SAA Orange Tail

December/Desember 1968

No. 60

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THE PIONEERING SPIRIT

Ever since it’s unpretentious birth in 1934, S.A.A.. has time and again taken the lead in pioneering new routes to a variety of destinations.

It was after World War II that S.A.A. took up the challenge of inter­national competition and in partnership with B.O.A.C. pioneered the now famous Springbok Route between South Africa and Europe/United Kingdom.

In the process, the airline also regularly changed the pattern of its overseas route structure in order to provide speedier and better services. At one time three services were routed via the East Coast of Africa, taking in centres such as Salisbury, Nairobi and Khartoum, while others operated the West Coast route via Leopoldville and Kano.

Perhaps the greatest single pioneering breakthrough came in August, 1963, when, almost overnight S.A.A. established an entirely new route to Europe embracing Luanda, Las Palmas and Lisbon.

The Wallaby Service has been no less of a spectacular operation and it befell S.A.A. to inaugurate the first regular jet service between South Africa and Australia some two years ago.

November 12, 1968, will long be remembered as the date upon which the announcement was made of yet another outstanding pioneering feat for S.A.A. Speculated upon for a considerable time, the proposed link-up between Johannesburg, Rio de Janeiro and New York will become a reality on February 23, next year. In making the announcement, the Minister said: “With the introduction of this service, S.A.A. will not only have achieved the ideal of linking Southern Africa with South America by air but will also bridge the only remaining ocean separating two continents. It is trusted that S.A.A. in pioneering this route will achieve great success and contribute materially to the promotion and expansion of trade and tourist traffic between South Africa and North and South America” – a most fitting conclusion to this article.

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SALES’ REFRESHER

The first symposium ever for Overseas contract staff was held in Johannesburg from 1st to 18th November, 1968. Sales Representatives from S.A.A.’s offices in Germany, Austria, Italy, France and the United King­dom attended refresher courses on subjects such as Rates and Fares, Cargo and Passenger handling, and were additionally briefed on the latest techniques in salesmanship.

During week-ends the group was taken on familiarisation tours to Cape Town, Durban and the Kruger National Park.

Left to Right: Messrs. Althoff, Dusseldorf; Luisetti, Milan; Daniels, London; Preston, Man­ chester; Bossdorf, Hamburg; M.M. Louw, Personnel Manager; Przyrembel, Frankfurt; J. Myburgh, Sales Training Officer; Bataille, Paris; Fraunholz, Munich; Floch, Munich; Gasparini, Padua; Reid, Glasgow; Flaig, Stuttgart.

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TWEEMOTORIGE TWEELING

Dit was ‘n groot oomblik vir die reuse-skare, wat byeenge­kom hat om hulle te verwelkom, toe die tweeling 737′s hul debuut gemaak hat op die Jan Smutslughawe by wyse van ‘n indrukwek­kende saluutvlug, laag in formasie, op Vrydag, 8 November 1968.

Pragtig uitgedos in die S.A.L. se kleure het die twee Boeings presies om 2.45 nm. gearriveer en binne etlike sekondes na mekaar neergestryk by hulle toekomstige tuisbasis. In gelid het hulle daarna aangery gekom na waar die span kameramanne, radio- en persverteenwoordigers hulle ingewag het.

Die 737′s word deur nuuskieriges van naby besigtig.

Die Pongola (ZS-SBL) en Gamtoos (ZS-SBM) is onder­skeidelik geloods deur hoofopleidingskaptein S.(Pi) Pienaar en senioropleidingskaptein A.H. de Wet. Die roete vanaf die Boeing­maatskappy se vliegveld in Seattle het gestrek oor Montreal, Las Palmas, Sao Tome en Windhoek.

Die totale afstand van 11,655 seemyl is afgelê in ‘n vlieg­tyd van 22 uur en 45 minute. 

Kapt. A.H. de Wet

By aanprysing van die hoedanighede van hierdie merkwaardige vliegtuie, het kaptein Pienaar ‘n rekordvlug vir ‘n tweemotorige straler oor die Atlantiese Oseaan deur ZS-SBL aangekondig. Dit het nie. die afstand van 3,530 statutêre myl tussen Montreal en Las Palmas binne 6 uur 36 minute afgelë teen ‘n gemiddelde grondsnelheid van 530 m.p.u. en . . . by aankoms te Las Palmas het dit nog genoeg reserwebrandstof vir twee uur in die lug gehad.

Hierdie prestasie is moontlik gemaak deur­middel van hulpbrandstof­tenks wat spesiaal vir afleweringsvlugte aange­bring word.

Dit is terloops die langste afleweringsvlug wat dusver met ‘n 737 deur ‘n klant van die Boeingmaatskappy onder­neem is.

 

Van regs na links: Hoofopleidingskaptein S. Pienaar, Naviga­ sieinstrukteur J. van Aswegen, Radioinstrukteur L. Lombard, mnre. Earl Ford (Boeing-ingenieur) en Jim Burgess (Boeing­ loods).

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NUWE BUSSE

Die vloot motorvoertuie van die S.A.L. se padvervoerdiens het onlangs mooi aangegroei met die ontvangs van 17 nuwe semi-luukse Mercedes Benz-busse. Hierdie netjiese voertuie, wat elk 20 passasiers kan vervoer, is toegerus met verstelbare rugleningstoele soortgelyk aan vliegtuigsitplekke.

Die vele luuks­hede behels onder meer indiwidueeiverstelbare ventilasieopeninge vir elke passasier, leeslampe en ‘n nuwe bagasieruim van nie minder nie as 100 kubieke voet.

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YANKEE YEA! YEA!

No, this is not trick photography!

When the U.S.A.F. Boeing 707 recently visited Jan Smuts Airport, S.A.A., always ready to serve, provided it with ground power during its stay – as is evident from the Flying Spring­bok emblem on the ground power vehicle.

This aircraft, fitted from front to rear with electronic equip­ment, was employed to assist tracking the recently successful Apollo 7 spacecraft. The white stripes painted on the black patch on its side indicate the various missions that this funny looking Boeing has flown.

The nose? Said an American staff member “Say, Buddy, that there nose houses enough advanced and sophisticated radar equipment to pay for three Presidential elections!”

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100%

Die groep manne wat die jongste kursus in Lugdiensrekene op die Jan Smutslughawe gedurende die tydperk 5 Augustus tot 1 November 1968 deurloop het, het almal geslaag.

Dit was die derde kursus in sy soort en die tweede keer dat al die studente geslaag het.

Ons wens die volgende 20 jongmanne wat tans beter toe­gerus is vir hul dienspligte in die S.A.L., van harte geluk:

A. Neethling (Johannesburg), P.A.L. Venter (Jan Smuts), K. Louw (Johannesburg), 1.F. du Toit (Johannesburg), J. Ackerman (Wind­hoek), J. Marê (Jan Smuts), M. Scheepers (Johannesburg), A. Watson (Johannesburg), N. Basson (Johannesburg), W. Gretton (Port Elizabeth), S. Beukes (Kaapstad), J. Viljoen (Kimberley), G. Jacobs (Bloemfontein), A. Klopper (Jan Smuts), P. Coetzee (Johannesburg), R. Booth (Oos-Londen), L. Moore (Kaapstad), M. Raubenheimer (Jan Smuts), G. Visagie (Kaapstad), en C.D. Coetzee (Jan Smuts).

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HET U GEWEET?

Boeingstraalvliegtuie verteenwoordig tans 50 persent van die vrye wêreld se handelstralervloot.

Tien jaar gelede, op 26 Oktober 1958 het die eerste ge­skeduleerde vlug deur ‘n V.S.A.-vervaardigde straalvliegtuig, 111 passasiers van New York na Parys vervoer.

Op daardie tydstip hat skroefaangedrewe vliegtuie die lug­roetes oorheers, kruissnelhede was weinig meer as 300 myl per uur en die beraamde gets] lugpassasiers in die nie-kommunistiese wêreld ongeveer 7.3 miljoen per maand.

Tans reis meer as sewe miljoen passasiers elke maand op Boeingstralers alleen. Sowat 225,000 passasiers gaan daagliks aan boord van Boeingstralers in alle dele van die wêreld, en reis gemiddeld 4.3 miljoen myl.

Die meer as 1,400 Boeingstralers tans in gebruik deur lug­rederye het reeds ‘n totaal van 318 miljoen passasiers oor ‘n afstand van 6.5 biljoen myl vervoer.

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SLAGGEREED!

Hierdie stralende groep dametjies is gefotografeer kort na­dat hulle hul „vlerkies” ontvang hat om amptelik reiswaardinne van die Suid-Afrikaanse Lugdiens te word.

Gedurende die seremonie wat vir die 16 jong „duifies” in die Kajuitdiensgebou op die Jan Smutslughawe gehou is, is hulle toegespreek deur mnre. M.M. Louw, personeelbestuurder en D. Kirkwood, verkeersbestuurder.

Ouers, vriende, lede van die Pers en ‘n aantal ander personeellede van die S.A.L. was toeskouers tydens die oor­handiging van die vlerkies deur mnr. W.W. Sly, kajuitdiens­bestuurder, aan die baie trotse ontvangers daarvan.

Ons vertrou dat ons nuwe kollegas gelukkig in ons midde is.

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THIRTEEN

The main features of S.A.A.’s northern summer time-table for 1969 are an increase in frequencies between South Africa and Europe/United Kingdom from eleven to twelve per week as from April 1, and to thirteen with effect from June 4.

The two additional services will operate to London on Wednesdays and to Frankfurt on Fridays.

The fast northbound services which at present depart from Jan Smuts on Tuesdays at 6 p.m. and on Sundays at 7 p.m. to arrive in London at 8.55 a.m. and 9.55 a.m. respectively the next day, are retained.

The fast one-stop “Southern Sprint” flights from London to Johannesburg are being increased to three per week and will in future operate on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Summarized, the revised pattern of flights means that S.A.A. will be able to offer an additional service each week to Paris, Frankfurt and London. Sunday is the only day on which there will not be two departures northbound and for the first time S.A.A. will be operating two Boeings out of London on the same day, i.e. on Thursdays.

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MOOI GEDAAN

Veels geluk aan mev. Norah du Toit, lid van die Avion• parkse ontspanningsklub, wat vanjaar die Jaarlikse Meriete­toekenning verwerf het.

Die Toekenning, oorspronlik deur Central African Airways geskenk, word toegeken aan die lid van Avionpark wat hom/ haarself onderskei as die persoon wat die grootste ywer en inspirasie aan die dag gelê het ter bevordering van sport- en klubaktiwiteite.

Mev. Du Toit, wie se eggenoot in die klerklike personeel van die S.A.L. is, het die toekenning ontvang as blyk van waardering vir die leidende rol wat sy vervul het ten opsigte van klubfunksies in die algemeen. Sy is altyd gereed bevind om lede te help, hulle van raad te bedien en af te rig in alle vertakkinge van klub- en sportbedrywighede. Sy is terloops die stigster van die Juniorpluimbalklub van Avionpark en, as lid van die pluimbalafdeling en kapteine van die dames se tweede­span, het sy haar bydrae gelewer om vin haar span vanjaar die ereplek in die ligawedstryde in te palm.

Mev. Norah du Toit ontvang die C.A.A.-toekenning van mnr. J. Adam, adjunk-bestuurshoof.

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CONSPICUOUS AWARD

A noteworthy and laudable action on the part of First Officer D.C. Martin, which took place earlier this year, was recently suitably recognised.

Whilst participating in yachting at the Pretoria Sailing Club, Rietvlei Dam, a yacht carring a man and his wife capsized in a sudden gust of wind. The woman became entangled in the rigging and was trapped under the boat as it turned over. Her husband was unable to right the boat or extricate his wife and the situation was indeed desperate.

First Officer Martin, who happened to be sailing nearby, saw what happened and hurried to the overturned boat. Aban­doning his own craft he jumped into the water and assisted to right the overturned boat and to haul the woman on board. By this time she was unconscious and was virtually drowned. Realising the gravity of the situation First Officer Martin im­mediately applied mouth-to-mouth artificial respiration until the rescue motor launch arrived. Accompanying the launch he con­tinued to attend to the patient. The woman was immediately transferred to hospital where she fortunately recovered – the doctors proclaiming that it was only due to the mouth-to-mouth respiration that she survived.

For his meritorious conduct which resulted in the saving of a life, First Officer Martin has received the “Bronze Medal for Conspicuous Service” awarded by the South African Red Cross Society. We salute so gallant a colleague.

Mr. J.A. Joel, Chairman of the S.A. Red Cross Society (left) presenting the Medal to First Officer Martin.

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YOU CAN QUOTE HIM ON FISH

After doing fare quotes day in and day out, six days a week, can you blame Justin Hare, Tours Clerk at the Air Termi­nal in Cape Town, for wanting to get away from it all by going underwater? In the silent world away from the telephone, travel agents and “I haven’t decided” passengers, the only figures that interest him are the weights of the fish that he brings ashore on the end of his speargun.

Free week-ends and his annual leave are spent at the coast getting his equilibrium sorted out and his bag full of fish. His “victims” have included Hottentot – the pisces variety – ranging through indescribables and indigestibles to yellowtail. The only trouble sharks have ever caused him is to “poach” the fish that he had all the work to shoot! With his best spear effort so far he brought home a musselcracker of 24 lbs. And that is enough musselcracker to crack any muscle.

A thrifty as well as meticulous skindiver, Justin makes his own equipment to his own design, with the exception of the suit which is factory-made to withstand the intense cold of the Cape waters.

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FORTY — NOT OUT

The S.A.A. typing pool in S.A.A. Centre, Johannesburg, is at present headed by Miss A.K. (Kathy) McLean who has, believe it or not, completed 40 years’ service with the Adminis­tration, but retiring age is nowhere near in sight.

She entered the Service during July, 1928, in the Chief Accountant’s office in Johannesburg after a spell of six months in a dress shop at R6.00 per month. Since then she has worked in various capacities in both S.A.R. and S.A.A. offices.

Kathy has visited South America, travelled extensively in the U.S.A. and Canada and, of course simply had to tour Scotland!

We wish Kathy a happy stay with us for the rest of her career. But then, she is always smiling or almost always anyway!

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