Bonus

Well we're 21 days into what was originally a 15 day Lockdown. Our latest end date - given at the weekend - is 25th April. There are rumours that at certain dates prior to that they will slowly allow groups of people back to work. Fingers crossed I can go back sooner rather than later. Losing 45 days work at this time of year has been a blow, as it been for millions of people all over the world. This "quiet time" has given us an opportunity to think carefully about the future and what path we want to be on - and I'm happy to say that we still feel like we're doing what's right for us and for the right reasons, even if it is a bit nerve wracking at times! Best wishes to everyone! Tony.

They never did find out exactly who he was or ever recover his body as far as I remember?

There is something about the lines of a 727 that do make it a beautiful looking plane. Sleek and smooth. Saw some footage of one landing on a dirt strip once and it just looked amazing, seeming to glide in and settle down without effort. Even the positioning of the engines looks good when you look from the side. The engines were put up high at the back like that specifically so that the plane could do dirt strip landings. That's also the reason the plane has its own built in rear stairway, for remote dirt strips without passenger handling equipment.

If "Lockdown" has given us anything, it's been the opportunity to spend some time indoors browsing the web without feeling guilty about missing out on a ride or some outdoor work, either at actual work or on our own Project. One of the things on my list was to brush up on "Declarations of Trust". A Declaration of Trust is a very flexible but legally binding document typically used either when "a property is being purchased by more than one person(s) or when one person(s) makes a financial investment into another persons property". We're obviously interested in the latter, "a person(s) making an investment in to an already purchased property as a means of carrying out renovations". The terms and conditions listed in a D of T are determined by all the parties involved. "These days it's more common for people to receive financial help from family members, friends or investors when buying a property. In most cases the people providing financial assistance will want their money back at some point in the future. A Declaration of Trust (or Deed of Trust) can specify how much money should be repaid, and in what circumstances this money should be repaid. This will protect that person's investment, helping to ensure it isn't lost."

I used to do maintenance engineering at various factories (my fav was aways the cake factory!) and people were always amazed at how a machine worked fine before the holiday break but not afterwards. I wrote "Correct Shut Down Procedures" for quite a few places to help them out and I was usually there or nearby when they started up again. Made a huge difference.

Yep - that was Steve Bell. Scottish chap, a little over 5ft tall I guess, white hair and beard that made him look older than he actually was. Really nice guy. I stayed with him and his wife Mary for a month once. Drove a yellow Fiat 128.... I don't remember the other engineers - but I was generally only there out of hours. I do remember meeting one of the pilots one evening back then. Spoke with an accent which I thought at the time was maybe French. Tallish guy with a moustache. He was nice as well. As I said, happy memories . . . :-)

Yes. Sorry man - my eyes are on lockdown!

I believe that is the same frame that was leased to Air Namibia - so we've been on the same plane. When I worked in Wadeville I'd often drive and sit outside Rand Airport museum at lunchtime and eat my sandwiches just looking at the 2 big ones.

Possibly two DC8's side by side? I don't see a VC10 anywhere though? I remember lots of the European airplines using those DC-10's. Look fior the slide!

The Helderberg was a 747-300 Combi wasn't it? Cargo and Peeps. A tragedy that is still surrounded in mystery . . . .

I flew on an ex SAA 747-SP when it was painted and flying for Air Namibia. We did LHR to FRA, FRA to (WDH) Windhoek and finally WDH to JNB. It was a long flight but I loved it. A lot of the flight was day-time and we did hours and hours over various deserts! Fantastic. On that flight I managed to get into the cockpit for 10 mins (those were the days!) with my video camera. It was a German crew, very freindly. One day I'll dig out the pics and video! A beautiful plane. One of my favs :-)

My neighbour worked in one of those hangers too and I'd go with him at the weekends sometimes to bring in the evening flight after it landed from Nelspruit. If I remember correctly he was the chief engineer. The company was called Air Lowveld - they had a couple of Beech 99's. Like you, I used to sit and watch the big guys taking off - with only a wire fence between me and the runway. What a noise! And the smell of burnt fuel! Amazing. There was actually a big electric gate that opened and closed between the main airport and the apron that these hangers sat on. I remember thinking (as you do when you're a teenager) that when the gate opened I could run all the way accross the grass and runways to the main terminal building if I wanted to! This same neighbour - Steve Bell - build his own house in Van Riebeeck park and it had a balcony that looked over towards the airport. He could sit and watch planes landing from there. If they were landing from the south we'd often see a 747 come in, then disappear behind maintenance buildings and then see a flash of the top of the tail as it passed gaps between buildings after it was down, racing along the runway. Happy happy memories.

lastly . . . .

Some more . . . .

Some more . . . .

Some more . . .

These pictures belong to a Flickr user by the name of David Brooklyn. Not brilliant quality, but good enough! I believe they were all taken at ORT (what was then Jan Smuts Airport) back in 1978. I used to cycle there to watch planes around that time, so I was really pleased to find these. Happy airplane memories!

Yeah... but we aged well . . . . :-)

Nairobi I think. We got off while they refuelled. UK was my overall destination and the second leg of my trip was LUX to LHR in a very small (100 or 200 series) 737 which took off almost vertically!

I believe you mate . . . . :-)

I flex Luxair JNB to LUX back in '84. That was a 707 too,

;-)

I like watching the "how do they make it?" series on TV. Often show machines like these. Some clever poeple out there years ago.

Virus didn't stand a chance! :-)

A slide-tackle!