We have welcomed 187 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!

Edward Mitchell sent in this request -

Good Morning to you from a sunny Somerset, England! Warm greetings to you all. 

I joined AC Cargo at Heathrow in May 1975, moved to Passenger Reservations in 1979, and then was offered a 2-year contract with AC in Johannesburg, South Africa in September 1982. Halcyon years in AC! 

During my time in Johannesburg my boss was Mr. E. H. ‘Ed’ Conolly but, after the offices were closed in 1984 due to Canadian sanctions against South Africa, I regrettably lost contact with Ed.

He doesn’t appear to be in South Africa any longer, and I wondered if any of your readership might have any knowledge of him, or his contact details? 

Love the NetLetters, please keep ‘em a-coming!

Sincere thanks, 

Edward Mitchell

Air Canada UK / EU Pionairs district Christmas Lunch 2021.

Sunday,  November 28, 2021 from 12:00 noon for welcome drinks and sit-down lunch at 1.00 pm.

The Best Western Ship Hotel, Monument Green, 70 High Street, Weybridge, KT13 8BQ

Festive Menu

• Starter – Sweet Potato & thyme soup with chili crème fraiche and herb croutons.
• Main Course – Roast Turkey with sage stuffing, pigs in blanket, gravy and roast potatoes.
• Dessert – Christmas Pudding with brandy sauce.
• Tea or Coffee and Mince Pies

The cost is £28.00 per person and payment can be made by bank transfer or cheque.
Table reservation – once you have made your payment.
Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to make your reservation

If you require wheelchair access, please let us know.

We anticipate high demand for places, so we can only accommodate fully paid up Pionairs members and their partners.
The deadline for payment/reservation is November 10, 2021.

If anyone requires hotel accommodation pre or post the event, the Best Western hotel is offering a 10% reduction off the standard rack rate.

Please contact the hotel direct for further information: 01932 - 848364.

Source: Air Canada UK / EU Pionairs district Christmas Newsletter No. 322 (October 2021).

I was not an old captain but I was an 'Animal Attendant' on two MCA flights from LHR to Canada in 1957 and I can confirm that the monkey smell was very strong and lingering.

I was employed by MCA as the office boy in early 1957, just short of my 18th birthday, after working for BOAC for the past year. My boss was Dick Burge who had been an 'Animal Attendant' with BOAC and was now employed as the Station Mgr at LHR as well as working the 'Monkey Flights'. During the summer we had passenger flights including British emigrants to Canada and Group Charters.

The DoT Inspectors kept checking out those flights - when issued their tickets, passengers also received a membership card to some society such as the Scarborough Fur and Fin Club and were instructed to tell the Inspectors if asked that they had attended at least two meetings per year. MCA also operated flights from VIE (Vienna) with Hungarian refugees. Al Koerner was the Engineer there and he positioned to LHR to assist us; later he became a flight engineer with Nordair I believe.

The first flight I took was in October 1957 loaded with 1600 monkeys in three rows down the cabin leaving a narrow space against the port side for access to the doors and toilets. We had a row of seats between the bulkhead and monkeys on one side. The monkeys were in flimsy wood and chicken wire boxes containing between six and nine per box. Before loading, a roll of thick clear vinyl was taped up the sides and across the floor to contain any water and other spills.

Our job was to feed and water the monkeys every four hours and empty their trays every eight hours. The monkeys, arriving from either India or Singapore, had a 24 hour stop at the RSPCA Hospital at LHR before the flight. There were strict rules on the carriage regarding the controlled temperature and feeding and although some loss would be expected due previously acquired diseases, an above expected percentage rate would be investigated with potential loss of the business. Deceased monkeys were to be stored for hand over at the receiving end.

Our first stop was Keflavik, Iceland for refueling and water top-up for the monkeys, then on to Gander for the same. Also clearance by the Canadian Health / Agriculture Department of us and the monkeys! Then on to YUL where half the load was off-loaded before continuing to Toronto to drop off the remainder. We would then position back to YUL - about a 24+ hour day.

The cabin temperature was kept high and if you have ever been in the monkey house at the zoo, you can imagine the smell in the cabin. The flight deck crews never came near us and,  when having to leave the flight deck to relieve themselves, held their noses and dashed through the cabin. While the aircraft was being offloaded at YYZ, my boss and I went to the AC hangar to use the biggest washing facility I had ever seen. A big concrete ring that had about twenty taps to allow multi-people washing their hands. We took it a bit further and stripped off our stinking clothes and jumped into the ring to wash off our bodies and hair much to the amusement of those mechanics passing through. I had been advised to wear my oldest clothes to throw out as it was impossible to wash the smell out of them.

We were supposed to travel back to LHR within 3 or 4 days on BOAC however we now discovered we would be there 10 days and take the next MCA positioning flight back to LHR and on to India for the next rotation. We would pick it up at LHR on its way back from India with the next load. This was delayed account an Afghanistan Airlines Convairliner damaging the tail area during a refuelling stop at Kabul.

The next flight in early November was similar to the above except we had a panic on the final leg. While dozing between YUL and YYZ, something caught my eye over my shoulder. Sitting on top of the crates watching us, rather than inside, were several monkeys!

Nudging my boss, we put on our thick leather gloves to retrieve these strays - their crate had probably been damaged during the off-load at YUL. The captain was informed and after contacting YYZ Control, he was advised that he could not land until the monkeys had been secured! Fortunately we caught the escapees quite quickly and did not have to ditch in Lake Ontario. After a return to YUL, I caught a BOAC DC-7C back to LHR.

And I still smelt of monkeys!

Larry Milberry has this memory on his blog on the web site www.canavbooks.wordpress.com.

We have permission from Larry, to reprint this memory –

Here are a few of the aircraft that were spotted at YYZ on these two Canadian International Air Show media days airside at YYZ, September 1 and 3, 1990.

Airbus A310 C- GDWD is seen on approach on the left.

Delivered to Wardair in March 1988, it was named in honour of the great Austin Airways bush pilot, Thurston "Rusty' Blakey.

When Wardair was acquired by Canadian Airlines International, "DWD" moved there, then had various other owners and operators, Montreal's Royal Airlines and Toronto's Canada 3000 included (where it flew as C-GRYA).

Finally, it became N627SC just before being broken up for scrap in 2014 at Pinal Airpark in Arizona. For extra fun, below is a satellite view of Pinal Airpark, where the main business is scrapping old airliners.

Lifecycle of C-GDWD

Boeing 757 C-FOOE began with Canada 3000 in May 1989, then was G-JMCF with UK operator JMC Airlines.

Other operators followed until it was sold to FedEx in 2010 to become freighter N928FD. There it has served solidly as a freighter. On July 16, 2021, for example, it operated Indianapolis-New Orleans-Atlanta, logging 2:36 hours. 

Scoot (Singapore low-cost airline) first officer Nicole Chee’s winding path to a B-787 cockpit

Scoot first officer Nicole Chee always had a passion for aviation, but it was only the disappearance of a single word from a job advertisement that opened the path to the right-hand seat of a Boeing 787.

Chee fondly recalls childhood outings to Singapore’s Changi beach, which lies squarely on the approach for the airport’s two parallel runways. She soon discovered that she was an avid plane spotter.

After five years working as cabin crew, Chee took up an office job at SIA, amid a general hiring freeze for new cadets. Then, in 2015, the freeze was lifted, and Chee spotted something unusual about a job advertisement for pilots from Scoot, SIA’s low-cost unit.

“I saw that they had removed the one very key word in their hiring, and they were no longer looking [only] for male candidates. Before that, [airlines] always said ‘we’re looking for male candidates’, but in 2015, when they started hiring after the freeze, they removed that one small, teeny-weeny word ‘male’. I applied and never looked back.”

Not only was Chee the only woman in her cohort of 25 cadets, but also Scoot’s first female cadet pilot. Her training involved considerable time studying in Singapore, as well as flight training in Western Australia.

Finally, after two challenging years, Chee realized her ambition of becoming an airline pilot aboard the B-787.

Source: flightglobal.com

Subscriber Stephen Helms brought to our attention that Air Canada's first Boeing 777-333ER, Fin #731 (C-FITL), has been returned to the lessor. Originally delivered in March 2007, the aircraft is only 14 years old. 

It was withdrawn from service in March 2020 and stored at MZJ (Pinal Airpark) until this past August when it was flown to SIN (Singapore), possibly for a heavy maintenance check, and then returned to MZJ via YVR on October 19, 2021.

Sources:

flightaware.com/live/flight/CFITL

www.planespotters.net

Ironically registered as C-FTCA (fin #638), this 767-300 came to Canadi>n Airlines in April 1989. 

Following the merger of Air Canada and Canadi>n, "TCA" served there from 2001, but also had leases (Ansett Australia, Qantas, etc.). 

Trivia notes:

• Leased from ACAS Partners LLC.
• Wet leased Air New Zealand April 21, 2001 to May 9, 2001.
• Wet leased Qantas October 4, 2001.
• Flew last trip for Qantas wet-lease on January 01, 2002 from Auckland to Sydney as AC7009 (for internal tracking only).
• Then operated as AC1136 on January 04, 2002 SYD-HNL-YVR.

Source: Terry's combo fleet list.

Then, on March 4, 2019, while landing at Halifax from Toronto with 219 aboard, "TCA" ended in a snow bank facing the wrong way; that must have caused a bit of grief on board!

One report explains: "About 2570 meters down the runway the aircraft skidded, turned around by 180 degrees and came to a stop in a snow bank. Ground services reported the runway 100% ice. The chemical truck had just broken down while trying to spray the runway."

Although it's 30+ years old, "TCA" presently is in Tel Aviv for conversion to freighter configuration for Air Canada's expanding cargo fleet (as per www.planespotters.net).

Source: Larry Milberry's blog at www.canavbooks.wordpress.com

C-FTCA flew from Toronto (YYZ) to Tel Aviv (TLV) for cargo conversion on June 7, 2021. 

A few fun historic facts about Air Canada's Boeing 767 fleet:

• Air Canada's Rapidair flight AC439 from Montreal to Toronto on June 2, 2020 marked the end of an era as the airline retires the last aircraft from its mainline Boeing 767 fleet. 
• The B-767's have been a workhorse for Air Canada since the first one was delivered in October 1982 a B-767-233, fin # 601, registered as C-GAUB. The aircraft began transcontinental service on February 14, 1983. After more than 20 years in the skies, the aircraft was retired in 2005 and scrapped.
• Air Canada's B-767 C-FCAE , fin #682 (originally Canadi>n fin # 632) flew over 138,000 flying hours before it was retired from passenger service on August 1, 2019, making it the world leader in terms of flying hours for the fleet type. It has been converted for cargo operations and was delivered to Cargojet Airways in September 2020.
• The B-767 was initially designed to be operated with a three-pilot crew. Although Air Canada's first few B-767's had an extra-large flight deck, they were configured to be operated by two pilots.
• The B-767 was the first aircraft to receive 120-minute ETOPS (extended twin-engine operations) approval in 1985, meaning it could operate two hours away from the nearest airport, making oceanic crossings more efficient. This was increased to 180 minutes in 1988.
• Air Canada flew 23 B-767-200 and -200ER (extended range version) aircraft with the variants being retired in 2008. Most of these aircraft were parked in the desert in Mojave, California and some in Roswell, New Mexico.
• Some B-767's were retrofitted with winglets for fuel efficiency. The winglets are 11 feet tall! Winglets reduce drag and increase lift at the end of the wings and reduce fuel consumption by helping jets more efficiently slice through the air.
• The mainline B-767 had a seating capacity of 24 in 'Signature Class' and 187 in 'Economy'.
• It has a range of 10,549 kilometres at a cruising altitude of up to 41,000 feet and a cruising speed of 853 kilometres per hour. Cargo capacity in the belly is a maximum of 14,800 kilograms.
• The longest scheduled nonstop flight by an Air Canada B-767 was Toronto to Tokyo, which lasted 13:45 hours and covered 10,324 kilometres.
• The B-767 served a number of special missions during its time at Air Canada, including for the annual 'Dreams Take Flight' special charity flights from eight cities across Canada giving special children a trip of a lifetime to a world-renowned theme park in California or Florida.

Source: Air Canada.

Found in 'Horizons' magazine

Ready to greet the peak, our Tampa Res Office colleagues are geared for another busy summer period!

Pictured from left to right are: Phil Major, Customer Service Agent; Georgina Cronin, Procedures Coordinator; Lynn Gosney, Customer Service Agent; Anna Innis, Customer Service Manager; Monica Porterfield, Administrative Assistant; Mike Bell, Customer Service Manager; Mario Talavera, Customer Service Agent; Bruce Deitsch, Manager, US Reservations; Maria-Luiza Zodrow, Customer Service Agent and Karen Waite, Customer Service Agent.

More trophies.

A team made up of (left to right) Marcel Lampron, Madeleine St. Laurent, Therese Lampron and Andy St. Laurent represented Montreal at the ACRA System Bowling Championship held in Tampa on May 29 - 30, 1998.

Twelve stations participated. Montreal, the 1997 defending champions, walked away with trophies for best total scores for a four-game scratch. Congratulations to the winning team!

Madeleine also won another trophy for the best score for a four-game total scratch, while Eric Rogers, Toronto (YYZ), won the men's.

Sincere thanks to Norm Steinhart, Customer Service Agent, Tampa (TPA) and his committee for their hard work in organizing the tournament. Everyone had a great time.

Dorval ice storm plaque presentation.

Employees at the Dorval base main cafeteria were presented with a plaque in recognition of their dedication in extending cafeteria hours during last January's 1998 ice storm. A warm thanks goes out to all employees who devoted their time and energy to help others.

Pictured left to right are, back row: Tont Tibiriu, Cook; John Agudelo, Senior Kitchen Helper; Marc Lefebvre, Station Attendant; Patrick Swann, Kitchen Helper; Guillo Vecere, Kitchen Helper; Réjean Fortin, Manager, Food Services.

Front row: Lyne St-Marie, Boutique Attendant; Julie Blais, Apprentice Cook; Linda Lemieux, Cafeteria Attendant; Isabelle Brousseau, Cafeteria Attendant; Alex Gal, Pastry Chef; Joyce Hylton, Cashier; Jean-Jacques Bourgeault, Senior Executive Vice President; Guy Parent, Chef and Brigitte Beaudry, Cafeteria Attendant.

Editors' Note: Several of the people mentioned above were not actually employed at the cafeteria but had generously volunteered to help out.

Employees from Quebec City who celebrated an important anniversary are photographed here with their spouses: Jacques Boivin (25 years); Line G. Robinson (25 years); Marc Julien (25 years); Wilfrid Hachey (25 years) and Denis Landry (30 years).

Employees from Ottawa who celebrated 25, 30 or 35 years of service during 1998.

Left to right, front row: Jancy Howell, Marthe Dallaire, Vera Mahoney, Linda Ganly, Michael Legault, Steve Ferguson, Ron Stockwood, Lucy-Ann Greenway and Jean Martel.

Back row: Jean-Marc Trottier, Larry McMahon, Michel Perron, Jim Seath-Smith, Don Demaine, Les Scoales, Wayne Wilson, Bob Robillard, Ed Ste. Marie, Pierre Dupont and René Gauthier.

The following employees from Cargo in Dorval celebrated 25, 30 or 35 of service during 1998.

Left to right, front row: Guy Caron, André Pelletier, Gerald St. Martin, Suzanne Buchan, Robert Martel, Shirley Joncas, René Desparois, Robert Lemay, Bernard Frappier and Gil Leroux.

Back row: Pierre Allard, Gaston Greer, Robert Lacombe, Jacques Bissonnette, Jean-Guy Désilets, Lloyd Cahill, Gary Malo, Yvon Constantineau, Jean-Pierre Lacelle, Urs Wiesendanger and Gilles Couillard.

By Mary Manni, Day of Flight Coordinator, SOC, Toronto.

Some skeptics in the aviation industry thought the "Queen of the Skies" would never fly. However, this bird proved them wrong. On January 22, 1970, the first Boeing 747-100 flight was operated by Pan Am from New York to London, England.

As the dawn of the jumbo jet era approached, Canada's national airline considered purchasing the wide body because the sheer size would allow Air Canada to fly more passengers and cargo to even more destinations, enhancing its image.

In April 1971, Air Canada became the first Canadian carrier to offer B-747 service. Since then, five of these jumbo jets have soared high into the sky with the mighty Maple Leaf on their tails.

Now, 27 years after its first flight from Toronto to Vancouver, the last of Air Canada's B-747-100s is being retired. 

"They served us very well over the years and quickly became the workhorses on our long haul markets," says Robert Milton, Executive Vice President and COO.

"Coming to grips with any type of retirement isn't easy—especially when it represents a piece of our airline's history." Milton says. "I think both employees and passengers will miss these Classics. I know I will."

First European e-ticket sale.

Seven minutes after the U.K. Call Centre opened for business, the first 'E-Ticket' for international travel was sold by Edie Etheridge, Customer Sales and Service Agent.

Sold to a party of five, the ticket was for the total amount of 700 pounds.

Effective December 8, 1998, Air Canada became the first Canadian carrier to offer its customers travelling to or from London, England, the convenience of electronic ticketing.

(Reprinted with permission)

What do a bottle of Absorbine Jr., a “black box”, a model of a Bristol 170, Mark 31, and a pair of slippers have in common?

They’re all part of Air Canada’s 79 years of history and they can all be found in the new Air Canada museum! 

Located on the first floor of Air Canada’s headquarters building, the new museum, aptly named “Moments,” was officially opened in the spring 2016, when Calin Rovinescu cut the red ribbon and opened the doors; particularly appropriate not just because he’s the President and Chief Executive Officer, but because the museum results from his own reflections on Air Canada’s navigation of the last 79 years.

See the 'Featured Video' section below for more. 

With permission, an extract from a blog by Larry Milberry posted February 19, 2016.

Wardair had Canada’s first B-727 – the world-famous CF-FUN. “FUN” was the first of many B-727's to be flown by such other Canadian operators as Air Canada, CP Air, Air Transat, Cargojet, FirstAir, Kelowna Flightcraft, PWA, Quebecair and Royalair. Cargojet of Hamilton operated a fleet of 12 of these gorgeous, reliable, profit-making 'Three Holers', but now their fleet consists of 9 B-757's and 19 B-767's all in a cargo configuration.

Christened 'Cy Becker', in honour of one of Max Ward’s pioneer bush flying heroes, “FUN” was delivered to Edmonton on March 25, 1966.

'FUN' signaled the end in the Wardair fleet of the classic Douglas prop liners. Soon, Wardair was known for its ever-growing jetliner fleet of the one B-727, B-747's, DC-10's and A310's. Although Wardair eventually faded from the airline scene, one often hears laments for this great company. No one who ever flew on Wardair ever forgets the company’s impeccably turned-out airplanes and the world-class cabin service – chinaware and silverware included. 

Source: canavbooks.wordpress.com/category/boeing-727 

Editors' Note: For information on the history of 'FUN' after leaving Wardair, see Wayne's Wings article from NetLetter #1336. 

Craig Austin Shipman posted this on September 8, 2021.

Just for fun I designed a shirt for myself as if CP had operated Concorde. (Not for sale, just for fun!)

From the "InfoCanadi>n" magazine.

About half of the company's sales reps and managers have now taken a professional selling skills course, in progress since last October. It teaches innovative ways to capture new business.

Participants in this recent session held in Toronto were, from left, Steve Lemesurier and Ed James, Toronto; Diane Foresto, Thunder Bay; Elena Atalmi, Montreal; Joao B. Leal DaCosta, Sao Paulo; Eileen Dillard, New York; Milton Triska, Toronto; Tanyce Westgard, Vancouver; Steven Dodge, Halifax; Bjarne Timm, Copenhagen; Barry Davis, London; Patricio Murphy, Buenos Aires.

Alan Palmer, captain B-737 (right) and brother Bob, first officer B-737, recently crewed the same flight to Kamloops, their home town.

Though the brothers have flown together before, this was the first time to Kamloops. Their mother greeted them at the airport. 

Continued from 'TCA / Air Canada People Gallery'.

Montreal videographer Mark Brandon visited the Air Canada Museum and posted the video linked below of his visit.

Bearskin Airlines. 

This Canadian airline was established in 1963 by bush pilot Otto John Hegland and started operations in July 1963 from its base at Big Trout Lake, Ontario (but was named after Bearskin Lake where Hegland had a general store).

It started out by providing only charter services to the remote First Nations reserves in northern Ontario, using bush planes equipped with floats in the summer and skis in the winter. In 1977, it began its first regular scheduled flights between Big Trout Lake and Sioux Lookout.

Following the collapse of NorOntair in 1996, Bearskin picked up over two thirds of that carrier's routes, thereby adding scheduled service to all the major northern Ontario cities. Three years later, it expanded operations to destinations in northern Manitoba. In 2003, it sold its routes and assets servicing northern First Nations communities to Wasaya Airways. This marked as a break with its bush flying background to focus on becoming a regional carrier.

It was owned by Harvey Friesen (President), Cliff Friesen (Executive Vice-President), Karl Friesen (Vice President of Operations), Rick Baratta (Vice President of Finance) and Brad Martin (Director of Operations), but in 2010 it was sold to Exchange Income Corporation (EIC) for $32 million. EIC also owns Calm Air, Perimeter Aviation, and Keewatin Air.

As of April 1, 2014, all service at Region of Waterloo Airport (YKF) and Ottawa Airport (YOW) was cancelled, affecting seven routes and significantly decreased the flight operations. The company indicated that a softening mining sector and high tech sectors (such as BlackBerry) were to blame for cutting the routes. Additional factors included the introduction of new competitors (such as Porter Airlines).

The company indicated it's refocusing on northwestern and northeastern routes in Northern Ontario. Bearskin is a major provider of flights for Hope Air, a charity that organizes free non-emergency medical flights for people in financial need, particularly from remote communities. The fleet consists of 19 Fairchild Swearingen Metroliners. 

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bearskin_Airlines

Skytrax revealed its 2021 World Airline Awards, naming Qatar Airways as the number one airline for the sixth time.

Awards were based on over 13 million surveys collected over 23 months, combing normal travel and pandemic travel. No North American airline ranked in the top 20, though Delta Air Lines held the highest position at number 30.

Qatar Airways took home the gold for the sixth time since 2001, following by Singapore Airlines in second and Japan-based All Nippon Airways in third.

Qatar also secured five other awards, including Best Business Class, Best Business Class Seat, Best Airline in the Middle East, World's Best Business Class Airline Lounge, and Best Business Class Onboard Catering.

Here's a list of the world's top 20 airlines for 2021.

1 - Qatar Airways, 2 - Singapore Airlines, 3 -  All Nippon Airways, 4 - Emirates, 5 - Japan Airlines, 6 - Cathay Pacific Airways, 7 - EVA Air, 8 - Qantas Airways, 9 - Hainan Airlines, 10 - Air France, 11 - British Airways, 12 -China Southern Airlines, 13 - Lufthansa, 14 - Aeroflot Russian Airlines, 15 - Garuda Indonesia, 16 - KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, 17 - Turkish Airlines, 18 - Swiss International Air Lines, 19 - Bangkok Airways, 20 - Air New Zealand.

Ranking of airlines of Canada.

33 - Air Canada, 53 - WestJet, 59  - Air Transat, 83  - Air Canada Rouge, 94 - Porter Airlines.

Source:
www.businessinsider.com/skytrax-reveals-top-airlines-the-world-2021-9

A team of National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators is on its way to Hawaii to supervise the recovery of TransAir Flight 810, a Boeing 737-200 that ditched in the ocean on July 2. Both pilots were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard and Honolulu Airport Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting personnel.

The recovery operation is scheduled to begin Oct. 9 and is expected to take 10 to 14 days. Plans include raising the aft fuselage section (with the wings still attached), loading it onto a barge, and then removing the recorders.

"Janet Airlines"

Did you know that there is a 'secret' airline operated by the United States Air Force? "Janet Airlines" (actual name: EG&G Special Projects, Inc.) operates mainly from McCarran Airport in Las Vegas out of a special terminal and transports personnel to their workplaces every day and returns them to Las Vegas later in the day.

One of the workplaces is the mysterious 'Area 51' where the USAF conducts secret experiments and (according to conspiracy theorists) is reputed to be home for 'Little Green Men'... Klingons...Mr. Spock ...Elvis?

"Janet" operates under several call signs with flight numbers with "WWW' as a prefix with its actual destinations kept secret to the general public. 

The callsign 'Janet' is a military acronym that is speculated to be 'Just Another Non-Existent Terminal' or 'Joint Air Network for Employee Transportation.

The airline currently operates 6 Boeing 737-600's all of which were formerly with Air China. They were returned to the lessor, General Electric, after Air China inherited them through a merger with a smaller Chinese carrier and had no use for them.

The USAF probably got a good deal on them as there were no other airlines interested. They are all painted plain white with a red cheatline, which probably just makes them more conspicuous.

The airline also operated a fleet of 12 B-737-200's, the last of which was retired in April 2009. One of these aircraft (pictured below) was originally delivered to Pacific Western Airlines (registration C-FPWB) in December 1973. It entered service with "Janet" (registration N4529W) in February 1983 until retired in November 2008. It is now stored at Tucson Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.

As secrecy always leads to speculation it is tempting to assume some nefarious purpose but, as is usually the case, this airline is probably exactly what it seems to be and just ferries military personal and contractors to various bases around the United States. However, conspiracies are still fun, aren't they?

Thanks to Ken Pickford for additional research and information. 

Sources:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janet

www.planespotters.net/airline/EG-G

Boeing 737-200 C-FPWB in PWA livery,
September 1980 at YVR
Photo by Gary Vincent @ AirHistory.net

The same aircraft as N4529W in "Janet" livery
August 1988 at Burbank, California
Photo by Guido Allieri @ commons.wikimedia.org

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

J-p Gacem posted this on the Montreal Vintage Gallery Facebook page on September 4, 2021.

Highway 13 northbound in construction in the 1970's.

(Editors' Note: Notice the Air Canada L-1011 on approach to Dorval.)

Oktoberfest OBC Deals! 

Another PERX Exclusive. Book your next cruise aboard any qualifying Princess sailing and get a bonus onboard credit to spend just like cash!

Shopping, bottles of wine, spa visits... it's up to you how you spend your bonus! PLUS get a $100 Future Cruise Credit valid on your next booking with PERX*, we'll apply it your account automatically, you don't need to do anything except enjoy your vacation.

Applies to ANY sailings departing before December 31, 2022 (new bookings only). Must book by end of business - October 31, 2021.

Bonus Offer includes:

Book any cruise only sailing and receive a $50 OBC.
Or, upgrade to any "Princess Plus" package and receive a $100 OBC.
All bookings receive a $100 FCC from PERX, valid on your next cruise booking.

You always get more from your friends at PERX! Book additional staterooms for friends & family members who want to cruise with you and we'll extend our Oktoberfest OBC deal to each stateroom booked in your group! Contact your favorite PERX Vacation Consultant today to book or for more information. Remember, the earlier you book, the better stateroom selection you will have! 1-888-737-9266.

PERX.com brought to you by Interline Vacations
12708 Riata Vista Circle, Suite A-125, Austin, TX 78727.

Tel: 512-691-4500

The origin of the PH code for civilian aircraft in the Netherlands

Dutch planes start with PH. But why PH? Is H for Holland and P for Plesman (Dutch aviation pioneer and the founder of KLM)?

At a convention in Paris on October 13, 1919 it was decided that the Netherlands would take the national letter H, followed by four letters. But as there were more countries starting with an H, such as Haiti and Hungary, it was changed to H-N followed by three letters. The first two planes in the Dutch aviation register were KLM’s H-NABC and H-NABD (Fokker F.II).

Following the International Radiotelegraph Conference in Washington in 1927, Dutch registration was changed to PH. The Netherlands was assigned radio call signs for aircraft consisting of five letters which had to begin with PA, PB, PC, PD, PE, PG, PH, and PI. Because the aircraft radio stations in the Netherlands were split into various ministries, multiple registrations followed: PA for the Navy, PB for the Army (later the Air Force) and PH for civil aviation. The other series remained unused. The PH combination was adopted in preference to PE, which had been previously proposed.

It was felt that confusion could arise with the call letters G-E for British aircraft. The letters PH have the advantage that the letter H (Holland) indicates its nationality, as with French (F), Canadian (C) and Zimbabwean (Z) aircraft.

Source: blog.klm.com/the-origin-of-ph-registration

Our cartoon, by D. Fallwell, who was stationed in Terrace, British Columbia (YXT), is from the CP Air News issue dated March 1978.