SAA Orange Tail

Maart/March 1971

No. 87

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CAPE TOWN’S THEIR HOME

The fourteen young beauties photographed here in their new strato-blue uniforms with Chief Air Hostess, Babs de Villiers (centre) are the first ever to be stationed in Cape Town.

They were awarded their wings by Mr. A. M. Conradie, Chief Executive, at a ceremony in Cape Town on February 19. “The best of both worlds” a bystander commented. And that is exactly how it is too. Imagine combining a glamorous flying career as South African Airways air hostess with living in Cape Town and at the same time enjoying Mother’s home cooking.

Girl of the day was undoubtedly Sonja de Steenwinkel (sixth from right). Combining beauty with brains she scored an all-time record of 97.9% and walked off with the treasured St. John’s Cup as well.

To all the new fledgelings, congratulations and good luck.

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OORHANDIGING VAN DIE S.A.L.-SPORTTROFEE

Die Suid-Afrikaanse Lugdiens se Sport-van die-jaartrofee vir 1970 is aan krieket toegeken.

Dr. D. J. Coetsee, adjunk-hoofbestuurder van die Suid-Afrikaanse Spoorweë het die oorhandiging namens die Suid-Afrikaanse Lugdiens op 19 Februarie 1970 op Pretoria, waargeneem. In sy toespraak het dr. Coetsee daarop gewys dat alhoewel die Suid­Afrikaanse Lugdiens ‘n staatsbeheerde organisasie is, en daarom daarvan weerhou word om direkte finansiële bydraes aan enige sportliggaam te maak, dit algemeen bekend is dat die lugredery altyd bereid is om saam te werk ten opsigte van advertensie en ook enige ander moontlike onder­steuning verleen. Die Suid-Afrikaanse Lugdiens se personeel, beide in Suid-Afrika en oorsee, is altyd gretig om enige Suid-Afrikaanse sportliggaam met hul reisplanne en reisdokumente by te staan. om saam te werk ten opsigte van advertensie en ook enige ander moontlike onder­steuning verleen.

Dr. D. J. Coetsee, adjunk-hoofbestuurder, S.A.S. &H., Ali Bacher en mnr. Arthur Coy, vise-president, S.A. krieketunie en same­ roeper van die keurkomitee by die oorhandig­ingseremonie.

Daar is ook aangekondig dat daar by ‘n onlangse I.A.T.A.-konferensie besluit is dat met ingang April 1971 sportgroepe wat van en na Suid-Afrika en Malawi, Mosambiek, Lesotho, Rhodesië en Swaziland reis, teen ‘n verlaagde tarief vervoer mag word. ,Die Suid-Afrikaanse Lugdiens wil graag jaar na jaar hulde bring aan die beoefenaars van daardie sportsoort waarin daar gedurende die jaar op heel besondere wyse gepresteer is – vandaar die aanbieding van hierdie trofee aan die S.A. Sportstigting, in die hoop en vertroue dat dit ons sportlui in alle vertakkinge sal aanmoedig tot steeds hoër ideale en prestasies”, het dr. Coetsee gesê. Dr. Coetsee het gewag gemaak van die uiters moeilike taak waarmee die Adviesraad te kampe gehad het om tussen rugby en krieket vir vanjaar se trofeetoekenning te kies.

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GALLEY EXPERT

Mr. C. F. Taylor, Chairman of the C. F. Taylor Group of Companies, the largest manufacturers in Europe of galley equipment for aircraft is here seen with Mr. Jack Bester, Deputy Commercial Director, (Sales and Marketing) (left) and Mrs. Taylor.

The Taylor Group will manufacture the galleys for S.A.A.’s Boeing 747′s. The group consists of 20 factories spread all over the United Kingdom and is represented in most countries of the world. C. F. Taylor has manufactured galley equipment for most world airlines.

Mr. Taylor visited S.A.A.’s technical base at Jan Smuts Airport and was highly impressed with the neatness and cleanliness of the workshops, which he described as the cleanest he had ever come across. He was also impressed by the smart appearance of our aircraft and mentioned that soon after arrival at Jan Smuts Airport, he came across one of our Viscounts and found this aircraft so neat in appearance that it might just have rolled off the assembly line.

Mr. Taylor and his wife are on a familiarisation tour of the Republic and will also visit Durban and the Kruger National Park.

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NOG TWEE B.727QC’s ARRIVEER

Die twee Boeing 727QC- stralers wat vir die S.A.L. op bestelling was is afgelewer en reeds in diens gestel. Die vliegtuie is albei in Seattle, Verenigde State, deur kaptein Bert Rademan gedurende Februarie en Maart onder­skeidelik in ontvangs geneem en onder sy beheer na die Republiek gevlieg. Die name „Marico”‘ en „Kei” is aan die vliegtuie toe­geken en albei is 10 dae na aankoms op geskeduleerde vlugte ingespan. Dit is die tyd wat benodig word om die kombuis to installeer en sekere modifikasies aan to bring. Met die aflewering van hierdie twee stralers staan die S.A.L. se Boeing 727-vloot tans op nege.

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TO BRUSSELS

Congratulations to Ian Lineveldt who has been appointed manager for Belgium in the newly opened office in Brussels.

Ian was S.A.A.’s District Sales Manager at Kimberley since Novem­ber, 1969, and took up the new position on March 1, 1971.

He joined the service in 1946, is married and has two sons and two daughters.

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ONS B.747-„MAKROSTRALERS” KOM VROEËR

Volgens die jongste beskikbare inligting sal die Suid­Afrikaanse Lugdiens se eerste Boeing 747-,,makrostraler” nou teen die einde van September 1971 in plaas van Oktober afgelewer word. Teen die middel van Oktober word die tweede een afgelewer en die derde, word teen die einde van Desember verwag.

Twee makrostralers asook genoeg personeel om ses vlugte to beman, sal dus teen die einde van Oktober 1971 vir opleiding beskikbaar wees. Nog ses bemannings sal vroeg in Desember 1971 opgelei wees. Die opleidings­program sluit in die bedryf van daaglikse vasgestelde vlugte tussen Johannesburg en Kaapstad teen die derde week in November 1971.

Voorlopig word daar ook beoog om op die noordwaarste B.747-vlugte na die Verenigde Koninkryk die bemannings by Luanda om to ruil en suidwaarts by Ilha do Sal.

Die makrostralers sal op hul afleweringsvlugte net by of Luanda of Ilha do Sal aandoen. Dit word nie as prakties beskou om die daaglikse vlugte na die Verenigde Koninkryk in to stel voordat al drie vliegtuie vir diens gereed is nie.

Die drie makrostralers sal in orde van aflewering “Tafelberg”, “Drakensberg” en “Lebombo” genoem word.

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VOËLVERSAMELAAR

Mnr. C. J. P. „Koenie” Pieterse, ‘n klerk in die werk­winkels van die afdeling ingenieurswese op Jan Smutslug­hawe, is ‘n versamelaar van verskillende Suid-Afrikaanse sowel as uitheemse voëls. Hy beskik tans oor ‘n ver­sameling van meer as 100 soorte met ‘n waarde van onge­veer R4,000 en sy hokke het nagenoeg R1,600 gekos. Benewens tien soorte voëlsaad, brood, gekookte mielies, koring, wortels, sonneblomsaad en sagte vrugte gebruik hy maandeliks ‘n krat appels en 25 pond heuning om sy kleurvolle versameling te voer.

Koenie, soos hy alom bekend is onder sy werkmaats, het met een hok van 18 voet by 10 voet begin, maar sy versameling het so vinnig gegroei dat hy na vier jaar oor 53 soortgelyke hokke beskik, asook oor ‘n hok wat 70 voet lank, 24 voet breed en agt voet hoog is, uitsluitlik vir Suid-Afrikaanse wilde voëls.

Hy is veral trots op sy agt soorte nektar-eters – (parkiet-tipe voëls) – wat net van heuningwater (nek­tar) en sagte vrugte leef. Sy bosloeries is ook van die makste te vinde, beweer Koenie.

Hy het reeds vier trofees en twee gone medaljes vir die beste voëls op nasionale skoue verower.

‘n Besoek aan mnr. Pieterse se voëlpark by Firlaan 50, Primrose, behoort die moeite werd te wees.

Koenie met ‘n Malucan kaketoa wat R300 werd is.

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NEW FLIGHT STEWARDS RECEIVE THEIR WINGS

Mr. N. S. Louw, Commercial Director of South African Airways presented wings to 17 newly qualified flight stew­ards at a pleasant function held in the cabin services building at Jan Smuts Airport on Friday, February 19, 1971. The presentation ceremony was attended by many parents and friends of the 17 young lads, who wore their full stepping-out rig for the occasion.

Congratulating the group, Mr. Louw mentioned that the 17 had achieved the best marks ever, by a class of this kind.

The “top boy” of the class of 17 who graduated, was flight steward Johan du Preez, who obtained a 96.6 per cent pass. In the photo on the left Mr. N. S. Louw pins on his “wing”. Johan is 26 years of age and a part-time arts student. He formerly managed a Ceramics Studio in Pretoria.

Flight stewards, he said, were ambassadors for the airline and the fact that S.A.A. had a monopoly on internal services made it even more important that passengers get nothing but the best, so that the airline could face up to the competitive airlines on the overseas services.

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A TASK WELL DONE

When next you’re down at the Boeing hangars or wandering around the Cabin Services building don’t be sur­prised if you notice a few people with faintly luminous halos encircling their heads. These Airways “saints” are the un­fortunate souls who are forever being bothered by the Public Relations Section for assistance with S.A.A. publicity photographs. These photographic exercises play an essential part in keeping S.A.A. very much in the public eye, but the organisation involved is enough to try the patience of even the most tolerant employee. The foremen at the Boeing hangars, Ernie Wahl, Howard Howell and Jimmy Botha give the impression that they have learned to live with our persistent requests for “idle” Boeings. Jimmy Storbeck and Babs de Villiers over at cabin services are no less obliging in providing us with good­looking stewards and air hostesses to brighten up our pictures. Moreover, we are fortunate in that they always select young men and women of infinite patience, tolerance and understanding.

Just the other day, for instance, we were blessed with an enormously obliging cabin crew in taking photographs for new brochures and displays at the 1971 Rand Easter Show. The photographic session was scheduled to com­mence at 2.00 p.m. but the aircraft, ZS-SAE, was delayed on a flight from London. With 15 people standing by to act as passengers and first class meals ready prepared, the show just had to go on. Work eventually started at around 5.00 p.m. and only finished some four hours later. Our overworked crew then served a lavish first class meal to the starving “passengers” in true airborne style. So im­pressive was their performance that they undoubtedly won over a good few of the models as future passengers for S.A.A.

To stewards Dave Taylor and At Vosloo, as well as to air hostesses Noreen Williams and Sue Coutts, go our very grateful thanks and a word of praise for a fine team effort.

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I.P.A.R.S. USERS MEET

For the first time since the inception of the Interna­tional Programmed Airline Reservations System (I.P.A.R.S.), a meeting of users of the system was hosted by South African Airways.

The meeting was held at Johannesburg on February 2 and 3, 1971, under the chairmanship of Mr. Reg Leary (Chief Reservations Programmer, South African Airways) and opened by Mr. A. S. “Dries” Cronjê, Manager, Reservations and Data Processing for South African Airways. Represen­tatives from all airlines using the system meet twice an­nually to discuss problems encountered, modifications and improvements to I.P,A.R.S.

The next meeting is due to take place in Tokyo during August, 1971.

Members who attended the meeting are from left to right:

Mr. Blackie Swardt, SAA; Mr. Harry Mak, KLM; Mr. Ellis van Reuler, KLM; Mr. L. Nicolai, Alitalia; Mr. Chris Ulrich, Swissair; Mr. Guy Bam, SAA (Data Processing Manager) ; Mr. A. S. Cronjê, SAA (Manager, Reservations and Data Processing); Mr. H. J. Venter, SAA (Secretary); Mr. T. Moriya, JAL; Mr. Shohzoh Nishikawa, JAL; Mr. Bill Knight, Qantas; Mr. Brian Ennis, Aer Lingus; Mr. Reg Leary, SAA (Chairman).

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RESERVATIONS FACE-CHANGE

On February 15, 1971, the staff of the Central Reser­vations control vacated their office on the second floor of the S.A.A. Centre in Johannesburg to occupy the spacious, modern air conditioned third floor office fitted vnlith S.A.A.F.A.R.I. (South African Airways Fully Automated Reservations Installations) equipment.

In the photograph of the old office, through which passed many agents’ representatives and overseas staff on conducted famiiiarisation tours, Mr. E. P. Pattenden, Reser­vations Manager together with Mr. W. J. Hurter, Assistant Reservations Manager, have a last look – perhaps with feelings of nostalgia – at some documents in the deserted office. On the right is the now stationary old conveyor belt along which millions of telex messages moved around the clock for several years.

All this paper work has now been done away with and messages are typed on the “agents sets” or “Typing­T.V.” as it is referred to at S.A.A., which is directly linked with the computers of S.A.A.F.A.R.I. providing instant replies on the screens.

In the photo of the new office members of the Reser­vations staff are seen industriously attending to the numerous details.

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KWARTEEU VAN DIENS

Met die oorhandiging aan die S.A.L.M. van ZS-DJB op 12 Februarie 1971, het nog ‘n hoofstuk in die geskiedenis van die Suid-Afrikaanse Lugdiens ten einde geloop. Vyf-en­twintig jaar lank het agt DC3 Dakotas getroue diens gelewer en hulle het altesaam sowat 100,000 vliegure afgelê, wat gelykstaan aan ongeveer 15 miljoen myl. Die eerste twee Dakotas is in 1946 afgelewer en die laaste een in 1955. Al agt was van die S.A.L.M. afkomstig. Aanvanklik is hulle op die Johannesburg/Durban roete ge­bruik, sowel as op die dienste na Suidwes-Afrika en Lou­renco Marques. Die vliegtuie het lank die kusroete bedien, totdat Air Cape in 1969 die dienste van die S.A.L. oorge­neem het. Die Dakotas is reeds in 1963 deur Viscounts op die Lourenco Marquesroete vervang. Terwyl een van die vliegtuie vir gebruik deur die Minister van Vervoer afgesonder was, is die vier oorbly­wende Dakotas sedert 1967 vir huurvlugte gebruik, (drie is intussen afgeskryf) asook op die dienste na die buur­state Botswana, Lesotho en Swaziland. Op laasgenoemde roetes het ‘n Hawker Siddeley 748 op 4 Mei 1970 oorgeneem en twee van hierdie twee-motorige turbine-skroefaange­drewe vliegtuie wat deur die S.A. Lugdiens aangekoop is, die Skukuza en Etosha, is op 22 Februarie 1971 afgelewer. Die HS.748′s is bale vinniger as die Dakotas en kan van 40 tot 50 passasiers elk vervoer.

Dit is interessant om daarop te let dat ten tye van die bestelling vir die Boeing 747′s, die Suid-Afrikaanse Lug­diens een van slegs vier rederye was wat nog Dakotas in gebruik gehad het. (Die ander was Air France, Qantas en Sabena).

Vyf van die oorspronklike agt ou strydrosse is nou weer terug in hul ou stalle. AI agt vliegtuie het, voordat hulle deur die S.A. Lugdiens in 1946 van die S.A.L.M. oor­geneem is, met die United States (Army) Air Force, Royal Air Force en die Suid-Afrikaanse Lugmag diens gedoen.

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