CANADIAN AIRLINES INTERNATIONAL
Canadian Airlines International was formed on 26 April 1987 as a merger of CP Air (Canadian Pacific), Eastern Provincial Airways, Nordair and Pacific Western Airlines. CP Air brought in a fleet of eleven DC-10-30 as well as three leased DC-10-10 from United Airlines, but these were operated by the new airline for a month only.
Canadian added some aircraft to its fleet while some other were phased out. Some of the latter were leased back years later while others never returned to Canadian - this fleet politic brought Canadian the eleventh place in the eternal charts of DC-10 operators and the total fleet to 17 aircraft although Canadas second airline never opreated seventeen DC-10 at once.
Some of the CP-aircraft came from Pakistan International, including the famous "Employee Signature Plane" C-FCRE. The last ten years were full of rumours about the future of the DC-10 and in 1996, when C-FCRE became the mentioned "Employee Signatures Plane", it was sayed that it was a goodbye to the DC-10. The fact, that after this date C-GBQQ was acquired shows that DC-10 in Canadian colours were still a regular sight in Canada and larger airports in Europe, America and Asia at that time. Canadian Airlines International operated also a large fleet of 737-200s, some A320s, a 767-300ER fleet and four 747-400 Combis. The airline introduced a new colour scheme in 1999, but the same year, the airline was acquired by its main competitor Air Canada. The last DC-10 left the fleet in late January 2000 and was replaced by further Boeing 767-300ER. No DC-10 recieved the new Canadian Airlines colour scheme or did service with Air Canada.
For further informations, please read "DC-10'S AT CANADIAN AIRLINES", written by ex-DC-10 chief pilot of Canadian Airlines Tony Archbold. It contains a more detailled history of Canadian's DC-10 fleet as well as pilot's experience with this aircraft.
Photos:
Upper Right: Nose of the Canadian Employee Signature Plane, Frankfurt, July 1996 - BY YDE VIENNE
Left: Canadian Airlines DC-10, Frankfurt, July 1996 - BY MARTIN STEINER
Lower Right: Noses of two Canadian Airlines DC-10 - BY GORDON TAN
Following aircraft were operated by or for Canadian:
Registration | Aircraft | Fleetnr./Name | Operated from - to | Where is it now? |
C-FCRA | 46931/ 137 | 26.04.1987 - 28.09.1989 | Gemini Air Cargo | |
C-FCRB | 46940/ 141 | 26.04.1987 - 10.06.1991 | -stored- | |
C-FCRD | 47889/ 229 | 26.04.1987 - 16.10.1991, 30.10.1993 - 09.12.1994 and 15.02.1995 - 18.02.2000 | -stored- | |
C-FCRE | 47868/ 200 | 26.04.1987 - 28.05.1991 and 03.1995 - 29.10.1999 | SCRAPPED | |
C-GBQQ | 46916/ 202 | 02.1998 - 01.02.2000 | SCRAPPED | |
C-GCPC | 46540/ 268 | 26.04.1987 - 08.02.2000 | Centurion Air Cargo | |
C-GCPD | 46541/ 281 | 26.04.1987 - 26.01.2000 | -stored- | |
C-GCPE | 46542/ 295 | 26.04.1987 - 04.1999 | Bangladesh Biman | |
C-GCPF | 46543/ 341 | 26.04.1987 - 04.1999 | Bangladesh Biman | |
C-GCPG | 48285/ 352 | 26.04.1987 - 14.03.2000 | SCRAPPED | |
C-GCPH | 48288/ 364 | 26.04.1987 - 2000 | SCRAPPED | |
C-GCPI | 48296/ 370 | 26.04.1987 - 2000 | SCRAPPED | |
C-GCPJ | 46991/ 261 | 26.04.1987 - 12.1996 | SCRAPPED | |
C-GFXH | 46990/ 260 | 02.05.1988 - 31.03.1989 | SCRAPPED | |
N1834U | 47966/ 64 | 26.04.1987 - 02.05.1987 | -stored- | |
N1836U | 47968/ 74 | 26.04.1987 - 13.06.1987 | -stored- | |
N1837U | 47969/ 80 | 26.04.1987 - 22.05.1987 | SCRAPPED |
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