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We wish to thank everyone for your support of our efforts.

We always welcome feedback about Air Canada (including Jazz and Rouge) from our subscribers who wish to share current events, memories and photographs.

Particularly if you have stories to share from one of the legacy airlines: Canadian Airlines, CP Air, Pacific Western, Eastern Provincial, Wardair, Nordair, Transair and many more (let us know if we have omitted your airline).

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29th Czech Airlines Soccer Tournament

June 18 - 22, 2020. 

Five-a-side International Airline Football Tournament for male and female players.

Veteran football cup for males more than 40 years old in the Czech Republic.

Deadline: June 01, 2020.
Arrival day: June 18, 2020.
Games day: June 19 - 21, 2020.
Departure day: June 22, 2020.

Complete details at:
soccerclubcsa.com

(Note: Air Canada Vancouver was represented in 2018, but not in 2019 – eds)

Canadian Maple Wings Association (CMWA) Golden Triangle chapter plan their next meeting to be held on Tuesday, May 12, 2020, in Brampton, at the Lionhead Golf Club.

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July 20-22, 2020

Farnborough International Air Show, U.K.

John Rodger sends us this photo of Viscount fin #607 -

I found this photo in Sam G. files and it said on the back it was that Viscount’s first revenue flight.

John.

History of this aircraft -

May 1, 1955 - Departed for delivery to Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA), with fleet number '607'.

It was flown to Canada by Gabe Robb 'Jock' Bryce accompanied by his wife Nancy. She was born at Ocean Falls, British Columbia, Canada and became the first female to fly across the North Atlantic in a turboprop aircraft.

November 1, 1955 - First Viscount on the Dorval (YUL) to Vancouver (YVR) route (with several stops).

It was withdrawn from service on January 6, 1963 total time 17,994 hours, 14,743 landings and was sold to William C. Wold and Associates, New York on March 2, 1964, who sold it to Air Inter, France on April 2, 1964, who sold it on to Alidair October 24, 1975 and registered G-BDRC.

Alidair leased the aircraft to various airlines until January 4, 1984 when it was sold to Hards Travel for operation by Janus Airways and named "Sarnia II", but never entered service due to severe corrosion.

Withdrawn from service and donated by Hards Travel to the Central Training Fire Service Establishment of the Royal Air Force at Manston Airport, Kent, England in November 1984.

Fuselage noted minus its wings and in poor condition in March 1991. Emergency access training use had hacked out a large section on the port side of the fuselage.

Remains sold to Hanningfield Metals for metal salvage in August 1993 and broken up into sections and taken away to their yard at Templewood Industrial Estate, Stock Road, West Hanningfield, Essex for final processing. 

(Source: vickersviscount.net)

Heather Johannson shares this memory -

On a 1990's trip to the relatives in the UK, I went on a last minute sell off. Despite my usual security precautions, my purse was ripped off my shoulder.

Now I had to get back into the UK without a passport and with a police report written in Spanish. After filling out what seemed like a ton of paperwork, they let me in.

Luckily, I had left my CP Air ID and YVR security card with my Aunt while I was in the Canary Islands. When I arrived in YYC to connect through to YVR, the Customs officer said that my Airport security was better than a passport any day.

Further to my submission in NetLetter #1430, regarding my memories of LHR staff which, incidentally, first appeared in NetLetter #960 issued February 5, 2007 but I thought that it worth repeating, if only to encourage readers responses.

I recall the following -

Valerie Phipps transferred to Montreal (YUL) and trained as a Flight Attendant. In a later year, while travelling from Mirabel (YMX) to Heathrow (LHR) for a visit to meet my wife and return to Mirabel (YMX), I had been upgraded to first class and Valerie was working that flight.

We had a pleasant exchange of memories. My wife would take an annual visit to see her mother for a week while I looked after our children. By week's end, I was up to my ears with youngsters and my baby sitter took over while I travelled to Heathrow (LHR) from Mirabel (YMX) and we both came back on the return flight.

On one occasion going through customs at Mirabel (YMX) the officer checked the opened carry-on luggage and, noting there wasn’t any male possessions asked me where my suitcase was. I told him everything was in front of him. He asked my wife when she had left for England. A week ago was the answer. Then the officer asked to see all our travel documents and seeing I had travelled the night before and that we were Air Canada staff said -"Oh you Air Canada types - get out of here".

Of the staff mentioned in the NetLetter #1430, Cyril Cavanagh transferred to Ottawa (YOW), Hilary deCourcy-Donovan to Toronto (YYZ), Tom Howson to Prestwick (PIK), George Steele to Montreal, Les Powell to Toronto (YYZ), Colin Bailey to Dorval (YUL), Don Wiley to Toronto (YYZ), and I missed a mention of John Cleary, Johnny McCrae, Stan Kordyz and Barry Rawlings, who went to New Zealand.

Those are my memories for now.

Terry Baker

Beryl Markham (née Clutterbuck; October 25, 1902 – August 3, 1986) was an English-born Kenyan aviator (one of the first bush pilots), adventurer, racehorse trainer and author.

She was the first person to fly solo, non-stop across the Atlantic from east to west. She wrote about her adventures in her memoir, "West with the Night", now out of print.

When Markham decided to take on the Atlantic crossing, no female pilot had yet flown non-stop from Europe to New York, and no woman had made the westward flight solo, though several had died trying. Markham hoped to claim both records.

On September 4, 1936, she took off from Abingdon, southern England. After a 20-hour flight, her Vega Gull, The Messenger, suffered fuel starvation due to icing of the fuel tank vents, and she crash-landed at Baleine Cove on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada.

She became the first person to make it from England to North America non-stop from east to west and was celebrated as an aviation pioneer. (percival-vega-gull.jpg)

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

Brussels Airlines unveiled "Aerosmurf", its fifth Belgian Icon.

The Smurfs design by the Italian Marta Mascellani, chosen by the public as the result of a Belgian Icon contest, will represent Belgium on a Brussels Airlines A320 aircraft. The Smurfs, who celebrate their 60th birthday this year, are one of Belgium’s most loved comic characters and are sure to be the perfect flying ambassadors for Belgium.

The name Aerosmurf is the title of a Smurfs comic album which tells the story of a little Smurf whose dream is to fly. The little Smurf tried several ideas, but none of them work, until he builds a plane. Since then, the little Smurf is known as Aerosmurf.

Overall, 19 smurfs adorn the outside of the airplane. For passengers flying with Aerosmurf the experience continues inside. Little smurf footsteps on the carpet are leading the Aerosmurf guests to their seats, while a Smurfs video and adapted boarding music complete the Smurfs experience. 

(Source: portal.staralliance.com/employees)

1987 -

April - Inauguration of service between Toronto - Newark, New Jersey

1989 -

April 2 - Air Canada became the only carrier to provide non-stop service between Toronto and Zurich. The route was served by L-1011-500 aircraft, featuring First, Executive and Hospitality service.

April 3 - Inauguration of service between Montreal - Newark, New Jersey with DC-9 equipment.

April 26 - Inauguration of service between Toronto-Montreal-Athens, Greece - 767-200 equipment.

Here is the cover of the enRoute magazine issued November 2010.

(Source: issuu.com)

Continuing the Time Travel: 75 Years in Events. Started in NetLetter #1419.

Making the first flight recorder.

The multi channel flight recorder is pioneered by Trans-Canada Air Lines and installed on DC-8 and Vanguard aircraft in the early 1960's.

This leads to the development of the more powerful multi-channel recording system, commonly known as the "Black Box."

Hello, In Flight Magazine!

In April 1958, TCA launches its first inflight magazine, a 16-page leaflet called "In Flight".

It is the ancestor of today's "en Route" Air Canada's award-winning travel and lifestyle magazine. The first cover story featured the Matterhorn, a glamorous, exotic European travel destination. 

(Source: moments.aircanada.com/timeline)

Issue dated December 1954. 

The receptionists at London airport (LHR) have undoubtedly offered their shoulders for crying purposes to, as they so aptly put it, "those poor lost souls" trying to plus out from the UK to UL.

For they have composed and dedicated to those same souls the following song, which goes to the tune of "Three Coins in the Fountain."

Three cons up to Prestwick,
Each one hoping for a seat,
How wonderful 'twould be,
To have a first class seat.
Which one is it going to be?
Which one of the lucky three?

I MUST get to Prestwick,
Oh! the urgency is great,
He'll NOT wait forever,
If they bump me it's too late.

The next stop is UL,
Had to split the day before,
Sure hope he'll be waiting,
For ME at Montreal.
Will he wait?
NO he won't,
Yes he will!!

(We will never know if she/he did make it or not! – eds)

Issue dated October 1985.

The ultimate in comfort.

On October 7, 1985 the first reconfigured aircraft featuring new luxurious seats in the first class cabin went into service.

At the same time, the number of seats is being reduced to 10 from 18, making Air Canada the first airline in the world to offer five abreast seating in the B-767 first class cabin.

Issue dated November 1985.

The seventh annual A.C.E. fly-in was a huge success.

More than 46 aircraft converged on the Brennan farm north of Toronto, and the 1,000 spectators were entertained both on the ground and from above.

Although ominous clouds threatened to dampen the gathering early in the day, the sun broke through by mid-afternoon and the airshow went on without a hitch.

Issue dated February 1989.

In an effort to strengthen its domestic network against intensifying competition and use its DC-9 fleet more productively, Air Canada has announced changes to its regional networks in Atlantic Canada and Quebec.

These changes, which are effective June 17, 1989 will result in the closure ol four stations including Stephenville, Gander, Sydney and Sept-Iles.

Air Nova will increase its services on Sydney - Halifax, Gander - St. John's and Halifax - Deer Lake routes, using Dash-8 and BAe 146 jet aircraft. And it will also begin daily service between Gander - Deer Lake and Montreal, using BAe 146 jets.

In Quebec, Air Alliance will introduce two additional flights on the Sept-lles - Quebec - Montreal corridor, bringing to three the number of services operated on the route.

Issue dated March 1989.

Candace Boyer sent in this -

When temperatures in San Francisco dropped below freezing our colleagues found themselves in an unusual situation.

Our aircraft, which had overnighted on the tarmac, had ice on the wings and, it goes without saying, SFO does not have any kind of de-icing equipment.

Ramp Coordinator Mike Garzouzi took matters in his own hands and simply swept the problem away with nothing more than common sense and a broom.

Calgary In-Flight Service marks 10th anniversary.

Bernie Miller, Vice President, In-Flight Service presented the group with a special plaque from Chairman Claude I. Taylor and President and Chief Executive Officer Pierre J. Jeanniot in recognition of the outstanding contribution made by IFS Calgary Base.

Calgary's In-Flight Service base marked its 10th anniversary in grand fashion. More than 150 guests attended the celebration which included a buffet dinner and skit depicting the transformation of a rookie flight attendant to a 10-year veteran.

(Can anyone provide a photo of the plaque for our readers to share - eds)

Issue dated April 1989.

Flight Attendant class of 1989. 

New York staff send festive greetings.

On New Year's Eve 1988,
LaGuardia staff on duty got together for a family photo.

Issue dated May 1989.

Here, in this photo, are the ACRA Presidents and System Events Chairmen or their representatives for 1989.

In the back row, from left to right are:

Joe Holmes, Bowling; Barb Pike, Saint John (N.B.); Shelley Williams, Saskatoon; Larry Lee, London (Ont.); Alexander Au, St. John's (Nfld.); Wolfi Peise, Frankfurt; Dan Bradley, Calgary; Richard Jackson, Badminton; Ron Charbonneau, Tennis; Fern Villemaire, Montreal; Garth McAdoo, Curling; Randy Johnson, Darts and Les Edge, A.C.E Fly-ln.

In the second row, in the same order, are:

Gordon Graham, Halifax; Frank Jones, Sydney; John Rimel, San Francisco; John Love, Regina; Evan Quick, Squash; Mike McHenry, Art; Barry Drinkle, Photography; Peter Lay, Soccer; Peter Morrison, Hockey; Yves Plante, Personnel Services Director; Linda Kellins, Golf; Jim Batten, Ottawa and Diana Duval, Winnipeg.

In the front row, from the left are:

Debbie Leblanc, Moncton; Jeannie Lindo, Toronto; Cory Smith, Los Angeles; Emy Mauro, Thunder Bay; Brenda McCasin, Edmonton; D'Arcy Little, Vice President, Personnel; Robbie Adaskes, New York; Rosemary Kelly, London (Eng.); Annie Villecrose, Paris; Janice Riccilo, Ski; Lucie Chabot-Gagnon, Softball and Sheila Snow-Cline, Vancouver. 

Issue dated July 2015. (used with permission)

Donating History - Captain Robert Fleck donates his historic 1941 Tiger Moth to an Ontario museum.

The generosity of Robert Fleck will play a major part in aviation history thanks to his donation of a 1941 de Havilland Tiger Moth biplane to the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Mount Hope, Ontario.

The following items are reprinted from the archives of FlightGlobal.com

Registration is free to view a large library of information.

History in 1948 -

Canadian Pacific Air Lines started operating the first direct service from Vancouver to Alaska and the Yukon on August 1948.

The six-hour direct service operates twice weekly from Vancouver to Whitehorse, Y.T., and Fairbanks, Alaska, using 24-seater DC-3 aircraft, and provides direct connections with air routes to the south and to Dawson City in the north.

Other C.P.A.L services to the Yukon and Alaska are also continuing to operate. From September 1, 1948 aircraft providing sleeper accommodation and with a capacity or 18 passengers will be used.

(Source: flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1948/1948 - 1256.html))

History in 1951 -

C.P.A.’s plans for the Comet

The Comets now being built for Canadian Pacific Air Lines are likely to be seen first on the South Pacific sections of the company's network, rather than on the northern arc to Tokyo and Hong Kong, as was previously contemplated. Delivery is expected late next year, by which time C.P.A. will stand to benefit considerably from the experience which B.O.A.C. should have accumulated on the type.

The Vancouver-Australia over-ocean service has particular need of Comet speed, because the stages are at present long and boring; and it suits jet-aircraft characteristics in that there are no calls for the substantial fuel reserves associated with bad-weather diversion and stacking. The weather is normally reliable in this part of the world and, although the temperatures are tropical at some of the stopping points, the runways are of adequate length for take-off.

The existing stage-lengths are especially suitable for the Comet Series 1 Ghost engines), except for the Honolulu-Vancouver stage of 2,800 statute miles. This would call for the range of the Series 2, powered by Rolls-Royce Avons. The intention, therefore, is to introduce the Series 1 Comets on the sections south of Honolulu, in conjunction with Douglas DC-6Bs (Pratt and Whitney R-2800 engines) on the Honolulu-Vancouver leg.

The Series 1 aircraft will be based in Sydney. They will work two return trips weekly, one from Sydney via Fiji and Canton to Honolulu (5,200 statute miles), and another from Sydney via Auckland, Fiji and Canton to Honolulu (5,600 miles). Australia will thus enjoy two, and New Zealand one, weekly fast services to Hawaii, with all the refinements of smooth, vibration-free travel which are the main attractions of the jet airliner.

From Honolulu to the Canadian coast passengers must, for the time being, make the long stage at a more ordinary speed and height.

The actual stage-lengths for the Comet sections in statute miles are approximately as follows: Sydney-Fiji, 2,000; Fiji-Canton, 2,27O; Canton-Honolulu, 1,900; Sydney-Auckland, 1,350; Auckland-Fiji, 1,320.

An agreeable facility for the C.P.A. trans-Pacific traveller will be the 30-hour stop-over at Honolulu which is permitted by the ticket. Certainly the prospect of spending a short time at Waikiki rather than of drumming through the weather layers over the vast ocean without a break seems likely to attract many passengers.

(Source: flightglobal.com 1951 - 2212)

Note - CPA never put the Comet into service. The first one crashed on takeoff at Karachi, Pakistan on its delivery flight March 3, 1953, killing the 11 persons on board (the first loss of a commercial jet), and the second aircraft, which had been built, was cancelled.

Following two disastrous BOAC Comet crashes in early 1954 due to metal fatigue (and two earlier BOAC Comet losses for other reasons), the Comet 1 was grounded. A redesigned and larger Comet 4 went into airline service in late 1958 but was too small to offer serious competition to the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8.

A couple of leased aircraft during transition.

C-FPWD in Monarch colours and C-GQCA in TAP Portugal colours.

(Source: Canadian Airlines photo history)

Footnote: Both of these registrations were later assigned to Airbus A320's delivered to Canadian Airlines International and both are still active as part of the Air Canada Jetz fleet.

Issue dated April 1987.

Growing visibility — Canadian Airlines International.

Along with other aspects of the new corporate identity program, on April 26,1987 flight crews will begin identifying themselves as "Canadian (flight number)" in air to ground communications.

The close alliance of Canadian Airline's commuter and commercial partners will be reflected in the new livery of their fleets.

Time Air, Norcanair, Calm Air and the yet to be named Ontario commuter will be repainted with a blue belly separated from a sky white top by a thin red stripe.

Canadian Airlines International logo will be prominent on the aircraft tail. Each individual airline's name will appear in large blue italic letters on the section of the aircraft.

A Time Air Dash 8 will be the first of the commuter aircraft to lift off with the new livery. It is expected to be airborne Tuesday, April 28, 1987. Calm Air and Norcanair are both planning to have at least one aircraft painted by July 1, 1987.

The combined total of approximately 40 aircraft operated by Canadian Airlines' commuter partners is expected to be repainted within the next two years.

Airport fanfare to herald Brazil launch.

The May 2, 1987 Brazil inaugural flight 476 departed Toronto at 20:30 with a full load following a colourful ceremony, featuring Brazilian music and entertainment.

A special commemorative coin had been minted for presentation to all First and Royal Canadian Business Class passengers on the first four flights, both northbound and southbound.

(Any reader have one of these coins or a photo of it? - eds)

Issue dated June 1987.

In conjunction with Time Air, Burrard Air of Vancouver began providing supplementary connection service June 1 for Canadian Airlines between Vancouver's main terminal and Nanaimo, Campbell River and Powell River.

Utilizing nine-passenger Piper Chieftain aircraft, Burrard Air flights to these points carry the CP designator and the airline has become a participant in the Canadian Plus travel bonus program.

Our featured YouTube video comes from Dj's Aviation channel on the introduction of the Airbus Beluga XL.

A link to a story published at AVweb.com follows below.

The first of six A330-based BelugaXL mega freighters entered service January 15, 2020, enabling Airbus to carry ever larger aircraft parts for production and make children giggle the world over.

The Beluga XL development began in November 2014 and first flew in the summer of 2018. It  received its EASA type certificate in November 2019.

Airbus says the BelugaXL has “the largest cargo bay cross-section of all existing cargo aircraft worldwide. The BelugaXL can carry two A350 XWB wings compared to the BelugaST, which can only carry one.”

Since the original BelugaST was based on the earlier A300, it’s no surprise that the XL is usefully larger. The 30 percent additional capacity comes from a fuselage 3 feet wider and 21 feet longer. 

(Source: AVweb.com,  January 15, 2020

First commercial passenger flight of a Boeing 747 was by Pan American Airways on January 22, 1970.  The flight was from New York (JFK) to London Heathrow (LHR).

The 747 was named "Clipper Victor" N736PA with 22 crew and 345 passengers. Seven years later the aircraft was involved in an incident at Tenerife.

(Source: Flight International magazine January 21, 2020)

UK to support hybrid-electric Islander project.

The UK government will provide 50% of the cost of a 30-month, £9 million ($11.6 million) demonstrator project to convert the nine-passenger Britten-Norman Islander to hybrid-electric propulsion for short-range flights such as inter-island routes.

(Source: aviationweek.com Nov 21, 2019)

An abandoned airport -

Croydon Airport, London, UK. (along with Le Bourget in Paris and Tempelhof in Berlin) was redolent of the romance of early aviation in Europe.

Several famous figures, from Charles Lindbergh to Winston Churchill, graced its runway, which crossed a road on which traffic had to be stopped by a man waving a red flag. It is also famous for being the first airport with air traffic control. Today, the old terminal Airport House still stands, decorated by a De Havilland Heron.

References:

www.skyscanner.net/news/14-worlds-most-amazing-abandoned-airports

Photo historiccroydonairport.org.uk/

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

Gerald White, Director of the Pionairs at LHR sends this -

Ann McKellow posted the following on our Pionairs Facebook page.

There is a new Res system which is currently misquoting taxes/charges on AC travel passes. I noticed on a recent itinerary the air passenger duty was GBP178 instead of GBP72 out of LHR so took it up with ETS (Employee Travel Services).

Their reply was....

There are a few known issues with the taxes/charges where the quoted amount is much higher than it's supposed to be. The team is looking into it, but while pricing on ETS is now coming from Altea, the actual billing system will be calculating with the correct amounts as it was before the cut-over.
Fingers crossed! The system has also made duplicate charges which they were aware of.

Gerald White sends this follow up -

Since sending my email about Air Passenger Duty charging errors I've had several emails regarding this and other problems with Employee Travel from fellow Pionairs.

As with previous introductions of new computer systems by AC there are problems requiring fixing. Each fix is prioritized on a daily basis with the most urgent at the top of the list. As these problems only apply to Employees they may not have as high a priority as the problems involving Revenue Customers so may take a while to fix.

Keep checking the Employee Travel website on a regular basis for updates indicating the problems have been fixed.

Update for employees/retirees travelling to New Zealand and Australia.

Employees travelling out of Auckland, New Zealand and Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, Australia should be advised that they will be processed in a different way due to the following Border Agency rules:

• If you are on positive space travel, your check-in will be the same as a commercial passenger through the Kiosks and Bag Drop.
• If you are on space available travel and there are sufficient seats available, your check-in will be the same as a commercial passenger through the Kiosks and Bag Drop.
• If you are on space available travel and there are insufficient seats available, you will be asked to return to the check-in area 60 minutes prior to departure time. You will be required to keep your check-in baggage until you are accepted for the flight.
• If you are on tickets that entitle you to space available upgrades, initially you may be given an Economy class seat and if the upgrade is available it will be given at check-in or you may have to wait until you are at the boarding gate for final confirmation that either you have received the upgrade or it is not able to be actioned.
  
  

Check the Employee Travel site for more information.