SAA Orange Tail

November 1967

No. 47

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NEW FREIGHT OFFICES FOR DURBAN AND JAN SMUTS AIRPORT

Within the space of a fortnight recently, two new S.A.A. freight offices were opened by Mr. A. M. Conradie, Chief Executive, First of these was at Durban, where the move was from Oswald Pirow Building to the ground floor of Buckingham Court, corner Smith and Farewell Streets. Increasing the square footage of space from 3,290 to 6,000, the new premises should be adequate to meet normal requirements for the next ten years.

At Jan Smuts Airport, the trials and tribulations of Friday, the thirteenth (October), were quickly forgotten when a large number of cargo agents, airport officials, D.C.A. personnel and airline staffs, gathered in the new S.A.A. cargo centre for an opening ceremony that truly fitted the occasion.

During the course of his address, Mr. Conradie, inter alia, drew a comparison between the overall volume of cargo handled at lan Smuts today and five years ago. During this period, the figure has advanced by no less than 146%, from 6,758 tons in 1962 to 16,626 last year. S.A.A. statistics reflected a similar trend; the 4.234 tons handled in 1962 had grown to 9,941 tons in 1966, an increase of 134.8%. He further predicted that within the next five years an increase of the order of 150%-200% over the present volume of air freight being carried into and out of Jan Smuts Airport was anticipated. South African exporters and importers could look forward to having the benefit, by about 1972, of one, and more likely two, all-cargo flights each day between Johan­nesburg and London and/or various points in Europe. Jet freighters were going to become as familiar a sight at this airport as cargo vessels were at our seaports.

“South African Airways is facing the future with confidence, and when the time comes, it will be equipped and ready to meet this new challenge”, the Chief Executive concluded.

The new building has increased available cargo space from the former 7,864 square feet to 26,400. We are all holding thumbs that we’re not going to be too cramped until the new airport building complex is completed!

Seen at the ceremony were, front: Messrs. D. J. Joubert, Secretary for Transport; A. M. Conradie, Chief Executive and S. W. L. de Villiers, Deputy Secretary for Transport; back: Messrs. B. Mills. Under-Secretary for Transport; N. S. Louw, Commercial Director, and L. C. du Toit, Director, Civil Aviation.

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NUWE LUGVERBINDING

‘n Ooreenkoms is onlangs aangegaan tussen die Suid­ Afrikaanse Lugdiens en Lesotho Airways om vasgestelde dienste na en van hul onderskeie gebiede te reël, Hiervolgens is lugdienste met ‘n frekwensie van twee per week op 2 Oktober 1967 ingestel.

Lesotho Airways onderneem vlugte tussen Johannesburg en Maseru op Maandae en die wederkerige diens deur die S.A.L, geskied op Vrydae.

Die S.A.L.-vlug is uitermate geskik vir eendaagse besoeke aan Maseru; dit verskaf geleentheid vir ‘n verblyf van bykans ses uur in die hoofstad van Lesotho. Beide die vlugte van Lesotho Airways en die S.A.L. bied geriefiike aansluitings vir reise na Europa met die Boeing 707′s van die S.A.L. wat om 7 nm. van Jan Smuts vertrek.

Hierdie impromptu-foto is geneem kort voordat die eerste geskeduleerde S.A.L.-vlug op 6 Oktober uit Maseru vertrek het. Links op die voorgrond is kaptein P. Franz en mej. P. van den Berg, die reiswaardin wat die vlug vergesel het.

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BIGGER AND BIGGER

Commercial aircraft weighing as much as 1¹/₂-million pounds and carrying 1,000 passengers are predicted by Maynard L. Pennell; vice-president for engineering and product development in Boeing’s Commercial Airplane Division. He said that such aircraft are “not only possible, they are probable” within the next 20 years.

He predicted that aircraft would grow to 350 feet or more in length and would be even more economical than the high­capacity Boeing 747 (Jumbo let) which will be flying by the end of 1968. The 747, weighing more than 700,000 pounds and capable of carrying from 350 to 490 passengers, is 231 feet long and has a wing span of 195 feet. But multi-wheel landing gear, powerful engines and huge wing flaps will permit it to operate easily from today’s airport runways, with no more noise than the jets now flying international routes.

Pennell said wingspan growth has been “remarkably small” during the years; while the 747 weighs 28 times as much as a Dakota DC-3, its wing is only about twice as long. He further predicted air travel will continue to rise regardless of the type of aircraft in use, but the larger airliners will result in fewer aircraft in the air than there otherwise would be.

The great many jobs to be done by air in the future, will call for a variety of aircraft … large, small, supersonic and vertical take-off . . . plus flying vehicles not yet dreamed of.

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NEW ENGINEERING CHIEF

Congratulations to Mr. A. O. M. Vialls, B.Sc., Assistant Engineering Manager, who has been appointed Engineering Manager of South African Airways. He succeeds Mr. J. H. C. Kok who has been promoted to the position of Chief Super­intendent (Technical) in the General Manager’s office, S.A.R and H., Johannesburg.

Mr. Vialls, a bachelor, joined S.A.A. on November 21, 1949, and held the position of Assis­tant Senior Aeronautical En­gineer since August, 1962. He holds an advanced certificate in Aeronautical Science and was elected an Associate Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society on September 29, 1955.

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MULTILINGUAL AIRLINE

Is this a record? The South African Airways personnel in the Rome sales and reservations offices are able collec­tively to speak, read and write the following languages:­

Italian; English; Afrikaans; Greek; French; Turkish; Maltese; Yugoslav; Arabic; Portuguese; Spanish; Polish; Russian.

No wonder Rome does so well with interline traffic!

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S.A.L.- “AMBASSADES”

Die Suid-Afrikaanse Lugdiens het in die afgelope aantal maande verskeie oorsese kantore na smaakvol gemeubi­leerde en ruim persele verskuif. Onder andere is daar Sydney in Australië waar die nuwe kantoor te Elizabethstraat 9-19 geleë is, Parys waarvan die adres nou 12 Rue de la Paix is Men op ons foto kan die binnekant van ons Ziarich-kantoor gesien word by Talacker 21.

Ons is trots daarop dat ons kantore in die buiteland ‘n hoë aansien by die reisende publiek verwerf het ten opsigte van die vriendelikheid, hulpvaardigheid en gasvryheid wat hulle daar te beurt val. Ons wil vertrou dat hierdie “ambassades” van ons organisasie op die ingeslane weg sal voortgaan.

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JIMMY BOYD MEMORIAL TROPHY

A successful golf competition for the J. R. Boyd Memorial Trophy was held at the E.R.P.M. Golf Club on 10th October, 1967.

There was a tie on 140 for the trophy between Len Vanzanten, of Benoni Country Club, and Colin Keel, of E.R.P.M. Golf Club. The prize, however, went to the winner of “sudden-death” play-off, Vanzanten winning in three holes.

Messrs. Reg Taylor and Boy Nel were very welcome entrants, the latter is past president of the Bloemfontein Golf Club and the Orange Free State Golf Union. He recalled Jimmy Boyd’s early eminence in Free State Golf and his life-long affection for golf in the province.

Senior Captain Bob Truter spoke on behalf of South African Airways and mentioned the links between the airline, E.R.P.M. and the late Jimmy Boyd, stressing the latter’s fine ability and characteristic sportsmanship. All proceeds from the competition went to the S.A.A. Women’s Association.

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WAT MAAK DIE ORREL DAAR?

Sowel passasiers as personeel van die S.A.L. wat onlangs deur die Rotonde in Johannesburg gestap het, het onwille­keurig vasgesteek en die nekke laat draai na die „orrel” agter die inligtingstoonbank, Gou het woord van die nuwe speelding dan ook versprei en om gissings nou eenmaal uit die weg te ruim het ons korrespondent, met ‘n fotograaf as lyfwag, nader ondersoek gaan instel. Mej. Yvonne Biddulph, ontvangsdame, het met ‘n skelm glimlaggie ingewillig om vir die twee here ‘n deuntjie daarop te speel. Groot was die verbasing toe sy die klawerbord oopmaak en ‘n boodskap aan Kaapstad begin uittik.

Hierdie druktelegraaf – een van die modernste in sy soort -is spesiaal in die mooi kabinet ingebou om by die meuble­ment van die S.A.L. se stadseinpunt in Johannesburg aan te pas.

Goeie kommunikasies speel ‘n belangrike rol in die lug­vaartwese en hierdie toerusting is ‘n aanwins vir die S.A.L. Dit bring ‘n geweldige tydsbesparing mee aangesien dit ‘n direkte verbinding verskaf tussen die Rotonde en enige ander iugsiasie, in die afsending en ontvangs van boodskappe met betrekking tot passasiersverkeer.

Enige van one binnelandse lugstasies kan bv. binne sekondes regstreeks per kode geskakel word om belangrike boodskappe en inligting wedersyds oor te dra.

Mej. Bidduiph hef aan …, maar al geluid is die geknetter van masjiensleutels!

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SERVICE TO MANKIND

The following extract was taken from a letter received from nursing Sister June Wyatt, of the Royal Naval Hospital, Portsmouth, England. It was addressed to the Commissioner of the St. John Ambulance Brigade at Headquarters in Johannesburg.

“I would like you to convey to Mr. Ivan Nicholls and his team my sincere thanks for their efficient transfer of my patient from plane to plane on Thursday. They made us welcome and it was a pleasure to spend the waiting time with them. Needless to say, South African Airways was extremely good to us and most thoughtful for the patient’s comfort on the flight to London. He enjoyed his evening meal and then with the help from a syringe spent six hours sleeping peace­fully until Las Palmas.

“We arrived safely at Royal Naval Hospital, Portsmouth, at 3 p.m. on Friday.”

The staff concerned are thanked for their sympathetic and efficient handling of this and the many similar cases where humanitarian considerations invariably overshadow the call of official duty. Mr. Nicholls, who is employed as an aviation technician, has won many first-aid awards.

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. . . AND PLAIN SERVICE

After a plane trip, a businessman lost his luggage. “I just want to tell you,” he wrote to the head of the airline, “that I have never had a more enjoyable flight. The stewar­desses were living dolls, the food was better than in most fine restaurants, the trip was smooth and right on time and the captain’s announcements were extremely interesting.

“P.S.: How the devil could you lose luggage on a through flight like that?”

Back came the answer from the head of the airline: “I am most grateful for your generous comments, and am pass­ing them on to our operations and flight personnel people who were responsible for making your trip so enjoyable. We regard letters such as yours as an inspiration to ever improve our service to the travelling public.

“P.S.: In answer to your question-darned if I know, but I’ll try to find out”.

With acknowledgements to The Readers’ Digest.

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THE MONEY OR THE BOX

When the sponsors of a well-known Springbok Radio pro­gramme recently staged their “Pick-a-Box” show at Avion Park for Airways personnel and their families, it met with such great response that two shows had to be arranged for the same evening. During both sessions, i.e., at 6 and 8.30 p.m., the hall, able to seat more than 600 people, was stacked to the brim.

During the “Pick-a-Box” show held at Avion Park are First Officer R. J. (Roy) Pike and the well-known radio personalities Bob Courtney and Peter Lotis.

Mr. L. C. Hope, senior simulator instructor, was in charge of the arrangements, and the success of the evening was due in no small measure to the efficient handling of the many details involved. Many excellent prizes were won but the highlights of the evening was when one of the young male contestants, clerk Raymond Hawkins, of the Traffic Section at Jan Smuts Airport, walked off with a voucher for a brand new motor car.

Part of the happy audience during one of the shows.

During the course of the evening, which was marked by many a humoristic event, direct radio contact was made from Avion Park with an S.A.A. Boeing 707, skippered by Senior Captain D. B. Raubenheimer; who was asked to participate in the Show. The outcome was a cash prize of R100.00 and all ended on a happy note, when instead of dividing the prize amongst his crew, Captain Raubenheimer announced that they had unanimously decided to donate the money to the South African Airways Women’s Association.

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NUWE VRAGDIENS INGESTEL

Die nuwe stralervragdiens wat gesamentlik deur die S.A.L. en U.T.A, onderneem word, het op 1 November ‘n aan­vang geneem. Die vliegtuig, ‘n DC8F, het die vorige aand uit Parys vertrek met sowat 32 ton goedere aan boord-bykans ‘n vol vrag. ‘n Deel hiervan is onderweg afgelaai en die lugreus het op Jan Smuts geland met nog sowat 16 ton in sy tamaai ruime. Onder die items wat besonder aandag getrek het, was die Ferrari P4-renmotor waarmee David Piper aan die nege uur-wedren te Kyalami op 4 November sou deel­neem en ‘n LC.T.-rekenaar.

Op die terugvlug, wat dieselfde middag vertrek het, het die vliegtuig algemene vrag bestaande uit kreef, vleis, avokadopere ens., ingeskeep. Dit wil derhalwe voorkom asof die voor­spellings t.o.v. die verwagte fenomenale toename in lugvrag­verkeer beslis nie uit die lug gegryp is nie.

Daar was groot belangstelling onder redery- en lughawepersoneel om te sien hoe die DC8F van sy vrag ontslae raak.

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NUL

Vertragings kos nie alleen geld nie, maar het ook die uitwerking om kritiek te ontlok van ons kliënte, naamlik die reisende publiek.

In ‘n organisasie met ‘n omvang coos die van die Suid­Afrikaanse Lugdiens is foute lets wat vanselfsprekend nou en dan sal opduik, en sodanige foute werk dan ook vertragings in die hand. Nie alle vertragings kan natuurlik aan nalatigheid toegeskryf word nie-soms is daar onvermydelike omstandig­hede.

Op 24 Oktober het al die samestellende faktore weer seep­glad verloop en is nie een enkele vertraging ondervind nie. Dit is beslis ‘n riem onder die hart en elke betrokke lid van die personeel verdien ‘n klop op die skouer vir sy/haar lofwaardige bydraes en samewerking.

Ons hoop om nog sommer baie van hierdie opgawes met ‘n groot NUL daarop te sien.

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