Q: If you could fly anywhere to get your favourite food, where would you go?
Christine Rigby, Parrsboro, Nova Scotia

The list is long: I’d fly to London for pub grub or Thai food, Tel Aviv for hummus and Japan for miso soup and gyoza. I’d also head to New Delhi for chicken tikka masala, Seoul for Korean barbecue and Hong Kong for its gastronomic diversity. Closer to home, I’d set out for Ches’s in St. John’s for fish ’n’ chips or the Stinking Rose in San Francisco for the Forty Clove Garlic Chicken.

Photo: IstockPhoto.com / Mailtobee 

Q: What is the most unusual food you’ve ever had, and where did you have it?  
Catherine Korman, Montréal

I’ve had octopus in Greece, steak tartare in France and pig’s knuckles in Germany. I couldn’t get up the nerve to eat freshly skinned eels in Japan or chocolate-coated crickets in Korea, but I’ve eaten chewy cod tongues in Newfoundland. And while I passed on the “century eggs” (preserved chicken, duck or quail egg) in China, I did give pigeon a try in Hong Kong.

Photo: istockphoto.com / travellinglight 

Photo: Brian Losito

Q: Is there any way to detect and detour around turbulence? 
Ivan Chan, Vancouver

Air Canada’s policy is to avoid or circumnavigate known areas of significant turbulence, especially thunderstorms. On-board weather radar detects precipitation, which, if significant, implies turbulence. Modern airliners also have low-level wind-shear detection systems. No device detects turbulence due to jet streams, but weather maps depict and forecast all types of turbulence. Sometimes all it takes to ensure a smooth ride is for flight dispatchers to plan flights around areas of turbulence or at different altitudes. 

Q: How is the cabin air kept fresh? Are filters used?
David Clements, Canberra, Australia

Cabin air is continually bled from the engines. This conditioned air is then mixed with a nearly equal amount of highly filtered cabin air. A HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) system filters the air much like filters in hospital surgical rooms. Compared to buildings, however, airliners have even better filtration, a higher air-change rate and a higher proportion of outside air. Cabin air is exchanged every two and a half to three minutes – i.e. flushed 20 to 25 times every hour.

Photo by Brian Losito

Q: On takeoff and landing, when do pilots put the aircraft on autopilot?
Shawn Underhill, Edmonton

All takeoffs are done manually. Autopilots can generally be engaged 100 feet above the ground, but we usually wait a few minutes after takeoff. For landing, it’s a matter of preference when we disengage the autopilot. I like to “hand fly” the airplane starting at 1,000 feet above the runway on approach, but if visibility is very poor and the runway is equipped, I’ll use the autopilot to perform an autoland. 

Q: How often are aircraft repainted and what accounts for the different colour schemes? 
Scott Kennedy, Thunder Bay

Air Canada’s fleet is repainted every five to six years. Our latest paint scheme features Ice Blue on the fuselage with Canadian Red lettering. A handful of aircraft are chosen to support special events or initiatives, so, in the past, you may have spotted a giant red maple leaf celebrating Air Canada’s 65 years of service or a large raven honouring Canada’s First Nations people. Our newest arrival: a Boeing 777-300ER sporting the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games logo. 

In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the first powered flight in this country, Doug Morris answers your questions about Canadian aviation.

Captain Doug Morris answers your questions about aviation.

Captain Doug Morris helps you overcoming your fear of flying.

Questions you've always wanted to know but were too shy to ask.

Pilot Doug Morris answers your questions.