SAA Orange Tail

October/Oktober 1968

No.58

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PORT ELIZABETH VERNOEM

Eregaste by die geleentheid was v.l.n.r. mnr. A. M. Conradie, bestuurshoof; die Burgemeestersvrou en rld. N. P. Rademeyer, Burgemeester; mev. Conradie; mnr. D. Sive, Afdelingsbestuur­ der; mev. en mnr. J. Adam, Adjunk-bestuurshoof. Nie sigbaar op die foto nie was mnr. J. B. Bester, Adjunk-handelsdirek­teur (Verkope en Bemarking).

Op 19 September is die jongste toevoeging tot die S.A.L. se Boeingstralervloot op paslike wyse deur die Burgemeester van die „vriendelike stad” die „Port Elizabeth” godoop. Voordat tot die plegtigheid oorgegaan is, het die Bestuurs­hoof, Mnr. A. M. Conradie die gaste toegespreek en gesë dat Port Elizabeth lank moes wag om sy naam aan ‘n oorsese s`raler van die S.A.L. gekoppel to kry, maar hierdeur het by daarin geslaag om die modernste eenheid van ons vloot na hom vernoem to kry. Mnr. Conradie het voorts gcmeld dat die eerste twee van die Brie Boeings 737 wat vir binnelandse bedryf bestem is, aan die einde van Oktober in ontvangs geneem sal word en dat Port Elizabeth een van die eerste stede in die Republiek sal wees om met hierdie nuwe vliegtuig kennis to maak wanneer dit met ingang 1 Desember in diens geneem word. Op daardie tydstip sal die huidige 10 stralervlugte per week tussen die stad en Johannesburg na 13 in beide rigtings vermeerder word terwyl die drie lugkoetsdienste onveranderd sal bly. So ook die 10 standaard-, 4 lugkoets- en 3 Dakota- dienste per week tangs die kusroete. Die Burgemeester, raadslid N. P. Rademeyer is hierna aan die woord gestel waarop by die dank van die Stadsraad en die inwoners van Port Elizabeth aan die S.A.L. oorgedra het vir die gebaar cm die vliegtuig na hulle stad to vernoem, asook vir die puik reëlings wat in verband met die seremonie getref is.

Die Burgemeester, rid. N. P. Rademeyer, onthul die naam, terwyl mnr. Conradie toekyk

Hierna is ‘n gegraveerde chroommodel van die vliegtuig deur die Bestuurshoof aan die Burgemeester aangebied; laas­ genoemde het op sy beurt ‘n gemonteerde stadswapen aan Mnr. Conradie oorhandig. Dit sal binne die eersteklaskajuit aange­bring word.

Na die onthulling van die naam „Port Elizabeth” op die neus van die reuse-straler is ‘n groot aantal gaste genooi om aan boord to stap waarna hulle die blou lug ingeneem is vir ‘n demonstrasievlug. Middagete met sjampanje het bygedra tot ‘n gesellige atmosfeer 30,000 voet daarbo.

Vlootkaptein J. A. “Bert” Rademan, wat die „Port Elizabeth’ van die Boeingfabriek in Seattle na die Republiek geloods het, was in bevel van die vlug.

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FAST EMIGRATION FOR STALLION

A very spirited stallion all the way from Ireland appro­priately named “Archangel Gabriel” recently arrived at Jan Smuts Airport off the S.A.A./U.T.A. DC-8F freighter.

It augurs well for the future of air freight when the handling of bulky and unusual freight has reached the stage where, as in this case, the new owner merely walked into the office of his Pretoria Cargo Agent and stated that he wished to import a racehorse from Ireland urgently. The upshot?. . . the consignment was delivered precisely ten days later.

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PARACHUTING ‘TO ‘BOK’ CAPTAINCY

Do parachutists live dangerously?

That may be the case but for Mr. B. V. Biggs, Aviation Technician (Mechanics), Jan Smuts Airport, parachuting is not only a fascinating sport but it has also held for him the added thrill of gaining Springbok colours when he was selected in 1966 to represent the Republic of South Africa in the 8th World Parachuting championships held in Leipsig, East Germany, and subsequently being chosen to captain the Springbok team at the World Championships held at Graz, Austria, from 9th to 26th August, 1968.

In a letter of congratulation to Mr. Biggs following his latest feat, the Deputy Minister of Transport stated, inter alia:­

“I should like to extend to you my hearty congratulations on your achievement and may I, on behalf of the Minister, the Management and staff of the South African Railways, wish you and your team good luck and every success.”

Experience-wise the team set out being the one with the second lowest number of jumps to their credit but they nevertheless reached 17th position out of 25 overall and ended 7th in the team spotlanding event.”

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SPRING IS IN THE AIR

Although September 1 officially heralds the advent of Spring in South Africa, the weather is apt to play its well-known tricks on that day. Although sunny, Spring Day on the Highveld this year again had a decided nip in the air, but this did not deter the girls of the telephone sales section (S.A.A.’s famous “front-line”) from celebrating the turn of the seasons. Under the able guidance of Miss R. M. Britz, lady supervisor, their office in Johannesburg was gaily decorated with colourful blossoms and blooms, and a cart-load of tasty eats were brought along to make tea-time on this day a truly memorable occasion. The fact that they decided to share these delights with the Chief Executive and all sectional heads was sincerely appreciated.

Miss Britz (extreme right) and some of her energetic helpers who gastro­nomically suceeded in dispelling Management’s Monday morning blues.

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PAPIER IS GEDULDIG

‘n Ontsaglike taak is onlangs deur die personeel van die onderafdeling publikasies op Jan Smutslughawe vol­tooi. Aan hulle was naamlik die taak opgedra om die her­druk van die volledige Stasierekeninge-instruksieboek vir die S.A. Spoorweë waar te neem. Dit het die druk van 5,000 eksemplare van beide die Engelse en Afrikaanse weergawes behels.

Die 10,000 eksemplare bevat elk 547 bladsye wat be­teken dat 5,470,000 bladsye gehanteer moes word. As die papier saamgevoeg word sou dit oor ‘n afstand van 1,122 myl strek. Meer as 40 eentonvragwaens sou benodig word om die papier te vervoer. Terloops, ongeveer 150 gom­lastiekvingertoppe is gedurende die werksaamhede opge­bruik!

Hulle het aan die hoof gestaan van die personeel wat die groot taak verrig het: v.l.n.r. Mnre. F. J. (Eddie) Edwards, samestelling en verspreiding; J. C. Venter, Eersteklerk in beheer; P. R. (Flippie) du Toit, druk; C. J. (Dup) du Plooy, voorbereiding en J. A. (Johnny) Theron, fotografiese werk en drukplaat bereiding

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CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE

Richard Tucker the man who has been described as the greatest tenor in the world arrived by S.A.A. during August.

In the course of a radio interview he was asked: “Well, you did have a foretaste of South African hospitality on our National Airlines flight I gather?”

Reply: “Very very well, and I would recommcnd it to all fellow travellers. It was very nice and hospitable, and was very kind and genteel”.

We also quote the contents of a short letter addressed to Captain Lyons by a passenger on flight SA 408 on 3rd August, 1968:­

I have used South African Airways services for ever so many years as a regular passenger. Never have I seen a more touching sight than the care and affection which every single member of your cabin crew lavished upon a little blind boy, sitting just behind me.

God bless people like your good selves for being so very considerate and unselfishly helpful”.

Further comment unnecessary.

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EXACTING HOBBY

Meet Mr. (Roly) King, Chargeman in the S.A.A. Paint Shop at Jan Smuts Airport who is a very keen modeller – but with a dif­ference. His works all bear the mark of a perfectionist for he believes that a proper model can only be called such when the likeness of it reflects an exact image of the parent subject. This is not surprising if one bears in mind that the majority of aircraft models made by S.A.A. for publicity purposes passed through his hands at some stage during their construction.

Roly first started making model aircraft 38 years ago when he was a boy of eleven. His interest was aroused during 1930 after reading various books on the subject published in America. The method of propulsion then was rubber. Later followed many models powered by the “gassie” motor.

About 12 years ago Roly also started to model boats which as he aptly puts it “At least stayed in one piece”. Some of his models include a Vesper Motor Torpedo Boat, which won a silver medal at a hobbies fair, a tea clipper, the Cutty Sark, and many more. At present he is modelling the “Sir William Hoy”, the first ocean-going tug bought by the S.A.R. Administration. This boat will be steam powered on completion.

True to the trade Mr. King only uses raw material for construction and manufactures all parts in his own back yard.

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NUWE VLUGSKELNERS KWALIFISEER

Die getalsterkte van die S.A.L. se vlugskelners is onlangs aansienlik vergroot toe 18 nuwe toetreders hulle vlerke ontvang het na afloop van hul opleiding van ongeveer drie maande.

Dit word miskien nie algemeen besef nie dat die vlugskener nie net ‘n persoon is wie se pligte tot die bediening van maaltye en verversings gedurende vlugte beperk is nie, maar dat hy inder­daad onderrig ontvang het in ‘n aantal verwante onderwerpe soos verpleging, eerstehulp, lugveiligheid, verkeershantering, be­sprekings, uitreiking van kaartjies asook ‘n mate van opleiding in vliegbedryf.

Weens hulle voortdurende kontak met passasiers, staan kajiuitbemanningsede hoog op die lys van ‘n lugredery se nie­amptelike skakelamptenare en ons wens hulle almal ‘n gelukkige dienstermyn toe en vertrou dat hulls waardige ambassadeurs vi,^­die S.A.L. sal wees waar hulle hul ookal bevind.

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TOWARDS REAL FLYING

S.A.A. recently added in-flight movement to its Boeing 727 simulator. This means that S.A.A, aircrew now more realistically fly this specially equipped simulator and not only do they hear the sounds and see the instruments but also feel the rising, falling and banking sensations that form an integral part of real flying. This equipment can now also fully simulate taxi-rumble, turbulence, high and low speed stall and pre-stall buffet.

Take-offs feel almost exactly like the real thing and the sounds and sensations of landing and braking to a stop are equally real. Furthermore it has both pitch (nose up and nose down) and “roll” characteristics.

Technicians installing the very intricate equipment which affords in-flight characteristics to the 727 simulator

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A PLACE TO HIDE

Plans for the extension of SAA’s present Boeing 707 hangar have recently been approved. The new extension, it has been learned, will be erected adjacent to the present hangar with an annex between the two. The new hangar will measure 374 feet by 190 feet and a clear height of 50 feet, 3 inches. The con­tractors, Messrs. Dorman Long, South Africa, expect to complete the work towards the latter part of 1969.

On completion, the R469,511.00 project will provide parking for three additional Boeing 707 aircraft which means that SAA will be able to accommodate six intercontinental jets under cover at the same time.

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BRAVO KAAPSTAD

Die Suid-Afrikaanse Lugdiens se personeel in Kaapstad hat onlangs ‘n mooi voorbeeld aan ander sentrums gestel deur die skenking van ‘n bedrag van R100 aan die Chris Barnard-fonds vir navorsing in hart- en orgaanoorplanting.

In die meegaande foto onderteken prof. Barnard ‘n kleurfoto van homself wat hy aan die Lugdiens se besprekingsafdeling oor­handig het as ‘n blyk van waardering vir die hulp wat die Kaap­stadse personeel aan hom persoonlik verleen het tydens sy menigte reise na die buiteland. Saam met hom op die foto staan v.l.n.r. Mejj. V. Parr, L. Forster en P. Ismay.

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