SAA over Sussex

[Bob Upndown]

Hi All,

Apologies if perhaps this is on the wrong forum, but I've never had to post anything like this before and figured you fine people may be able to help.

Saturday 26/6/04,1620BST, over Climping, Sussex, I observed a SAA 744 heading approx 330 degrees, slow and VERY low.

We're under the southbound track where we are and see loads of contrails but this was LOW LOW LOW (a-la Warrior out of Goodwood low!).

I understand the SAA flt's get into LHR in the am, then leave in the evening. Given the time, was this a/c perhaps doing a fly-by (Arundel cricket/ Goodwood) before heading back to LHR for the evening departure?

I didn't actually spot it first, my partner who's South African did, before leaping up and down! A low slow flyby of the house by an a/c in her 'home' colours made her weekend:)

Any info would be most appreciated.

Cheers,
Bob

[Topofthestack]

The SAA B744 was doing a display at the Goodwodd 'Festival of Speed'. It came out of LHR and held in an area south of GWC, then did a display and returned to LHR.

[montster]

Was it this one?

http://forums.flyer.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=7062

[AlanM]

and he will be doing the same thing over Farnborough in July!

[Dogma]

Must have been a beautiful sight.

747-400 doing a low level display!

I would have gone to Goodwood had I known

[vintage ATCO]

Did the same thing at Duxford last year

http://www.stevelevien.com/dux0409.htm

Super sight! :ok:

[tired]

Ja, it's SAA's party trick, every chance they get.

Lovely being a State airline with taxpayers' money to burn. :(

[Rhodie]

Why the chirp, Tired..??

SAA are still accountable for their balance sheet at the end of the day...

Maybe, unlike wherever you are, the airlines do not put anything back into aviation. Have a look at an old site on Africa Aviation to see the 747 Classic donated to a civilian run Historical society, now based at Rand airport in Jhb.

You tell me one person who did not think the display was great..?

Cheers

R

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

But it's not a patch on the SAA DC-4, which I had the pleasure of talking to as it headed for Fairford a few years ago...

[Rhodie]

HD - you ever get yourself over to this side of the pond...

I'll treat you to a ride on the SAA's Historic flight DC4 - that's a promise... :ok:

R

[Bob Upndown]

TOTS,

Many thanks for the expanation above, much appreciated. I'm sure it was a stunning display; if it was anything like the Duxford display, a real treat.

Tired, just a thought boet, but would it be possible that SAA might be swelling their coffers with a nice little earner here? I'm sure they're not paying for the extra fuel uplift and crew time, so it would make sense that they're charging for the displays and hence not costing the tax payers anything.

If it is the case that they are doing them for free, it could be agrued that it's a valuable brand awareness raising and marketing excercise so that the next time Joe Brit flies to the Rainbow Nation, he might choose SAA over VS or BA?

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Rhodie... that's extremely gentlemanly of you and I'd love to think I might take you up on it one day. The DC4 was/is/always will be my #1 favourite aeroplane and talking to the SAA one brought tears to my eyes.

[Christo]

FAWB EAA airshow this year :)

http://hagar.up.ac.za/christo/dc9.jpg

[vintage ATCO]

Anyone know where this is?

http://www.stevelevien.com/jpgs/707buzz.jpg

or is it faked? :confused:

[LJ45]

Dear Vintage ATCO

That amazing flyby was done at an airshow at Charles Prince Airfield just outside of Harare. Much fuss made about it but the crowd went wild!:)

[vintage ATCO]

I can see why!!! Do you know the year?

Many thanks for posting.


VA

[DONT THINK]

As far as i can remember Rolls Royce is celebrating its centenary and has contracted SAA to fly at Farnborough and another show. Hence costs will not be carried by the SA taxpayer.

[nitefiter]

The SAA 744 did the same display at EMA (over the park) a couple of weeks ago to mark the RR centenary year,Just Awsome,The ensuing traffic jam on the M1 took me 25 mins extra to get to work! well worth it though

[Rhodie]

Vintage...

I seem to remember somewhere around 1987 / 88 for this fly-by..

If I recall, the Radar Alti read something like 6 FOOT at one stage... :ooh:

S'tru's'bob...

Cheers

R

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

That's what air shows are about - or WERE about. So much safety hoo-ha nowadays it's a wonder the crowds can see the planes at all they're so far away.

Farnborough back in the early days was fantastic - crowds at the back jumping up to see the jets hurtling by because they were below the level of the spectators in front!!

[The Claw]

It was during the Mashonaland Flying Club's Air Day 1995, which was on Sunday 9 May 1995. Not a popular stunt, but the crowds sure loved it! There is a video knocking about somewhere, I believe. :hmm:

[Warped Factor]

White Waltham, 1977.

http://www.vc10.net/Memories/Images/GARVM_ww71.jpg


See this pic (http://www.airliners.net/open.file/051638/L/) as well, it's a bit big to link to.

WF.

[vintage ATCO]

Hence the expression, did the earth move for you?


I remember a BOAC B707 doing something similar at Denham at a GAPAN Garden Party, probably late 60s.

[holyflyer]

Chap at next desk to me says he was at the air show as a lad. The 707 dropped in "unannounced" on a scheduled passenger flight i.e. with passengers on board!

[The Claw]

Twaddle................and so myths are created ! :*

It was very much part of the display !

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Well I don't think aeroplanes like that tend to "drop in", but there are plenty of examples of fare paying passenger-carrying a/c diverting from planned routes to pop in to air shows... by arrangement of course.

[White Knight]

The Claw and Vintage ATCO, Air Zim's 707 doing the display was MFC Airday '93, I have the dated photos to prove it:ok: Also I was standing in the control tower when an Air Zim 767 did an ad-hoc display earlier on during the show. That caused waves as it was fully paxed up and heading for Jo'burg.
Definately NOT a fake by the way. :cool: :cool:

The VC-10 at Waltham is a BEAUTY!!!!!!

[The Claw]

I stand corrected, yes, the year was 1993 :ok:

9 May 1993, the photographer I think was John Miller.

[DONT THINK]

Check out the link , old but still a good one. http://www.airliners.net/open.file/116351/M/

[GMC]

Not one cent of taxpayer's money was spent. Yes we will be doing more of the same at FI2004 on 23 and 24 July. My sincere thanks to NATS for making the Goodwood flights and the EGNX flight that little bit easier. Guys and girls, you do a great job!

[Bob Upndown]

GMC,

If you were one of the drivers of the '400 that day I mentioned at the top of the thread - Sir, many many many thanks to you guys, you too do a great job!

I know it wasn't the display (and we REALLY wish we had got to see that), but coming directly over the house and slowly disappearing north over the horizon in that pristine 'plane put a sometimes-homesick Saffa girl on cloud-nine.

One question: What height were you at coming over the coast and heading up past Arundel (sorry, don't know the waypoints!). I'm sure my estimate was wildly out due to the change of scale from the Warriors/Tomahawks we usually see ;)

Cheers,
Bob

[mikemal]

Hello all

BTW, the SAA flypasts were paid for by Rolls Royce.

[JamesT73J]

It seems in keeping with the SAA ethos - they really enjoy their flying. Going to Capetown in 2001 from LHR, the first officer waited till we cleared 10,000ft and started praising LHR ATC as the best in the world, then proceeded to give us highlights of the trip (usually aviation related).

Same with the domestic flights. Little things but it's always good to see people enjoying their work.

[Point Seven]

It was great watching 'em depart from Heathrow tower with a screaming left turn over the BA World Cargo hangar direct to Ockham at 2500 ft.

Don't get enough of this kind of stuff anymore. Thanks chaps.

P7:ok:

[indaba]

Much fuss was made about, I gather, because this was (allegedly) the Harare-Vic Falls scheduled flight, full of pax, diverted after departure to conduct this 'fly'-by at Charles Prince.

Is that 'ground effect' he's using to stay off the tarmac?

[mr Q]

Is this the one ??

http://www.plane-mad.com/view_photo.php?id=1575

[davethelimey]

Don't suppose anyone can link to a video of these (or similar) flypasts?