South African rental company Eazi Access has donated the rental of a 34ft JLG 340AJ articulated boom lift to the South African Airways Museum Society, based at Rand Airport in Germiston, South Africa. It has also trained one of the museum's volunteers to operate the machine.
The machine is being used on a number of restoration projects and general duties including the restoration of a Vickers Viking - a twin engine, short range airliner derived from the Vickers Wellington bomber. The initial nineteen production aircraft carried between 21 and 24 passengers. The museum’s Viking first took to the air on the 30th of August 1946 and was retired from service in December 1962. The boom has also been used to repaint the tail fins of the museums beloved Lockheed Starliner.
The Lockhead Starliner
Painting the tail fins
Eazi Access has partnered with the SAA Museum Society before, supplying a 51ft JLG 510AJ and 60ft 600SJ to polish the museums’ Boeing 747-244B, ‘Lebombo’, which flew over the Rugby World Cup final at Ellis Park Stadium on the 24th of June 1995.
Museum society chairman John Austin-Williams said: “With the assistance of the Eazi Access boom lift the painting and titles are now complete. Thank you Eazi Access, we are hugely appreciative of your generosity.”
Eazi Access’ Kim Meszaros added: “It is exciting for us to be able to play a role in the community, by partnering with The South African Airways Museum Society to maintain the museum’s heritage.”
The museum was set up in 1986 and has a collection of unusual, mostly passenger aircraft dating from 1940 to 1986. It is entirely staffed by volunteers and is open Tuesday to Sunday from 09:00 to 15:30.
For more information about the museum visit www.saamuseum.co.za
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