Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter
Since 1995
Tuesday, 28 May 2024
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C-GBIP (Fin #285) in Kids' Horizons livery
at Trudeau International Airport 2009
Photo by Maarten Visser
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Dear
Welcome to The NetLetter, established in 1995 as a dedicated newsletter for Air Canada retirees.
We have evolved into the longest running aviation-based newsletter for Air Canada, TCA, CP Air, Canadian Airlines and all other Canadian-based airlines that once graced the skies.
The NetLetter is self-funded and is always free to subscribers. It is operated by a group of volunteers and is not affiliated with any airline or associated organizations.
The NetLetter is published on the second and fourth weekend of each month.
If you are interested in Canadian aviation history, and vintage aviation photos, especially as it relates to Trans-Canada Air Lines, Air Canada, Canadian Airlines International and their constituent airlines, then we're sure you'll enjoy this newsletter.
Please note: We do our best to identify and credit the original source of all content presented. However, should you recognize your material and are not credited; please advise us so that we can correct our oversight.
Our website is located at www.TheNetLetter.net
Please click the links below to visit our archives and for more info about The NetLetter.
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 We have welcomed 46 new subscribers so far in 2024.
We wish to thank everyone for the continuing support of our efforts.
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 Back issues of The NetLetter are available in both the original newsletter format and downloadable PDF format.
Restoration and posting of archive issues is an ongoing project. We hope to post every issue back to the beginning in 1995.
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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.
We will try to post your comments in the next issue but, if not, we will publish it as soon as we can.
Thanks!
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Mid Atlantic Air Museum
11 Museum Drive
Reading, Pennsylvania
33rd Annual World War II Weekend
A Gathering of Warbirds
June 7, 8, 9, 2024
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WWII Weekend is in its 33rd year and has become the main fundraising event for the Mid Atlantic Air Museum.
Your attendance allows us to continue in our mission to enhance the public's appreciation and understanding of the Mid Atlantic region's vast aviation history.
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Among the collection at the museum is a fully restored Vickers Viscount in the red and white colours of Capital Airlines.
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Capital Vickers 700 Viscount N7471
Photo by Bill Hough
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Submitted by Gunnar Wohlfarth - Core and Senior Structures Engineer (retired) -
I would like to add a note to your story about the DC-6 CF-CZZ in NetLetter #1533 specifically about the accident in Mould Bay.
My former boss and head of the Structures group at CP Air, Ken Sheh, was quite proud of his involvement in the repair of the aircraft, especially to get it flyable to Vancouver for permanent repair.
He mentioned how a group consisting of himself, several sheet metal and other mechanics and Max Ward himself were sent to the accident site to accomplish the temporary repair.
Work was done outdoors under the most primitive conditions. They had brought several sheets of sheet metal and fasteners and sheet metal tools, but little else. Since there were no metal forming tools available, they used PK screws (I can hear any sheet metal man gasp) to draw the sheet in far enough to give a semblance of fit with the curved fuselage.
Ken beamed when he mentioned how he had Max Ward drilling holes and installing screws. They managed to get the aircraft flying and back to Vancouver. Certainly would never be allowed to happen today.
Being an avid modeler my whole life, I made Ken a souvenir model of the DC-6 with a picture of the actual repair on the base. The quality is not great but you can make out the less than smooth contoured repair near the back.
I have attached a photo of it, plus of Ken shaking hands with our Boeing rep at the time, Myron Vogt, at Ken's retirement in 1986. Unfortunately, Ken passed away just a few months later while playing tennis, a sport he loved.
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Submitted by Gordon Lee Forman -
Has The NetLetter ever published an article on the beginnings of the AC Pension Plan?
I have not found a way to search any archives for this, but would appreciate being informed where/how to do it if it is possible. I am asking because of my father’s substantial involvement with the beginnings of the plan.
Here’s a summary of what I know I recall:
My father, Lee Forman, started with Trans-Canada Air Lines in Winnipeg in1941 so consequently we (his family consisted of his wife Enid and myself, only child) had a pass priority of 'E4' with TCA and we also had CNR privileges. Lee was born in 1917 and passed away in 2007, in Manitoba.
Lee and several others asked the company for a pension plan and offered a proposal which the company accepted, in about 1945. He was on the Pension Committee nearly all of his TCA/AC career, spending a large about of time travelling to Montreal.
He is pictured in picture #20 in the book I have, entitled 'The Adolescence of an Airline' by Gordon R. McGregor. The picture is captioned “Signing agreement with the IAM, July 1958".
I am interested in learning more about the plan’s beginnings for obvious reasons. My father completed 32 years of service with AC, and then went onto the Pension Plan which he drew payments from for 33 years!
I myself completed (broken service TCA/AC) 17 years with the company and have now been on the plan for 21 years!
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In the following NetLetters we will have some of the photos that Pierre shares –
Here are some photos at YUL -
Saturday March 23, 2024. Having more than two hours to spare at YUL before boarding my Porter Airlines flight PD114 to Toronto-Pearson, I sat in front of a large bay window giving me excellent visibility of the planes dripping with de-icing product heading towards runway 06R to take off.
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In 1996 Air Canada became the first North American operator of the cost efficient and customer-friendly Airbus A319.
 Air Canada ordered 35 of the 112 seat aircraft to replace the DC-9, and will be the largest Airbus fleet operator. The A319 will burn 32% less fuel than the DC-9, carries 37% more cargo, 20% more passengers at almost twice the range.
The November 1996 edition of 'Horizons' magazine announced a contest entitled 'Loto A319' offering employees an opportunity to travel to Toulouse, France to be part of the pick-up team for Air Canada's newest addition to the fleet. Ballots were sent out with pay stubs.
The 25 lucky winners aboard the inaugural flight on December 12, 1996 were:
Paul Cormier, Station Attendant - Moncton; Thomas Sparkes, Sales - St. John's; Peter Leaver, Power Plant - Dorval; Richard Smith, Aircraft Services - Ottawa; Sharon Booth, In-Flight Service - Dorval; Gerry Pipe, Customer Service - Toronto; Perry Braux, Flight Operations - Toronto; Jacques Gagne, Maintenance - Dorval; Robert Wilsey - Mirabel; Klaus Trampf, Power Plant - Dorval; William Godreau, In-Flight Service - Montreal; Rob Johns, System Operations Control - Toronto; Larry Hall, Maintenance - Dorval; Elio Monaco, Stores -Dorval: Gisele Turcotte, Finance - Winnipeg; Sheldon Howe, Sales - Winnipeg; Walter Low, Cargo Sales - Vancouver; Glen Cook, Aircraft Services - Edmonton; Helen Bembenek. Finance - Winnipeg; Worell Campbell, Customer Sales & Service - Los Angeles; Jim Kannenberg, Customer Sales & Service - Chicago; Anita Shah, Reservations - London; Lau Kam-Tong, Customer Sales & Service - Hong Kong; Claudette Clement, retiree - Summerside and Reish North, Station Attendant - Vancouver.
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Photo by Brian Losito
from Horizons - February 1997
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Also included was an A319 'Fact Sheet' listing the following additional advantages:
- Identical engine to the A320, the CFM-56, allowing for commonality of spare parts and simulator.
- Allows for unrestricted interchange of pilots with A320, reducing training costs and improving pilot productivity.
- Longest range capability of the competing aircraft - able to fly non stop from Vancouver to Montreal with a full passenger load.
- Double the cargo carrying capability of the DC-9.
- Identical cabin width to the A320.
See 'Wayne's Wings' below for more on the current fleet status.
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A first lady of passenger service.
 The first feminine Passenger Agent ever employed by TCA completed her third year with the company and took off on her fourth year on May 9. For the benefit of those who have not yet been fortunate enough to meet Grace, we take pride in introducing her to you.
Meet Grace Humphrys of Winnipeg, as efficient and attractive a 'Miss' as ever graced an airport counter. The way the girls are accumulating TCA service we can begin to look forward to the gleam of Five Year pins on other than masculine lapels.
Source: Between Ourselves May 1944
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1946 - August 1 -
- Service between Toronto - Cleveland commenced with DC-3 equipment.
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1946 - September 16 -
- Inauguration of service between Lakehead - Duluth operated with Lockheed 14-08 equipment. Crew was Captain Bill Loftus, First Officer Harry Tindle and stewardess Mary Anne Charbonneau.
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Found in 'Horizons' magazine
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Issue dated August 1993
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After Air Canada had wrapped up the delivery of its B-727's to Federal Express, they threw a small thank-you party outside Winnipeg's Hangar for Federal Express representative Dennis Wells.
An aircraft cake was specially baked for the occasion. "It looks so real it probably could fly," said Vern Barton, Chief B-727 pilot from Federal Express.
From left to right: Ron Elvidge, Larry Sirant, Ben Besner, Dana Wild, Leo LeClair, Mark Volk, Ross Watson, L. Salvain, Frank Pirella, Floyd Heppner, Dave Brooks, Ron Blundon, Dave Norris, Rob Sarauelt, Jeff Darby, Dennis Wells, Dennis Strum, Mike Maskell, Claude Racicot, Ed Yeats, Henry Mah, Bob Sideen and Bob Hatton.
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Vancouver celebrated 1000 years of service.
Here are some of the celebrants from In-flight Service -
From left to right: Hans Birsfelder, Purser; Flight Attendants Patricia Coirier, Rene Grether and Marty Frahm; Chris Dubeau, In-Flight Service Manager; Brian Elsey, Manager, Administration and Support; Mimi Gingras, Flight Attendant; Pursers Franco Cellura and Mick Baumgartner; Flight Attendants Seija Evans, Jerry Bialluch, Lynn McCoy and Martha Middleton; Al Klein, Purser and In-Flight Service Supervisors Linda Penn and Robin Fleming.
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Here are some of the celebrants from Avionics -
From left to right: Harald Leukefeld, General Foreman, Line - Western; Fred Strick, Certified Avionics Technician; Richard Botham, Certified Aircraft Technician; Lodewijk Retel, Mechanic; Bob Brown, Foreman; Lennie Hewer, Certified Aircraft Technician; Stu Green, Certified Avionics Technician; Fred Donofrio, Certified Aircraft Technician and Jeff Punshon, Certified Aircraft Technician.
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Here are some of the celebrants from Customer Sales & Service -
From left to right: John Brocklehurst, Passenger Service Manager; Customer Sales & Service Agents Ron Whitehurst, Carol Yap Chung, Gloria Hokazono, Lynda Carson and Art Wilson.
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From: Charles Mackie, on January 31, 2003.
An early TCA incident.
I am somewhat hesitant to tell you this story as it happened over many years ago and I did not want to embarrass anyone who may have been associated with the incident but I do think it is part of the history of TCA.
This event took place in the summer of 1941, when I was a radio operator at St. Hubert airport. The occasion was to celebrate the arrival of the first Lockheed 18 Lodestar to Montreal.
In front of the tiny administration building they had laid out a red carpet. They had a brass band and the airport manager, a Mr. "Fizz" Champagne, was strutting around dressed in top hat and tails. There were also representatives from the newspapers there with their cameras etc.
The aircraft circled the field and did a normal landing and was taxiing into the area of the admin building, when the captain signaled his new first officer to retract the Fowler flaps, but by mistake he pulled up the wheels instead and set the aircraft on its belly right in front of the startled dignitaries.
Immediately the brass band was dismissed, the red carpet rolled up and all concerned where advised not to say a word about this incident, and to my knowledge it has remained a secret until this day, not a word in the newspapers etc.
They jacked up the aircraft and lowered the wheels and had the aircraft towed to the hangar where we had the radio room located. The put a large tarp over the whole aircraft and even had an RCAF guard posted with bayonet to keep anyone with prying eyes away.
Fortunately there was not too much damage to the aircraft. They had to change a couple of bent props and the aircraft departed St. Hubert very soon after the incident.
I repeat to my knowledge this incident has remained a secret but it was an early part of TCA in its growing days. Some may have heard of it but never wanted it published.
Charles Mackie
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CP Air / Canadi>n People Gallery |
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Continuation of the DC-6 story started in NetLetter #1531, #1532 and #1533.
Return to Canadian Pacific operation.
Once the aircraft had been repaired, CF-CZZ re-entered service with Canadian Pacific early in 1964. By that stage, CPAL had disposed of most of its DC-6 fleet, but still had two on strength (CF-CZT & CF-CZU), and with the return to service of CF-CZZ the fleet was boosted to three aircraft.
They were used on scheduled runs linking Vancouver with the more important towns in British Columbia and Alberta, including a daily Vancouver-Prince Rupert-Sandspit (on Queen Charlotte Island) and return service.
One "ropey" incident was recorded by CF-CZZ on this service, on January 15 1965. After take-off from Prince Rupert, all four engines lost power and back-fired to such an extent that ditching appeared to be imminent. There was no time to dump fuel, but the pilot was able to land back at Prince Rupert after a nail-biting eight minute long flight. The cause was found to be wing defrosting fluid which had accidently been added to each anti-detonation tank at Prince Rupert prior to the flight.
After all had recovered from this traumatic incident, CF-CZZ resumed flying its routine passenger schedules. However, by May 1968 its service with CPAL was at an end, and it was put into storage at Edmonton, awaiting its next career move.
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CF-CZZ at London - Heathrow circa 1960
Courtesy of George Trussell from the Mike Ody Collection
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Extracted from a Canadian Airlines newsletter circa 1988.
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When did Canadian Pacific Airlines start flying to Tokyo and Hong Kong?
September 18, 1949 - Canadian Pacific Airlines.
- Once a week from Vancouver departing at 00:05 every Monday. Number of passengers – 40.
- Refueling stops – Anchorage, Alaska; Shemya Island in the Aleutians.
- What type of aircraft was used? Canadair DC-4M 'North Star'
- Fare: Vancouver – Tokyo return $1,287.00 CDN
- Fare: Vancouver – Hong Kong $1,437.50 CDN
- Fare: Tokyo – Hong Kong $310.85 CDN
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Congratulations to Canadian Regional's engine shop at Hangar 101 in Calgary. A group of six employees based there 'Teamed Up' to produce an idea valued at $473,814.
The engines were previously sent to Pratt & Whitney in Montreal. The Idea sets a new record for both CRA and CDN as the most valuable to come out of the 'Ideas Plus' program since its introduction December, 1997.
Pictured at the award ceremony hosted by Allan Anderson and Robert Reding are team members Rick Kesler, Peter Mabberly, Dragan Simic, Orlando Paladino and Dave O’Bray.
Not pictured, team member Don McLean. Also pictured, Chris Gardner, analyst, Ideas Plus.
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It was 35mm cameras all around when the YVR Raft Shop's Richard Paczek, Jim Purdon, Kim Dahl, Angelo Piazzon and Mel Hoffinger received a winning scratch card for their team suggestion. Not pictured, team members Mark MacCoubrey and John Murdocco.
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Although the fourth DC-8 built for TCA, it was the first delivered in February 1960 and would remain in the TCA/AC fleet until July 1977.
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A319 - Current Fleet Status
When I started looking into the history and current status of the A319 fleet, I came upon some very interesting trivia regarding these aircraft. The first two prototypes produced by Airbus would eventually be in the Air Canada fleet.
The first A319 prototype aircraft (image below) was to eventually join the Air Canada fleet as C-GBIP, Fin #285, (pictured in issue header) in April 1998. The aircraft is easily recognizable because it sported the 'Kids' Horizons' logo from January 2008 until September 2015.
It was then briefly painted in 'Tom Mulcair' livery while leased by the New Democratic Party during the federal election of 2015. It was withdrawn from service in January 2021 and as of September 2022 it has been stored as registration 2-ROYA by Royal Aircraft Maintenance.
Similarly, the second prototype (test registrations F-WWAS & D-AVYK) would also be delivered to Air Canada as CFYNS (Fin #251), however although first in fin numbers sequence it was not the first to enter service, not delivered until July 1997. It's entire career has been with AC, in the Rouge fleet March 2014.
As per Planespotters.net, it appears that the first A319 to enter service with Air Canada was the 18th built by Airbus. C-FYIY (Fin # 252) was delivered in December 1996 and was also transferred to the Rouge fleet in April 2014. It was stored due to the pandemic but shows returned to service as of July 2023.
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 Click to icon to view the current status of Air Canada' A319 fleet. |
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Photo by T. Laurent at Toulouse, France - May 1997
Used by permission with our gratitude.
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Terry's Trivia
& Travel Tips |
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 Terry Baker, co-founder of the NetLetter scours the internet for aviation related Trivia and Travel Tips for you, our readers, to peruse.
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Telephone: 1-800- 766-2911
2600 E. Southlake Blvd., Suite 120-241 Southlake, TX 76092
- Open 7 Days a Week
- Monday to Friday - 09:00 - 18:00
- Saturday - 10:00 to 17:00
- Sunday - 12:00 to 17:00
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From the NetLetter archives -
First flight from Moncton to Montreal was an experimental flight on November 1, 1939. Followed by 3 months of exploratory work before regular service was inaugurated on February 15, 1940 under the command of Captain J.D. Storey.
The first Lodestar to arrive in Moncton was on March 11, 1941 commanded by Captain R.F. George.
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A few chuckles for you -
Actual Newspaper Headlines (collected by journalists)
- Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says
- Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers
- Safety Experts Say School Bus Passengers Should Be Belted
- Drunk Gets Nine Months in Violin Case
- Survivor of Siamese Twins Joins Parents
- Farmer Bill Dies in House
- Iraqi Head Seeks Arms
- Stud Tires Out
- Panda Mating Fails; Veterinarian Takes Over
- Soviet Virgin Lands Short of Goal Again
- British Left Waffles on Falkland Islands
- Eye Drops off Shelf
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Over the years we have featured cartoons by Dave Mathias, we found this information -
In April 1943, 'Between Ourselves' magazine,
Another artist joins us in the person of D. F. Mathias, radio operator at Malton.
This is his impression of Webb Heenan, an associate.
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Wayne, Ken & Terry
Richmond, British Columbia - December 2019
(Bob Sheppard was not available for the photograph)
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Wayne, Bob & Ken
Richmond, British Columbia - December 2023
(Terry Baker was not available for the photograph)
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We wish to honur the memories of
Vesta Stevenson and Alan Rust.
They remain a part of every edition published.
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E&OE - (errors and omissions excepted):
The historical information as well as any other information provided in the "NetLetter" is subject to correction and may have changed over time.
We do publish corrections (and correct the original article) when this is brought to our attention.
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