November 2, 2019 marks the 90th anniversary of the founding of The Ninety-Nines, and you are invited to a celebration!

The 90th Anniversary Celebration dinner ("Roaring 20s" theme!) is 6:00 PM on Saturday, November 2, at The Ninety-Nines Headquarters Building at Will Rogers Airport in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Members, friends of The Ninety-Nines and guests are invited. Register and submit payment online at www.ninety-nines.org/anniversary.htm.

Dinner registration deadline is October 15.

The Ninety-Nines group hotel rate is available at the Hilton Garden Inn Oklahoma City Airport, 801 S. Meridian, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 405-942-1400.

Come join us and have a Roaring good time! 

Hello all Badminton enthusiasts.

The dates for our 2019 Badminton Tournament will be September 19, 20 & 21, 2019 in Toronto. 

Check out the details at website acrabadminton.org.uk has just been updated.

Our ethos is to try and bring people together who love the game of badminton, want to meet people from different countries and ethnic backgrounds and want to just enjoy themselves.

They do not have to be super players. We do have a 'Veterans' category. All we ask is that they can play the game. We have singles, mixed and doubles. If people want to enter and don’t have a partner, we will try to find one. It is a fun tournament and a great way to meet people.

If you missed the photo ops in Prague, our 2018 tournament, then join us in Toronto in 2019 and get included.

The passions of a female pilot.

Meredith Bell discovered a love of flying at the age of 13, and gained her private pilot's license just four years later.

Now she is a captain on British Airways B-787's and also a type rating instructor and examiner.

(Source: Flight International Magazine July 2, 2019)

Sent in by "The Goalie",

One of The Weirdest Planes Ever To Fly.

The Caproni Ca.60 Noviplano was a nine-wing flying boat intended to be a prototype for a 100-passenger trans-Atlantic airliner. It featured eight engines and three sets of triple wings.

Two pontoons, mounted on each side, were intended to give the aircraft stability. Only one example of this aircraft was built by Caproni. The prototype only made one short flight on March 4, 1921 over Lake Maggiore in Italy. The aircraft attained an altitude of only 18 m (60 ft), then dived and crashed, breaking up on impact. The pilot escaped unscathed. 

Caproni had the wrecked airplane towed to shore, and announced that he would rebuild it, but that night it burned to ashes.

For more on this subject, Click the icon for a YouTube video entitled  "10 Most Bizarre Flying Machines in Aviation History".

Guess which machine holds the # 1 spot!

Air Canada was the first international carrier to serve Chicago with DC-3 equipment on July 2, 1946.

In this photo we have Tony Figueirdo, Manager, Midwest U.S. cutting the anniversary cake.

Looking on are Pat Moore, Airport Manager, Chicago, left, and Diane Kleinman, Catering Services Coordinator.

The second annual meeting of the Women's Auxiliary of the Pionairs, Victoria district was held during spring 1986 at the home of Alison Brown.

The auxiliary extended a warm welcome to all women Pionairs in the area to join in the group's social activities.

The newly elected officers were: Peggy Davies, Chairman; Kath Lockhart, Vice-Chairman; Ida Cadrain, Secretary; Dorothy Buss, Treasurer & Membership; Mary Held, Publicity; Alison Brown, Dining out Convener and Fran Butler, Bridge Instruction. (Note: Does this group still exist? - eds)

Issue dated September 1986.

In true 50th anniversary spirit, Calgary employees went all out this year in designing and building a float for the city's Stampede parade.

The custom-designed 767 had a 10-metre wingspan and was 12 metres long. It featured a cockpit, Executive Class seats and a gigantic birthday cake.

Judy Vitek, a Customer Sales and Service Agent in the reservations office, came up with the award winning design.

Jim Ballingall, who headed up the float committee, estimates that it took the core of volunteers 750 man-hours to build it.

Among those involved in the project were Mechanics Ray Rutherford, Viv Lloyd, Scott Fairbairn and Earl Fried, not to mention all those who decorated the float and rode in the parade.

The group effort paid off. The float met with enthusiastic applause and was named the best in the parade. In the photo the aircraft and crew cruise through downtown Calgary.

President Pierre Jeanniot went to Bombay in 1986 and met with all the employees there.

The Indian subcontinental station, which began operations with 20 employees, in 1986 boasts 50, all of whom lent a hand for the small reception held in the President's honour.

Photographed here are Customer Service Agents Elaine D'Souza, Melissa Hancock, Pierre Jeanniot, Carolyn D'Souza and Melissa Drego.

Issue dated April 1987.

Among those who ran in the 1986 W.A.R.R. road race were:

Back row from the left: Gerry Cassan, Leonard Scharbach, Dave Beauchamps, Bob Grist, Peter Morrls, Jlm Weedon, Tlm MacDonald, Bruce Scott and Jacques Souliere.

In the front row from the left: Jlm Batten, Harry Sulley, Bruce Milmine, Christie Guirgis and Gillian Sinclair.

Issue dated June 2013. (Used with permission).

On May 9, 2013, Air Canada became the first airline in Canada, and in many respects, the first airline outside the United States to take full advantage of a special kind of investment certificate for aircraft financing.

This type of certificate, known as an Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificate (EETC), provides airlines with access to less costly financing in the US capital markets, and is very popular in the United States, but brand new in Canada.

Shown in this photo are - left to right, front: Helen Kotsovos, Director Financing in Treasury; Anna Maria Masciotra, Senior Counsel and Managing Attorney, and David Perez, Assistant General Counsel.

Back: Pierre Houle, Treasurer (left) and Theodore Colombo, Counsel

On May 30, 2013 Air Canada became the first airline in Canada to launch a true retail gift card program.

Available as a traditional physical gift card or as an electronic gift card (eGift Card), Air Canada Gift Cards can be purchased in Canadian or US dollar denominations with values from $25.

Below is a new slide of a PWA DC-7C taken in Zurich (ZRH) with what looks like a ‘Swissair” DC-8 in the background! from Dan Dertien.

(Source: pwareunion.wordpress.com)

Ken Pickford offers the following additional information:

The aircraft was CF-PWM, leased by PWA for longhaul charter services from 1964 to 1969. Originally delivered to KLM as PH-DSB in April 1957 and disposed of in 1962.

It was one of KLM's 15 DC-7C's, the longest-range Douglas piston-engined airliner, all delivered in 1957/58. KLM's DC-7C's were named for bodies of water, that one "Red Sea" ("Rode Zee" in Dutch).

The final very long range piston-powered airliners like the DC-7C and the last and longest-range model of the Super Constellation series, the L-1649A Starliner, had a short carreer with their original operators due to the arrival of the 707 and DC-8 in the late 1950's which cut flight times almost in half.

Another photo of that aircraft at Vancouver in March 1969, near the end of its PWA service, can be found at Airliners.net.

PWA also had one standard DC-7 (CF-PWD) quite briefly in 1964/65. It was originally operated by American Airlines from 1954 to 1959 as N315AA, named "Flagship Maryland". American's DC-7s were the first aircaft to operate nonstop in both directions on U.S. coast-to-coast routes like New York-Los Angeles starting in November 1953.

A photo of CF-PWD at London Gatwick (LGW) in June 1964 can be found at abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1032657.

Pacific Western Airlines was founded by Russ Baker, in Fort St. James, B.C., in 1946 with a leased Beech biplane.

Mr. Baker provided air service to remote mining camps and logging operations in the North, delivering men and materials to isolated destinations.

The company was known as Central British Columbia Airways Ltd. and, from the beginning, had a reputation for on-time service and ingenuity.

It was in 1949 that Central B.C. Airways was commissioned to do aerial surveys for the giant aluminum and power complexes at Kitimat and Kemano in the rugged mountainous back country of British Columbia. During the development of this project, Central B.C. Airways handled 95% of the air support, consisting mainly of heavy industrial freight and workers.

Between 1949 and 1952, the Company acquired seven other smaller flying services. With each acquisition, the Company expanded its base of operations, providing the much needed manpower and equipment necessary to maintain a rapidly expanding air service. These companies included Associated Air Taxi, Kamloops Air Service, Skeena Air Transport, Whitehorse Flying Services and Port Alberni Airways.

In 1953, the Company adopted the name Pacific Western Airlines, the beginning of another important era. Additional companies were acquired, such as Queen Charlotte Airlines in 1955, giving the Company a foothold in scheduled services, and Associated Airways in 1955, leading to a vital contract in the construction of the Distant Early Warning line in Canada’s north.

(Source: worldairphotography.wordpress.com)

Gander International Airport - Tourism

It may be hard to imagine that, at one time, the largest airport in the world was located near the eastern tip of the 'Dominion of Newfoundland’.

Opened in 1938 as a convenient refuelling stop for the growing Trans-Atlantic market, it was destined from the beginning to play a pivotal role in history.

After serving as ‘RCAF Station Gander’ during the war, it was officially renamed ‘Gander International Airport’ by the Canadian government after Newfoundland joined Confederation in 1949.

Historic details are far too numerous for me to list here but, obviously, it is currently most famous for providing refuge to approximately 7000 passengers and crew on ‘9/11’ and now depicted in the musical ‘Come from Away’ relating the story.

An article by CNN Travel on Gander recently caught my attention. Their story does an excellent job of relating the history along with images and slideshows.

As times change and Gander’s strategic importance diminishes, it is now becoming a popular tourist destination. With the success of the stage play and plans for a feature film, hopefully, people from all over the world will be drawn to this beautiful location with so much honourable history.

There is no doubt that the friendliness and compassion that greeted people during difficult times will still be there to welcome curious tourists.

Additional references:

CNN Travel
Wikipedia – Gander International Airport
Gander Airport Historical Society

Tony Walsh has sent us this information -

Readers not closely familiar with the procedural sophistication of large 'De-Icing Centres' in general & related Air Canada cockpit procedures specifically, may be interested in this fairly fresh (March 13, 2019) JustPlanes episode in their cockpit video series titled “Air Canada Winter Operations / De-Icing From Cockpit”.

It is an in-cockpit live flight presentation by the pilots on how the de-icing procedures work before takeoff as the Embraer-190 flight AC1121 – Toronto – Saskatoon taxis to the YYZ De-Icing Centre & it and an AC B-777 flight ahead on the pad are de-iced.

Steve Davis sends the following:

About two years ago a close ex YVR CP Air colleague, Al Ridgway, introduced me to your Net Letter which, given my own airline background, I've been enjoying ever since. I came to Canada in 1974 having worked for a major freight forwarder at LHR for eight years. In 1975 I joined Philippine Airlines in Toronto as a passenger Sales Rep and also took on cargo sales.

In 1980 Wardair was granted a licence to carry full belly load cargo by Joe Clarke's Conservative Government. Prior to this they had been hamstrung by the protective and restrictive single entity regulations imposed on Canadian charter carriers. In 1981 I was approached by WD and appointed as their first Cargo Sales Manager, staying with them until their takeover by CP in 1989. WD cargo grew from a team of six people in 1981 to around 30 of us in Canada, the UK, Europe, HNL etc., by the time of the takeover, and revenues of around $30 million annually.

In 1982 I was presented with two copies of a 642 page limited edition booklet entitled * "Gentlemen Adventurers of the Air", produced originally in 1929 by the National Geographic Magazine and reprinted (with permission) by Wardair in November 1981 and dedicated to the Pioneers of Canadian aviation who opened up Canada's vast northern arctic territories over the last 100 years. I presented my second copy of this booklet to my son who is now right seat on AC 787's but thought you may like to publish some of the very interesting Canadian historical information contained in the pages of my copy.

Regards,

Steve Davis.
Ex WD YYZ & now happily retired!

* Unfortunately, the article "Gentlemen Adventurers of the Air" is still under copyright of the National Geographic Society and we have not been able to find legal excerpts available on the internet. 

For those who have interest in reading the material to which Mr. Davis is referring, copies of the original National Geographic magazine may be purchased from eBay. 

Subscriptions and access to archives may also be purchased directly from www.nationalgeographic.com.

The NetLetter Team

The new shuttle service between London Heathrow (LHR) and Gatwick (LGW) operated by Westward Airways got under way on June 25, 1969 with a Britten-Norman Islander six times a day in each direction.

(Source: Flight International July 2, 2019)

Additional References (thanks to Ken Pickford)

Wikipedia article on shuttle service between LHR & LGW; see paragraph 2 of 'Background' 

www.ianvisits.co.uk - 50 years ago – planes start flying between Heathrow and Gatwick

abpic.co.uk - Images of Westward Airways aircraft

Early Trans-Canada Air Lines historical events.

Results from Bermuda in 1946.

Following the meeting between Canadian and British Government representatives in Bermuda, a bi-lateral Canadian-British agreement has been signed whereby a maximum of three hundred and fifty passengers every week will be able to fly each way on Trans-Canada Air Lines and B.O.A.C., aircraft, the companies operating jointly.

The two terminals will be Dorval, Montreal, and Prestwick — the latter until Heathrow (LHR) is fit for all-weather use. In the meantime, Trans-Canada Air Lines have reduced their Atlantic fare to £83 for the single journey, as against the £127 previously charged. The service is now opened to non-priority passengers.

(Source: flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1946)

As early as 1946, TCA was thinking about serving the Pacific?

An agreement has been concluded with Australia to provide for future pooled services between Australia and this country. There will actually be two Pacific services, one operated by Trans-Canada Air Lines, and the other jointly by British, Australian and New Zealand operators. For a start there will be two services a week in each direction, with stops at Fiji, Canton Island, Honolulu and San Francisco. The terminals will be Sydney, Auckland and Vancouver.

The combined organization, including the interests of Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, will, it is recommended, be vested in a new organization known as British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines. No decision has yet been taken about the aircraft types to be used by B.C.P.A., but Trans-Canada Air Lines will be using Canadian-built Merlin-engined DC-4's.

(Source: flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1946)

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

For those who receive a pension from the UK State Pension in the UK –

Going for a visit to Europe?
Extract from leaflet CF-N-701 01/18

If you live outside the United Kingdom. If you're permanently living overseas when United Kingdom (UK) benefit rates go up, you will not get an increased rate unless you live in:

• A European Economic Area country.
• Switzerland.
• A country that has a social security agreement with the UK that allows for uprating (you can't get increases in Canada or New Zealand)

You may be entitled to the increased amount if you move to or visit one of these countries. The increased amount may be payable for the duration of your stay.

To find out more information visit www.gov.uk/state-pension-if-you-retire-abroad

You must tell us within one month of the date of arrival in the UK or any countries where annual increases are paid to claim the increased amount from the earliest date.

(Note: I have made many visits to Europe over the years and have received this increase in pension for the time spent. Photo copy the arrival and departure boarding passes for your record and send the originals to –

The Pension Service 11, Mail Handling Site A, Wolverhampton, WV98 1LW, United Kingdom.

Refer to your UK State Pension ID # - Not sure what happens when Brexit is effected - Terry)

7 Night European Waterways - AmaWaterways - AmaCerto
August 4 - Nuremberg; Regensburg; Linz; Vienna; Vienna; Budapest.
From: Oceanview: $1099 Balcony: $1499

Rates are quoted in U.S. dollars per person (based on double occupancy). Port charges are included.

Taxes & fees are not included. Fuel supplement may be applicable. All rates are subject to change, availability and eligibility. All offers apply to new bookings only, are capacity controlled and may be withdrawn without notice.

For more information on these & other Dargal Interline specials:
Call Toll Free: 1-800-690-3223
International Toll Free: (country code)-800-2832-7425
Suite 200-1632 Dickson Ave Kelowna BC V1Y 7T2

www.dargal.com