Gretchen Dawson sends us this photo with a request -

Would any NetLetter subscribers be able to identify the stewardess and the two gentlemen in this photo taken in 1943? 

The photo below was received in an email from a friend who sent it from a website that specialiazes in "Colourized Photos That Make Canadian History Come Alive" by Mark Truelove who colourizes black & white photos from the past. He lives in B.C.'s Fraser Valley, and has a web site: www.canadiancolour.ca. That's as much as I know!

Photo courtesy of the Vancouver Archives: AM1184-S3. CVA 1184-1259
Photographer: Jack Lindsay

Also on the same web site we found this photo. Mechanics work on a TCA Lockheed Model 14 Super Electra at Winnipeg c1940.
(Photos used with permission)

Here we have three photos and information on the B-727 aircraft (via) Larry Milberry/CANAV Books)

From 1974 the B-727 was the backbone of Air Canada’s medium-haul routes.  Shown is C-GYNG c/n 22347 fin nr 433, which served from 1981-87 including a stint with affiliate Air Jamaica.

“YNG” was sold to FedEx in 1991. There it operated as N280FE into 2011, when it was banished to the airplane bone yard at Victorville, the former George AFB near San Bernardino.

First Air 727 C-GXFA approaches landing at YFB Iqaluit on a clear day in February 2006. From 1975-90 “XFA” had been Air Canada C-GAAG, then was with Air Transat until joining First Air in 1994.

Circa 2008 “XFA” went into long-term storage at Trois-Rivieres, but is no longer there. Scrapped, perhaps, or flown away in some new resurrection?.

During its gaudy orange era, CP Air operated four 131-seat 727-117s (1971-77) and two 189-seat -217s (1975-80). Pictured is CF-CUS which later served in Mexico and Ecuador before being scrapped in Miami in 1998. It’s seen on approach at Toronto on March 6, 1972.

In April 1977, the Pionairs was formed and members of its interim committee were:

Martin Betts – President,
Cliff Seddon - Vice President.
Emily Coxon – Secretary,
(A Treasurer was not originally appointed)

Directors were:
Dave Clarke, Walter Lawlor, Bill Spratt and Lindy Rood.
(Unfortunately, there was no photograph in the Horizons - eds)

Issue dated May 1978.

More than 250 retirees, spouses and widows attended the founding meeting of the Pionairs at Miami Beach Sheraton during April 1978 to formally adopt a set of bylaws organizing an association of company employees in retirement. The meeting also elected its first executive.

Shown from the left front row:
Dave Clarke - Secretary
Martin Betts - President
Bill Spratt 1st. V.P.

Back row:
Denny Brandon - 2nd. V.P.
Scott Bradell - Treasurer.

The nominating committee was comprised of Gil McLaren, Vancouver; Bill Rose, Winnipeg; Elwood Paton, Toronto; and Norm Donnelly, Montreal.

Airline clerk acts as nanny

By serving as a nursemaid for a day, Prestwick TCA clerk Jean White saved a new Canadian family $471.

Here is how -
Store salesman John Thompson and his wife left for Canada from the UK leaving their three children with relatives until their new home was ready in Trenton, Ont. Six months later John sent for his children, but they soon learned that children could not travel without an adult companion (at an additional cost of $471).

After Jean White, a 27 year old Trans-Canada Air Lines employee stationed in London learned of the situation, she offered to act as an escort, using her TCA pass which she had planned on using to visit Canada anyway. She had never met the children until flight time.

(source Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph December 10th, 1963).

From "Between Ourselves" magazine issue dated June 1943.

Trans-Canada Air Lines Recreation Association (T.C.A.R.A.) was established at Toronto, the second group after Winnipeg.

The executive for 1943 were:

President - J. F. Burritt, Traffic Rep, Royal York.
V.P. - I. F. Thomas, Station Manager, Malton.
Secretary - E. Johnson, Crew Chief, Malton.
Treasurer - C. E. Banfield, Ticket Agent, Royal York.
(Unfortunately, no photo available - eds)

Chateau Terrington, which was home to 30 of TCA's Goose Bay personnel.

At regular intervals there were parties in the Chateau, our main staff house, a comfortable home with many happy hours.

The big problem of course always was to "meet a girl" for the evening. On a military base, the available "dates" were very much in demand. Advance bookings were a must. Another problem was that it seemed that very often on party night, Gander would close down, with swarms of aircraft converging on Goose Bay.

No. 1 hangar at Goose Bay housed TCA's passenger waiting room, workshops, offices, radio room and stores. As a growing community the RCAF provided a school, next to the hangar, for all the children on the base.

21 MEN AND A PIN

More than two centuries of service are represented in the group of 21 TCA veterans. Ten year men all, they are Western Region Operations Supervisory personnel and Station Managers who convened at Vancouver early in August for a briefing on new budgetary procedures.

Sitting, left to right: N. Hepburn, Station Manager, Saskatoon; N. Kelly, Storekeeper, Vancouver; A. Sestrap, Hangar Supervisor, Vancouver; T. Gilmour, Supervisor of Base Maintenance, Vancouver; R. Boudru, Administrative Assistant, Winnipeg; G. Goode, Flight Dispatch Supervisor, Vancouver (standing); D. Weir, Station Manager, Lethbridge; J. MacDonaId, Station Manager, Victoria; S. Knight, Station Manager, Winnipeg;  E. Wells, Station Manager, Vancouver; T. Kirkham, Station Manager, Regina; E. W. Stull, Regional Operations Manager; J. Slater, Station Manager, Edmonton; J. Storie, Chief Pilot, Western Region; G. Stephens, Disbursement Accountant, Winnipeg; G. Roper, Regional Supervisor of Maintenance; R. Cuthill, Chief Mechanic, Edmonton; E. Taplin, Regional Assistant Station Services Supervisor; W. Higgins, Routing Assistant, Vancouver; S. Saunders, Station Manager, Yorkton; W. Rowon, Station Manager, Calgary.

From the "Horizons" magazine issue dated May 1981.

Bill Rowe gets acquainted with P.E.I.

On a recent visit to Prince Edward Island, Bill Rowe, V.P. Atlantic Canada Region, spent some time getting to know the local staff.

Pictured here in the front row, from the left: Garth Rogerson, Henry Howard, Jim Crowe, Len Durden, Bev Young, Bill Rowe, Gail Skidmore, Wayne Handrep and Gary Turnbull.

Back row, from the left: Al Rach, George Smith, Jim Tingman, Traff Allman, Dave Spence and Jean Louis Lachapelle.

Issue dated June 1983.

On June 2nd 1983, Flight AC797, a DC-9-32 fin #720 CF-TLU c/n 47196, was enroute from Dallas to Toronto when a fire in the rear toilet forced a mayday to be initiated and a diversion to Cincinnati International Airport. The aircraft landed and, when the emergency doors were opened, the oxygen starved fire caused an explosion and the aircraft was mainly consumed.

Sadly there were fatalities, but the crew managed to survive. Here we have this photo of Captain Don Cameron and First Officer Claude Ouimet during their press conference at Montreal. The rest of the crew were Purser Sergio Bennetti, Flight Attendants Laura Kaymam and Judy Davidson.

In a previous incident, this particular aircraft also lost its tail cone during a flight from Boston to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia on September 17th, 1979.

• 1981 - January 28 - Service to Grand Forks discontinued.
• 1987 - April 26th - Date set to present Pacific Western Airlines and Canadian Pacific Air Lines to the public as one unified airline.

In the "PWA Flightlines" magazine issue February 1987, we found this photo of the Pacific Western's Charter Department taken during a departmental meeting in Calgary early 1987.

Standing from the left: Gary Robinson (LAS), Dave Walker (YVR), Bob Moul (YYC), Dennis Erickson (YYZ), from YYC are Annastacia Clarke, Brad Potentier, Jann McDonald, Bryce Paton, Ernie Yurkiw, Vern Renneberg and Gil Tsui.

Front row from left: Wally Klessen (YWG), Bob Lee (YVR), Jack Miles (YYC) and David Orange (YYC). 

During graduation ceremonies held on January 23rd and February 4th (1987), 29 flight attendants completed their in-flight training and received their wings. Twelve of the graduates from the January 23rd ceremony are pictured here.

Back row, from the left: Elizabeth Ciesielski, Joanne Clements, Maxine English, Kim Johnston, Rita Redman, Allison Vold, Michelle Comtois and Erin Purdy.

Front row, from left: Liz Swanson, Lynn Yurkewich, Patricia Vanden Berg and Leslie Holloway.

Seventeen of the graduates from the February 4th ceremony are pictured here:

Back row from the left: Sherri Holt, Marla Pistakwa, Susan Scott, Celeste Drummond, Gisele Marcoux, Cindy Gielnik, Trudy Simpson, Tina Beckman, Cory Montgomery, Elaine Franzky, Sandra Hood, Tracy Skeldon and Michelle Kambeltz.

Front row from the left: Lisa Rykman, Linda Trenholm, Laurie Lozinsky and Gina Barry.

From the "PWA Speedbird" magazine issue dated October 1980.

One famous charter operated by PWA was in 1972 when they operated the Gordon Securities Charter. The aircraft was B737 fin # 732 CF-PWE. The crew was Captain Wendel Clark, First Officer Dave Simpson, Flight Engineer Fred Ritz, Flight Attendants were: Jim Bisaillon, Mary Ann Garbencius, Ivy Dunn, Lynn Keefe; Co-ordinator was Ken Wamsley (YXD).

The charter was a four day affair, was on sked throughout and the first jet to land at such a northern location, the Romulus Oil Rig on Ellesmere Island. This was the first PWA charter to ever have in-flight movies about pipelines, Arctic shipping, environmental concerns etc.

The eastern investment group were being shown Canada's northern oil play utilizing western expertise in the best tradition... the PWA staff and aircraft 732.

Hi to "The NetLetter" … FYI, Click Here for CANAV’s new spring 2017 list of aviation books.

All the best ... Larry Milberry

Gretchen Dawson sends us this memory regarding the "Sentimental Journey" of CF-TCC

I was very involved when I heard about the plans from a few pilot friends, re the finding of and resurrection of CF-TCC - the L10A, from 1938/39 era on...

I was after Air Canada to have "original" stewardesses from that era - who were members of Canadian Maple Wings Association (who we had found), who originally flew in that aircraft. Eventually I received a call from Air Canada, "would I please give them the names of several of these wonderful, healthy, approximately 75 year old ladies, to contact?"

I gave them 10 - 12 names and they had 8 of them able and more than willing to participate!!!

Their memoirs of the leg they worked on that incredible publicity trip is recorded in personal letters to me and in the booklet I've made mention of, along with their pictures. 

I know Ted Morris was really responsible for the idea in the first place, followed with Ken Meek and Lillian Rayson as orchestrators. Mr. Claude Taylor told me after, "Gretchen, we couldn't buy the publicity by having those early ladies on board in replicas of their original uniforms! Thank you for pushing ahead with your 'dream'!"

This photo was taken at Vancouver on arrival in May 1986.

From the left: Joan Racey, Audrey Brandon (since deceased), Mary Gordon Moir, Eva Mossop, and Rosanne (Bekar) Mollard. Brings back memories... I have a 5x7 of this!
I'd like to mention it was also the year Eva Mossop (who hired me back in 1959 for course in April 1960), had 40 years with the Company on its 50th Anniversary and was officially retiring in September 1986.

I've just hung up from talking with her. She tells me that not only was Rosanne wearing "my" 1960-64 winter uniform, but Eva was wearing Ruth Heenan's 1939 uniform made for her for the "Sentimental Journey" trip - "leg she worked." Ruth was a larger lady back in 1986, and Eva had to use several safety pins on the skirt to keep it up. I note Joan Racey is also wearing the uniform that saw the longest service from the mid '50's through to 1964 (11 years). Eva is in her late '90's (96/97?), and is still a "green coater" out at YVR and has been for over 25 years now.

She is incredible, I tell her Canadian Maple Wings Association is all her fault for hiring me!! She's a very special lady and dear friend all these years, in my life. When we were going to hang up the phone, she said to me: "Thanks for checking in!"

Gretchen.

 Reader Feedback on the BAC One-Eleven story in NetLetter # 1364

Regards
Eric Tarrant

I recall the two Quebecair BAC 1-11's very well. Prior to coming to Canada in 1969, I worked for Sperry Gyroscope in Bracknell. I was the engineer assigned to work with BAC in fitting the FDR system into these two aircraft for their ferry flight to Canada.

The recorder was made by Penny and Giles, and Sperry supplied their SADAS for the electronics. This was the first installation of the new P&G recorder which used a stainless steel tape rather than the acetate type. I liaised with the BAC engineer at Weybridge, and helped install the system in the aircraft. The world is indeed small when it comes to Aviation.

Thanks for the memory,
George Baker

Resurrecting Halifax aircraft from its watery grave.

A group of dedicated volunteers work at the Bomber Command Museum of Canada located in the town of Nanton, Alberta. Their main claim to fame is the restoration of an original Lancaster bomber which was dragged from a farmer’s field several decades ago.

Their latest venture is led by retired Air Canada pilot Karl Kjarsgaard. The volunteers have located the wreckage of a Halifax bomber on the ocean floor off the coast of Sweden. This particular aircraft, HR871 of the RCAF 405 squadron went down during a terrible storm after being struck by lightning on August 2nd, 1943 on its way home from a raid on Germany.

Click Here for the full story.

Last Vulcan out of hibernation.

Great news for fans of Vulcan XH558. The campaign to build a permanent home for the last surviving airworthy Avro bomber - which retired from the air show circuit in October 2015- has raised the £200.000 ($250,000) needed to return the restored aircraft from a hibernation imposed when "Vulcan to the Sky Trust" was prevented from displaying XH558 to the public.

Now the trust can press ahead with plans to show the delta-wing aircraft in a new museum at Doncaster Sheffield airport, as well as take her on (albeit non-flying) visits throughout the country.

(Source Flight International)

Halifax-based Chorus Aviation, the parent company of Canadian regional airline Jazz Aviation, posted 2016 net profits of C$111.8 million ($83 million), more than quadrupling its C$25.5 million net result for 2015.

(source ATW Daily Fe 27/17)

There's a total of 784 U.S. registered aircraft in storage, and the top five consist of the Bombardier CRJ100/200/400, Embraer ERJ 140, Beech C-12, Boeing 757-200 and the Embraer ERJ 145.

(Source MRO Mar 29/17)

Erroll Boyd (1891-1960) was born in Toronto and flew for Canada in the Royal Naval Air Service during the First World War. He survived mishaps in combat flying, was interned in Holland after being shot down, and did test flying after the war. He rose to fame as the first Canadian to fly across the Atlantic, a flight with navigator Harry Connor in October 1930.

Taking off from Harbour Grace, Newfoundland, the flight took 17 hours, coming down in the Scilly Isles when a blocked fuel line, with 100 gallons of fuel still left, necessitated the landing. The flight continued the next day to Croydon, England, the original destination. Erroll had previously flown a record-setting flight in the same Bellanca aircraft to Bermuda and later to Haiti. After his transatlantic flight, he spent the rest of his life promoting aviation.

SUMMERTIME IN ISRAEL - 25-31st JULY 2017.

The Interline Club of Israel is pleased to invite all Interline club members to visit Israel this summer. Visit Jerusalem Old & New city, Desert Safari, Dead Sea, Nazareth, the Sea of Galilee & many other sites.

Rates in US$: Per person in a double: $1,045.00
Single Supplement: $500.00
Extra night in twin/double per person: $100.00, Single Room $175.00 BB basis.
WACA fee per person: $20.00

Tour includes:

• Six nights’ accommodation at Metropolitan Tel Aviv hotel on BB.
• Four Organized Tours with English speaking guides.
• One dinner at Tel Aviv restaurant.

Deadline: 25th JUNE 2017.
More information at www.waca.org/events

Join us in Cuba in the coming October to celebrate the 50th WACA/ Annual General Assembly.

Hasta la vista interliners!

The World Airlines Clubs Association (WACA) will be holding its 50th Annual General Assembly in Cuba for the first time ever. The event will be held in the 2 venues of Havana and Varadero from the 22nd to 27th of October 2017.

Package cost US$890 plus WACA fee of US$30.00.

Package includes 5 nights accommodation, 5 dinners, selected tours.

Deadline June 22nd 2017.
Full details and registration forms at www.waca.org/events

Interline Club of Bahamas is hosting the 50th AGA - Pre-AGA Package (Island Dreamz) in the Bahamas.

Package cost: US$645.00 per person plus WACA fee US$20.00.
Includes 3 nights’ accommodation cocktail reception, 2 full day tours with lunch, 2 dinners.

Deadline June 30th 2017.

In 2016 the World Airlines Clubs Association celebrated half century of existence.

The World Airlines Clubs Association (WACA) was founded in April 1966 in Cannes by an initiative from the Riviera Interline Club. Today WACA is the Head Organization of 33 Airlines/Interline Clubs in Europe, Far East/Australasia, Latin America/Caribbean, Africa/Indian Ocean Islands/Middle East and North America.

Currently there are more than two thousand members in the civil and commercial airline industry coming together in the Association’s great family.

Ban-Damage.

Middle Eastern airlines that were hit by the Trump administration and subsequent UK bans on electronic devices have been trying some humour using social media. While Etihad Airways launched an advert promising to "Make flying great again" (sound familiar?), Royal Jordanian tweeted its "12 things to do on a 12 hour flight without a laptop”.

(Source Flight International April 4/17)

Our cartoon is by Dave Mathias and appeared in the "Between Ourselves" magazine issue dated March 1955.