Meteorological April Fool.
On this date in 1939 Trans-Canada Air Lines inaugurated cross-Canada (if you ignore the Atlantic Provinces) service. The flight was from Montreal to Vancouver with lots of stops, most of them scheduled. The first was Ottawa.
The plane could accommodate ten passengers, three on the flight were women buyers from a department store, with three crew including the stewardess.
All did not go according to plan. Today, flight level is above the weather. Not so then. Icing developed as the plane started crossing the mountains. It had to turn back to Lethbridge.
The eastbound plane had to stop in Ottawa owing to a snowstorm. The passengers continued to Montreal by train.
My Dad joined TCA after WWII as a pilot in 1946. He retired in 1976 after 30 years. Of course it was Air Canada by then. I have such fond memories of the aircrafts. Malton was the main Toronto area airport before Pearson became the main hub. Nice to see the story on TCA’s beginnings.