We have welcomed 142 new subscribers so far in 2021.

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

Back issues of The NetLetter are available in both the original newsletter format and downloadable PDF format.

We invite you to visit our website at www.thenetletter.net/netletters to view our archives.

Restoration and posting of archive issues is an ongoing project. We hope to post every issue back to the beginning in 1995.

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: Trans-Canada Air Lines, Canadian Airlines, CP Air, Pacific Western, Eastern Provincial, Wardair, Nordair, Transair, Air BC, Time Air, Quebecair, Calm Air, NWT Air, Air Alliance, Air Nova, Air Ontario, Air Georgian and all other Canadian based airlines that once graced the Canadian skies.

Please feel free to contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

We will try to post your comments in the next issue but, if not, we will publish it as soon as we can.

Thanks!

Shirlee Schacter sends us this report and photos of a recent Pionair picnic -

Central Ontario Pionairs hosted two picnics for their members as a “kick-off” social social event after this long hiatus. The first picnic was at Centennial Park in Etobicoke on August 5, 2021 and attendees were Pionairs from the Burloak, Brampton and T2 Coffee Groups.

The next picnic, on August 11, 2021 was held at Sunnybrook Park in East/Central Toronto and was enjoyed by Pionair members from the Toronto East End Coffee Group.

District Director, Lesley Huether, awarded an iPad to Earnie Sweet as the lucky prize winner for enrolling new members to the Central Ontario District.

It was a fun day for all and hopefully the start of many more to come!!!

Originally founded in 1941 in Winnipeg, TCARA/ACRA was a company sponsored association supporting social activities for both management and union employees. It was a part of the Awards and Recognition branch and was funded by the company and membership dues.

Unfortunately, company sponsorship ceased during the CCAA restructuring during 2003/04. ACRA groups still exist at individual stations but are now wholly funded by member contributions. 

Here we have the 1942-43 Curling Champions of the TCA Recreation Association. On March 2 they concluded a triumphal march with their successive victory as against no defeats.

From left to right: Charlie Johnson, Rene Baudru (skip), Fred Wood and Bill Harvey.

'ACRA' ...providing leisure and building teamwork.

Below is an excerpt from and article that appeared in 'Horizons' magazine dated November 1997, including comments from a group of ACRA representatives. 

It's after work and the fun is just beginning for thousands of Air Canada employees on any given day of the week across Canada and as far away as Los Angeles and Frankfurt, thanks to the efforts of local chapters of the Air Canada Recreation Association (ACRA).

Close to half of the airline's employees worldwide are ACRA members, who through the association have access to a range of leisure time activities limited only by their own imaginations.

Baseball, bowling, art shows, floor hockey, yoga, darts, photography, tennis and fishing derbies are only a few of the options.

Each of the 22 'ACRA's' in Canada, the U.S. and Europe "does pretty much what it wants and can afford," explains Gail Ellis, who as Coordinator of Employee Services in Montreal is the national contact for the Association.

Most membership fees run between $8 and $15 per year. Additionally, Air Canada provides administrative and financial support to the organization.

Air Canada welcomes the team building value of the 'ACRA's', and acknowledges the importance of the role played by the association in personal development, stating in its general policy that employees with leadership potential find opportunities to gain valuable experience in organizing and running activities and administering the local chapters.

Jim Miller, treasurer of the Toronto ACRA, says the Christmas dance and children's Christmas party are two of the most popular events staged by his chapter, which has about 3,000 members.

There is also a range of sports and cultural activities and organized events such as picnics and Blue Jay days.

In Tampa, ACRA spokesperson Cory Smith says the association promotes fellowship and a sense of community among all Air Canada employees through local events and fund-raising activities.

"We also sponsor employees to attend system sporting and cultural events so they can feel they are of the larger Air Canada family." she explains.

Charlene Jacques of ACRA Winnipeg says her chapter encourages fun and inventiveness and hopes to become a new and more innovative ACRA in the future.

"Winnipeg is a great city and our dedicated and talented employees are genuinely spirited and enthusiastic," she notes. "Our outlook for the future is to have more of a handle on our members' ideas to make events even more successful than they already are."

In Montreal there are picnics and sports as well, but that chapter, with more than 3,700 members, has also invested in its own gym and campground, both of which offer bargain prices to members.

"We charge only what we have to in order to cover costs," says Chapter President Julie Anne Lambert-MacKenzie.

Competition can get hot and heavy at some of the sporting events, especially when teams are vying to go to one of the system events like the tennis tournament in Long Boat Key, Florida, but in most cases the emphasis is on recreation and fun, says Jim Miller.

Membership is an option for any Air Canada employee or retiree. For active employees, dues are paid through a once-a-year payroll deduction.

Below is a list of ACRA stations including their inauguration dates (if available). 

The following also had TCARA at one time - Moncton (1944), Sydney, Nova Scotia (1944), Lethbridge (1944), Gander (1945), Chicago (1973), Pat Bay (North Saanich, British Columbia) (1945), Goose Bay (1950), London, Ontario. (1978).

In 1978 these were 15 locations for ACRA: Winnipeg, Moncton, London, England, Sault Ste. Marie, Halifax, Los Angeles, Quebec City, Vancouver, Ottawa, Edmonton, Saint John, St. John's Newfoundland.

Sadly today, there are only a handful of districts who now organize local social events.

During a zoom meeting with LHR on August 11, 2021, Sally DeMendonca mentioned that the LHR ACRA would fold by the end of August, 2021, due to lack of interest.

For a personal reminiscence of ACRA, see 'Wayne's Wings' from NL #1440.

The spirit of comradery that had always been the basis of ACRA is still present in the Pionairs.

Hopefully, full activities among retirees will resume soon.

Check pionairs.ca for up to date information.

Teenage pilot Zara Rutherford takes off on youngest round-world solo flight attempt.

As part of her circumnavigation, Zara departed her home town of Kortrijk in Belgium on Wednesday August 18, 2021 in the first stage of an epic three-month journey during which she will travel to 52 countries over the next 12 weeks.

The teenage pilot is hoping to carve a name for herself in the history books as the youngest woman to circumnavigate the planet flying solo.

Flying a tiny Shark Aero, the world’s lightest sports plane, Rutherford’s first flight was a short hop across the English Channel to the UK.

She'd originally planned to leave Belgium last week, but delayed the launch to install an improved camera system inside her plane to help her capture better quality footage as she flies around the globe.

Source: thenationalnews.com/travel

Also see www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal for the story and video of Zara's visit to Montreal. 

Trans-Canada Air Lines uniforms over the years.

Brian Losito, Air Canada corporate photographer, sent us these photos several years ago.

They are uniforms from 1938 through 1968 and we thought you may like to reminisce over them. Here are the earlier photos, more in the next NetLetter.

Editors' Note: Some of the dates supplied may be incorrect, any comment would be appreciated.

The term 'stewardess' is used as it is applicable to the time period.

Air Canada Rouge To Restart Services

Air Canada has re-affirmed its commitment to Air Canada Rouge after the low-cost airline resumed flights on Tuesday. Air Canada Rouge has restarted flights to three destinations, and the parent airline said Air Canada Rouge remained integral to Air Canada’s overall strategy.

Source: simpleflying.com/air-canada-rouge-restart

Air Canada Returning To Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport

Canadian national flag carrier Air Canada says it is returning to Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ). Starting from Wednesday, September 8, 2021, Air Canada will offer five daily flights between Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport and Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL).

Source: simpleflying.com/air-canada-toronto-city

We have, with permission from Larry Milberry, some photos and stories of aircraft once operated by Trans-Canada Air Lines. We will present these over several NetLetter issues.

Source: via Larry Milberry @ www.canavbooks.wordpress.com

Excerpt from 'Chasing Airplanes: My 1961 Road Trip' 

I knocked around Fort William airport for a day, until boarding TCA Flight 53 (Viscount CF-THX) for Winnipeg. Taking off at 2145, we landed 1:50 hours later. Having no options, I slept in the passenger terminal, then was up early to start the day. I had set myself a budget of $2 a day, so needed to be innovative about meals and accommodations. I could get something like a fried egg sandwich, or, wieners and beans plus a drink for about 50 cents. That was about the extent of the “admin” side of my trip.

I noted three TCA DC-3's at Winnipeg on September 4. These still were needed to cover Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) prairie routes to such smaller communities as Brandon and North Battleford. Here are views of CF-TES awaiting its day's work.

Originally RAF FL547 in January 1944, in 1946 "TES" was converted by Canadair for TCA. 

Editors' Note: DC-3P CF-TES fin #391 c/n 11906 purchased by Canadair as one of 225 surplus C47's from the RAF and reworked at the Canadair Conversion Plant and delivered January 17, 1947. Sold to Transair on April 13, 1963 then to Lambair in June 1967. Withdrawn from service 1970.

Source: Air Canada 'A Pocket Guide'.

Found in 'Horizons' magazine

Present to celebrate the recent inauguration of Aeroplan's Super Elite desk in Montreal were:

Left to right: Steve Beisswanger, Maria Simonette, Christine Dean, Alain Parent, Vivian Sallai, Maria Peinado, Stephen Lussier, Gabriella Bars, Frank Di Lena and Dave Burns.

These employees from Customer Service in Toronto, in 1998, celebrated an important service anniversary.

Seated, left to right: Dianne Luciani Cuss, Mike Roncetti, Shirley Goveia and Evelyn Costigan.

Middle row: Barry Coak, Lynda Bowles, Arlene Butler, Terry Ramsay, Marilyn Black, Sheilagh Dreyer, Elsa Kiertscher and Luna Boon.

Back row: Larry Beattie, Larry Jolicoeur, Muriel Gleeson, Anna Kennedy, Al Graham, Mary Jo Sorbera, Elsie Ford, Mike Craig, M. M. Hasselmann and Stew Frake.

Francoise Girard, Senior Clerk, Paris, received roses on her 25th service anniversary.

She is congratulated by Annie Broquet, Manager, Personnel Services.

The following employees from In-flight Service in Montreal celebrated 25 years of service.

Top row: Raymond Aucoin, Louis Sergent, Roberta McKibbin, Carol Hayes, Vivianne Hainault, Micheline Godue, Jocelyne Desautels and Andrée Gouin.

Middle row: Barbara Jones, Denise Gref, Agnes Ségard, Michele Leroux, Danielle Brault, Patricia Fromont, Marie-Paule Crete and Pierre Dagenais.

Front row: Donna R. Bertie, Elise Amiot, Paulette Cloutier, Patricia Grimaud, Christiane T. Vigneault, Monique Collard and Francine Desautels.

In-flight Service in Toronto celebrated 25 years of service.

Seated, left to right: Ginette Simard, Marcia Finzi, Esther Devos-Netherby, Gay Moore and Brenda Holman.

Second row: Geraldine Marion, Heather Allison, Vivian Robertson, Palma Von Ferst, Joan Larkins and Susan Smith.

Third row: Louise Cadotte, Eve English, Vivian Crosby, Diane MacMillan, Eileen Anderson, Louise Hebert Rooney, Joanne Longmoore, Monika Kratochwill-Diaz, Herbert Langstein and Rene Lanczvoski.

Fourth row: Andre Fournier, Irene Pribble, Evelyn Frake, Vilma Innocente, Carla Baldwin and Ingrid Saaliste.

Fellow workers gather to offer anniversary wishes to Merl McAndrew, Certificated Station Agent in Fredericton, after 35 years of service.

Left to right: Bill Penney, Kit Blois, Michel Gauthier, Don Cairns, Merl McAndrew, Andrew Lint, Marc Belliveau, Mark Stevenson and Joel Ritcey.

In-Flight Service employees from Halifax celebrate important anniversaries:

Left to right, front row: Flight Attendants Heather Smiley-Stone (25 years), Kathy Aitken (25 years) and Brenda Willey (25 years).

Back row: In-Charge Brian Murphy (30 years), Sandy Molson, Director, In-Flight Service Bases; Flight Attendant Dale Little (30 years), In-Charge Jill Sutherland (25 years) and Fight Attendant Andrea Cross (25 years).

Continuing excerpts from Larry Milberry's blog @ canavbooks.wordpress.com

Malton's classiest DC-6's were the Canadian Pacific Air Lines (CPA) 'Empresses'. These were almost daily visitors at Malton (YYZ) into 1961, although CPA's 'Britannias' were taking over. Seen on November 28, 1959 is CF-CZV, 'Empress of Suva'.

These long-range beauties ranged far and wide on CPA's routes from Vancouver to Hawaii, Fiji and New Zealand, down to Chile and across to Amsterdam so they wouldn't step on Trans-Canada Air Lines' (TCA) toes back in those deeply regulated Canadian airline days.

Delivered new in August 1957, "CZV' served CPA into late 1961, when it was sold in Sweden. Many global operators followed (Greenland Air included), with the old classic eventually ending in 1998 with the South African Airways Historical Society. In 2010 it was made airworthy for a final flight to a private dirt strip in the Republic of South Africa.

Editors' Note: DC-6B CF-CZV c/n 45329 delivered to CPA August 15, 1957 fin # 444 sold to Trans Air, Sweden November 9, 1961 registered SE-BDG.

Source: CPA History by D.M. Bain

The life of two Nordair Super Constellations - CF-NAL and CF-NAM.

• Delivered to National Airlines October 1957 as N7133C and N7134C.
• Stored at Miami, FL from mid-1963 until sold to International Aviation Company, N7133C on December 10, 1964 and N7134C on December 18, 1964.
• N7133C delivered to Nordair December 11, 1964 as CF-NAL, and N7134C as CF-NAM on December 21, 1964 and ferried to Montreal where used as a source of spares in ex-National colour scheme and later restored and entered service with Nordair spring 1966.
• CF-NAL was leased to Eastern Provincial Airways late 1968 for a brief period.
• Both to 'Canairelief'  on April 24, 1969, CF-NAM was ferried to Sao Tome June 2, 1969, while CF-NAL went on July 30, 1969, for use on the Biafran Airlift.
• Stored at Sao Tome for sale from January 1970, but the sale to a Canadian freight charter company fell through in 1974.
• Canadian registrations were cancelled in February 1980.
• Both aircraft were abandoned at Sao Tome in derelict condition. Plans were underway in July 2007 to declare both aircraft as national monuments to commemorate the humanitarian airlift based out of Sao Tome during the Biafran conflict.
• The aircraft forms the centerpiece of an airport restaurant, the aircraft are under cover and incorporated into the Asas D'Avião Restaurante Santola in 2018

Source: conniesurvivors.com/CF-NAL.htm)

Former Nordair Super Connies Soldier On as Restaurant Centerpieces in São Tomé – March 4, 2020.

On November 22, 2018, contrary to previous reports, former Nordair Super Connies CF-NAL and CF-NAM had not been scrapped in São Tomé Airport and were part of the Asas D'Avião Restaurante Santola located at the airport.

Riku Helppi visited São Tomé on January 31st and February 6, 2020 and photographed both aircraft, confirming their continued existence.

While the exteriors of both aircraft are in desperate need of some TLC, the restaurant appears to be open for business.

Source: conniesurvivors.com/CF-NAM.htm

Posted by Angela Onuora on the Nordair Facebook page on March 25, 2021.

Morning everyone! Has anyone ever heard of or seen a DC-4 aircraft fitted with bomb racks?

In Captain Jack Patterson's unpublished memoir/recollection of the Biafran Airlift, he mentions a mercenary pilot who tormented the relief pilots. This mercenary flew a DC-4 fitted with bomb racks. 

In the image below, Captain Pat Patterson leans out the cockpit window of a 'Canairelief' Super Constellation on Säo Tome. The occasion was the first relief flight into Biafra, January 23, 1969.

The aircraft, CF-NAJ, was previously owned by Nordair.

Via J.S. Patterson.

Join Alex Praglowski on his 'Trip Report' aboard this 40-year-old Air Inuit Boeing 737-200C from Montreal to Puvirnituq.

Registration C-GSPW began its career with Pacific Western Airlines in November 1981 and has also flown for Eastern Provincial, Canadian Airlines, Air Canada and Canadian North.

More from Larry Milberry's travels @ canavbooks.wordpress.com

The Transair ramp also included Canso CF-IEE. The historic type still was an essential freighter and passenger plane, chiefly for serving remote native reserves in northern Manitoba and NW Ontario.

This was 1961, so almost none of these destinations yet had a runway. Lakes and rivers, however, were plentiful for a Canso. "IEE" had begun as a US Navy PBY-5.

Transair imported it in 1953. After many years, it was sold to Austin Airways. While at Sugluk far up Hudson Bay’s east coast one day in 1970, there was an unexpected storm and "IEE" sank and was never recovered.

Russia’s Antonov is hoping to reach an agreement with Canadian authorities on development of a extensively-modernised version of the An-74TK-200 airlifter for North American and other international markets. 

Source: www.flightglobal.com

The Halifax Project. 

An interesting story about the recovery of a Halifax bomber which crashed into the Baltic sea off Sweden during WWII.

Source: calgary.ctvnews.ca

Election charters

As Canada is now in the midst of an election campaign, I decided to look into the aircraft that are now being chartered for the three main parties. 

I don't know if the Bloc Québécois, Green or People's Party have chartered aircraft for their primarily regional campaigns.

I have noticed that, over the years, there has been significant growth in 'branding' the aircraft. I seem to remember that, at one time, usually the only change was a very simple decal identifying either the political party or its leader; as is the case with the NDP lease. However, it seems that  the Liberals and Conservatives can afford full makeover liveries.

Both the Liberals and Conservatives are leasing their A319-100 from Air Canada Jetz, while the New Democrats have leased a 28-year-old Boeing 737-500.

Images and history of the three aircraft below. Aircraft are listed in order of age (youngest first).

It would be great to hear from anyone who has served aboard any leased aircraft during either this or past election campaigns. 

C-GBIK (fin #282) was delivered to Air Canada in December 1998 and has been in the 'Jetz' fleet since September 2015. Currently leased to the Liberal Party.

Photo courtesy of Brodie Meeres @ JetPhotos.com

C-GBHN (fin #275) was delivered to Air Canada in January 1998 and has been in the 'Jetz' fleet since September 2013. Currently leased to the Conservative Party.

Photo courtesy of Chenhao Gong @ JetPhotos.com 

C-GANJ was delivered to Aer Lingus in February 1993 and was added to the Air North fleet in August 2012. Currently leased to the New Democratic Party. 

Photo courtesy of Gilbert Hechema @ www.airliners.net/photo

Additional videos and photo gallery.

Liberal Party charter departing Toronto for Vancouver on August 17. Posted by Ernest Gutschik Aviation.

Conservative Party charter arriving in Hamilton from Ottawa on August 25. Posted by Haseeb Khan Aviation.

New Democratic Party charter photo gallery posted by Tom Podolec Aviation.

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

Boeing 707 now a restaurant.

Few Palestinians in the occupied West Bank get to board an airplane these days.

The territory has no civilian airport and those who can afford a plane ticket must catch their flights in neighboring Jordan. But just outside the northern city of Nablus, a pair of twins is offering people the next best thing.

Khamis al-Sairafi and brother Ata have converted an old Boeing 707 into a café and restaurant for customers to board.

For years, the jetliner sat along the side of a major highway in the northern West Bank, providing endless fodder for conversation for passersby baffled by its hulking presence.

The 60-year-old identically dressed twins' dream of transforming the airplane into a café and restaurant was born in the late 1990s when Khamis saw the derelict Boeing aircraft near the northern Israeli city of Safed.

Source: msn.com/en-ca/lifestyle

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