SAA Orange Tail

March/Maart No. 75 1970   FIRST ANNIVERSARY This photo was taken at a reception recently held in New York to celebrate the first anniversary of S.A.A’s North American service. Standing at a model of a Boeing 747 in S.A.A. livery in the usual order are Messrs. O. de V. Booysen, S.A. Consul General; J. Adam, Deputy Chief Executive; H. T. L. Taswell, S.A. Ambassador to the U.S.A.; Reg Brett, S.A.A’s Regional Manager for North America and Mathys Botha, S.A. Ambassacor to the United Nations. ———- 500TH ANNIVERSARY To celebrate the 500th anniversary of the birth of the Portuguese discoverer, Vasco da Gama, T.A.P. Portuguese Airline, has named their newest 707 after him, and scheduled its maiden flight from Lisbon to Johannesburg to symbolise the Discoverer’s historic voyage. The picture shows from left to right: Mr. E. Alves da Silva, General Manager for T.A.P. in Southern Africa; Co­Pilot R. Fernandes; Capt. Pinto Guedes presenting the min­iature replica of the Discoverer’s Cross to S.A.A’s Chief Fleet Captain J. A. (Bert) Rademan on arrival at Jan Smuts Airport. The flight which took 12 hours was 0.4% of the time of 119 days it took Vasco da Gama to reach_. St. Helena. The cross was later presented to the Minister of Trans­port, Mr. B. J. Schoeman, by the Ambassador for Portugal. ———- WAARDERING Hier volg ‘n brief wet ons van die Direkteur, Die Suid­Afrikaanse Nasionale Raad vir Blindes ontvang het: ”Blinde persone wet van tyd tot tyd met die Suid­Afrikaanse Lugdiens reis, korn keer op keer order die indruk van die puik diens wat deur die personeel van die Suid­Afrikaanse Lugdiens gelewer word. Op ‘n onlangse vergadering van my Raad se Uitvoer­ende Komitee is dan ook eenparig besluit om u en u personeel van harte to bedank vir die puik behandeling wat almal wat van die Suid-Afrikaanse Lugdiens gebruik maak ontvang.” Dit is inderdaad bemoedigend om van sulke gevalle van welwillendheid to verneem. ———- MORE ZIP FOR 747 Increased range and payload for the Boeing 747 super­jet may result from a successful series of structural tests on the aircraft. The wing of a test aircraft has been tested to destruc­tion, ending a year-long torture test to determine the air­craft’s ultimate design strength. Boeing engineers systematically destroyed a structurally complete aircraft, flexing its wings upwards about nine metres. This is 174 per cent of the maximum load the aircraft is expected to experience in airline operation. ———- NO TRIPPING ON THIS TRIP Mr. Robert Vos, of S.A.A’s data processing department, is a young man who has got used to living with noise. During the day he works with the metallic whirring of computers in his ears; by night he sways to the torrid rhythm of a Latin American dance orchestra. As one of South Africa’s most promis­ing Latin American dance exponents, Robert spends three hours a night, at least three nights a week, in practising and striving for im­provement. For Robert has his sights set high. In April he leaves for the United Kingdom, where he and his partner, Miss Lana Allpass, are to participate in the British Championships at Blackpool. While he doesn’t expect to walk off with the main prize at the championships, Robert feels that his mere participation will be valuable experience. During his stay in the U.K. and in Europe, he and his partner will be taking lessons from some of the world’s greatest ballroom dancers. For this purpose they are hoping to travel to Augsburg and Hamburg in Germany. In England they will be appearing on television in a weekly programme called “Come Dancing”. If they fare reasonably well in Blackpool there is a possi­bility that they will be invited to compete in the Austrian and European Championships.

Robert Vos and his former partner, Miss Ann Crumley in action.

Robert Vos started dancing only four years ago. Never­theless, he has already won several titles, including the Rhodesian Open Latin American Championships, in partner­ship with Miss Ann Crumley. Robert has passed all the examinations which are necessary to become a professional dance teacher. He maintains that the standard of dancing in South Africa is comparatively low, due to lack of teachers and training facilities. This is one of the main reasons why he wishes to compete overseas; South African dancers can only improve in the face of international competition. May we take this opportunity of wishing him a fantastic trip when he goes off to Europe to trip the light fantastic. ———- OVERSEAS STAFF This happy group of S.A.A’s overseas staff recently attended a familiarisation and training course at Airways Centre, Johannesburg. After the course they were taken on a tour of Cape Town, Durban and the Kruger National Park to acquaint themselves with some of the country’s attractions. They are from left to right: Standing: Mrs. M. T. Nunes (Luanda); Miss M. W. Robertson (London); Miss R. Gall (Zurich); Miss J. Marsh (Sydney); Miss E. de Quiros (Las Palmas); Miss M. March (Salisbury) ; Mrs. W. Roche (Hamburg) ; Mr. J. Myburgh, Training Officer; Mrs. 0. C. Spinola (Lourenco Marques) ; Miss- S. M. Aldred (Loindon); Miss Y. Camron (Tel Aviv); Mrs. M. Moreira (Luanda); Miss M. Mockl (Munich); Miss M. Lehritter (Frankfurt); Miss E. J. Kennedy (Glasgow). Seated: Mr. A. Pilafidis (Athens); Mr. R. K. Aplin (Perth); Mr. G. M. Popper (Rio de Janeiro); Mr. N. J. Schmidt (Rio de Janeiro); Mr. K. Muchajer (Frankfurt). ———- HANDBAGASIE BEDEK Die bekende ope hoederak wat weerskante langs die volle lengte van die kajuit strek is vinnig besig om te verdwyn, soos deur die foto hierbo getoon word. Die S.A.L. se jongste Boeing 707 model C vliegtuig, die Oos-Londen (ZS-SAI) spog met ‘n algehele nuwigheid in sy kajuit. Die oulike nuwe sluitrakkies vir handbagasie dien ‘n dubbele deugsaamheid en vind groot byval by die reisende publiek. Dit stel passasiers in staat om handbagasie totaal buite sig te versteek, instede daarvan om dit onder hul sitplekke in te skuif om sodoende meer kop- en beenspasie te besorg en daardeur natuurlik ook ‘n groter mate van gemak vir passasiers. Passasiers hoef nie langer te vrees dat hul persoonlike items bagasie holdersteboider tussen diê van hul reisge­note sal beland of van die bagasierak sal afval nie. Terself­dertyd sorg die nuwe ontwerp vir ‘n baie netjieser kajuit­voorkoms. Reëlings is reeds getref om al ons Boeingstralers sodanig toe te rus. ———- HOW TO WOO TRAFFIC More emphasis on customer reasearch and service quality control will be the key to successful marketing in the 1970′s. This was claimed by a senior vice-president of an American airline, when addressing a recent meeting “Mar­keting boiled down to four elements”, he said. “Find out what product or service the customer wants, produce it for him; tell him you have it available; and, through quality control, ensure that you give him what you have promised him”. ———- ENGINEERS POINT THE WAY This photograph, taken from the eastern boundary of South African Airways’ maintenance base at Jan Smuts Air­port shows one of two huge signboards erected by the S.A.A. Engineering Department. It faces the taxiway to the airport’s main runway and to all passers-by it spells the plain message that S.A.A. has truly entered the high-capacity jet era. Where this signboard stands work is progressing in high gear on the laying of the foundations of the massive R3-miliion Boeing 747 hangar. By July 1971 its height of more than one hundred feet will totally obscure the present Boeing 707 complex in the background. So great is the activity that the roar of heavy earth­moving machinery nowadays predominates over the sound of jets, where work is commencing on the extension of S.A.A’s Flying Training building to provide accommodation for the 747 flight simulator on order. ———- BIG FIRE TENDERS FOR 747 AIRPORTS An order for five fire-fighting vehicles worth R500,000 has been placed to supply the four major airports, Jan Smuts, Louis Botha, J. B. M. Hertzog and D. F. Malan. The vehicles, four of which are dual-purpose tenders and the other a water tender, have been ordered as a safety measure for the protection of the 747′s which arrive here late next year. The tenders are the largest vehicles of their kind yet to be manufactured in Britain. They weigh over three tons and accelerate from 0 to 50 m.p.h. in under 45 seconds. The 747′s have fuel capacities of up to 50,285 gallons of aviation kerosene. ———- S.A.A. IS TOP I.A.T.A. CARRIER IN AFRICA South African Airways has emerged as Africa’s top I.A.T.A. carrier in 1968. This is revealed in the recently published I.A.T.A. book­let “World Air Transport Statistics”. Second in the table of 22 carriers is East African Air­ways, followed by Air Afrique, United Arab Airlines, Air Algeria, Air Congo and Ethiopian Airlines. During 1968 S.A.A. made more money per passenger kilometre than any other airline flying scheduled Africa services. Throughout the table of statistics S.A.A. stands out in terms of hours flown, number of aircraft departures, volume of freight, and number of pasengers. ———- BLITSDOEANE VIR JAN SMUTS ‘n Gevorderde stelsel om die vloei van passasiers op internasionale vlugte by die Lughawe Jan Smuts deur die doeane te bespoedig en vergemaklik, sal volgende maand in werking gestel word. Twee kanale – ‘n ”rooi” en ‘n ”groen” baan deur die doeanesaal word beplan. Passasiers met belasbare goedere in hul besit, sal die rooi baan moet volg. Ander reisigers sal van die groen baan gebruik maak. Hul bagasie sal egter periodiek met steekproewe nagegaan word. Benewens hierdie stelsel, sal daar ook ‘n nuwe en aparte saal vir buitelandse passasiers wees. Daar sal ook ‘n ondergrondse parkeerterrein vir ongeveer 900 motors wees. ———- SPACE-AGE CHAMBER New in S.A.A. at Jan Smuts Airport is this pressure vessel capable of evacuation to a pressure of 2 microns mercury (empty) before filling it with argon gas. Welding of complex titanium assemblies can then be most effectively carried out in the pure argon atmosphere. This “Dry Box” built exclusively for welding titanium is quite an achievement since it has been designed mainly from photos with most of the work performed by S.A.A. apprentices in the Machine and Welding Shops. This is the very first of its kind in the Republic of South Africa. Titanium is not suitable for welding in ordinary air since it becomes contaminated and causes cracking and hardening as well as oxidation of the material. Appreciable contamina­tion by oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen can occur at 650° centigrade, which is the smelting point of titanium. Oxy­acetylene, metal-arc, carbon-arc and atomic-hydrogen weld­ing processes are therefore completely unsuitable for they cause embrittlement and consequent cracking. The observation and glove ports of S.A.A’s “moon chamber” are protected by cover plates during evacuation and when filling with argon (an inert gas) to standard pres­sure. A simple electrode holder is used in the place of the standard argon-arc torch. Titanium is mostly used on various components of the Pratt & Whitney jet engines and is found considerably more on the Boeing 747 superjets. ———– 25 AMBASSADEURS Die vyf-en-twintig waardinne op ons foto het goeie rede om baie gelukkig te wees, want hulls het so pas daarin geslaag om op die S.A.L. se oorsese dienste te vlieg. Hulle drome is ongetwyfeld bewaarheid; dit is om die wye wêreld te sien en al die opwindende stede op die S.A.L. se oorsese netwerk te besoek. Maar hierdie dames is geensins nuwelinge vir hulle take nie. Nadat hulle binnelands gevlieg het is hulle goed voorbereid vir hul pligte veral nadat hulle onkangs ‘n oor­skakelingskursus voltooi het wat die fynere kunste van die pligte, passasiershantering, noodprosedures ens. insluit. Hul instruktrise, links op die foto is kontrolelugwaardin, mej. Dina Taute. Ons beste wense vergesel hulle op hul reise oorsee. ———- LUGVAARTGENEESKUNDE Onlangse bevorderings bring die volgende twee genees­here in baie noue voeling met die Suid-Afrikaanse Lugdiens. Hulle is (links) dr. C. J. Opperman wat aangestel is as direkteur (volksgesondheid) en opvolger van dr. J. F. C, du Toit. Eersgenoemde is terselfdertyd ook die S.A.L. se hoof mediese amptenaar. Regs is dr. M. A. van der Spuy, voorheen assistent­direkteur (gesondheidsdienste) wat reeds by die meeste van ons in die S.A.L. bekend is. Hy is nou aangestel in die hoedanigheid van direkteur (lugvaartgeneeskunde) op Jan Jan Smutslughawe. Gelukwense aan u albei en welkom in ons midde. ———- FREIGHT CRATE Seeing is believing! And here is proof that shipments which were previously meant to be conveyed by surface transport only, are becoming more and more a common occurrence in the airline industry. As a matter of fact, this outsize piece of urgent cargo, recently conveyed to Jan Smuts Airport by the S.A.A./Lufthansa jet freighter was nothing less than a complete crankshaft destined for the ship “M.S. Bastion” anchored in Cape Town. The “parcel” measuring an alarming 21′ 6″ x 4′ 6″ x 4′ posed somewhat of a problem to the S.A.A. freight men at Jan Smuts Airport whose task it was to offload it through the 12 foot wide cargo door of the freighter. With assistance of S.A.A’s huge “Hyster” forklift and the “Galion” crane the 67,410 kilo crate was slowly “inched” out. The operation commenced at 11 a.m. and many a sigh of relief could be heard when it finally emerged at 3 p.m. – and not a scratch to the aircraft. From “terra firma” it was once more handled. This time into S.A.A’s Boeing 727 “QC” which manfully conveyed its heaviest single piece of freight ever, towards eagerly await­ing hands in the “mother city”. ———- NICE WORK Mr. I. M. (Morris) Bay, Avionics Technician (Radio) who was presented with a suggestion award recently by Mr. A. M. Conradie, Chief Executive. The award was made for Morris’s sug­gestion and modification to improve the equipment for the testing of certain elec­trical panels of the Boeing 707 and 727 aircraft. The original test equip­ment purchased by S.A.A. eventually proved inade­quate, especially since the testing to be performed is of a very intricate nature. Con­sideration was given to purchase new test equipment, but Morris, having a fair knowledge of amplifiers spent a great deal of time privately on the modification of the present equipment. This entailed approximately 26 modifications and resulted in a considerable saving by S.A.A. For his efforts Mr. Bay received R100.00 plus a certificate. As a point of interest, he ioined S.A.A. in 1956 and has been in the flight simulator since 1965. ———-