On August 15, 2017 the Canadian Ninety-Nines issued a stamp commemorating the achievement of Captain Melissa Haney who, in 2016, became Air Inuit's first Inuk female captain. 

Captain Haney flies a Dash 8 Combi-300 carrying passengers and cargo, often through challenging weather conditions, to remote communities in Canada's north.

Click Here to read more about the remarkable career of Captain Melissa Haney.

Niloofar Rahmani, Afghan Woman Pilot Pioneer. 

The most improbable hands to ever handle the controls of an airplane belong to Niloofar Rahmani.

She was born in Afghanistan just as the Soviet Union was departing her country as the repressive Taliban became dominant. A captain in the Afghan Air Force, she was the first woman in the country's history to become a pilot. Rahmani spoke at the U.S. Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring on January 23 - 26.

(Source: avweb.com)

The article in NetLetter #1383 under Terry's trivia and travel tips, had a photo of the North Star flight bulletin and asked readers if they had any information regarding the insignia.

Prompted by this request, Jean Downie sent us this information -

In your most recent NetLetter, you requested information regarding the insignia. This insignia was issued to flight attendants in 1965 when Trans-Canada Air Lines became Air Canada.

We were issued with a new dark, bottle green uniform for the occasion which consisted of a two piece suit, a white blouse, a dark green coat, long black leather gloves, black high heels, and of course, a hat!

The badge shown in your photo is the hat badge, it was slightly curved to fit on the brim of the hat; this was the winter uniform. In the summer, we changed into a turquoise jumper and jacket, a white blouse, with a variety of hats (the company kept changing the styles!) One was a round cream coloured straw and the insignia on that was similar, not exactly the same, as the large one and slightly smaller.

In this photo are flight attendants wearing the uniform and in it, you can see the insignia on the left side of the hat brim.

Maybe others can fill in other information that I have missed. The photo was taken, as everyone can see by the hat the policeman is wearing, in LHR. 

The flight attendants are left to right are: Katrina Kogel, Jean Downie, and Jacqueline Beauchamp.

I enjoyed reminiscing! Hope that this info is of some help. Thank you! Keep up the good work, Jean Downie ex YYZ base. 

This from Robert Arnold -

Here is another Viscount item in my collection, a TCA first aid box. I came across it inside CF-THN as I climbed through the aircraft shortly before it was scrapped back in July 1989. I now use it to contain many of the smaller TCA items I've been collecting over the years, which includes the box of TCA brand staples I came across recently and appeared in NetLetter #1384.

From the Air Canada NAVI magazine.

On the left we have the April cover page.

Employees pictured below are:

Front row: Uma Doma, Marlanne Samaan, Jyoti Patel, Nori Yanagisawa, Leticia Mori, Luke Hendrie and Nidia Carriet Moreno.

Back row: Sebastian Cosgrove, Alan Gilchrist, William Batson, Arcadio Parinas, Andy Park, Philip Brennan, Andrew Kung, Paul McGowan and Rishi Purani.

On the left we have the May cover page.

Below is a photo of the crew.

Front row: Derek Whitworth, Angela Susann, Seth Hilarice, Chantal Dugas, Nicole Wilczynski, Karen Sachse, Bobby Singh and June Iris Hughes.

Back row: Sean Maharaj, Michelle Young, Kerianne Wilson, Amanda Bruna, Jules Arsenault and John Hodder.

Issue dated September 1982.

1982 was the third year in a row that the company operated Hadj charters for Royal Air Maroc. The operation was from September 1 thru October 21.

"Hadj" refers the annual pilgrimage to Mecca made by Muslims throughout the world. The charter covers Moroccan pilgrims travelling from Casablanca, Fez and Agadir in Morocco to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.

Issue dated November 1982.

With the arrival of a B-767-233, fin #601 C-GAUB c/n 22517 at Montreal on October 30th, 1982, Air Canada became the first carrier outside the United States and the first airline in Canada to take delivery of the 767 aircraft. The pilots were Captain Dave Walker assisted by Captain Rodger Miners.

From the left, back row are: Flight Attendants Jurgen Odefey and Marlene Godber; Taylor; Flight Attendant Cory McAdam.

In the foreground are Leonard LafIeur, In-Charge Flight Attendant and Flight Attendant Helen Reagh.

Except for Leonard, the other flight attendants formed part of the galley design committee who worked closely with the manufacture during the construction phase.

A number of employees representing a cross-section of occupations were invited to participate in the first delivery flight as guests of the company, and for them, it was an event to remember.

Shown with President Taylor in front of one of the 767's huge engines are:

From the left: Shirley Campbell, Secretary, Halifax; Larry Nurch, Station Attendant, Toronto; Doug Slade, Cargo Agent, Vancouver; Taylor; Pierrette Venturini, Passenger Agent, Montreal; Marc Lefebvre, Certified Avionics Technician, Dorval and Marlene Godber, Flight Attendant, Calgary.

Issue dated August 2005. (Used with permission)

New services by Air Canada and Air Canada Jazz.

- October 30, Calgary - Ft. McMurray two flights daily by Jazz with all-jet service.
- December 1, Calgary - Newark daily non-stop operated by AC with E190s.
- December 17, new non-stop services commencing between Vancouver - San Diego daily flights with Jazz CRJ-705.
- Toronto - Abbotsford daily service using E190s.
- Calgary - Abbotsford 3 daily fights with Jazz CRJ-705.
- Montreal - San Francisco daily by AC using A319.
- Ottawa - Orlando daily during winter season by AC using either E190/E175/A319.
- Calgary - Orlando weekend operation during winter season by AC with A319s.
- February 4, Toronto - Kelowna daily operated by AC using E190s.
- Edmonton - Regina 2 daily non-stops with Dash 8-100s.
- Edmonton - Saskatoon 2 daily non-stops with Dash 8-300s.
- September 18, Hamilton from Montreal and Ottawa with CRJ-200s.

Air Canada launches Toronto - South Korea flights.

The first non-stop flights between Toronto and Seoul, South Korea took off July 1, 2005. Here we have a photo of Customer Sales and Service Agents dressed in traditional Korean Han Bok to celebrate the inaugural flight of AC065 from Toronto to Seoul.

Back row: Ray O'Donahue and Shawn Choi.

Front row: Murtaza Mohamedbhai, Vince Delorenzo, Leena Seo, Jay Min, Lisa Sim, Eunice Lee, Sandy Chung, Steve Lanno, Anna Leonardo and Richard Wegrzyn.

On the arrival of the inaugural flight in Seoul, the cabin crew posed for this photo.

Standing: Young Lee, Thelma Stefanuk, Corene Parr, Gillian Poulton, Judy Woodward, MiKyung Clochesy, Connie Regan, Christine Lee, Frederick Herbert, David Young and Don Hur.

Kneeling: Yunsil Park, Brian Park and Anita Chan.

Air Canada's first Embraer aircraft arrived in Montreal on July 20, 2005. The E175 underwent preparation for its July 27, 2005 service launch.

The aircraft, fin #371, made its inaugural flight on the Toronto - New York (LGA) route.

Eighty-nine Maintenance & Engineering personnel celebrated 25 years with the company in 1992.

What was happening in aviation back in 1967, their first year with the airline? Here's a glimpse of major events at Canadian's two founding partners.

At Pacific Western, they took delivery of their first Hercules freighter which served the north in the winter and handled world-wide charters in the summer. At CP Air, the trans-border era opened with flights to San Francisco. Los Angeles joined the network in 1975.

Last of the predecessors.

Aircraft 723 arrives in Vancouver on July 15, 1990 on its last day of service in interim Canadi>n colours. Aircraft #723 entered the hangar the next day for its conversion to Canadian.

The old era ended in February 1991, when the last 737 in PWA colours, Aircraft 783, was stripped in the Calgary hangar and repainted during its 8C check.

The association of retired employees of Canadian Airlines et al was named Canadian Airlines International Retired Employees.(C.A.I.R.E.).

The newsletter was titled "The CAIRE Reporter". In the June 1997 edition we gleaned this information.

Phone committee was headed by Ernie Watson. Derek Hunt headed up the Social Committee. Charlie Burtch chaired the annual golf tournament held at Tsawwassen Golf Club on May 22 1997. 'Sick and Visiting" committee jointly chaired by Ralph Steeves and Ed Scott.

There were eight chapters:

Chapter 1 - Vancouver, President Ruth Harris.
Chapter 2 - Vancouver Island (Victoria), President Harold Thomas.
Chapter 3 - Manitoba (Winnipeg), President - To be advised.
Chapter 4 - Edmonton, President Don Perry.
Chapter 5 - Ontario (Toronto), President Jack Egan.
Chapter 6 - Okanagan, President Marg Lozie.
Chapter 7 - Quebec (Montreal), President Pierre St-Laurent.

Linda Reverchon sends this comment regarding the article in NetLetter #1383 under Ron and his "Trekkies" hike pastoral England.

Just a little note regarding some names that appeared in this NetLetter. From the "Horizons" magazine, June 1982. 

Hud Connolly and I were colleagues in the PTA department (YVR Reservations) where Dorothy Grant was supervisor. By this date they had evidently already retired, but I remember them well.

Ron and his "Trekkies" hike pastoral England.

Wasn't Ron Barber a supervisor in the YYZ Reservations Office? I seem to remember him from the two years (1973-75) that I put in there.

Vern Swerdfeger has sent us this report written by W. Roger Michelson on October 5, 2003, titled “A Landing in London”.

This is the message which covered the report to Vern -

As I mentioned, appended below is the story I wrote, which is called 'A Landing in London', written from a Boeing 747-400 pilot's perspective.

Since that writing in 2003, an excellent video has arisen about the air traffic control around Heathrow. It is a great preamble to my story, so below is a link to it for your viewing pleasure. This video, although of poor quality, gives insight into the tight flying operations at London's Heathrow Airport, of which I wrote.

Yes, Heathrow (and most of the UK) looks just like that… OLD, as you may already be aware. I have also attached an 'official' (real deal) London Heathrow Airport Ground Plan so you can see the runway arrangement, the largest of which is just over 2.4 miles in length. The runways are approximately a mile apart.

This is the YouTube video for Heathrow - unfortunately of poor quality.

Norman Hogwood has sent us this comment and information -

A couple of things jumped out at me from 1381 today. First was Captain Len Ryman’s gift after he landed in Honolulu to end his career. According to the article he received a lei made of carnations and a cake. A bit cumbersome having a cake hanging round your neck but, after all, it’s the thought that counts and what’s a comma between friends anyway? 

The other item was the mention of a CP Canso operating here and there. Never heard of a Canso so I had to Google it where I found it was just a common or garden PBY Catalina. I wonder where the Canadians got that name from. It’s a lovely aircraft. The Warbirds have one here and I once had a birthday present flight in it over AKL. Wonderful! This one came from Zimbabwe and I’ve just searched its history and found that it was born in Quebec out of Vickers Canada so began life as a Canso! It was the second attempt made to get one back to NZ (the RNZAF had a substantial fleet of them during WW2) the first one having failed mid-Pacific where the crew were obliged to set it down and take to their life raft and watch it sink due to having an unfixable mechanical problem. The USAF in Hawaii answered their distress call and sent a Hercules with supplies to them.

They were picked up by a huge container ship and taken to SFO. Anyway, I now know what a Canso is and that we have one here.

Cheers, Norm

Norman sent this additional information –

Re my story about the ditching of the Catalina. I’ve just re-read the book “Catalina Dreaming” written by the guy who had the idea of getting one back to NZ. A small correction – it was the US Coast Guard in Hawaii that came to their aid. He was a crew member (and life-boat member) and had to watch his dream sink!

I also found another version of the incident on Google under the heading, “A private history of the last flight of Catalina 5404J”. About a 10-minute read and worth a look. Written by an American crew member. Interestingly, he says that the co-pilot at the controls during the ditching, another American, did his nut and blamed everyone, especially the Kiwis, for their predicament. The skipper was a then current TWA B-727 captain.

The delivery from Zimbabwe went without a hitch.

Norm.

Note: Sadly, this will be the last communication we receive from Norman as he passed away shortly after he sent the above notices. See his obituary here.

In NetLetter #1350 we ran an article on the Bristol Freighter,

Keith Rhodes sent this comment -

Re: the Bristol Freighters. They were commonly referred to as Bristol Frighteners.  TCA Engineering and Maintenance totally rewired all of them before they went into service to eliminate a known type of wiring joint used by Bristol - ball and socket, I believe.

S. Brenner offers these further comments on Airtransit 

I have always enjoyed reading the Netletter: keep up the good work.

When I read Keith Rhodes' article on the A/C advisory team who visited the DHC plant to see and advise on the equipment required to operate the DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft proposed for the Air Transit service, I noticed that a couple of locations visited are incorrect. First the DHC plant was at Downsview (YZD) now in the City of Toronto and still is and not Malton (YYZ).

After the briefing, the A/C guests were flown in a Twin Otter from Downsview to Malton (Toronto). It is not possbile to fly from the airport at Malton to the airport at Toronto as they are one and the same. There are also typos as the aircraft was a DHC-6 and not a DH-6 (many years passed in between these types).

I was fortunate to travel the Air Transit service from Ottawa to Montreal and back on the next to last flight of that trial service. A truly great experience.

Edmonton and Northern Alberta.

Originally founded in 1927 as the Edmonton and Northern Alberta Aero Club, the club's first president was Canadian World War 1 flying ace, Wilfrid R. "Wop" May. At the time, the purpose of the club was to promote aviation and to provide flight training.

Renamed "The Edmonton Flying Club", home of the Edmonton Flight College, is unique as it is both a flying club and a flight school. Located just west of Edmonton, the club operates out of Parkland airport in Parkland County. Today, the Edmonton Flying Club is a member-owned organization that operates a diverse fleet of aircraft and provides flight training at all levels from recreational pilots to 'Commercial Multi Instrument' rated, career ready pilots.

Here we have the timetable for Air Transat issued 1998 (Source: airline-memorabilia.blogspot.ca)

Air Transat made its inaugural flight on November 14, 1987, travelling from Montreal to Acapulco. Six years later, Air Transat assumed defunct Nationair's maintenance base and aircraft. 

Today, the company books over 3.5 million passengers a year. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Transat A.T. Inc. Air Transat is now one of Canada's largest airlines, after Air Canada and WestJet. Air Transat has 5,000 employees.

On February 13, 2011, Air Transat Flight TS163 operated with their first all-female flight crew from Cancun to Vancouver.

The airline has won many awards, including the 2012 Skytrax World's Best Leisure Airline Award.

They have a mixed fleet of 48 jet aircraft.

(Source: Wikipedia & Planespotters)

Jim Griffith sends this information -

Jack Schofield recently published a book of aviation stories, an eclectic mix of WWII, Airline and of interest to retirees on the coast, who will recognize familiar coastal locations... Bush flying on the coast...

The book is entitled, “Hangar Flying...Tales From The Flight Deck”. It has two of my stories in it and is sure to whisk you off to far-away places. 

Chapter titles evoke images of decades gone by:

How to Buy an Airplane or Three; Encounter over the Hudson; North Star to the Rescue; Near Miss and Katabatic Adventures are but five of the 17 stories Jack and Art show and tell. Hangar Flying is a full-color book priced at $27.00 USD and $39.00 CAD.

Contact Jack Schofield at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to order.

(Source: generalaviationnews.com)

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

For the first time in aviation history, in 2017, not a single person died anywhere in the world because of a jet airliner accident.

However, one man died in the crash of a Canadian ATR42 turboprop in December.

The chance of dying in an airline crash now is about 1 in 50 million, according to a recent analysis.

(Source: avweb.com)

Jack Morath the Pionair Social Director at LHR sends this information -

Recently Aureen and I went to Glasgow for the Air Canada PIK Reunion there and we hired a car from Glasgow airport which worked out about £10 per day which was very reasonable.

Details as follows: www.rentalcars.com and phone number 03330035609. Open 24 hours a day seven days a week. Worth doing.

This Lockheed Aircraft Corporation advert in the Flight magazine issued August 17, 1939 has the title "The Newest, Fastest Transcontinental Airline".

Pictured panels are titled:

"Luxurious transports", "Actually made-to-order" and "As a passenger".

Other pictures under "... and why Trans-Canada chooses Lockheeds" with the statements:

"Performance with dependability", "Accurate construction" and "Today's production line".

The conclusion was "The same choice has been made by 28 airlines".

• 7 night Caribbean - Oasis of the Seas - April 29,  Port Canaveral to Port Canaveral Balcony from $607
• 7 night Caribbean - Rhapsody of the Seas - Apr 29,  Tampa to Tampa Balcony from $706
• 7night Caribbean - Caribbean Princess - June 23, Fort Lauderdale to Fort Lauderdale Balcony from $649
• 8 night Alaska - Celebrity Millennium - May 10, Vancouver to Seward Balcony from $1274
• 10 night Australia/NZ - Ovation of the Seas - March13, Sydney to Sydney Balcony from $1373
• 12 night Australia/NZ - Celebrity Solstice - March 30, Sydney to Sydney Balcony from $1498
• 7 night Bahamas - Adventure of the Seas - May 11 | Cape Liberty to Cape Liberty Balcony from $657
• 7 night Caribbean - Carnival Fascination March 4, San Juan to San Juan Balcony from $538
• 7 night Caribbean - Disney Wonder March 4, Port Canaveral to Port Canaveral Balcony from $910
• 10 night Caribbean - Azamara Quest - March 9,  Miami to Miami Oceanview from $1750
• 7 night Caribbean - Harmony of the Seas April 28, Fort Lauderdale to Fort Lauderdale Interior from $689
• 7 night Europe - Back to the 80's - May 6, Southampton to Southampton Balcony from $599
• 12 night Europe - Nautica - May 27, Civitavecchia to Southampton Interior from $1500
• 11 night Mediterranean - Seven Seas Explorer - April 12,  Monte Carlo to Barcelona Balcony from $3300
• 12 night Mediterranean - Sirena - July 18, Barcelona to Civitavecchia Oceanview from $1800

"You will have to pay full fare for that child, lady," said the ticket agent. He is over 12 years"
"How can he be over 12, when I have only been married for 10 years" she asked.
"Lady, I just collect fares, not confessions” replied the ticket agent.

From the “CP Air Empress Class News - Special Edition”.

Empress Class was first introduced in October 1980. Here is a story - with tongue in cheek!

Once upon a time there was a giant airline called Air Candy that had things pretty well its own sweet way all across the land.

They fed their passengers from plastic plates. There being no need to pamper them because Air Candy could truly boast that they went everywhere.

As there was little choice, the people of the land moaned and groaned every time they had to go away unless they were lucky enough to get a seat on Chic Perk Air, one of the competitive airlines that was forced to fly with clipped wings behind Air Candy.

Chic Perk Air was known for providing the perks that make travelling so enjoyable - like china and silver for gourmet dining and a smile and a friendly hand that make passengers feel so comfy in the skies the likes of which the people had never seen before.

Orange streaks could be seen everywhere, trail blazers in a new era of free wings across the nation. It began with SKYBUS, the country's first bargain-priced flights on a year round basis. Air Candy grimaced, but was too proud to copy. Then came EMPRESS CLASS!

Full treatment for the full fare passenger another first for Chic Perk Air. "It takes a lot more than china cups" the giant harrumphed but alas, it was too late.

Although Air Candy was still the national airline, Chic Perk Air had now become the national airline. Frantically they imitated, offering Connoisseur Service it sounded good, but still no china. Can you imagine dining with plastic?