TCA/Air Canada Vickers Vanguard

[oldtimer]

Are there any old pilots around who flew the Vanguard airplane who would like to comment on the airplane. Was it any good? Was it easy to fly? Was it a safe airplane?

[valleyboy]

I'm thinking the vanguard era pilots are long gone. I knew a vanguard captain and he retired in the 70's. Most of these guys were ww11 vets. From my understanding they were a pretty good aircraft. I too would be interested in learning more about the aircraft and insight into what it was like to fly.

[W5]

Lots of opinions written in the Ace McCool stories about the Vanguard ("Mudguard").
https://www.amazon.com/Ace-McCool-Colle ... 0969732279

[New Antique Pilot]

I'm thinking the vanguard era pilots are long gone. I knew a vanguard captain and he retired in the 70's. Most of these guys were ww11 vets. From my understanding they were a pretty good aircraft. I too would be interested in learning more about the aircraft and insight into what it was like to fly.

I know one chap who flew the Vanguard as a first officer for Air Canada back in the late 1960’s. He is about 87 now and in good health. Prior to Air Canada he flew Lancaster’s for the RCAF on Maritime patrols in eastern Canada. He said the Vanguard was a fine aircr@ft; fast, lots of range, and could stop on a dime when those big props went into reverse. The next time I see him I will try and get more info.

NAP

[Old fella]

Into my 7th decade now but do remember some pax flights on the TCA early stuff aka DC-3,North Star, Super Connie, Viscount and Vanguard. My memory(although fading) is as follows:
DC-3 , swayed and rolled plenty, not comfy in back end. North Star was very noisy in all flight regimes with those liquid cooled merlins beating, I remember a yyt-yqx- yjt- yqy-yhz milk run very long and my ears rung for two days. Super Connie shook when it started and creaked/ groaned during taxi also quite a racket on landing like it was coming apart. Viscount had a particular whine , what you heard outside if one taxied by was same inside if you were a passenger. In the Vanguard at cruise something was always vibrating be it overhead carry on bins, in the bathroom, pull down window shades or inner plastic window area or whatever...

Flown on them all except L1011,B747, A330/340 and B787. My fav as an AC passenger so far is the B777, dare say there will be a ‘87 trip soonest. Sorry didn’t get an opportunity on the A340, others missed I don’t really care.

[PanEuropean]

I'm thinking the vanguard era pilots are long gone.

Not all of them - my next door neighbor got his command on a Vanguard, spent a few years flying it, retired off the 747 (all Air Canada).

He's in his early 80s and quite healthy.

[valleyboy]

Nice it's great to know that there are still people from the "golden" age of TCA , my how time marches on. It was a school visit back in the sixties by an air canada captain on professions day that put me over the top in making my choice to make a career (now retired) in aviation. I was already a private pilot at the time at 16 but not sure I wanted to do it for a living. He was the influence I needed.