Cora Thomson sends in this request:

I was a stewardess with CPA from 1956 to 1960. I still have the uniform in excellent condition and I am planning to donate it to the Aviation Museum in Victoria.

They have TCA on display but no CPA. Unfortunately I don’t have the badges. We had to turn them in when our job was terminated when we got married. I wonder if anyone out there has the wing badge for the jacket and the round badge for the hat.

It would really complete the uniform for display at the aviation museum.

Thank you so much,

Cora Thomson. (Nee Bethel)

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.

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.

Red Arrows aerobatic team coming to Canada.

The Red Arrows feature a large nine-plane team of BAE Systems Hawk jets. (Photo by Royal Air Force).

Final preparations are being made for the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team’s biggest-ever tour to North America, which includes performances or flypasts over 6 Canadian cities, according to the British government.

The team will then visit a number of cities in the U.S. and later fly over Niagara Falls on August 28.

On Saturday, August 31 and Monday, September 2 they will perform at the Canadian International Air show in Toronto. On September 26 the Red Arrows will do flypasts over both Vancouver harbour and Victoria harbour.

It is the first time the Red Arrows have been to Canada and the US since 2008.

(Source: RCAF Association News August 2, 2019)

Former Pionairs' President John Rodger advised us of a CBC news story honouring veteran 2nd World War nurse and, later, Air Canada flight attendant, Maxine Bredt.

Now in her 100th year, Maxine is being honoured on the 75th anniversary of the 'Italian Campaign' in which she cared for the wounded.

Click the image to view the video.

Source: www.cbc.ca.news

(Reprinted from RCL # 115 website)

On Saturday a special poster was unveiled at HMCS Haida in Hamilton commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the Italian Campaign during WW II, 1943-1945. 93,000 Canadians took part in this campaign of which 6,000 gave their lives.

The poster was unveiled by the Minister of Veterans Affairs and the Asst. Minister of National Defense and it has our own Maxine Bredt on it. We have ordered copies of the poster of which one will be mounted and placed in our Legion. We will also give her a copy. Maxine had served with the Canadian Army Medical Corps during the Italian Campaign as a nurse.

Today she was interviewed by CBC National News and a few of us at the Legion were also interviewed. This is supposed to air tomorrow night on the National, July 30th.

We are very honoured to have her as the special poster lady for this special anniversary.

Many of you know her very well and have known Maxine for many years. She was interviewed in June for the D-Day ceremony by CBC and now once again.

Are we proud of her and all of our other veterans? YOU BET WE ARE.

Lest we forget.

Thank you.

Rod Hodgson,

President, Royal Canadian Legion Branch #115

Alys McKey Bryant was the first woman pilot in Canada.

Alys McKey Bryant (1880–1954) was an American aviator. She was the first woman to fly on the Pacific Coast and in Canada, and one of the few female members of the Early Birds of Aviation; individuals who had solo piloted an aircraft prior to December 17, 1916.

She cut short her brief career as a pilot after her husband, John Bryant, died while performing an air show in Victoria, Canada, in August 1913.

During World War 1 she trained pilots. 

(Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alys_McKey_Bryant)

Air Canada Announces First Two New Routes To Be Operated With Game Changing Airbus A220-300.

• The only non-stop flights from Montreal-Seattle, and from Toronto-San Jose, California.
• Customers to benefit from modern, spacious new cabin interior.
• A220 technology reduces fuel consumption by 20 per cent per seat.

(Source: www.newswire.ca)

Air Canada unveils A220 interiors

Air Canada has confirmed the launch routes for its Airbus A220-300, as well as unveiling the first images of the aircraft’s interiors.

The carrier will take delivery of its first A220 (formerly the CS300) later this year, and will commence the only nonstop route between Montreal and Seattle on May 4, 2020.

(Source: www.BusinessTraveller.com)

Shareholders of Montreal-based Transat A.T. voted August 23 in favor of Air Canada’s takeover bid, ending months of uncertainty and paving the way for review by Canadian regulatory authorities in the coming weeks.

(Source: enews.atwonline.com August 23, 2019)

• 1987 - June 21, introduction of direct Sunday flight to Glasgow out of Vancouver and Calgary.
• 1969 - July 3, Trans-Canada Air Lines moved into Place Ville Marie, Montreal.
• 1992- March 16, the first of Air Canada's three B-747-400s departed for Los Angeles.

This 1966 advert for Air Canada.

This summer take a closer look at Canada. You'll really know you have left home.

(Source: departedflights.com)

Continuing the Time Travel: 75 Years in Events.

Started in NetLetter # 1419.

1938 -

The elements quickly become an issue. In 1938, TCA is the first airline to equip its fleet with alcohol deicing nozzles to remove the ice that accumulates on windshields at high altitude. (It sets the stage for the airline's introduction of electric deicing to Canada in 1961).

1939 -

April 1, 1939, marks the inauguration of scheduled transnational passenger service between Montreal and Vancouver, with stops in Ottawa, North Bay, Kapuskasing, Winnipeg, Regina and Lethbridge; the flight takes 15 hours.

Source: moments.aircanada.com/timeline

(More next NetLetter – eds).

Issue dated July 1986.

Air Nova began scheduled service in Atlantic Canada on July 14, 1986 as the Air Canada prime alliance partner in Atlantic Canada.

Here we have an Air Nova timetable effective April 26, 1987.

Upper Island Pionairs.

Upper Vancouver Island Pionairs from the Comox Valley communities and Campbell River are particularly active in this Air Canada 50th anniversary year.

Regular luncheons are being scheduled that might be of interest of retirees or employees wishing to visit "this most beautiful part of Canada," says Reg Little.

One such luncheon was held at La Cremaillere Restaurant in Courtenay and, as shown in Heather Tisdall's photo, the following were present:

The life of a Training and Development Supervisor isn't all that bad, especially for Marty Bruin of Halifax, who accepted an assignment in Recife, Brazil to do ground handling training.

Brazil's fourth largest city is 9 1/2 hours flying time from Toronto and in the past few years has become a popular vacation spot for Canadians.

This winter several tour operators offered all-inclusive tour packages and had contracted an Air Canada 747 aircraft to be used on the route.

The first Air Canada aircraft arrived in Recife in mid-December 1986.

The on-board crew and staff who were on hand to meet the flight are, top to bottom and left to right:

Jim Wonta, Route Operations Supervisor; J. Batista, Purser (on special assignment); Captain Fisher; R. Faughnan, Flight Attendant; A. Nemeth, Purser; J.P. Lalonde, Acting Ramp Service Supervisor; Flight Attendants C. Fernandes Fuente, S. Ebisuaki and M. Van Den Hogen; R.M. Shorthill, First Officer; Flight Attendants F. Brinck, J. Elder Prothasow, H. Ohrner, D. Estey, F. Plamondon, D. Hay; Marty Bruin and Flight Attendant A. Jorge.

You can't accuse Les Patriots of playing hardball. They would much rather play softball!

The Dorval Power Plant team, which finished up the season with an impressive 17 wins and one loss, also went on to win the ACRA playoffs.

The softball champions shown here are, top row, left to right: Mechanics Marcel Comtois, Alain Bernier, Marcel Breard, Paul Labelle and Bob Peters.

Bottom row, left to right: Mechanics Michel Larividre, Sylvain Provencher, Sylvain Motard, Rejean Castilloux and Al Coull.

Missing from the photo are: Mechanics Francois Lachapelle, Alain Robitaille, Rejean Masse and Yvan Lajoie. 

Issue dated February 2014. (Used with permission).

System Operations Control Centre (SOC) on the move.

Moving is widely considered a life-defining moment, and as a worldwide airline with 24/7 operations, re-locating the nerve centre of our global operations to our brand new, state-of-the-art centre was certainly a significant event.

Our historic move and cut-over from our “old SOC” location in Mississauga, Ontario, to our “new OC” in Brampton, Ontario, took place in the early hours of January 21, 2014.

British Airways - 100th Anniversary

I'm quite sure that most of our readers are aware British Airways is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2019. 

Dj's Aviation YouTube channel recently posted a very nicely narrated 10 minute video detailing the important dates in the century-long history of one of the world's most recognizable brands. 

The video also shows some very nice footage of the Boeing 747-400 with the BOAC retro livery. Registration G-BYGC has been in the BA fleet since January 1999 and the plan is for it to remain in the classic livery until its scheduled retirement in 2023.

I'm a big fan of airlines recognizing special anniversaries by decking out an aircraft with classy looking retro paint jobs (see NL # 1341 - Fin 264) and I think that this is one of the best that I have seen. Very simple and dignified.

Additional reference: www.thepointsguy.com 

Del Horn has sent us a copy of the certificate he received as a result of the snowstorm in 1971 which disrupted the airline operations.

This prompted us to extract this article from the "Between Ourselves" magazine issued April 1971.

Employees ride out storm.

Montreal had a snowstorm during March 1971 - and that's the truth!

This latest in a seemingly endless series of swipes by ol' man winter was hailed as the Great Blizzard of '71. Within 24 hours, the largest recorded snowfall was dumped onto the city, whipped into 12-foot drifts by 40-60 mph winds.

Transportation simply stopped. Employees were stranded, many of them at home and many at shops and offices. Airport and Dorval base employees spent at least one night in grounded aircraft, including the recently arrived first 747.

Meanwhile, schools, banks, stores and government offices closed for two days. To the greatest degree possible, Air Canada was, however, "open for business". What then about those employees who lost some time or all on those two days?

Not a worry; the company waived its general policy regarding pay for employees who do not get to work because of storms. "In the case of this storm," said Vice President - Personnel, Dave Tennant, "it is considered that the majority of employees could not report for duty, it has been decided that all will be paid whether or not they reported for duty."

The time period concerned takes in five shifts beginning with the start of the day shift on Thursday, March 4, to the end of the afternoon shift of Friday March 5.

Pay for these five shifts has been authorized even though an employee may not have reported for duty. If employees unable to get home after their shifts were required for further work, normal overtime rates applied.

Those employees involved probably received a certificate to commemorate the event. The official recorded snow fall at Montreal International Airport (YUL) was 147.7 inches.

(Note: If any employee/retiree wishes to share any experience during this storm – feel free to send it to us – eds)

Crownair Canada

Started operation 1989, ceased February 1990.

During its life they operated two DC8 aircraft.

C-FCRN c/n 45742 DC-8-52 sold to FB Air registered N42920 February 1990.

C-FCMV c/n 46038 DC-8-61 sold to G & B Aviation registered N811GB January 1990.

(Source: planespotters.net/airline/Crownair)

Below is an unused ticket issued May 1989. 

(Source: airticketshistory.com)

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

Free eBook!

'Some Pigs Can Fly'

Aviation Anecdotes by Peter Rowlands

Subsequent to early retirement from Air Canada in 2003, writing and photography tendencies led him into film production and book writing.

The book - more than a monologue about flying airplanes, this retrospective on forty years of military and commercial aviation contains a selection of side-story anecdotes that increase its entertainment value.

While experienced aviators may discover previously unknown facts about an aircraft’s production history or reconnect with long-forgotten details about its performance envelope, our young grandchildren might be amused to read about our ancient technologies and how they worked … or not.

While this digital version is freely available to anyone who enjoys long-winded bouts of hangar flying, there also remains a limited number of hard-copy books available at exorbitant prices by special arrangement with the author.

Contact info - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

(Source: www.rapcan.ca)

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