SAA Orange Tail

January/Januarie

No. 25

1966

 

NUWE AANSTELLING

Dit is met genoeë dat ons mnr. A. M. Conradie, S.A., voorheen Hoofregsadviseur, aan die lede van ons per­soneel bekendstel. Mnr. Conradie is so pas aangestel as Instudeerder van die pos Bestuurshoof wat tans deur mnr. J. G. Grovê beklee word. Sedert hy op 1 Oktober 1945 as Hoofregsbeampte by die Diens aangesluit het, het mnr. Conradie in noue voeling met lugdiensaangeleenthede verkeer. Mnr. Conradie het reeds op 1 Julie 1,949 lid geword van die I.A.T.A.-regskomitee en is nog steeds lid van diê liggaam. Hy het gedurende sy ampstermyn al beide as Ondervoorsitter en Voorsitter van die Regskomitee ge­dien. Waar mnr. Conradie se verbintenis met die S.A.L. nou op intiemer grondslag geplaas is, wil ons hom graag langs hierdie weg baie hartlik in ons midde verwelkom en hom alle sukses in sy nuwe werkkring toewens.

———-

BEHIND THE SCENES

In previous editions of our Staff News the various branches of our organisation were dis­cussed in broad outline. Although it is not pos­sible to cover every single facet of S.A.A.’s operations in detail, it has been decided to make space available in order to focus atten­tion on some of the more obscure, though im­portant activities of the airline. Many staff members were privileged to en­joy the recent festive days in full by spending the holidays at home or in the open. There were others, however, who on account of the nature of their work, had to remain on duty. Among these are our air crews, traffic and technical staff and various others directly as­sociated with the conveyance of passengers and freight activities which cannot be allowed to come to a standstill at any time. At Jan Smuts Airport there is a team of men involved in the arrival and departure of all S.A.A. aircraft, as well as those of certain other airlines. The S.A.A. Departure Staff at Jan Smuts Airport handle an average of about 16 arrivals and an equal number of departures each day. These men are seen on the aircraft parking apron area at Jan Smuts Airport. Clad in white overalls, they move in and out and around arriving or departing aircraft, but there is more behind their activities than meets the eye. Daily, before the break of dawn and at least two hours prior to the departure of any of S.A.A.’s air­craft, these men are at the ready, carrying out pre­flight checks. A team consists of a full complement of technicians, each of them qualified in a different field such as Radio, Electrical, Engines, Airframes, Instruments, etc. Before an aircraft is prepared for departure, it is accepted in an airworthy condition from the main­tenance area by the Departure Staff. The aircraft is then towed to the parking apron in front of the passenger terminal building where the loading and pre-flight preparations and checks are carried out. A host of items must be checked and where dis­crepancies or malfunctions are detected, these have to be remedied on the spot. In the early days a pre­flight check or inspection of the aircraft and its equipment was carried out by the pilot. It can well be understood that today this would be an impos­sible task for the pilots of modern jetliners on ac­count of the many complicated items of equipment of the aircraft. The pre-flight check-list of a Boeing 727 for example, calls for over 100 definite checks to be performed, some of which are of a very deli­cate nature. The following are but a few of the many items which have to be checked before each departure and after all landings at Jan Smuts Airport: Tyres for cuts or damage and correct air pres­sures; quantity of fuel and oil and samples thereof; windshields; batteries; all lighting facilities; aircraft brakes; all instruments; oxygen systems; radio, electronic and radar equipment; aircraft cabin; gal­leys, toilets, etc. When a certain stage in the pre-flight checks has been reached and it is evident that the flight can depart on time, the passenger’s baggage is taken on board and finally the flight crew and passengers embark. By this time a telephone has been plugged in to the aircraft for communication between the ground crew and the pilots. The men performing last-minute checks in close proximity to the jet aircraft will be wearing earmuffs to protect their ears from the noise of the starting engines. Whilst the engines are started a running commentary is in progress between the air and ground crews as regards the behaviour of each engine. Finally when everything is operating smoothly the telephone will be stowed in a special cavity near the aircraft’s nose wheel well and locked. The wheel chocks are removed and the pilot is given the thumbs-up sign for taxiing away.

A departure team posed for a brief moment for our cameraman.

This, of course, is standard procedure for all air­craft. But should anything go wrong during the start-up procedure an emergency drill will immedi­ately be carried out. If the nature of the defect would cause an indefinite delay to the aircraft, another one would immediately be made available. Fortunately this is a rare occurrence. When an aircraft lands, a ground power unit is always the first on the scene supplying electrical power to the aircraft,’ for cabin lighting, cabin ven­tilation, galley heaters etc., until such time as the aircraft becomes dependent on its own electrical power generated from the engines. The aircraft log book is always carefully scrutin­ised for any comments as regards in-flight behav­iour of the aircraft and discrepancies and faults are regularly discussed with the pilots. It can well be said that each flight by South African Airways is undertaken with a “fresh” air­craft in the true sense of the word. The men respon­sible for this work – the men of Departure Staff – enjoy their work. It is their duty to ensure that the end product of a complex engineering organisation is finally ready to enter service and meet the exact­ing demands of a public transport system. They achieve a sense of satisfaction and pride each time an aircraft takes off on time and turns onto course for destination.

———-

S.A.L. IN ITALIË

Op 21 Desember 1965 het die Suid-Afrikaanse Lugdiens ‘n filmvertoning, in samewerking met die Suid-Afrikaanse Inligtingsattachê en Satoer, in die Hotel Palace, Milaan, aangebied. Die foto hieronder toon mnr. V. Cerrato, Suid ­Afrikaanse Lugdiens se seniorverkoopsverteen­woordiger in Milaan, besig om die gehoor toe te spreek.

———-

MATCHBOX COLLECTOR

Collecting matchboxes is the hobby of Mr. G. R. Jooste, Plan­ning Assistant at Jan Smuts Air­port. It all began when, during 1957, Mr. Jooste visited the Bar­nado Homes (or­phanages) i n Britain. During his visit he made a donation to the box of matches as Homes and in return received a a souvenir. This became the first item in a collection of scores of other matchboxes and folders from many parts of the world. According to Mr. Jooste the fascination of this hobby lies in the different designs, shapes and colours of the holders as well as of the matches themselves. Some matches are made of wax, others of wood or cardboard whilst the tips of matches are made in just about every colour of the rainbow. Matchboxes are used to a large extent for advertis­ing by countries, cities, hotels, garages and many other organisations. Mr. Jooste feels that unless a box or folder of matches is complete, it is not suitable as a collector’s piece.

———-

OOR DUIWE

In ons uitgawe van November 1964 het ons mnr. Bill Morkel, duiweliefhebber, aan u voorgestel. Soos reeds voorheen gesê neem die belangstelling in duiwe in Suid-Afrika jaarliks al hoe meer toe en hierdie sportsoort trek steeds meer en meer aan­hangers. Om ‘n idee te kry van die afmetings wat hierdie stokperdjie aangeneem het, kan mens maar net die feit in ag neem dat ‘n uithalerduif al vir R500.00 verkoop is en dat ‘n nuwe motor as eerste prys in ‘n duiwewedren iets alledaags geword het. Mnr. Morkel wat voorsitter van die Johannes­burgse Duiweklub is, is onlangs afgevaardig om ‘n maandlange toer na Frankryk, België, Duitsland, Holland en Brittanje te onderneem. Die hoofdoel van sy besoek is om nuwe idees in duiweboerdery te bestudeer en in hierdie verband bestaan daar on­eindig baie faktore soos byvoorbeeld die teel, voer en vlieg van duiwe asook duiwehokke en mandjies. Ons wens mnr. Morkel alle sukses toe in sy on­derneming en sê: “Lekker vlieg oom Bill.”

———-

FEATHER IN OUR CAP

Many letters of appreciation are received from satisfied passengers of South African Airways, and as it is felt that such compliments should be shared by all the staff, extracts from such letters are pub­lished from time to time. The following letter was received from Mr. E. R. Hammond of Kimberley:­ “My wife and I flew to London recently by a foreign airline, but decided to return to this country by S.A.A. one day before the completion of our visit overseas.” “When I called on your office in Rome I received a very cordial reception and my request for a book­ing was arranged with such efficiency and lack of difficulty, that I could not help being impressed. The flight from Rome,was extremely comfortable and the service rendered by the staff during the period of the flight was above criticism. In fact, neither of us lacked for anything. “I can assure you that I have had no hesitation in advising all my friends of this, and I have no doubt that they will respond by using your airways. We felt extremely proud to be South Africans when we heard from fellow passengers from other parts of the world that they felt as we did.”

———-

DIE OES IS DIE ARBEID SE LOON

10 Desember 1965 was ‘n besonder heuglike dag vir baie lede van die Kol. Japie Louw-tak van die Suid-Afrikaanse Noodhulpliga. Dit was naamlik die dag waarop sertifikate aan lede oorhandig is wat gedurende die afgelope jaar in die noodhulp­eksamens geslaag het. Vier eerstejaarsertifikate, agt tweedejaarsertifikate, een diploma en een hoog­ste diploma is tydens die geleentheid oorhandig. Die tak was terselfdertyd vereer deur die teen­woordigheid van mev. Vera Louw, eggenote van wyle kol. J. D. T. Louw, gewese adjunk-bestuurs­hoof, wat die oorhandiging van die sertifikate waargeneem het. Nadat sy die hoop uitgespreek het dat die tak van krag tot krag sal gaan en al die lede ‘n geseënde Kersfees en ‘n voorspoedige Nuwe Jaar toegewens het, is ‘n pragtige ruiker aan haar oorhandig. Die belofte van getrouheid deur lede wat die eerstejaarsertifikaat ontvang het, is voor komman­dant P. van Niekerk afgelê.

Op die foto verskyn in die gewone volgorde mev. Vera Louw, adjunk-veldkornet F. P. Viljoen en kommandant P. van Niekerk.

———-

OUTOMATISASIE

Ten einde die verwerking van gegewens t.o.v. sitplekbesprekings te bespoedig het die Suid-Afri­kaanse Lugdiens onlangs tot volle outomatisasie op diê gebied oorgegaan. Met die ingebruikneem van ‘n rekenoutomaat in die afdeling dataverwerking in die Suid-Afrikaanse Lugdienssentrum te Johannesburg, is besprekings nou gemeganiseer en n groot tydsbesparing teweeg­gebring. Aansoeke om plekbesprekings word gewoonlik op drie maniere ontvang, naamlik telefonies, skriftelik of per drukberig. In telefoniese gevalle word die aansoeke deur ‘n aantal dames in die besprekings­kantoor ontvang en die inligting op kaarte aange­bring. Hierdie kaarte word by wyse van ‘n vervoer­band na die binneruim van die besprekingskantoor gekarwei waar dit tesame met skriftelike aansoeke gesorteer en die inligting op ponskaarte aangebring word vir inlesing in die rekenoutomaat. Drukberigte wat vanaf ander sentrums in die Republiek ontvang word, is so opgestel dat die telekspapierbande direk in die rekenoutomaat ingevoer kan word.

Een van verskeie kontrole-eenhede van die rekenoutomaat.

Die rekenoutomaat word daagliks op die heel jongste bedryfstydtafel ingeskakel en sodra aan­soeke daarin ingevoer word „lees” die outomaat die geldigheid van die verskeie aansoeke m.a.w. of die vlug, sektor of klas sitplek wel bestaan. Enige fou­tiewe aansoeke word in hierdie stadium outomaties uitgewerp vir ondersoek en herstelling. Nou word die korrekte aansoeke op ‘n magnetiese skyfpak aangebring en deur die outomaat gevoer. In hierdie proses word werklike verkope, waglyste, kansella­sies, verwante I.A.T.A.-aksiekodes, ens., van me­kaar geskei, waarna die gegewens verwerk word. Die rekenoutomaat werk teen sowat ‘n 11-mi1­joenste van ‘n sekonde wanneer dit ‘n program uit­voer. Daar kan egter elke 40-miljoenste van ‘n sekonde soveel as 2,980 syfers of simbole deur die outomaat opgeneem en vir latere gebruik in enige van 16,000 posisies gebêre word. Nadat die outomaat sy taak voltooi het, voorsien dit die betrokke personeel van ‘n weergawe van die presiese besprekingstand vir elke Suid-Afrikaanse Lugdiensvlug. Selfs die passasiers se name en spesiale besonderhede soos etes, hotelbesprekings, vervoer, ens., is op ‘n netjies getikte verslag alfa­beties gerangskik.

———-

WARMPATAT VIR VISCOUNTS

Daar was onlangs, toe Viscountvliegtuie op ‘n paar geleenthede nie Bloemfontein kon aandoen nie weens die buitengewoon hoë temperatuur wat daar ondervind is, heelwat vrae van sowel die publiek as lede van die personeel oor die rede hiervoor. Daar was natuurlik geen probleme om te kon land nie, maar die vliegtuig sou dan daar vertraag moes word totdat die temperatuur afgeneem het. Die vervaardigers se spesifikasies stipuleer dat ‘n Viscount 813 nie van ‘n lughawe mag opstyg wan­neer die hittegraad meer as 30 grade Celsius bo die neergelegde internasionale standaardtemperatuur is nie. Dit word bereken op ‘n basis van 15 grade Cel­sius by seespieël min twee grade Celsius vir elke 1,000 voet bo seespieël. By die J. B. M. Hertzoglughawe wat 4,500 voet bo seespieël geleë is, mag Viscounts nie opstyg wan­neer die temperatuur 97 grade Fahrenheit oorskry nie.

———-

VERKEERSTAND

Die volgende passasiersverkeer is gedurende Desember 1965 deur die Suid-Afrikaanse Lugdiens vervoer. Die syfers vir die ooreenstemmende tyd­perk van die vorige jaar d.w.s. Desember 1964, word ook aangedui met die persentasievermeer­derings tussen hakies.

PASSASIERS
Dienste	1965 Desember	1964 Desember	Persentasievermeerdering
Internasionaal
Springbok	5,465	4,377	+ 24.86 %
Wallaby	441	241	+ 82.99 %
Streek	4,935	4,102	+ 20.13 %
Binnelands
Standaardklas	41,063	34,170	+ 20.17 %
Koetsklas	12,545	10,873	+ 15.38 %
TOTAAL	64,449	53,763	+ 19.88 %

  Gedurende die kalenderjaar Januarie tot Desem­ber 1965 is ‘n totaal van 692,383 passasiers vervoer. Dit is 87,000 meer as gedurende 1964 en die mik­punt van ¾ miljoen wat ons ‘n tydjie gelede in die vooruitsig gestel het, sal na alle waarskynlikheid in die loop van hierdie jaar bereik word.

———-