The Book
The text of A Firm Resolve is in simple, easy to follow language that makes the usually technical realm of aviation safety accessible and simple to understand. An easy-reading narrative style is employed to take the reader along on each flight up to the fateful moment of impact. Thereafter the investigator’s footsteps are retraced as they minutely examine each accident to discover what happened and take action in order to prevent it happening again.
The author spent 15 years following leads and collecting information from the most reliable sources available: The accident investigator’s notes, minutes of the various boards of enquiry into each accident as well as state archives in the Republic of South Africa and abroad. From the meagre files of the early 1930s through to the technical records of the airline itself and the more than 15 000 pages of evidence regarding the loss of flight SA 295 - both before the Margo commission and the Truth and Reconcilliation Comission - the author has explored every angle, every rumour and has spoken to hundreds of people to be able to detail the findings of the flight safety experts who discovered the truth about the final moments of all 22 aircraft.
In the case of the Helderberg the subsequent events still, in the author’s view, raise cause for concern for the flying public the world over.
A listing of the accidents covered in the book:
(Listings in bold described in the book)
| Registration | Type | Date |
| ZS-ABI | DeHavilland DH60 | 29 Nov 1935 |
| ZS-AEA | Junkers F13 | October 1935 |
| ZS-AEN | Junkers F13 | 29 Jan 1936 |
| ZS-AKY | Junkers JU52 | 16 Jun 1937 |
| ZS-AJE | Junkers JU86 | 29 Jul 1937 |
| ZS-AEC | Junkers W34 | 16 Nov 1937 |
| ZS-ABG | DeHavilland DH60 | 12 Mar 1939 |
| ZS-ABU | Junkers F13 | 17 May 1940 |
| ZS-AST | Lockheed Lodestar 18 | 28 Mar 1941 |
| ZS-ABH | DeHavilland DH60 | 22 June 1947 |
| ZS-ASW | Lockheed Lodestar 18 | 5 Jan 1948 |
| ZS-AVJ | Douglas DC3 | 5 Oct 1951 |
| ZS-AVI | Douglas DC3 | 15 Sept 1952 |
| G-ALYY | DeHavilland Comet 1 | 7 April 1954 |
| ZS-ASV | Lockheed Lodestar 18 | 1 Feb 1954 |
| ZS-CKC | Boeing 707-B | 29 Oct 1960 |
| ZS-DJC | Douglas DC3 | 6 March 1962 |
| ZS-BMH | Douglas DC3/Harvard | 30 June 1962 |
| ZS-CVA | Vickers Viscount | 13 Mar 1967 |
| ZS-EUW | Boeing 707-C | 20 April 1968 |
| ZS-SPE | Boeing 747-SP | 17 Aug 1985 |
| ZS-SAS | Boeing 747-200 | 27 Nov 1987 |
| TOTAL OF MAJOR ACCIDENTS | 22 |
| TOTAL OF HULL-LOSSES | 11 |
| NUMBER OF FATALITIES | 357 |
RESEARCH NOTE
The accidents listed are as noted either in the ICAO database, SAA records, DCA/CAA data logs and/or the library of Parliament records for transport matters.
Synopses of accidents have been included in this book for major damage/write-off accidents only. A number of the accidents of the early years of the airline – particularly those to the Junkers F13 and the DH60 aircraft, did not result in the loss of the aircraft and they were returned to service. In addition, the cut-off date of 1987 has two reasons: Firstly, the pilots and other aircrew mentioned in the official reports from which information has been sourced have all ceased flying for the airline and thus no negative impact upon their careers can be alleged by the pilot's association of the airline. Secondly, no further hull-losses have been incurred by the airline since the loss of ZS-SAS in 1987.
With 30 chapters, numerous illustrations and a comprehensive index with appendices, this 376 page book is
guaranteed to interest the layman and professional aviator alike.