THE FINAL BETRAYAL: Trans-Canada-Airlines and the Avro Jetliner

IT WAS BAD ENOUGH that Trans-Canada-Airlines (TCA) made allusions to purchasing of the Avro Jetliner, before, during and after her creation… and then changed their minds.

Every, single, time,…

Yeah, that was bad enough.

But the final dagger had yet to be delivered.

So in true TCA fashion, the airline, Canada's national airline at the time, would flit about the world, like an unencumbered butterfly, descending on one aircraft manufacturer, after another, looking for the perfect jet airliner. Although the perfect jetliner, for their tiny needs, was sitting, had been sitting idle, at Malton Airport since 1949 waiting for that promised purchase order from them.

There the Avro Jetliner, which had achieved international acclaim in 1949, sat, and sat and sat. And the years past.

And in 1955, well…TCA was still looking!

So, since 1949, there was TCA energetically flitting about, unencumbered, that is by any sense of national pride, or loyalty to purchasing Canadian. Or even just doing the right thing for Canada, Canadians, Avro Canada, or themselves. Unencumbered by, you know, that very disposition most Canadians naturally came equipped with in the 50s.

But not the "uppers" or executive management at TCA. Nope.

So now watch TCA spring into action, in late 1955. This TCA prostituting of themselves should be entirely embarrassing to every true Canadian.

The British produced VC-7 was to be an jet-powered airliner alternative to the American Boeing 707 that was already scheduled to be delivered to airlines, worldwide, by 1958. BOAC had ordered some VC-7s but felt they could get by with their jet Comets so they rescinded that original order.

The VC-7 project was now on the verge of utter collapse. The prototype, then known as the XD662 was already eighty percent complete at the Vickers Wisley plant.

In struts TCA (later Air Canada).

Next occurs their 11th hour dramatic performance, and direct appeal (read whining) to the British Government, to keep the project alive! We might buy some VC-7s guys (… unless, well… we change our minds). For goodness sake, guys, save it, save the program!!

Here, TCA is trying to save a British produced aircraft from the cutting block!

Meanwhile. remember folks, at that very hour… the Canadian designed and produced Avro Jetliner, right there in TCA's backyard in Toronto, was still waiting on the tarmac in Malton, to get called up to the big-leagues.

After careful consideration of TCA's appeal (one day) the British government cancelled the VC-7 production on November 11, 1955.

WITH ALL HOPE NOW LOST… on December 10, 1956, with many newer, but not necessarily better jet-powered airliners to chose from… the Avro Jetliner still languishing at Malton Airport was ordered surplus, and then given to the National Research Council.

The NRC had no room to store a thing as massive as the Jetliner, so it was cut up three days later on December 13, 1956.

The cockpit and nose section alone were saved, and can be found today in the Canadian Aviation Museum in Ottawa.

I personally have touched the sole remnant that was the once the spectacular Jetliner.

In fact, I have crawled into the museum piece and sat in Don Roger's spot. I know, I know, it is a museum piece and I shoulda' been arrested, especially with all the people who were there with hand to mouth, pointing, and screaming… but, … but, I wasn't—

And that's why CANADIANS have no sense of their own history… they made no effort to carefully preserve it when they have the chance (save Paul Cabot).

The preserved nose section was nice, but my political party would have ordered the whole damn plane preserved.

Actually, my political party would have ended TCA's whoring (shopping spree) early on, and ordered them to buy the internationally acclaimed Jetliner, despite their niddly grievances. Grievances, which were only ever petty to begin with.

'Jus sayin'…