BC Tel - Telus

BC Tel - Telus Corporate Airplanes

An old late 1970's early 80's, onboard Citation brochure
13 years in service at the time this was made.

• 160 flying hours per month.
• 2 pilots, 10 passengers.
• 2 Pratt & Whitney Engines
• Cruising speed 425 mph
• Max alt 43,000 ft.

Citation Jet
I don't think this is the latest jet they use now.
Can't quite make out number on the tail
CE550 Citation II model I think?
the first one was an ex BC Hydro jet.
They then leased/bought another.

DHC-2T, MK. III built in 1966, sn 1640TB2

BC Tel Turbo Beaver, at unknown dock

BC Tel Beaver C-FASA at Terrace Airport
Time of BC Tel Brown Bear Radio Site Fire

Photos above courtesy Brooke Hodson

BC Tel in the 1970's they flew a Fairchild Merlin II B at one time, before switching to the Citations.
In Late 70's and early 80's they flew 2 Citations.
Then cut backs forced them to drop one Citation.
The Beaver was stationed over on Vancouver Island.
the citations and Head Office on Sea Island at Richmond BC

Other planes, Citation 10 possibly.

1- DHC2T Turbo Beaver Amphibian, C-FASA, registered in 2004

1- DHC2T Turbo Beaver amphibian, (C-FCKW)
C-FCKW Shown as registered to Kenworth Canada, and another article says they are using Telus pilots and service.
Telus corporate site says they operate 2 Beavers.
so not positive of details here.

1- Quest Kodiak 100 100-0027, Amphibian- C-FTEL, (previous N492KQ)
registered in 2009

1- CE750 Cessna Citation X, 750-0188, Corporate Jet. - C-FTEN
registered 2004
Equipped with two Rolls-Royce AE 3007C1 engines

ca 2012

• Ms. My-Linh Truong, Human Resources - Senior Recruitment Consultant
• Mr. Mark Paterson, Operations Manager / Chief Pilot
• Mr. Norm Hudolin, AME

Telus Corporate Flight Department
4360 Agar Drive
Richmond, BC

1970's -80's

Ed. M. Paul
Manager of Flight Operations
received Award of Merit, 1996, Canadian Business Aircraft Assoc.
shown Ottawa ON at the time.

When I worked for BC Tel, later Telus, We used commercial carriers at first, then suddenly they went into the airline business.
We had to try and fly with the new corporate fleet first, and if no seats available, then a commercial flight.
I liked the Merlin, and the Citation, as it was quick, no hassle with security etc.
You were escorted out a side door at the airport, and away you went to the south terminal.
Calls were made ahead, so even taxi's were waiting.

We were told NOT to tell the general public we even had planes, as they would think it was a waste of their money, and reason for phone rates being so high.
I'm not sure if this was true. With the amount of travel required from up north, commercial rates were expensive too.
But you will never see “Telus” on the side of their planes
I'm sure the CEO and the Directors are in that Citation every day, to places around North America.
I remember Basil Beneteau, as President and Chairman of BC Tel, mid 1970's, who sold the Corporate Limo, got rid of his personal driver, and drove to work himself,
in his Volkswagen Beetle, to set an example, to the other employees as a way to save money.
I can't see the later CEO's ever doing that!!

I know Brian Truitt was the pilot of the Beaver out of Port Hardy/Campbell River? until he retired.

Trying to remember the other staff and early pilots.
My daughter had numerous flights on the citation, with her mother, on the way back and forth every 2 weeks, in early 1980's, on medical flights to the Children's Hospital.

Ed Paul was Head of the whole flight center at that time. If there was a seat available, they were on the plane.
Mr. Paul, and his crew were very accommodating. There is no way I could have afforded a commercial flight, for all the trips required. I thank them for that.

My wife would bake for a week before getting on the plane, and her Nanaimo bars, Muffins, Cookies, and Cakes, were well received by the whole crew.
Maybe that is why she always had a seat. that was it as well, one seat. she had to sit with my daughter on her lap.
she never had a problem unless it was top brass.
She could always tell a manager on board.
Lots of flights the pilots had to tell some of the guys that were early complainers, to never mind, she was a good kid, used to flying, and wouldn't bother them.
All those flights, and she never did. Some would even compliment my wife after the flight. She was a well seasoned flier by age 1.

Aug 30, 2012 received a nice email from a Mr. Brian Losie who passed on this update for my history above

“To augment your information, C-FASA, the Turbo Beaver, replaced C-FFKL in the early 80's.
Some pilots of record that worked with Ed Paul were:

• Mike Brown
• Mike Fritz
• Ken Strilesky
• Doug Stewart
• Jack Pomerleau (left to become Chief Pilot of Pacific Coastal)

One of the Citations came over from BC Hydro c/w a pilot, and the other one was formerly owned by F1 driver Nigel Mansell.”

Thanks Brian for the info, and the names ring a bell for sure.

Vancouver Airport, Feb 1990,
courtesy Ron Anderson, Terrace

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