SAA Orange Tail

This month we say farewell to Senior Captain C. J. Rosslee who retired on pension on February 28, 1966, after serving the airline for 26 years.

Captain Rosslee joined the clerical ranks of the service on Octo­ber 1, 1939, at the Rand Airport, Germiston. Pre­viously, however, he had been very active as a private pilot. He enlisted with the S.A.A.F. as a reserve pilot and obtained his wings during March, 1939, in the meantime having qualified for his private and commercial pilots’ licences.

On the outbreak of war, Captain Rosslee was posted to Durban. He later flew with No. 12 S.A.A.F. Squadron in Abyssinia, using Junkers JU.86 aircraft. Returning to South Africa, he was attached to No. 5 Wing S.A.A.F. He also assisted in ferrying military aircraft to various parts in Africa and undertook coastal air reconnaissance with the S.A.A.F. Back in S.A.A., Captain Rosslee piloted Avro York aircraft during 1945 and subsequently flew every type of aircraft used by S.A.A. on the Springbok and Wallaby routes.

Chris Rosslee has approximately 20,000 flying hours and became a mileage millionaire at least four times.

He has very interesting plans for the future. He is shortly taking delivery of a 40-foot yacht in Holland, and with Mrs. Rosslee as his only crew member intends to navigate his way around the waterways of Europe and through the Mediterranean.

“My days of travelling the globe the quick way are over”, commented Captain Rosslee, “and I intend dropping at least the last two naughts from the speedometer and (weather permitting) travel the slow and carefree way.”

We salute Captain Rosslee on the captaincy of his own craft and wish him together with Mrs. Rosslee, the best of luck and plain sailing.

Die Suid-Afrikaanse Lugdiens het sy eerste drie Boeing 707 ­vliegtuie gedurende 1960 in ontvangs geneem en minder as vyf jaar later die Boeing 727 in gebruik geneem. Met die Boeing 737 nou in produksie word die vraag dikwels gevra – Is daar ‘n Boeing 717?

Die antwoord op hierdie vraag is ja! Die Boeing 717 is die tegniese benaming vir die KC-135-tenkvliegtuig van die Amerikaanse Lugmag wat uit die basiese Boeing 707­ontwerp ontwikkel is. ‘n Totaal van 820 verskeie tipes KC en C-135′s is terloops reeds deur die Maatskappy ver­vaardig.

Die KC-135 is vandag ‘n bekende vliegtuig by strategiese lugmagbasisse oor die hele wêreld en word deur sommige as ‘n vlieënde brandstoftenk beskou. Onlangs het een van hierdie vliegtuie 60 agtereenvolgende vlugte binne 31 dae uitgevoer om bomwerpers van die Amerikaanse Lugmag in die lug van brandstof te voorsien, terwyl ‘n ander vliegtuig een miljoen gelling brandstof binne 100 vlugte vervoer het sonderteëspoed of vertragings.

Hierdie lugreus word ook ingespan in verband met proef­nemings op groot hoogtes,. vir langafstand lugfotografie en landmeting, verkenningsvlugte en so meer. Hy is in staat om vir meer as 15 uur op ‘n keer in die lug te bly.

Since the beginning of time it has been man’s most cherished dream to be able to soar through the skies like an eagle. To this end, the actions of birds were studied closely by the early pioneers, and many actually attempted to give themselves wings – mostly with disastrous results.

Birdwatching can , therefore, be regarded as one of the oldest practices in the world and although the conquest of the air by man has become reality, ornithology has lived on, even as a hobby. Today, the object is not so much to study the flight characteristics but rather the various habits of these feathered creatures.

A keen supporter of this rare hobby is Mr. J. A. S. (Jas) Smith, Planning Assistant in the Engineering Section at Jan Smuts Airport.

As an amateur nature photographer, Mr. Smith’s first interest in birds was the challenge and the excitement of being able to capture a fleeting moment in the life of these highly mobile creatures. During the process of trying to get pictures, he began to notice many things about the birds that intrigued him; their approach to and behaviour around food; their grace, colouring, structure and melody of song. Soon he developed a great interest in their habits.

Mr. Smith tells us that birds need only a little encourage­ment to regularly visit a certain place. A shallow bird bath in one’s garden will soon bring a variety of species. An 18 inch plough disc, raised about two feet from the ground and a few feet from a tree, where birds can first land to make sure that it is safe to approach the bath, will be ideal. Once the “ablutions block” has been discovered, one is well rewarded by their appreciative output of song.

There are many sanctuaries in South Africa where a person can observe the larger birds, such as the Flamingo, Stanley Crane and various types of Heron, but these birds are generally of a timid nature and consequently observations should be made with the aid of binoculars and possibly a hide. Once settled down, the watcher can enjoy the peace and beauty of the birds’ kingdom.

The Riverdale Suite of Grosvenor House Hotel, London, was the venue recently for a farewell dinner given by B.O.A.C. for Mr. J. Grove, Chief Executive, South African Airways, on his last official visit to B.O.A.C. before going on leave on 5th April, prior to his retirement.

Mr. Keith Granville, Deputy Chairman, who presented Mr. Grove with a silver candelabra on behalf of B.O.A.C., referred, in his speech, to their happy friendship over many years which had meant so much to the pool partnership and wished Mr. Grove every happiness in his retirement.

Gedurende ‘n tentoonstelling wat onlangs in Parys, Frankryk, gehou is, het die vervaardigers van S.A.L. se Boeing 727-kombuise die eerste prys vir die beste vakman­skap verower.

Ons is trots daarop dat die S.A.L. met hierdie prestasie kon vereenselwig word. Wat die aangeleentheid egter van meer belang maak is die felt dat die 727-kombuise en ver­wante toerusting volgens S.A.L. se eie ontwerp en spesifi­kasies gebou is. Terselfdertyd toon dit dat die Suid­Afrikaanse Lugdiens se keuse vir die vervaardiging van sy benodigdhede alleenlik in die beste hande gelaat word.

‘n Kelner en reiswaardin besig in een van S.A.L. se netjiese Boeing 727-kombuise.

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IT’S NEVER TOO EARLY TO START

The following has been extracted from two very similar letters recently received in this office, together with the accompanying photographs. Our youthful applicants’ ages were given as 10 years and almost 12!

“I would like to become an air hostess when I have passed my matric. I would like to know all about air hostesses and what they do. I am keen on travel­ling. I’ve been to Holland, England, Sweden, America, Cape Province, Transvaal, Natal and Rhodesia.

“My hobbies are cooking, drawing, collecting pic­tures of anything to do with flying. I also like children.

“If it is no trouble would you kindly send me some photos of an aeroplane, an air hostess and a picture of anything else connected with flying.” This part was easy, but not so the last question which read as follows:

“Could you please tell me what happens after each flight, because I was told that air hostesses get a few hours off duty after each flight?”