Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter

David Varnes explains why 3 L-1011's returned to service-

L-1011 fins 504, 507 & 512 were brought back from the desert when the Canadian economy started to improve after 1990 and AC found itself short of seating capacity due to unexpected passenger demand. Seat capacity was short because Airbus was having delivery problems with new airplanes to Air Canada in the mid 1990's.

Michel LeBlanc sent us his observation -

Hi, I just finished reading the latest #1421 and the New York advertising poster caught my eye. It shows the city skyline and at the bottom it says Trans-Canada Air Lines & Air Canada. Did "Air Canada” appear on marketing ads way back in 1941? I was under the impression the name "Air Canada" only started in 1965.

Terry Baker responded with -

On the poster, which did not show on the reproduction was “A TCA poster promoting travel to New York in the late 40's and early 50's.”

Originally from the UK, where I worked for TCA in the 50’s, it was common to refer to the company as Air Canada on the continent of Europe.

Our proof reader, Ken Pickford, added the following information –

Regarding the query from Michel LeBlanc re the Air Canada name, you will probably know more about this than me, but TCA began using Air Canada as the unofficial name in French ads and timetables etc. quite a while before it became the new legal name in 1965. 

However, I don't think it was used as early as the 1940's. I think that New York advertising poster used to illustrate the item re the start of NYC service in 1941 is from much later, I would guess probably the late 1950's or early 60's or so based on the design and graphics.

The Air Canada history timeline feature produced for the 80th anniversary does explain that 'Air Canada' was adopted as the official airline name in French.

moments.aircanada.com/timeline/1954-tca-becomes-air-canada-en-francais

The first public appearance of the new AC name and livery was on the DC-8 (Fin 807, CF-TJG) that flew the Queen home from YOW in October 1964 after a visit to Canada. I believe that was the first time a member of the Royal Family had flown TCA/AC. The story by one of the people who coordinated that trip and the aircraft's painting in relative secrecy, and photo of the Queen boarding the DC-8, has appeared previously in the NetLetter #1343.

Also this footage of that departure with sendoff by Prime Minister Lester Pearson and Governor General Georges Vanier (who lost his right leg in action in the First World War). Prince Philip wasn't with her on the return trip as he was continuing on his own to the Caribbean on the Royal Yacht.

Better footage of the DC-8 in this National Film Board production covering the 1964 Royal Visit. Scroll to 19:20 for the YOW departure. www.nfb.ca/film/queen_in_canada

And just for the record, her westbound departure from LHR on that trip, on a BOAC 707-420 (Rolls-Royce Conway engines like the AC DC-8-43). Not many 707's (37) or DC-8's (32) were built with the R-R Conway.

And, arriving at the then-RCAF base at Summerside, PEI (YSU) about 6 hours later where they boarded the Royal Yacht Britannia for much of the rest of the trip. (The military pulled out of Summerside in 1991 although the airport, now only general aviation, still has the longest runway in PEI (8,000 ft. vs 7,000 ft at Charlottetown).

Eastern Provincial Airways served YSU for a while in the 1960's & 70's.