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Dominion Airways Limited
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Joe Bertalino interview : [Swartz, 1985]

CALL NUMBER: T4210:0007 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Pioneer Profiles project : Joe Bertalino RECORDED: Vancouver (B.C.), 1985-03-11 SUMMARY: Joe Bertalino was an early aircraft maintenance engineer, the first Vancouver employee of United Airlines. Served on the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. Maintenance Chief at Abbotsford. Joined Department of Transport as Airworthiness Inspector post WWII. TRACK 1: Meeting Lindbergh at Spokane airport in 1927 and starting an aviation career. Moving to Vancouver and working for Dominion Airways. Barnstorming around Kamloops with Humphrey "Hump" Madden in 1931. Working at Vancouver airport in the early 1930s. The "cent-a-pound" days. Gliding activities at Vancouver airport. United Airlines; commences airline service to Vancouver. Working for United then Trans-Canada Airlines. TRACK 2: Starting up the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. Activities at Vancouver, Victoria, Boundary Bay, Caron, and Abbotsford. Working for the Department of Transport, post war. Inspection of homebuilt aircraft. Accidents on the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. Reminiscences of the Boeing flying boats. CALL NUMBER: T4210:0008 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Pioneer Profiles project : Joe Bertalino RECORDED: Vancouver (B.C.), 1985-03-11 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Joe Bertalino began flying and ground school with Dominion Airways at Lulu Island. Bill Templeton spurs on airport development. Background on Dobbins and Dominion Airways. Four Dobbin Brothers. Helped assemble Gypsy Moths. Loss of seaplane. After Vancouver put up hangar, transition from Lulu Island to Sea Island. Life at Lulu Island (Lansdowne) airport. Competition. Accident with Stinson. Flying training and night school. Evolution of Aero Club of British Columbia. Original hangar use and buyout. TRACK 2: Temporary hangar at Lansdowne, changing aircraft from wheels to floats. Offices in hangar. 1931 Air Tour. 1930 Air Tour. First autogyro at Vancouver. Rosco Turner's record flights. Other record flights from Vancouver. References to post war Ministry of Transport Inspectors.

Cecil Coates interview

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Pioneer Profiles project : Cecil Coates RECORDED: North Vancouver (B.C.), 1985-04-03 SUMMARY: Cecil Coates ran boat service in Kootenay Lake district, 1920s. Learned to fly with Dominion Airways, 1928. Became aircraft maintenance engineer. Worked for Canadian Airways. Started own business, Coates Aircraft, at Vancouver in 1935. Went bankrupt in 1952. Worked as storeman on Kemano project subsequently. TRACK 1: Early biographical information. Working on the Kootenay Lakes. Meeting Fred Dobbin and commencing flying. Training as an Air Engineer. Working for Canadian Airways on Vancouver-Victoria service. Commencing business as Coates Aircraft. Aircraft maintenance during WWII. TRACK 2: Wartime maintenance contracts and conditions. Post war transition to boat building. The collapse of Coates Aircraft. Comparisons of aircraft of today (1985) with those of pre war times.

Joe Bertalino interview : [Stoddart, 1978]

CALL NUMBER: T3214:0001 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1978 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Joe Bertalino discusses: background; how he got interested and involved in aviation; Lulu Island experience; doing both flying and mechanical work at this time; started a flying school in Kamloops; barnstorming; training procedure when he was learning to fly; out at the new airport in Vancouver in the '30s; United Air [Transport?] job, 1934-39; switched to Air Canada (i.e., Trans-Canada Airlines) at outbreak of war; joined Air Force -- organized flying schools; time in the Army; Abbotsford airport, job as inspector in 1947 until retirement, 28 years later. Discusses his work with flying schools, especially the training students received during the war. Flying up the coast before WW I. Procedures in case of an accident. Accidents. Dobbin brothers -- Dominion Airways. TRACK 2: Joe Bertalino: the Dobbin brothers (cont'd); the Travelaire; Dominion Airways -- what happened to staff when it folded; gliding; social life in the airline business; difficulties in the Depression -- hard to convince government to spend money on aviation, but no active opposition; Hal Wilson and his flying of the tri-motor (based in Victoria); his first flight; why he got involved in aviation -- the excitement; adventures in flying in the bush; anecdote about getting lost; pilot-mechanic partnership on flights; wooden props -- took awhile to ship; no radios in planes until 1934 in Canada. CALL NUMBER: T3214:0002 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1978 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Joe Bertalino discusses: beginning to use radios in airplanes; advent of night flying; large aircraft first came in early to mid 1930s; icing problems when he was flying -- worst was with the Beechcraft traveling up the coast; first jets in B.C. -- the De Havilland Comet, Douglas DC-8; relationship between TCA and CPA in the early days; the 'Flying Seven' -- a group of seven women who got their aviation licenses. [TRACK 2: blank.] CALL NUMBER: T3214:0003 RECORDED: [location unknown], [1978?] SUMMARY: TRACK 1: A continuation of Paul Stoddart's interview with BC aviation pioneer Joe Bertalino. Mr. Bertalino recalls his experiences barnstorming in the B.C. interior in a Fleet biplane with Humphrey Madden in the 1930s; the beginning of his involvement in aviation; navigating by following roads and powerlines; taking people up for short airplane rides; visit to Douglas Lake Ranch; Grant McConachie's early freight service into the north; etc. [TRACK 2: blank.]