SAA Orange Tail

August/Augustus 1974

No. 128

-

NEW HORSES FOR THE STABLE

South African Airways became the third world airline to order Boeing 747SP’s when it announced the purchase of three of these aircraft recently. The other airlines to have ordered this new version of the superjet are Pan American and Iran Air.

SAA decided on the SP against fierce competition from a number of other aircraft manufacturers. The beauty of the SP lies in the fact that it will be able to fly non-stop between Johannesburg and SAA’s points of call in Europe, such as London, Lisbon, Frankfurt and Zurich, as well as to Australia and the Far East.

Essentially the SP is a 747 with 14,3 metres (47 feet) removed from the fuselage. The aircraft has a wingspan of 58,7 metres and a length of 53 metres. The top of the vertical stabiliser (fir the less technical minded, that is the tail) is 19,6 metres above the ground. The trailing edge of the wing has a much simpler and cleaner flap system.

SAA’s version of the SP will be able to transport 275 passengers and will be powered by Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7F CN (WET) engines of 222kN (50 000 Ibs) thrust. In other words these engines will have 3 000 lbs more thrust than the present Boeing 747′s used by SAA. The engines are basically developed JT9D-7′s. The CN designation denotes that the fan cowl splitter has been removed in order to save on weight. In addition, the turbine thrust reverser will not be installed. To compensate for the slightly longer landing distance required with the thrust reverser removed, an automatic braking system will be installed.

The 275 seats used by SAA in its configuration will be divided into first and economy class sections using both the main and upper decks. The upper deck, at present the upstairs lounge used by first class passengers, will be larger than the present 747 lounge and will be able to accommodate a considerable number of passengers.

All in all there will be ten toilets provided on the main deck, two of which will be for the use of the first class passengers. The galleys in the SP’s will be radically different from those on the ordinary 747. There will be three galley complexes instead of the 747′s four. The forward complex will be installed on the right hand half of the fuselage centreline between the first and second main doors. This sideway galley runs fore and aft and follows the practise found in some homes, with storage space above and below the work top for trolleys, hot cups etc. The design of the side-facing galley makes service possible to first class passengers from the front end of the galley and to the economy class from the rear end. The second major galley complex is at the rear of the aircraft and occupies the space immediately forward of the rear pressure bulkhead. Having the main deck galleys confined in these two areas should result in better cabin service to the passengers, since galley activities will be well separated from the passengers. Like in the standard 747′s a small galley will be installed in the upper deck lounge.

It is expected that SAA will take delivery of its first Boeing 747SP during the first quarter of 1976.

The side-facing galley in the Boeing 747SP (Special Performance) mockup provides convenience and privacy for the cabin attendants, and makes possible service to first-class passenger zones from the front end and economy sections from the back

———-

OVERSEAS MANAGERS’ CONFERENCE

A conference of all South African Airways’s overseas managers was _/convened in London recently. For the last time before he retired as Commercial Director, Mr. N.S. Louw chaired the meeting. During his visit to London Mr. Louw made use of the opportunity to examine developments in the installation of the SAAFARI reservations system in SAA’s United Kingdom offices and announced details of this extension of the SAA reservations system at a reception attended by 250 major U.K. travel agents.

Our photograph shows the senior overseas staff at a luncheon held during the conference: In the usual order Messrs. H.J. Carelsen, trainee manager; Mr. J.G. van der Mescht, Regional Manager, South America; Mr. C.W.L. Poyser, Station Manager, Heathrow; Mr. M. Britz, Manager, France; Mr. J. Matthews, P.R.O.; Mr. O.J. von Abo, Regional Manager, Northern and Central Europe; Mr. W.T. Wilson, Manager, Italy; Mr. V.P.T. Harrison, Manager, U.K.; Mr. S.R. van der Walt, Manager, Switzerland; Mr. J.K: Rennie, Sales Manager, U.K.; Mr. S.P. Sahd, Manager, Spain; Mr. J. van Rooyen, Manager, Netherlands; Mr. S.G. Slack, Assistant Commercial Director (Sales and Marketing); Mr. N.P. Christofides, Manager, Greece and Near East; Mr. G.K. van der Merwe, Manager elect, Belgium; Mr. M.R. Lenhoff, Regional Manager, Southern Europe and Middle East; Mr. R.G. Brett, Regional Manager, North America; Mr. N.S. Louw, Commercial Director; Mr. R.V. Garton, Regional Manager, North Western Europe; Mr. C.A.J. Gagiano, Manager, U.S.A.; Mr. A.J. Lineveldt, Manager, Belgium; Mr. P. Linde, Personnel Officer (U.K.).

———-

SAA FLIES THE OCEANS

A very seldomly thought about fact is that South African Airways is probably one of the most expe­rienced transoceanic airlines in the world. All SAA’s international routes lie across the seas, and vast stretches of sea at that – the Indian Ocean to the East and the South Atlantic between Africa and South America to the West.

Even SAA’s flights to and from Europe and the UK are for the greater part over the sea. The distance between Johannesburg and London is 11 290 km and only 2 529 km of this distance (between Johannesburg and Luanda) is overland.

Other long stretches of over sea flying are on the routes between Cape Town and Buenos Aires – 7 041 km, Mauritius to Perth – 5 917 km, Sal to New York – 5 815 km and our newest route Seychelles to Hong Kong – 7 542 km.

It has been found that flying over water is generally much calmer at the levels at which jet airliners fly at today. It is very seldomly found that thunder storms build up over the sea above 16 000 feet. So when we were banned from flying over Africa, it was actually a blessing in disguise as it enabled SAA to get away from the weather problems generally associated with flying over land.

South African Airways aircraft are also being used in an American experi­ment studying the weather in the Atlan­tic Ocean’s tropical area. As the SAA aircraft are the only ones flying over the area, they have been equipped with special equipment which performs cer­tain experiments, and will eventually enable meteorologists to predict weather conditions accurately, weeks in advance.

South African Airways is proud to be associated with this experiment, the biggest international undertaking of its kind in history.

———-

TWEE SAL-VETERANE

SPAN UIT

Twee Lugdiensveterane wat sedert stigting in 1934 ‘n belangrike aandeel in die ontwikkeling van die nasionale karweier gehad hat, tree vandeesmaand amptelik uit die Diens. Beide Douglas Kirkwood en Jeff Scott hat tydens die redery se ontstaan by die Suid-Afrikaanse Lugdiens aangesluit toe die hoofkantoor by die ou Stamford Hillvliegveld in Durban gesetel was en hulle name verskyn prominent in die annale van die SAL se geskiedenis.

Jeff Scott tree af as assistent-handelsdirekteur (handelsbedryf) nadat hy van die betrekking as betaalmeester, op die SAL se eerste buitelandse vlugte na Nairobi en Kisumu, deur die verskillende lugdiensbetrekkings na bo gevorder het. Hy het ook die Canopus van Imperial Airways, die eerste vliegboot wat op Durbanbaai geland het, gehanteer.

Mnr. J.R. Scott

Gedurende die Tweede Wêreldoorlog is mnr. Scott na Oos-Afrika gestuur waar hy in aktiewe diens was totdat die Italianers verslaan is. Daarna is hy na Wes-Afrika as skakeloffisier van die SALM verbonde aan die Britse Konsulaat, Leipoldville.

Teen die einde van die oorlog het Jeff Scott na Suid-Afrika teruggekeer om die lugstasie vir die SAL in Port Elizabeth te open maar in 1945 is hy in beheer geplaas van Palmietfontein, die SAL se eerste internasionale stasie.

Van toe af het daar soveel gebeur dat ‘n boek oor sy bedrywighede geskryf kan word. Dit is voldoende om te sê dat hy ook ‘n belangrike aandeel in die „om die bog”-werking gehad het toe die SAL in 1963 op staande voet verplig was om ‘n nuwe roete om Afrika te vlieg en dat hy ‘n reeks senior betrekkings beklee het, onder andere bestuurder grondhantering, verkecrsbr.stuurder en kajuitdienstebestuurder. Hy het ook op verskeie komitees in verband met algemene lugvaartaangeleenthede gedien.

Jeff Scott was nog altyd ‘n ywerige sportliefhebber sedert die dae toe hy op skool op sportgebied uitgeblink het. In 1946 het hy die huidige Avion Parkontspannings­klub gestig en aktief aan krieket, sagtebal, tennis, klein kaliberskyfskiet en rolbal deelgeneem.

Doug Kirkwood het twee jaar se opleiding by Imperial Airways deurloop waar hy ondervinding in verkeerhanteerprosedures en handelsbedryf opgedoen het voordat hy by die SAL aangesluit het op die dag toe die eerste Junkers J.U.52 in Durban aangekom het.

Mnr. T.D. Kirkwood

Sedertdien het hy in verskeie hoedanighede op die handelsgebied diens gedoen en was nou betrokke by verskeie van die probleme wat die SAL deur die jare die hoof moes bied. Een hiervan was die krisis van Augustus 1963 toe die lugredery om die bog van Afrika moes wegdraai. Mnr. Kirkwood is na Las Palmas, die SAL se tussenlandingsplek in die Noorde gestuur om die weg to baan vir die ononderbroke voortsetting van die dienste tussen Suid-Afrika en Europa/Verenigde Koninkryk. In 1964 word mnr. Kirkwood die SAL se verkeersbestuurder en vyf jaar later is hy aangestel as bestuurder van die afdeling handelsontwikkeling waar hy hoofsaaklik met die voorbereidings vir die ingebruikneming van die SAL se Boeing 747-vloot gemoeid was. Dougie Kirkwood het geen besondere planne vir sy aftrede nie maar sal moontlik sy tyd tussen sy huis in Germiston en ‘n woonstel in Kaapstad verdeel. Hy bly ‘n hartstogtelike liefhebber van reis en geniet ook rolbal, tuinmaak en so af en toe ‘n waagskoot by Turffontein of Kenilworth.

Die SAL wil beide mnr. Scott en mnr. Kirkwood alles van die beste vir die toekoms toewens.

———-

NUWE ASSISTENT­

HANDELSDIREKTEUR

Mnr. A.S. Cronjê, die. SAL se voormalige Bestuurder, Plekbesprekings en Datastelsels, is aangestel om mnr. Jeff Scott op te volg as die redery se Assistent-handelsdirekteur (handelsbedryf).

Mnr. Cronjê kom uit die Vrystaatse gemeenskap van Ficksburg, en het gedurende die Depressiejare by die Suid-Afrikaanse Spoorweë aangesluit. In 1946 het hy na die SAL oorgeplaas as Lugstasie-opsiener op Bloemfontein, by die ou Tempelughawe op die Kimberleypad. In 1950 is hy bevorder tot Assistent-lugstasietoesighouer by Palmietfon­tein en toe die redery se hoofkantoor na Jan Smutslughawe verskuif is, het hy by die nuutgestigte Plekbesprekingsnavorsingsafdeling aangesluit.

Mnr. Cronjê was die dryfkrag agter die instelling van die SAL se SAAFARI-geoutoma­tiseerde plekbesprekings- en boodskapskakelingstelsel en was die leier van die span wat in 1967 oorsee gestuur is om plekbesprekingsmetodes te bestudeer.

Mnr. Cronjê se nuwe pos plaas hom in beheer van al die redery se handelsaktiwiteite by Jan Smutslughawe. Ons hartlikste gelukwense aan hom met sy nuwe aanstelling.

Mnr. A.S. Cronjè

———-

LUCKY WINNERS FROM DOWN UNDER

Two lucky young ladies in Australia have just won return tickets to London on SAA in competitions with which the airline was closely associated.

Miss Christine Pearman, Miss Personality 1974, receiving her prize from The Honourable Sir Charles Court, Premier of Western Australia while the TV compêre, Geoff Newman, looks on

Before 800 guests at a ball held in Perth, Christine Pearman was chosen to be “Miss Personality” and presented with her major prize – a return air ticket to London via South Africa on South African Airways. The “Miss Personality Quest” raised $104 000 for the Lions Save-Sight Foundation and the Australian Kidney Foundation.

A beautiful blonde nursing sister from England won the 1974 New South Wales Nurse Quest and will soon embark on her SAA holiday to South Africa and the United Kingdom. Nurse of the Year, Elizabeth Howe is a nurse tutor at Sydney Hospital and was chosen from seven finalists by an independent panel of judges. Among the finalists were Reg Sillince, the only male nurse in the quest and Helena Sendor, one of the indentical twins who were both entrants.

Miss Elizabeth Howe (centre) Australian Nurse of the Year, is pictured with Bob Oakman, DSM for SAA (left), Mr. Warwick Brady of East West Airlines and Kate Kirkpatrick, last year’s winner of the Quest

Mr. Bob Oakman, District Sales Manager for SAA was on hand at the finalists’ ball to hand over the return air ticket to the winner which will take her to Europe via South Africa on SAA.

———-

SKIVAKANSIE – AANBOD

Personeellede van die Suid-Afrikaanse Lugdiens wat lief is vir ski, of diegene wat nog altyd ‘n skivakansie wou onderneem, kan gebruik maak van ‘n baie aantreklike aanbod wat aan die personeel gemaak is om te gaan ski in die Oostenrykse Alpe. Die ski-oord is die een by Spital in Semmering op die grens van Opper- en Nederoostenryk, sowat 100 kilometer van Wenen af. Die oord sorg ook vir beginners en het 24 skihysers om skiërs teen die hange op te neem. Spital het ook die langste stoelhyser in Oostenryk en voorsien ook nagskiëry. Daar is ‘n oorvloed van sneeu van middel Desember af tot middel April maar as Moeder Natuur nie saamspeel nie is daar ‘n sneeuvervaardigingmasjien handig.

Gekwalifiseerde ski-instrukteurs hou elke dag vier lesse van Maandag tot Vrydag. Akkommodasie by die oord is in ‘n pension, met bad en sauna, terwyl diskoteke, skaatsbane, fondue-aande of ‘n besoek aan die fliek, vermaak in die aande verskaf. Gemaklike treinverbindings na Wenen is ook beskikbaar vir diegene wat graag ‘n dag, of hulle geld, in die Oostenrykse hoofstad wil spandeer.

Die koste per week vir SAL-personeellede is R79,00, wat skihuur, skilesse, akkommodasie met ontbyt en vervoer van en na Wenenlughawe elke Sondag om 1 nm. kort na die SAL-vlug geland het, insluit.

Een van die stoelhysers by Spital, die Oostenrykse ski-oord waar SAL-personeel ‘n eersteklasvakansie vir slegs R79,00 per week kan deurbring

———-

DIE SAL EN WILDBEWARING

Mev. Cathy van Zyl, ‘n kontrolewaardin van die Suid-Afrikaanse Lugdiens was byderhand om saam met mej. Norma Foster, die voormalige Mej. Suid-Afrika, wat tans hier is van die Verenigde State om ‘n reeks televisierolprente by name van Wildlife in Crisis te vervaardig, te poseer vir publisiteitfoto’s.

Die Suid-Afrikaanse Lugdiens is nou verbonde aan die vervaardiging van hierdie rolprente en ons redery sal wye publisiteit ontvang wanneer die rolprente op die belangrikste televisienetwerke in die Verenigde State vertoon word.

Ons foto toon Norma en Cathy in die eersteklassitkamer van ‘n SAL-Boeing 747 by Jan Smutslughawe.

———-

KWARTEEU VIR BILL POYSER

Gelukkige Bill! Bill Poyser omring deur lede van ons kaartjie- en plekbesprekingsdames by die lughawe, wat diensvry was

Die Suid-Afrikaanse Lugdiens se personeel in Londen het onlangs ‘n heerlike partytjie gehou om ‘n kwarteeu van diens aan die SAL in die Verenigde Koninkryk deur mnr. C.W.L. „Bill” Poyser, die redery se Stasiebestuurder by Heathrowlughawe, to herdenk.

Alhoewel Bill maar net sedert 1965 formeel ‘n personeellid van die SAL is, word sy definitiewe bekwaamheid in die diens van die SAL vanaf ‘n baie vroeër datum, sedert die einde van September 1946, in diens van die SAL gebruik, toe by by die personeel van die Suid-Afrikaanse Ambassade in Londen aangesluit het. Terwyl by by die Ambassade werksaam was, is hy na die klein spannetjie wat verantwoordelik was vir die bedryf van ons vroeë dienste van die V.K. af, oorgeplaas.

Op 1 September 1965, op ‘n besonderse dramatiese oomblik in die geskiedenis van die redery, is Bill amptelik na die SAL oorgeplaas. Sy eerste aanstelling was as Assistent-stasiebestuurder, daarna het by Senior­passasiersamptenaar geword, toe Administrasie-amptenaar vir die V.K. in die Oxford Circus-kantoor, voordat by in 1970 na sy eerste liefde as Stasiebestuurder by Londenlughawe teruggekeer het.

Die SAL se streekbestuurder, Noordwestelike Europa, mnr. R.V. Garton bring hulde aan Bill Poyser terwyl bestuurder vir die V.K., mnr. V.P.T. Harrison, toekyk

———-

GHOLFKOMPETISIE OP MAURITIUS

Mnr. Ian Espitalier-Noel en mnr. M. Tangavez bewonder die Suid-Afri­kaanse Lugdiens se Gholftrofee nadat hulle dit van die SAL se verteen­woordiger in Mauritius, mnr. E.L. Nairac, ontvang het. Die gholf­kompetisie is by die Le Morne Brabant Hotel se gholfbaan gehou en al die rederye wat dienste deur Mauritius het, is genooi om deel te neem. Ongelukkig kon die SAL se deelnemer nie betyds daar wees nie omdat sy vliegtuig vir meer as 24 uur vertraag was.

  Die SAL was ook van diens vir die span van Mauritius se Grand Bay Seiljagklub wat na Australië gereis het om aan die Australiese en Wêreldseiljagkampioenskappe wat in Adelaide gehou is, deel te neem. Die span is saam met mnr. E.L. Nairac en mej. D, van Putten, hulle lugwaardin vir die vlug, afgeneem by Plaisance-lughawe kort voor hulle vertrek .

———-

PLANNING FOR CHRISTMAS

Although it is only August, SAA is already planning to cope with the anticipated increase in traffic between South Africa and London during the Christmas holidays. Over the period December 15, 1974, to January 26, 1975, SAA will operate an additional Boeing 747 flight between Johannesburg and London on Sunday evenings. The return flight will leave Heathrow Airport on Monday evenings.

With Amsterdam, Athens and Paris now also included in the 747 service pattern, this extra flight will mean that we are operating 13 B747 flights to Europe/UK every week, 8 of which will be between Johannesburg and London.

———-