. My condolences to his family.

And, my thanks for all his dedication, and contributions to the 'NetLetter'.

Jim Goltz

I never met Alan and prior to this input on losing him I knew nothing about his history.

As a lifetime member of the TCA/Air Canada family I very much enjoyed his part in keeping our history alive and with us. Not to take anything away from the NetLetter team and I hope they keep it going in Alan’s and Vesta’s memory, but I have always maintained that in order to move forward one must know from where they have come.

My primary resource was my father who was among the first pilot group hired when TCA began in 1937 before I was born and since losing him I have depended on the NetLetter to keep his and my story alive.

I too was basically a lifetime employee, starting in 1959 as a part time ramp rat in Dorval while finishing my education and beginning my flying career which moved to Air Canada in 1965 and ended as the airline’s most senior pilot in 2003. Many wonderful memories and people.

Thank you for all you do!

Captain (retired) Douglas Seagrim

I would please like to share this in the NetLetter. I met Alan 1999 where I had spent time in the Maintenance Department at Vancouver. Alan and I seemed to make a connection quickly where I learned a lot from him.

When the British Airways Concorde arrived in Vancouver and digital video cameras just arrived, Alan and I went on the roof of the Maintenance Hangar and did a video of the take off.

September 11, when a lot of different Airlines landed in Vancouver, I who spent a long time at Flight Operations suggested to Alan that he take the camera and we could get photos of the company tails, set up a contest for the Pilots naming the Airline Companies. Three prizes were offered.

Alan also showed me how to do aircraft turn around service checks on several aircraft types.

Please let me know if this fits into the NetLetter.

Thank you,

Peter Pihach

I am a Past Director of the Quebec District. I had reason to contact Alan a number of times a few years ago regarding Pionairs work on the internet.

He was always so very helpful and patient with me. I always felt that I knew Alan although I don’t recall that we ever met. I’m sure in working with him you became friends.

We’ve lost a great promoter of Pionairs and their activities, as well as a good friend. My deepest sympathies.

Sincerely,

Mae Wilson

So sorry to hear of Alan’s passing.

I had a lot more in common with Alan other than the Pionairs. Like him I joined the RCAF in 1953. My tests showed I was suited for Auto Mechanic or Airframe Technician.

Before I knew it, I was on my way to Camp Borden for airframe training. Joined TCA in 1956. I met Alan in line maintenance around 1974 and knew him while he was in Dorval. After he moved to YVR I lost track of him until I became president of the Pionairs in 2003.

I think it was the Spring of 2004 when we had a meeting in YVR. Gordon Woida was District Director of YVR and he made arrangements to meet at a Seafood Restaurant with the late Bill Rowe, the late Gord Dalziel and a fellow named Alan Rust (I didn’t recognize his name). We all came and parked our cars about the same time, and we saw this yellow VW bug come in with ‘Nerds On Site’ painted on it.

When Alan got out of the car and saw me, we both said at the same time "I know you”. The meeting was to set up communications for the Pionairs to get news out to our members when AC was in CCAA. The next time we met was at the AGM in Niagara Falls 2005. We arranged to have our ‘Meet & Greet’ evening in Planet Hollywood and we asked our members if they wished come dressed as movie stars etc. Well Alan and Mary Lou were part of 20 members who dressed as movie stars. I didn’t recognize Mary Lou the next day. We have been in contact ever since & I certainly will miss him.

Sincerely,

John Rodger

So sorry to hear of Alan's passing. We corresponded a bit over the last decade and he was always so helpful and enthusiastic. I will miss his missives!

Danielle Metcalfe-Chenail

We have enjoyed NetLetter long enough to have experienced two passings; Vesta and now Alan.

R.I.P. Alan. Maybe Alan and Vesta can open their own heavenly NetLetter for all the passed retirees.

Diane and David Bellamy, Elgin, Illinois

Alan composed the web site for our business at that time, mid 1995, it was our B&B called, 'It Feels Like Home', we ran it for a number of year in Kelowna, BC.

We use to advertise in Horizons. Alan did a marvelous job setting the Web site up, we were very pleased with his work helping us achieve a successful B&B. Many of our guests commented on the web page which Alan created as well. He did a brilliant job.

Lorraine and Ken Starnes, Kelowna, B.C.

Very sad to hear of Alan’s passing. My thoughts are with his family and friends. R.I.P.

Peter Sutherland

Good day,

As reader and follower of Alan’s writing supported by the great staff of ACFN NetLetter my condolences to Alan’s family.

The newsletter will surely miss him.

With esteem

Alan C. Evans, RSA

I am sorry to hear about Alan. God bless his soul. Sure we all will miss him.

Regards.

Najam Jafri

So sorry to hear the sad news of Alan passing.

Lyndon Davis

My deepest condolences to Alan’s family and everyone at the NetLetter.

I have enjoyed Alan’s great contributions over the past years, he will be sorely missed.

Eileen Crawford

Terry Baker, co-founder of the NetLetter scours the internet for aviation related Trivia and Travel Tips for you, our readers, to peruse.

Australia departure tax.

The Passenger Movement Charge (PMC) is a AUD 60 cost for the departure of a person from Australia for another country, whether or not the person returns to Australia. PMC is collected at the time a ticket is sold to a passenger and then forwarded by the carrier (airline carriers, shipping companies and air charter operators) to the Department.

(Source:abf.gov.au)

WDL: we're definitely lost

German operator WDL Aviation took a few British Airways passengers on a surprise visit to Edinburgh on 25 March — the surprise being that they had paid to fly to Dusseldorf.
The BAe 146, departing from London City airport, wound up in the Scottish capital after an administrative mix-up.

Some passengers were unaware of the error until after the aircraft landed, having apparently missed some of the clues, such as the complete absence of the North Sea. Of course, the whole episode has been lent a special irony by WDL's own slogan on its website, which confidently boasts: "We're going your way."

(Source: Flight magazine April 9 - 12, 2019)

Celebrity Solstice

7 Day Alaska Inside Passage
From $84 per day
Seattle, Ketchikan, Endicott Arm, Juneau, Skagway, Cruise Inside Passage, Victoria/Canada, Seattle
2 departure date: May 17 - 24, 2019
Prices From:
Inside $589 Ocean view $759 Balcony $829 Suite $2199

Celebrity Summit

10 Day Bermuda
From $60 per day
Bayonne/Cape Liberty, King's Wharf, Boston, Bar Harbor, Bayonne/Cape Liberty
1 departure date: May 26, 2019
Prices From:
Inside $598 Ocean view $749 Balcony $1149 Suite $2929*
Price May Vary By Date

Celebrity Edge (new ship)

10 Day Mediterranean
From $131 per day
Rome/Civitavecchia, Naples, Palma de Mallorca, Barcelona, Monte Carlo, Santa Margherita Ligure, La Spezia, Rome/Civitavecchia
1 departure date: Aug 30, 2019
Prices From:
Inside $1311 Ocean view $1836 Balcony $2211

Celebrity Eclipse

7 Day Alaska Inside Passage
From $142 per day
Vancouver, Cruise Inside Passage, Sitka, Hubbard Glacier, Juneau, Ketchikan, Cruise Inside Passage, Vancouver
2 departure date: Jul 7, 21, 2019
Prices From:
Inside $996 Ocean view $1379 Balcony $1379*
Price May Vary by Date

Memorable BNB accommodations.

Why settle for a bamboo hut when you could rent an entire bamboo palace? Spanning an incredible six stories, this remote property is both one-of-a-kind and completely luxurious.

(Source: MSN News.com)

CANADA-US – how the world was split up. (1945).

As a result of recently held conferences Canada and the United States have agreed on a two to one ratio of airlines operating with traffic between the two countries, Trans-Canada Air Lines will operate after the war seven routes into the United States and Alaska and American airlines operators will fly 14 routes into Canada. Currently the ratio is eight to one in favour of american airlines operators. On a trans-oceanic basis. Minister Howe reported a trans-Atlantic service, a trans-pacific service and a West Indian and Latin-American route.

The Atlantic route will be operated on a daily basis each way via Newfoundland from Montreal to London. This route now flown by Trans-Canada Air Lines thrice weekly each way in converted Lancaster bombers.

The trans-pacific route will be from Vancouver via Honolulu to Australia and New Zealand. The West Indian and Latin-American route from Montreal or Toronto will be several times weekly to Bermuda, and via Miami to the British West Indies and Central America, with terminus in Trinidad. All these routes will be operated by government owned TCA or its subsidiary companies.

Traffic between Canada and the United States is now using one route, Toronto to New York, three times daily each way. Minister Howe outlined six additional routes are to be operated by TCA, from Halifax to Boston; Toronto to Cleveland; Toronto to Chicago, with no stop at any Canadian point within 40 miles of Detroit; Port Arthur, Ont., to Duluth; Victoria to Seattle and Whitehorse, Yukon, to Fairbanks, Alaska.

(Source: flightglobal.com page 447 April 26, 1945)

We have these three photos from Canadian Airlines Photo History.