We have welcomed 130 new subscribers so far in 2022.

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, Maritime Central Airways, 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!

Half term at Brooklands Museum.

Saturday May 28 - Sunday, June 5, 2022

Home of the Vickers Viscount & Vanguard et al.

Brooklands Drive, Weybridge, Surrey, England

Museum house: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

45th Annual Air Race Classic

June 21 - 24, 2022

The Air Race Classic follows a different route every year. This year, we are flying from Lakeland, Florida to Terre Haute, Indiana!

The race epicenter of women's air racing, with 115 female pilots scheduled to participate this year. Pilots range in age from 17 to 90 years old.

They come from a wide variety of backgrounds including students, teachers, doctors, airline pilots, business owners, professionals and air traffic controllers.

Race teams, consisting of at least two women pilots, must fly VFR during daylight hours only and are given four days to make flybys at each enroute timing point and then land at the terminus.

The race route changes each year, approximately 2,400 statute miles in length with 8 or 9 timing points.

Source: www.AirRaceClassic.org

The Pionairs host Coffee Group meetings at local districts in Canada, United States and United Kingdom.

Check www.pionairs.ca and select your district from the 'Districts' tab.

Click 'Coffee Groups' in the list on the left. If no meetings are listed, feel free to contact your District Director to inquire about meetings. 

Vancouver District Coffee Clubs

• White Rock / South Surrey
  • 4th Friday of the month at the Royal Canadian Legion branch # 8.
• Langley
  • 2nd Tuesday of the month at the host's residence.
• Fraser Valley
  • 3rd Tuesday of the month at Younie’s Restaurant, Chilliwack.
• Vancouver / Shaughnessy
  • 3rd Wednesday of every 2nd month at the Parish Hall of Redeemer Lutheran Church.
• Prince George
  • 3rd Tuesday of every 2nd month at the Prince George Golf and Curling Club.
• Richmond
  • 3rd Thursday of the month at the host's residence.
• South Delta
  • 4th Tuesday of the month at the Royal Canadian Legion branch #289.
• North Fraser Valley
  • 4th Thursday of every 2nd month at ABC Country Restaurant.
• Sunshine Coast
  • Last Thursday of the month at the Sechelt Seniors Activity Centre.
• North and West Vancouver
  • 2nd Wednesday of the month at the Royal Canadian Legion, West Vancouver, branch #60.

For full details see:
pionairs.ca/districts/vancouver-district/yvr-coffee-groups/

Larry Milberry of canavbooks.wordpress.com has sent us information on a 20 minute YouTube video posted by Sam Chui of flying into the depths of Baffin Island.

Excerpt from Sam's video description: "I flew with Chrono Aviation B737-200 Classic from Montreal to the Canadian Arctic north to experience the unique flight operation and landing on snow-covered gravel runway".

Extreme flight - B737-200 Classic to the Arctic - Landing on Snow/Gravel

Chrono Aviation is a charter airline based in Montreal, Quebec City and Rimouski. 

It was founded in Quebec City in 2012. At first, the charter airline operated a Pilatus PC-12 and employed two pilots.

With its different philosophy focused on safety and brand new aircraft with state-of-the-art technology, Chrono soon attracted clients looking for a comfortable, efficient and safe flying experience.

After seven years of operation, Chrono Aviation now runs a fleet of 14 aircraft with a team of 280 employees. Chrono is the only airline in Quebec offering 9 to 120-passengers airplanes exclusively dedicated to charter services.

Fleet consists of Pilatus PC-12, Beechcraft 1900D, Dash-8-100, Boeing 737-200 and Boeing 737-800SF.

Source: ChronoAviation.com

Robert Arnold, Viscount Project Manager for the Viscount restoration at the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada, has sent us these photos of framed pictures donated by Jim Bruce (Air Canada).

The photos were taken by Vanessa Desorcy, and were published in a recent edition of the CAHS Journal.

Terry Slobodian (left), President and CEO of the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada with Robert W. Arnold (right) are shown holding artwork.

On the left, an Air Canada Viscount titled 'At the Blast Fence'.

On the right, a Transair DC-4 titled 'Pre-Flight'.

Sandra Chewka, Team Leader, Collections and Archives, Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada and Robert W. Arnold holding artwork of a Transair DC-3 titled 'Going Home'. 

A saga of a mistaken identity.

In NetLetter #1482 under 'Submitted Photos' we had information and photos from Mike Horan, now residing in Ireland, about his time at TCA reservations in Toronto during the 50's and 60's.

On reading this, David Edward, recognizing the name, 'Mike Horan', sent in his memory of Mike which we published in NetLetter #1483 under 'Subscriber Feedback'.

We were able to connect David & Mike. Following is their email exchange,

Good Evening, Mike Horan,

The e-mails below may explain what led up to me contacting you.

I was part of the 4 year furlough of the 210 pilots back in '61.

My wife and I started our married life in the Sutton section of Dublin and when the recall came, we flipped a half crown and ended up coming back to AC in '65. Career planning!!

We loved Ireland and Aer Lingus was, at that time, a great company to work for. We made lifelong Irish friends and spent many wonderful trips with them to the Corrib Pub during those 4 years.

Our eldest was born at The Rotunda and is a captain on the B-787 with Air Canada. His second son is an A-220 first officer (4th generation AC pilot).

We used to alternate visits with Clive & Joan Culleton (our neighbours on LaVista Avenue)....them here and us there every two years and did almost all the Shannon excursions with them on a cruiser over the years.

I retired in '98 after 40 years with TCA...Aer Lingus...AC...Air Jamaica...AC and live in Picton, Ontario, midway between YYZ & YUL, on the Bay of Quinte. Hope this finds you well, and I look forward to your response.

Editors' Note: David was under the impression the Mike Horan was Jack Horan, who was Station Manager in Shannon.

Mike responded to David with the following,

Hi David,

Greetings from the 'Emerald Isle'.  Yes it was brought to my attention that you were attempting to make contact with me and for which I thank you.

Unfortunately I was only at a distance aware of Jack Horan, my namesake, when he was Managing TCA affairs in Ireland. I was at that time a passenger agent in YYZ and YQG

We have no known relationship, but I understand that he was extremely good at his job and represented Ireland in a most successful way which stands much to his credit. I can understand your wish to renew old friendships but, unfortunately, I cannot help in that regard.

Your own career was amazing, well done to you. Sorry I couldn't be of more assistance. Enjoy your leisure years, well deserved.

Cheers,

Mike Horan.

After receiving the response, David contacted us at The NetLetter.

Hi Terry,

Thank you so much for doing that sleuthing and sending the pics and links to the Jack Horan saga.

I should have twigged to the fact that Jack would be in his 100's today and not have identified Mike Horan as the TCA Shannon Ireland station manager in the 50's & 60's.

The nice thing about this is that both you and Mike filled in some blanks in my memory bank of the great 4 years I lived and worked in The Emerald Isle.

Cheers......Dave

Mother/Daughter Checkride Qualifies New York Engineer For CAP.

Appropriately, it was March 8, 2022 International Women’s Day, when Leslie Hull, 24, of Avon, New York, completed her check ride as a Civil Air Patrol (CAP) pilot.

What made the flight even more significant was that her mother, Captain Martha 'Mother Goose' Pickard, was her check pilot. 

Pickard, a flight instructor at Scottsville, New York-based Rochester Air Center, said, “I can’t tell you how awesome it is to crew an airplane with her. She’s really good and always impresses me.”

Source: AVweb.com - April 12, 2022

8th Annual Girls in Aviation Day - Saturday September 24, 2022.

Since WAI's first annual international Girls in Aviation Day in 2015, the annual WAI event has grown every year since its first gathering of 32 events and 3,200 participants.

In 2019, GIAD met more than 20,000 attendees participating in 119 events in 18 countries. In 2020, WAI launched the Aviation for Girls App, and thousands of girls from nearly 60 countries participating throughout the year.

More info at: www.wai.org/giad

Routes continue to resume. 

• May 4, 2022
  • Montréal to Casablanca with Airbus A330 equipment.
  • Toronto to Barcelona, after over two years, with Boeing 787-9 equipment.
• May 6, 2022
  • Montréal to Barcelona with Airbus A330 equipment. 

Source: AC Daily - May 5, 2022

Air Canada Chauffeur Service, now electrified by Porsche

Air Canada announced on April 21, 2022 that it has signed an agreement with Porsche Cars Canada, Ltd. to be the exclusive vehicle supplier of the Air Canada Chauffeur Service at Toronto-Pearson, offered to select Signature Class customers connecting to Asia, Europe and South America. The Air Canada Signature Suite recently reopened at Toronto Pearson.

Source: media.aircanada.com

Singapore to New York: 18 hours 40 minutes

Singapore Airlines Flight SQ24 to New York's John F. Kennedy International airport is currently the longest commercial journey in the world, taking passengers more than 15,000 kilometres (9,300 miles) from the city-state to the eastern United States on Airbus A350-900's.

It also operates the second-longest journey - Flight SQ22, also on A350-900's, to Newark in the US state of New Jersey is scheduled at 18 hours and 25 minutes.

Source: www.wionews.com

Editors' Note: Sadly, Terry found the following notice while checking up on ACRA activities after lifting of most Covid restrictions

For Wayne's memories of ACRA see NetLetter #1440.

ACRA YYZ Chapter closed December 2020

Toronto A.C.R.A (Air Canada Recreation Association) wishes to advise that after 47 years of representing our membership in a social capacity, such as, the Children's Christmas party, the Gala Dinner Dance, picnics, Blue Jays days, supporting tournaments as well as bringing you outside discounts and AC merchandise, there are not enough active employees able to volunteer to continue.

ACRA would like to thank all members who participated, volunteered and donated throughout the years. As well as Air Canada who, with their support, made it possible for ACRA to operate.

It is with a heavy heart the Board of Directors have decided to close and our hope for the future is that ACRA will be resurrected by new volunteers, to once again, become the Recreation Association many employees enjoy.

Sincerely, the ACRA board of Directors

Source: acraacra123.wixsite.com/yyzacra/membership

Found in 'Horizons' magazine

Issue dated November 2001

All in the family - generations of dedication.

What does the Boudreau family have in common?

Joe Boudreau and his three sons, Robert, Roger and Laurie, have given Air Canada, as of 2001, 132 years of dedicated service and grandson Michael is continuing the tradition.

Back in 1948, Joe joined Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) in Station Operations in Moncton, New Brunswick, retiring as a Non Destructive Testing Technician in 1975. His sons followed in his footsteps.

In 1956, Robert joined Station Services in Montreal and retired in 1991 as Line Maintenance Planning Manager. Roger got his start in 1960 in Montreal in Station Operations and retired as Lead Station Attendant in 1998.

In 1969, Laurie started in Saint John, New Brunswick  in Station Operations and retired as Station Agent in 2001. And our story continues, as Robert's son Michael works in Maintenance and is carrying on the family tradition with 22 years of service up to 2001. 

Issue dated June 2002

Inaugural Air Canada flight Anchorage to Vancouver.

Brothers Captain Gordon Taylor (Check Pilot) and First Officer David Taylor, pose with ln-Charge Rodney Redfern and Flight Attendants Trevor Thomas, Marie Reine Oberle and Ka Wai Sur onboard the May 13, 2002 inaugural flight of AC #1096 Anchorage to Vancouver.

Congratulations to these Toronto employees who, during 2002, celebrated a milestone service anniversary.

Back row: Daniel Agarbado, Ken King, Biran Pelleting, Rose Tomei, Catherine Carswell, Dave Wright, Parvin Rakhar, Lori Holden, Ian Cross, Al Stewart, Bruce Robertson, Sean Goveas.

Front row: Antje Bedirian, Carin Brown, Burns Puddicombe, Janice Spicer, Anne-Marie Bauer, Roger Dellevi, Steven Banks and Nick Heaps. 

Issue dated October 2002

On September 5, 2002 we launched the first phase of our new, enhanced International 'Executive First' service. The flights were full and everyone was thrilled with the new personalized service they received.

Starting with flights to London, Paris and Frankfurt, the new service will roll out in stages to more of the network.

Later that year it will expand to Japan, and early next year to Asia/Pacific and South America.

Winnipeg is a station with team spirit, prairie pride and a passion for excellence in customer service. This year, 2002, employees at the Winnipeg Airport have departed 5,000 flights on time and handled more than 425,000 customers.

In this photo, left to right: Ron Menzies and Alberto Dumantay, Station Attendants, load bags onto a cart with the help of Lead Station Attendant, Eugene Paterson, and Station Attendant Mike Green.

In the Leads Office, we have these three Customer Sales and Service Leads (left to right): Maria Weir, Bruce Burr and Suzanne Garvie have it all under control.

From a blog by Larry Milberry at:
canavbooks.wordpress.com

Here we have a photo of CF-CPJ Lockheed Lodestar c/n 16302 allocated by the USAAF and delivered to CPA during 1943 and assigned fin #43.

Passed to Trans-Canada Air Lines on August 18, 1944 and registered CF-TDG fin #54 modified by TCA to type 18-08A-2200. Sold to Massey Harris Co. on July 14, 1948 after 11,211 flight hours of service.

Source: Air Canada - 'A Pocket Guide'.

Lockheed Lodestar ex CPA (CF-CPJ) and TCA (CF-TDG)

Ironically registered 'C-FTCA' (fin #638), this B767-300 came to Canadian Airlines in April 1989. 

Following Air Canada's merger with Canadian Airlines, C-FTCA served there from 2001, but also had leases (Ansett Australia, Qantas, etc.). Its long career included 3 or 4 incidents including twice when severe turbulence injured people aboard.

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

One report explains: "About 2,570 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 was 100% ice, the chemical truck had just broken down while trying to spray the runway."

See www.aviation-accidents.net for more details of this incident. 

Although it' is now over 30 years old, C-FTCA was recently in Tel Aviv for conversion to freighter configuration for Air Canada's expanding cargo fleet.

See: www.planespotters.net

From the "InfoCanadi>n" magazine.

Issue dated June 1988

Teams tackling B-767 snags, they're tracking better now!

A two-man 'SWAT squad' has been working overtime to tame the B-767's, which made a somewhat rebellious debut with the airline.

With the aircraft now in service, the responsibility for chasing down snags to bring on-time performance up to standards belongs to the Line Maintenance Department, which has assigned senior maintenance specialist Dave Miles and senior avionics specialist Doug Smith to the task.  

While Smith and Miles are handling the line problems, a team headed up by John Brom from Central Engineering is tackling the teething and design problems, as well as highlighting areas where additional training may be required. 

The colourful expression 'SWAT' (it means Special Weapons and Tactics) is "for want of a better word", says Darrel Smith, group vice president operations, but 'SWAT' seems appropriate for the task at hand. "It means that we have dedicated these people from our Maintenance and Engineering Department to look into any problem with the B-767 right away, day or night, to the exclusion of their other activities," Smith said. 

Our featured video is posted at  Vimeo.com/AirCanadamedia and shows a converted B-767 freighter on a B Roll. We get a look inside the main deck as a pallet of goods is loaded.

While viewing the video, take some time to view more of the over 200 videos Air Canada has posted at Vimeo.

BOC Aviation places its largest single order for Airbus jets.

Singaporean-based lessor BOC Aviation is ordering 80 Airbus A320neo-family jets, the largest single order placed by the company.

BOC Aviation says it will take delivery of the twinjets over the course of 2027-29.

The lessor’s agreement feature 10 of the long-range A321XLR, plus 50 further A321neos with A320neos making up the remainder.

Source: www.FlightGlobal.com

Excerpt from an MSN.com article on abandoned buildings

Mirabel International Airport, Montreal, Canada

Mirabel International Airport was opened in 1975 as a potential replacement for Dorval Airport at a cost of CA$500 million, around CA$2.4 billion in today's money. Despite being the world's largest airport when it opened, it soon became clear there were big problems with it.

For starters, Mirabel is situated an inconvenient 26 miles outside Montreal and passenger numbers suffered as a result. Airlines soon abandoned the airport for Toronto and by the time Dorval (now Trudeau) Airport had expanded in the early 2000's, flights to and from Mirabel had ceased.

The terminal building has since been demolished, although cargo flights continue to operate to and from the airport. The vacant site has also been used for a few movie sets, including, fittingly, a zombie apocalypse film called Warm Bodies (2013).

Editors' Note: Hopefully, the growth in air cargo recently will increase activity at Mirabel. 

Embraer 175 - Regional aircraft

In July 2005, Air Canada took delivery of their first aircraft manufactured by Embraer of Brazil. The E175 was more comfortable than the Canadair Regional Jets acquired a decade earlier. The plan was for it to both replace the RJ and continue to open up new short range, particularly trans-border, routes from the Toronto hub.

Because it was not rated to fly across the Rockies on one engine, we never saw the E175 aircraft on the west coast; this was not the case with the larger E190's (now retired).

As I recall, I did fly twice on the E175, luckily in J class, from Toronto to Washington D.C return.  I was with a group of EAP representatives travelling to the IAMAW Winpisinger Education Centre in Maryland.

Interestingly, I remember very distinctly the aircraft banking sharply immediately after takeoff from Reagan National, presumably to avoid restricted air space around the U.S. capital. It was a beautiful clear day as we flew directly north over Lake Ontario and got a great view of the CN Tower.

Air Canada would take delivery of 15 E175's (Fins 371 to 385) between July 2005 and January 2006. All were leased to Sky Regional Airlines beginning in June 2013. The registrations were unchanged but the fin numbers were changed to 521 to 535 to avoid conflict with the Dash 8-300 fleet. Another 10 aircraft (Fins 536 to 545) were acquired later.

In 2021, Air Canada moved to consolidate its regional airlines. Sky Regional Airlines was closed and all 25 of the E175's were moved to Jazz Aviation and continue to operate as 'Air Canada Express'.

Below is a link to videographer Alex Praglowski's trip report on his flight from Montreal to Toronto earlier this year.  

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

Iris Recognition Immigration System (IRIS), Iris eye scanners.

During a visit to the UK in 2005, a friend of mine who worked with British Midland Airways suggested I apply for the IRIS system. I was duly enrolled but never used the system before it was withdrawn. 

In 2003, Iris-recognition machines, which can identify people by reading the distinctive pattern surrounding the pupil of the eye, were to be installed at 10 British airports within a year.

In 2005, the multi-million pound Iris Recognition Immigration System (IRIS), intended to speed up passport control, was introduced at Heathrow and rolled out at Birmingham, Gatwick and Manchester in 2006. During 2012 the scanners at Birmingham and Manchester were removed. They continued in use at Heathrow and Gatwick until after the 2012 Olympics.

Source: bbc.com/news

For more info see:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iris_Recognition_Immigration_System

Continuation of the Air Canada nee Trans-Canada Air Lines History.

Started in NetLetter #1483.

Source: Air Canada 75 years of innovation

• 1953
  • In December three extremely durable Bristol Freighters with a six ton capacity join the fleet to cope with an expanding cargo market that by now handles everything from perishable moose meat to heavy machinery.
• 1954
  • On January 1, 1954, Air Canada becomes the new official French name for Trans-Canada Air Lines.
• 1955
  • TCA becomes the first airline in North America to bring turbo-driven aircraft into service on April 1, 1955, with the gallant Vickers Viscount. The aircraft carries record numbers of passengers, including, in December, four-year-old Michael Roder, who's the airline's 10-millionth passenger. At each pit stop on his trip from Vancouver to London, he's presented with part of a cowboy outfit; by the time he reaches his destination, he's in full Western regalia.
• 1956
  • Both TCA and Canadian Pacific Airlines fly refugees fleeing the conflict caused by the Hungarian Revolution from Vienna to Canada in the fall of 1956. They also fly in emergency supplies.
• 1958
  • Pilots rejoice once again! The introduction of radar-tracking technology means they can avoid weather disturbances. (It's good for passengers too.)

Some cruise deals from Perx

Please note that each supplier has their own set of eligibility requirements with which we must abide.

Please refer to product listings on web for specific requirements or contact your Perx Vacation Consultant.

All resort rates listed are per person, per night based on double occupancy ($USD).

All cruise rates listed are per person ($USD). For cruises, government taxes & fees are additional.

All rates listed are for new bookings only. Proof of employment and/or relationship to employee is required. Check www.perx.com for more details and deals.

Perx.com brought to you by Interline Vacations
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Our cartoon by Dave Mathias appeared in the 'Between Ourselves' magazine issued August 1964.