It was 0134 hours, Sunday, October 31, 1971. At Montreal International Airport, the brightly lit ramp was quiet. Because of the 11 pm curfew, the jets had stopped operating. The flashing beacons of the ramp trucks had disappeared one by one. Beyond the terminal building, the blue taxiway lights added to the stillness.

From their vantage point in the tower, the controllers could see a red rotating light moving slowly across the horizon, joining a long final for runway 06R.

“Montreal Tower, Air Canada 2458, we’re cleared for a visual approach.” That was Capt. S. F. Davis handling the radio; F/O Lorne Dyck was flying the airplane.

In the back were 16 passengers, including Kent Davis, Air Canada’s Vice-President of flight operations, and Capt. Bill Benson, Director of Flight Standards.

“Air Canada 2458, Montreal Tower. You’re cleared to land. Wind 060 at 12, altimeter 30.31.”

“Air Canada 2458.”

CF-TKB (725) Nice taxying shot at the Farnborough Air Show back in 1960.

The flashing red light continued toward the runway as F/O Dyck descended tenderly. Suddenly the threshold was illuminated by three bright landing lights, and F/O Dyck set the airplane down without a ripple at 0139. As the airplane approached the terminal area, it first became a silhouette and then the unmistakable box-like shape of a Vickers Vanguard. The big prop-jet taxied to gate 43 and shut down. Thus, routinely and unceremoniously, 2458 marked the end of passenger service on the Vanguard, that rugged, magnificent aircraft that had served Trans-Canada Air Lines and then Air Canada for more than 10 years.

One who may have felt the end more than most was Capt. Benson. It was exactly 11 years ago on that night that he flew to England to begin his training on the Vanguard.

Selection of the Vanguard by TCA came after one of the most exhaustive studies of aircraft operating economics ever completed in the industry. The Vickers Vanguard was matched against all other potential medium—range airplanes, flying and projected, pure jet and turbo-propeller, before it was selected. Over TCA’s routes, which not only had to be averaged but factored to account for traffic density, the Vanguard came first. But many other factors, some not easily calculated came into the picture.

Some people in TCA were all for going pure jet; when the DC-9 came second in the economics study, this was all they wanted to know. But the ‘9’ was then a ‘paper’ airplane, Douglas Aircraft awaiting solid commitments before proceeding. Should the airplane be built, it would be out two years later than the Vanguard, putting TCA at a competitive disadvantage for that period.

CF-TKB (293) fresh from the factory at Weybridge prior to delivery to Canada. In this instance the people do not detract from the photo.

(The project DC-9 was a different airplane from what was eventually produced. Range was to be 2.600 miles, definitely ‘medium’. The Boeing 727 filled that area and the ‘9’ as we know it was introduced in airline service as a ‘medium-short’ airplane in 1965.)

Also, the Vanguard had a cargo hold volume that no other passenger airplane could offer and freight projections indicated a needed capacity in that area as well. Still, the jet people had good arguments: definitely superior passenger appeal, longer projected life and, in the case of the DC-9, certain parts interchangeability with the DC-8, offering additional economics.

The Vanguard won out, however. On January 3, 1957, TCA announced the purchase of 20 Vanguards for a sum of $67.1 million. Eventually, three more were obtained, making TCA the world’s largest Vanguard Operator.

The first flight of the Vanguard took place on January 20, 1959 and the first TCA airplane began flying on July 9, 1960. In the July 22 issue, Aero Magazine reported the start of trials of the TCA Vanguard and, buried obscurer in the article, a small note to the effect that one of the differences between the TCA and British European Airways Vanguards was the fact that TCA had specified Skydrol 500A hydraulic fluid. Oh. How large that difference was going to be.

An unidentified Trans-Canada Air Lines Vanguard gets airborne from Vickers Weybridge, Surrey during an early test flight.

On Halloween 1960, five TCA pilots proceeded to Weybridge, England for the Vanguard course. They were Capt. George Lothian, then Superintendent of Flying, Capt. Ron Baker, TCA’s engineering test pilot, and Captains Bill Benson, Ed Marriott and Al Wilton, who were to be the initial instructors on the Vanguard and later check pilots.

After ground school. Captain Baker pursued a course befitting his capacity while the other four captains were paired in two groups for the flight training. The Vickers instructors were Dick Rymer, who was later killed in the BAC-III deep—stall accident, and Denis Hailey-Bell.

Vanguard had already developed teething problems, one of them being the failure of cabin compressors. While Vickers and Rolls—Royce were working on modifications, training carried on without pressurization or cabin temperature control, in the dead of winter.

Another problem evident at that stage was the presence of nose-wheel shimmies. Although they were found not to affect the integrity of the structure, the severity of the shimmies was as pronounced as it was unpredictable. Ron Baker got into the act; he went up with Dick Rymer and Bill Benson and they tried every possible way of landing to bring on the shimmy, unsuccessfully. After eighteen attempts, they decided to quit. Benson said: “Let’s try it once more.” On the nineteenth try, the airplane behaved as if it had landed on top of railroad ties.

Trans-Canada Air Lines Vickers Vanguard CF-TKB being put through the paces at the Farnborough airshow, 1960 or 1961.

This problem, like many others typical of development flying, sent the engineers back to the drawing board and improvements were eventually made.

George Lothian and Al Wilton flew the first aircraft to Canada and the flight training program for the line pilots started. The Vanguard simulator was already installed and proved to be an excellent one. In addition to duplicating all systems, the Vanguard ‘box’ incorporated sound simulation. Engine noise, rush of air as in a rapid decompression, whine of an over-speeding propeller, even the tire squeal on landing. Once, during a simulator exercise, the instructor failed all four engines to see what the pilots would do.

They were “flying” at six thousand feet and their initial reaction was one of staring disbelief. The two pilots looked at each other for confirmation of reality then, questioningly, at the instructor sitting behind them. They were losing altitude, and fast: “Is this a power failure, like I mean, Quebec Hydro?” asked the pilot in the left seat. “No, it’s a power failure, like I mean, your engines!” answered the instructor. The pilots swiftly initiated the air-start procedure. With one going and one windmilling, the ‘aircraft’ was going in at a 30° angle. In desperation, the pilot in the right seat selected gear down. When they ‘hit’, the simulator fastidiously gave them the ‘screech-screech’ of the wheels.

The inaugural flight took place February 1, 1961, and was flown by Capt. Benson and Captains Dave Moir of Vancouver and Jack Smith of Toronto. The route was Montreal – Toronto – Winnipeg – Regina – Calgary – Vancouver. During the station stop in Winnipeg, it was discovered that the fire warning bell test circuit was un-serviceable. To ensure that the bell would work in case of an actual fire, the fire wire in each engine was grounded in turn by maintenance, the bell ringing in the cockpit each time. At the next stop, Regina, the procedure was repeated. Again in Calgary. But this time five bells were heard. Jack Smith, who carried an alarm clock in his bag, had set the thing to go off!

Trans-Canada Airlines Vanguard CF-TKN in a truly mouthwatering shot for the unabashed Vickers Vanguard fanatic. Obviously this 35mm kodachrome colour slide was taken on board a sister ship, with engines running. We can soak up the atmosphere of the then brand new Toronto Malton Terminal 1 with Trans-Canada Vanguard CF-TKN at the gate awaiting her passengers. Oh my lord … What a superb shot!

The early days of the Vanguard were beset by problems. One was vibration, with a resulting high noise level. By coincidence, it turned out that the fuselage length and the position and RPM of the props set up a natural vibration, which would slowly be transmitted through the fuselage all the way to the tail . . . and forth . . . and back . . . The Vanguard was a perfect tuning fork!

In concert with BEA and TCA, Vickers tackled the problem and a temporary procedure involved climbing with 5° flap. Later. Mainly through the addition of weights to the tailplane, the problem was solved, but not to everyone’s satisfaction. Already spoiled by jets, people expected the same of the Vanguard, something a turbo-prop is simply unable to deliver.

Choosing the new Skydrol 500A for hydraulic fluid was wise; it was super stuff. The fact that the seals were eaten away by it was another matter. Hydraulic problems were chronic. As one passenger stated, “When they can’t get the heels down, I get nervous; in that airplane, they couldn’t get them UP!” Well, sometimes. Actually, it took a sizeable loss of fluid before services would no longer operate. Other aircraft would be taxiing behind a Vanguard and advise that it was dripping hydraulic fluid; “We know, we know,” would be the reply.

That problem was solved by the replacement of seals and other difficulties were being surmounted as well. Schedule reliability increased gradually so that by November, 1961, on-time performance had reached 71 per cent compared to 41 per cent two months previously.

That winter, the Vanguard was introduced to the South. Still unsatisfied with the aircraft’s reliability, TCA wanted a back—up for what was to be the Vanguard’s premier run. It was decided to stand a Lockheed Super Constellation next to the Vanguard on the ramp so that if the latter packed up at the last minute, the passengers would be transferred to the waiting Constellation. Since Toronto did not have ‘Connie’ crews, a Montreal crew would stay at a motel close to the airport, ready to lend support. If the Vanguard worked, they would return to the motel. After a few days they would go back to Montreal and be relieved by another crew. Sometimes they got to fly, most often not. That operation came to be known as the ‘Conguard’!

Dave Tennant is now Air Canada’s Vice-president — Personnel but was formerly Vice-president — Operations and had a hand in choosing the Vanguard for TCA. He said: “The Vanguard was the best for the mission; when we looked at the cost projections, it was a winner. The belly compartment with its great cargo capacity just added to that.”

The Vanguard was a newer airplane than the first generation of jets but the prestige was stolen by the Douglas DC-8 which TCA had introduced in Canada ten months earlier. Not only was the jet smoother and quieter but the ‘8’ was glamorous.

When Trans-Canada Air Lines was renamed Air Canada in 1965, all the types were taken up for a new round of air-to-air publicity shots, which was the occasion for this lovely image, originally from Air Canada archives. This photo of CF-TKP is actually a photo teaser from my book “Air-To-Air: Ultimate Airline Photography” which showcases 175 all-colour pages of classic propliners and classic jetliners photographed inflight. You can purchase your own copy of my book right here: https://www.henrytenby.com/product/air-to-air-ultimate-airline-photography-by-henry-tenby/.

People were spoiled: they did not realize that the jet was still basically a long-range airplane. At the time that the Vanguard was introduced, two medium-range pure jets were flying, the Convair 880 and the British-built De Havilland Comet 4.

Neither presented anywhere near the passenger seat cost economics of the Vanguard over the routes flown by TCA and their purchase would have resulted in higher fares with little decrease in block times. Both being very thirsty aircraft. It was somehow forgotten that most of the world’s medium-range routes were still being flown by pistons.

In the Vanguard, the value dollar for dollar, was unsurpassed. The Vanguard offered the best travel bargain. The Economy cabin had larger seats and was superior to that of any short/medium-haul aircraft then flying. The first-class section was magnificent. Isolated at the rear, the quiet little club remains in the eyes of many a unique travel experience. And Vanguard’s over-sized oval windows (like the smaller Viscount) provided passengers with unparalleled views.

The safety record of the Vanguard is exceptional.

The aircraft was introduced in service with perhaps a larger than usual share of teething problems yet it progressed through the ‘learning curve’ without a major accident. The later fatal crash of a BEA Vanguard at Heathrow, England was attributed to pilot error and in Air Canada service a lone fatality resulted from a passenger being killed when a flight unexpectedly encountered severe clear air turbulence over Rocky Mountain House. Alta. In a landing accident at Antigua and in a wheels-up landing at Montreal, no one was injured. It can be said that the Vanguard, of itself, has never as much as scratched anyone. (At the time of writing, the tragic BEA Vanguard accident in Belgium was still under investigation.)

Yet another nice profile view of Air Canada Vickers Vanguard CF-TKP during her air-to-air company name rebrand publicity shots back in 1965, from Air Canada archives.

Of the wheels-up landing in Montreal following a hydraulic failure, certain anecdotes are worthy of mention: Captain Ed Marriott, in command of the flight, was in communication with TCA via the company frequency. Since this was the first year of Vanguard operation, everyone was not only concerned but also a bit in the dark as to why the landing gear would not, at least, free-fall. Through a communications set-up, Capt. Marriott was put in direct contact with a Vickers engineer at home in bed in Weybridge, England!

Aware that they would circle for quite a while, Capt. Marriott authorized the serving of drinks to the passengers. The stewardess advised that she had sealed the bar when ‘in range’ of Montreal, as per company regulations. “Well, open it again,” directed Capt. Marriott. This she did, by bashing it open with the fire axe! Air Canada has always been a market leader in terms of the highest levels of passenger service.

The hydraulic off-load switch was once a problem. When the switch was in the ‘off’ position, the system was ‘on-loaded’ (pressurized), and vice-versa. Well, think about it: if the off-load switch is off, then you’re on-loaded, right? Of course, perfectly logical. But try to teach it in the class- room. TCA finally changed it to be more in tune with the Canadian mind and linguistics; when the switch said ‘on’, you were ‘ON’. Don’t think, baby, just fly the plane!

Air Canada Vickers Vanguard CF-TKG looks amazing sitting on the Montreal Dorval apron back in 1967.This Vanguard was sold to Air Holdings Limited as G-AYLD in 1969, as part of a trade-in deal with Lockheed towards new L-1011s. Lockheed re-sold the Air Canada Vanguards to Air Holdings for onward disposal. I don’t like the word “disposal” when applied to Vickers Vanguards.

Another dandy was the ‘Chime Isolate’. The Vanguard galley control panel incorporated a number of switches for diverse services and these were indicated above each switch. One such switch was marked ‘Chime’; just under the word ‘chime’ was ‘Isolate’ for turning it off and below the switch was printed ‘on’ for, naturally, having the thing on. A lot of stewardesses read that as the ‘Chime Isolate’ so that if it was selected ‘on’ the chime would be isolated. They therefore moved the switch to the other position, in effect turning it off

In the cockpit, pilots would hit the call button with ever-increasing frenzy, wishing for a cup of coffee. At the end of the flight, the pilots would say to the ‘stew’: “We called you a hundred times, where were you?” And the ‘stew’ would answer: “I never heard the chime; I guess it doesn’t work.” The pilots would then write in the maintenance log book that the chime was unserviceable. Maintenance would try it, find it in perfect working order and enter in the book: ‘Ground-checked Serviceable’. They would then leave the switch in the ‘on’ position.

The next crew of stewardesses would board the aircraft, change the switch over and the whole cycle would start all over again. It took years for us stupid Canadians to figure that one out.

Yet another example of the difference between British and Candian logic and linguistics.

It is impossible to describe the propeller system. Suffice it to say that it has nine protective devices to prevent the props from going into ‘ground-fine’ in the air. Glen Cawker of Air Canada says that when the Englishman who designed the propeller was finished with it, they took him away.

What was it like to fly the Vanguard? Well, it was much more than flying a big Viscount. Bill Benson, who is now Air Canada’s Director of Flight Standards, said: “I loved the airplane; it was a great rudder airplane, it made you fly more, The Vanguard had the finest cockpit ever designed; the lighting was superb. It was simply magnificent over the lights of Montreal.”

Air Canada Vickers Vanguard CF-TKH awaits passengers on the Dorval apron as viewed from the once sprawling open air observation deck at Montreal. In this case the photo was taken in 1967, and the Vanguard is carrying the small Expo 67 logo by the right sill of the rear passenger door. CF-TKH was sold to Europe Air Service in 1972 as F-BTOU.

Brian Trubshaw, who was later to test-fly the Concorde, was Chief Test Pilot on the Vanguard project. He demanded more space in the cockpit, knowing from experience that the dimensions would be cut back later. This time the boffins listened to him. The result. The Vanguard had, and still has, the most spacious flight station of any commercial airplane. As one stewardess expressed when she first set foot inside the Vanguard cockpit: “You could have a dance in here!”

“But the airplane was a great leveller,” adds Benson. “Most guys came on it from the Viscount and were used to greasing it on.” Said Capt. Gerry Lloyd, Air Canada’s Flight Operations Director, Toronto Base: “The Vanguard was a horse of a different wheelbarrow.”

And how! At the beginning, the landings were atrocious. Pilots would cross the fence, close the throttles and. . . crunch! Well, isn’t that the way we were all taught? The Vanguard, with four wide, 141/2 foot diameter props was different, all right. First, when the throttles were closed, the props went against the ‘flight fine’ stops, a relatively flat pitch; second, and partially as a result of the first, the immediate speed reduction caused the airplane to sink rapidly and contact the runway. ‘Contact’ is the key word here.

The plane had wings and it had engines; there just had to be some way of putting the two together and decently depositing the Vanguard on the runway. “No. There is no way,” said one. Said another: “Where you close the throttles, that’s where you land.”

Said yet another, despairingly: “Any landing you walk away from is a good one.” But a few were having some success and the word gradually filtered to the troops. The guys were no longer crashing them on, but the airplane remained a challenge right to the end.

Stopping distance was phenomenal. With over twice the weight of the Viscount and additional speed over the threshold, the Vanguard could be stopped shorter, even without reversing. Putting the propellers into the ‘ground’ mode after touchdown sent them to aerodynamic 0°, effectively offering the slipstream a veritable barn door. On scheduled airport runways, reverse was never used, brakes hardly. Yet, if you needed them, they were there. Tremendous security.

Passengers boarding Air Canada Vickers Vanguard CF-TKU at Montreal Dorval, June 1965. This Vanguard was sold by Air Canada to Air Holdings Limited in 1969 as G-AZNG in trade for Lockheed L-1011s.

Air Canada Vickers Vanguard CF-TKH awaits passengers on the Dorval apron as viewed from the once sprawling open air observation deck at Montreal. In this case the photo was taken in 1967, and the Vanguard is carrying the small Expo 67 logo by the right sill of the rear passenger door. CF-TKH was sold to Europe Air Service in 1972 as F-BTOU

Three pilots hold the distinction of having flown every Vanguard that was ever built. They are Capt. Hans Schlieper, First Officer Ike Jones and former First Officer Doug Vann. All three were TCA pilots who flew with BEA after being laid off by the former. They later returned to their homeland and flew the Air Canada Vanguards. Capt. Schlieper, with more than a little naval tradition, expressed his feelings: “She was the last of the four-masted square riggers. I detest the thought of being a wooden man in an iron ship, with no bridge to pace.”

Capt. Lloyd Warriner, who alternately flew the line, instructed and was a check pilot on the Vanguard referred to it, and still does, as the ‘World’s Greatest Airplane’.

Air Canada Vickers Vanguard 952C CF-TKK was the only Vanguard in the fleet converted to pure freighter, as explained in the article above. And seen in this photo at Toronto Malton in August, 1970. In 1972 this Air Canada Vanguard was sold to Europe Aero Service as F-BTYB where it continued to operate through the decade of the 1970s as a Perpignon-based cargo hauler.

Perhaps no other transport aircraft imparted such an exhilarating feeling to its pilots and it appears that with automation, none ever will. Pilots loved the Vanguard with an emotion like that held for the DC-3.

If you should hear that unmistakable sound, if you should see that unique shape, you’re not dreaming; there is still one Vanguard in Canadian skies. CF-TKK. It is a freighter, Air Canada’s lone experiment at modifying the Vanguard for cargo operation. No additional aircraft will be converted as it cannot be justified economically. However, this freighter will continue in service for an indefinite period.

When they pass TKK in their faster jets, former Vanguard pilots will not look down on it. They will let their eyes languish a few seconds before returning their attention to the horizon, thinking . . . there she goes, the last of the great prop-liners.

We’ve saved the best Air Canada Vickers Vanguard photos for the last. In this case we are presented with the signature low deck angle departure shot of an Air Canada Vickers Vanguard from Montreal Dorval taken in March, 1965. This original slide came fro the famous Thompson slide collection.

The signature front office nose on shot with the lovely view of the engines and beefy props and trademark black nose Air Canada Vickers Vanguard at Toronto Malton, October 1969. The font view of a Vanguard is pure magic!

Canada’s national airline, Trans Canada Air-lines was born on April 10, 1937, when the TCA creation bill was given royal assent. On September 1, 1937, the airline made its debut flight with a one hundred and thirty mile airmail flight between Vancouver, B.C. and Seattle, Washington.

A Lockheed 10A Electra was used for this historic fight. At the time, TCA owned only three Lockheed 10As and one Stearman biplane. (These aircraft had previously been owned by Canadian Pacific Air Lines.) New equipment was ordered and larger Lockheed 14s were added by December of 1938, giving TCA 10 Lockheed 14s and 10 Lockheed 10s in its fleet. By October 1938, a daily airmail service for the Postal Department had been established between Montreal-0ttawa-Toronto-winnipeg.

With the outbreak of World War II in l939, the airline operated quite sluggishly as passengers, crew members and ground support people had to devote more time to the war effort. On April 1, 1939, transcontinental revenue passenger service was initiated between Vancouver and Montreal utilizing a Lockheed 14 and a Toronto-New York service was started in May of 1941. During the war, the airline was in a holding pattern of expansion but it also saw TCA’s first European service. To support the Canadian Armed Forces in Europe. In 1943, an Avro Lancaster (called a Lancastrian by TCA) began to fly a war-time service between Montreal and Prestwick.

Early Trans Canada Air Lines Lockheed Lodestar interior circa 1940s, in colour. This aircraft flew domestic routes from January 7, 1941, to October 8, 1949.

TCA really began to expand after the war as they received a number of surplus and new DC-3s and Lancastrians, which cold hold ten passengers and 9,000 pounds of freight. In 1947, the Lancastrians were phased out and replaced with Canadian DC-4M2 North Stars. The North Star was the first pressurized, long ranged four engine airliner to go into service with TCA and operated its first revenue flight on April 15, 1947.

Throughout their career, the North Stars served the Montreal-London route, the cross Canada “milk run” which served small town routes and were also widely used on Caribbean routes. The DC-3 deserves honorable mention as it was the strong workhorse of TCA’s domestic route network up until her retirement in the early 1960s. By 1948, all the Lockheed 14s and the Lancastrians had been retired and the airline was gearing up for the next decade.

“Specify TCA International Air Cargo” by North Star as advertised in March, 1951.

Trans Canada Air Lines 1956 route map, effective with the March 1 timetable. The prime yield airliner of the day was the Super Constellation.

In 1954, TCA began an air-freight service and in doing so, began to convert the DC-4M2s to all cargo versions by stripping interiors, plugging the windows and strengthening floors. To supplement their new-born freighter fleet of North Stars, TCA acquired several Bristol Mk. 31 Freighters. The Bristols and the North Stars were used on scheduled, all cargo flights between Montreal-Toronto-New York and Montreal-Toronto-Winnipeg. The Bristols were phased out in 1955 as enough DC-4M2s had been converted to freighters. It had also been discovered that the Bristols were not very profitable.

In 1955, TCA aroused a lot of interest in North America when they became the first airline on the continent to use the revolutionary turboprop powered Vickers Viscount 724. The Viscount had already made a name for itself in the European market and it soon became a favorite among North American travellers. The first of many routes to utilize the Viscount was the Montreal-Toronto-Winnipeg route in April of 1955. A few months later this aircraft was added to the New York route as well.

After experiencing tremendous success with the Viscount, both TCA and BEA hailed launch orders with Vickers for the Viscount’s new big brother, the Vanguard. In 1958, TCA placed the largest postwar industrial order in England with an order for a fleet of 23 Vanguard 952s, worth $67 million. The Vanguards were needed for routes too long for the Viscounts and too short for the new long range DC-8 jets. In 1959, radar equipment was installed in all aircraft. The fleet now consisted of 13 Super Constellations, 49 Viscounts, 31 North Stars and nine DC-3s. It was also in 1959 that TCA placed their order with Douglas for DC-8 aircraft.

TCA Vanguard advert June 1959, boasting “TCA’s equipment plans for the jet age are now complete. In the new era of air travel ahead, TCA will be the first inter-continental airline in the world to operate an all-turbine fleet.” TCA had a standing order for 20 Vickers Vanguards to be inservice by 1961.

0n April the first, 1960, TCA became the first operator of the Conway powered DC-8-41. (The introduction of the DC-8 occurred 14 months before the first Vanguard entered service.) In June of 1960, the DC-8s began to fly the Montreal-London route, covering the distance in just six hours, compared with the Connie’s time of 11 hours. Douglas agreed to take most of TCA’s Connies in trade for DC-8s and the sun was now setting on the era of the piston powered airliner. 0n the 13th of June, 1961, the last North Star was retired.

The Douglas DC-8 was in service with Trans-Canada Air Lines effective June 15, 1960 “Across Canada – Across the Atlantic”.

Through the summer and well into the winter of 1960, Vanguard flight certification tests were still being carried out at Vickers in Weybridge (Surrey, UK) as severe turbine disk failures had been plaguing the engines. This led to a seven month delay in Vanguard deliveries. On February 1, 1961, the first Vanguard was delivered. This lead to the disposal of the DC-3s and Connies, which made TCA the first all turbine powered airline in North America.

In January of 1963, TCA placed an order for a DC-8F freighter, with the first one arriving in October. Then in 1964, in anticipation of a future Viscount replacement, an order was placed for eight Douglas DC-9-14s with Douglas. (Air Canada later upgraded to DC-9-30s.) The Douglas DC-9 was a medium range passenger jet that was designed to transport 100 passengers in jet comfort with jet economics.

Being Canada’s national flag carrier, it was felt that TCA’s colors and name did not accurately represent the country. It was decided to change the name to Air Canada. On 13 October, 1964, the first aircraft to wear Air Canada titles, (a DC-8), carried the Queen Mother from Ottawa to London. And on January 1, 1965, TCA officially became Air Canada. The name Air Canada is also bilingual.

By the following year Air Canada had 16 DC-8s, and the new baby DC-9s began taking over Viscount routes, operating with a 72 seat configuration. That same year also saw the opening of new cargo facilities in Vancouver and Toronto. In November, Air Canada also became the first North American airline to fly into the USSR (using DC-8 equipment) from Montreal via Copenhagen. In return, Aeroflot began service to eastern Canada.

By the summer of 1967, Air Canada had placed orders for four Anglo-French Concordes with delivery in 1973, plus six Boeing SSTs for delivery in 1977. Neither aircraft was ever delivered to Air Canada. The Boeing SST never even flew.

Air Canada introduced the stretched DC-8-61/63 into their fleet in 1967 in Time for the Montreal Expo that summer. As the carrier entered the 1970s, they took delivery of their first Boeing 747 on 11 February, 1971. By ordering from Boeing, Air Canada broke a lifetime of patronizing only Douglas and Lockheed. The 747s were put into service on the 25th of April, 1971, supplementing the DC-8s on the Atlantic routes. With this fleet upgrading, all Air Canada’s Vanguards were phased out of passenger service and one aircraft was converted to a freighter. By late 1972, all the Vanguards had been retired with three scrapped in Montreal and the others all going to operators in the UK and France via Air Holdings, an aircraft broker. The Viscounts were still keeping up after 17 years of reliable service, but their days were numbered due to the arrival of the new DC-9-30s.

In 1972, Air Canada, following the general trend, cancelled all options on the Anglo-French Concord. By March of 1973, the Lockheed L-1011 Tristar had entered service, first flying the Toronto-Vancouver route. An era really came to an end for the airline in April of 1974 when the last of the fleet of 51 Vickers Viscounts was finally retired. All of the Viscounts were flown to Winnipeg for storage and to await sale, but not all were sold. To this very day, a few diehard Air Canada Viscounts still sit out in pasture awaiting the dreaded torch.

Air Canada was now an ail Jet airline. The winter of 1974 saw Air Canada introduce the Boeing 727-200 to its fleet (at first placed on the Toronto- Montreal Rapidair route). The Boeing 727 has proved itself to be one of the most valuable additions to Air Canada’s fleet and now forms the core of Air Canada’s North American route network. By the mid 1970s, Air Canada’s older DC-8s were being phased out and some were leased to Cubana and Air Jamaica. In 1977, Air Canada DC-8-43s CF-TJB and CF-TFC were scrapped.

To commemorate the airline’s 40th birthday in 1977, Air Canada re flew that first historic fiight from Vancouver to Seattle, only this time it was with their newest aircraft, a Boeing 727, occupied by the media and senior company executives. In late l977, early 1978, Air Canada made a small alteration in its paint scheme. The airline titles, which were previously painted black, now appeared in red lettering. The black anti-glare nose panel was removed and the red cheatlline was thickened and was continued around the nose of the aircraft.

Photo page from the Captain’s Log, Spring 1984. The author was just 20 when this article was published, and this marked his very first time in print as a published writer.

With this exchange of shares, Air Canada’s equity was substantially increased, thus giving the company a much healthier debt/equity ratio. To the chagrin of CP Air, the government had improved Air Canada’s financial condition and at the same time, placed it in a stronger operating position than before. The airline would now be able to respond to any rapid changes in its environment which could be expected in the coming years.

The late 1970s brought about two very major realizations: The cargo industry was quickly growing and fleet modernization was of immediate importance. Air Canada’s general cargo revenues were growing at a rate of 25 percent per year and additional aircraft capacity was needed to help in the development of small package services. Three used Boeing 727-22 cargo jets were purchased from United Airlines in February of 1979, primarily to be used in the new small package service. It was also decided that five of the DC-8-63 passenger aircraft would be converted to pure main-deck freighters.

Back in 1979, Air Canada set an operational goal of keeping the passenger stretched DC-8s no longer than six years. A replacement would have to have a capacity of at least 200 passengers, have sufficient range to serve the medium and long range North American routes, and preferably have a twin aisle configuration. The Boeing new generation 767 was the plane chosen and twelve were ordered with options on 18 more. However, deliveries would not start until the spring of 1983. Until these new aircraft were on hand it was necessary to modernize the interiors of the DC-8s with the new wide body look, similar to the Boeing 727 interiors.

In the depth of the 1980 recession, Air Canada found that difficulties were arising in filling the seats of their 747s, particularly on the European routes. The answer to the problem was the Lockheed L-1011 (Lockheed once again) with its smaller number of seats and its over the pole range. The advanced L-1011-500 deliveries began in March of 1981. These aircraft were based in western Canada since they were going to be used on the western Canada to Europe routes.

In view of the success of Cammacorp’s CFM-56 re-engine program for the DC-8, Air Canada decided to get involved. In July of 1983, Air Canada decided to go ahead and have six of their DC-8-63AFs converted to the upgraded -73 series. Since that time Air Canada has signed an agreement with Cammacorp whereby Air Canada will perform their own conversions. Also, Cammacorp has licensed Air Canada to do contract work for other airlines at their Dorval maintenance base. The first DC-8 to be converted was C-FTlP which was ready for flight tests on November 23, 1983.

As planned, the stretched DC-8s were withdrawn from service before the six year deadline set in 1979 (by 1985). On April 23, 1983, all the stretched DC-8s flew their last passenger flights for Air Canada. Ali flights arrived at Toronto where the fleet was prepared for the ferry flight down to the Marana Airpark in Arizona.

The aircraft will be stored there until it is decided what is to become of them. At the time of this printing, all the Air Canada DC-8s are still in open storage at Marana. There has been many stories as what will happen to these aircraft. If not sold there is talk they may go to the Canadian government to be used as Canadian Armed Forces military and V.I.P. transports to replace the Boeing 707s.

As for the future of Air Canada, it will be very unpredictable. At present, the Canadian Department of Transport is reviewing the possibility of creating an American-styled type of deregulation. Any type of deregulation would hurt Air Canada. As for equipment, the DC-8-73s will last until the 1990s. The carrier is expecting the last batch of six Boeing 767s from their first order this year. Two 747s are currently being leased (one to Air National and the other to Global). As for a DC-9 fleet replacement, requirements are under constant review and nothing has yet been decided. When asked to comment on Air Canada in the 1980s for this article, Air Canada’s Public Relations Coordinator R. Reid replied, ‘”I am really unable to comment with the economic situation so volatile.”

Air Canada Vickers Viscount CF-TGT is serviced between flights at Vancouver’s old South Terminal Building in June of 1967. This particular Viscount was delivered to TCA on August 4, 1955, and was WFU in 1969. She was broken up at Winnipeg in 1970.

The landing of two Air Canada Viscounts at Toronto and Montreal April, 27 marked the retirement of the short-haul aircraft that have been a familiar sight in Canadian skies for 19 years.

Trans-Canada Air Lines Vickers Viscount DVD available here

The Viscount was the first turbine-powered airplane to be used on this continent, and it was in April, 1955, that Trans-Canada Air Lines first put it on scheduled daily service between Montreal and Winnipeg, with stopovers at Toronto and Fort William, Ont., now Thunder Bay.

The first flight was piloted by Capt. Walter Kent, now retired and living in Toronto, and its first officer was Capt. D. F. Tribe, who lives in Vancouver and now flies Air Canada Boeing 747s.

Air Canada Vickers Viscount on board pre departure from Ottawa circa 1966. This photo was supplied by “Breathnach” and seeing the interior of an Air Canada Viscount from the mid 1960s is pure magic, as it is such a rare image. The passengers are nicely relaxed reading their papers, while the flight attendant up front greets a boarding passenger with a newspaper. A Viscount memory from half a century ago frozen in time.

The first Viscount was delivered to Montreal from Wisley, England, with enroute technical stops made in Scotland, lceland, Greenland and Labrador back in December, 1954.

Manufactured by Vickers Armstrong, the Viscounts were delivered to their Canadian owners over a period of five years. TCA bought 51 of the little workhorses, and the large sale to a North American customer helped give British aviation technology a much-needed shot in the arm. Nearly 500 Viscounts were sold over the years, giving the aircraft the distinction of being one of the most successful commercial aircraft produced by Great Britain.

Air Canada Vickers Viscount CF-TIE at London, Ontario in September of 1966 with the company of a sistership. London was a sked Air Canada destination from Toronto Malton for Air Canada Viscounts and even Vanguards in the 1960s and early 1970s.

And for TCA’s passengers, it gave them the opportunity to ride aboard not just another “prop-job” but on an aircraft that would play the key role in aviation history by bridging the gap between the era of piston engines and the dawn of the jet age.

The 81-foot long, four-engine Vis-count was the darling of cabin and cockpit crews alike. “It was a beautiful airplane, and we all loved it,” recalls Mrs. L. l. (Billie) Houseman, Air Canada’s chief stewardess for many years.

The aircraft had a galley and coat room in the rear, with two lavatories in the from. As its main visual feature, it had huge oval-shaped windows whose drapes, made of hand-woven plaid, were designed by Karen Bulow of Montreal.

Air Canada Vickers Viscount awaits passengers at London, Ontario in September of 1966. London was a regular schedule destination for Air Canada Viscounts and even Vanguards in the 1960s and early 1970s.

“Work was made very easy for the two stewardesses on board. And another thing: the plane was beautifully quiet,” Mrs. Houseman recalled.

Trans Canada Airlines Viscount NorthStar Lodestar vintage movies from the 1950s stream on JetFlix TV

Pierre Charbonneau, now a captain on Lockheed L-1011 aircraft, remembers with fondness the 12 years he spent flying Viscounts across the land. And he, too, extols the plane’s quiet virtues.

“There was no noise, no vibrations,” Capt. Charbonneau said. “You put a five cent piece on a table or on an arm rest, and it would not even quiver. For those days, that was quite remarkable.”

Air Canada Vickers Viscount CF-THY at Toronto Malton April 1972.

The captain added that “the Viscount was an extremely versatile airplane for its time. It showed high reliability and efficiency. The Viscount’s four Rolls-Royce Dart engines were so proficient that they hardly offered maintenance problems.”

The Dart engine, over its many years of operations, became indeed refined to the point that it offered an industry standard of excellence and dependability.

Trans Canada Airlines Flight Attendant Training on Vickers Viscounts 1950s film on JetFlix TV

The Viscount had several seating configurations in the 1950s during the early years of service with TCA. Some were all first class, seating 44 persons. But in recent years, the Viscount was configured to seat 48 passengers in an all Economy configuration.

That was only a handful more than the 40-passenger North Star offered. But the difference between the two aircraft was more evident in other fields. The Viscount was much smaller in size, but was a faster aircraft with a cruising speed of 315 mph.

Air Canada Vickers Viscount CF-THC seen from the observation deck at a very Montreal Dorval in July of 1971, the photo being taken by Tom Kucherich.

Good and useful as it was, however, the Vickers Viscount could not avoid becoming an obsolescent aircraft. And just as it had replaced the Canadair North Star and the DC-3s of another era, it had to give way in turn to more modern and sophisticated equipment: the McDonnell-Douglas DC-9. The airline has 53 of the pure jet DC-9s which have now taken the Viscounts’ place as Air Canada’s largest fleet of a single type of aircraft. Air Canada’s fleet of Viscounts was gradually reduced in size throughout the years, until there remained only the 24 airplanes recently acquired by the two Montreal second hand aircraft brokerage firms.

Some of the previous Viscounts were retired and sold, others were “cannibalized” their parts being used for the upkeep of the existing fleet, while other parts were donated to aircraft maintenance training schools across Canada.

Air Canada Vickers Viscount CF-THL seen from the observation deck at Montreal Dorval in September of 1973, just a year before the Air Canada Viscount fleet was retired.

Among the purchasers were the Canadian Ministry of Transport. William C. Wold of New York, Canadian Schenley, Transair of Winnipeg, and United Aircraft of Montreal, which is using a former Air Canada Viscount as a test bed for development of a PT6A-50 engine. In future years, the Vickers Viscount is sure to be remembered with great fondness by Canadian air travellers for being a reliable, comfortable and safe aircraft that was an airline workhorse from coast to coast after her illustrious service with Air Canada.

TCA Viscount CF-THR at BOS on 12-22-63, David W Lucabugh photographer. This was Air Transport Photography slide nr V700559 from Clint Groves ATP collection.

TCA Viscount CF-THM gear up landing at Montreal Dorval 1961.

TCA Viscount CF-THM on finals over Montreal April 1963. Slide taken by Dr. John Hatton.

TCA Viscount looking brand new at Toronto Malton, 1956. No other information is known about this beautiful kodachrome slide.

TCA Vickers Viscount CF-TGR at Halifax July 1958.

Back in 2002 to 2004, zip successfully helped their parent Air Canada compete against its largest domestic competitor, and paved the way for Air Canada to set out on its post-bankrupcy strategy. Of course when we look back today ten years after the fact, that strategy proved to be highly successful.

The zip brand and its employees were absorbed into Air Canada’s mainline operation after the operation was wound down in September of 2004, and the old 737-200s mostly ended up in the boneyard. It brought the closing chapter of Boeing 737-200 mainline airline operations in Canada, which started way back in 1968 when CP Air first introduced the type.

I prepared an in-depth analysis of Air Canada’s zip experiment which appeared in Airliners magazine, and is presented below.

CHECK OUT the zip 737 Non-Stop Action DVD

This is where it all started for me: it was my very first published article. Growing up in Vancouver, Air Canada was the airline as a family we flew most as I was growing up. The Air Canada Viscount rides between Toronto and Ottawa in the 60s and early 70s got me hooked on what would become a life-long interest.

Whilst in grade 11, I joined the World Airline Historical Society (WAHS). Their quarterly publication “Captain’s Log” was something I waited for to come through my mail slot every three months. I couldn’t wait to see all the neat airline and collectible news, and other neat airline information that simply was not available to me via any other means.

In the thirty years that followed, I would make many life-long friends through the WAHS. It was back in 1984, when I contacted Air Canada’s Vancouver Public Affairs office to ask if they could assist in my writing an historic report on their airline for inclusion in the Captain’s Log. And the resultant article appears below. It was by no means a seminal piece. But it was a start.

My favourite caption from the article accompanied one of my photos and reads as follows: “Air Canada DC-8-63 C-FTIM is on the take-off roll at YVR on April 11, 1983. Twelve days later, all Air Canada passenger DC-8s were phased out. C-FTIM’s last revenue flight was from Calgary to Toronto on April 23, 1983.” I was only 19 when I took the photo!

CHECK OUT my 7 DVD series on the History of TCA / Air Canada 1940s – 1970s