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Aviation History
1981
1981 - 0999.PDF
Return of the hijackers Vieek ending 11 April, 1981 Number 3753 Volume 119 ISSN 0015-3710 Published in association with Aeroplane Monthly and Airports International by IPC Transport Press Ltd, Quadrant House The Quadrant, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5AS, England. World's first and only complete aeronautical weekly (£) Copyright IPC Business Press 1981 Founded 1909 Second-class postage paid at New York, NY, and additional entries. Editor J. M. Ramsden Assistant Editor Tom Hamill Defence Editor Graham Warwick BSc Defence editorial Mike Gaines Production.Editor Philip Jarrett Sub-editor Graham Cowelf Technical Editor David Velupillai BSc Technical editorial Richard Whitaker BSc Air Transport Editor Bron Rek BA Air Transport editorial David Learnriount General Aviation Cliff Barnett, Ian Parker BSc News Ian Goold Art Editor Colin Paine Layout/Sub-editor Dennis Baldry Technical Artists Frank Munger, John Marsden Keeper of Records Chris Klelgaard BSc Pictures Stephen Piercey US Publishing Consultant Warren H. Goodman, Spring Valley Road, Ossinlng, New York 10562. Telephone: (914) 941-0805. Publishing Director Martin Morgan Advertisement Representative Michael Elmes Advertisement Production Howard Mason CJverseas advertisement representatives: at back of this issue Telephone: 01-661 3320 (Advertisement Sales) 01-661 3267 (Advertisement Production) 01-661 3321 (Editorial) Telegram/Telex 892084 BISPRS G US Advertisement Sales Manager Herb Salazar, IPC Business Press, US Advertising Sales, 205 East 42nd Street, New York 10017. Telephone: (212) 867-2080. Telex: 238327. Subscriptions Manager A. Walden Telephone; England (0444) 59188 (UK and overseas subscrip tion rates can be found in this issue) Selling price in Eire subject to currency exchange fluctu ations and VAT. Q5»| international Business Press Associates lABtil Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation NEXT WEEK [FILDUKfi? INT6RNATK3NAL T&sosRonger Longftanger inure l\Jr»at*»i»»ra '^>,CFM56Mmestfagewim<Mtovwjy EK" U8S • Bell's TexasRanger is a multi-mission military derivative of the best-selling LongRanger single-engine civil helicopter. We examine its performance and mission capability. • David Learmount explains how the airline insurance market is changing to offset its losses over the last few years. • Snecma and General Electric's CFM56 is due to fly shortly in a DC-8. We present a technical description of this turbofan. AFTER several years of relative peace, the airline industry ap pears to be losing the initiative to the hijackers. Last year six Ameri can airliners were hijacked to Cuba, that original haven for this type of terrorist; more recently the Pakistan Government has given in to the PIA Boeing 720 hijackers' demands, and troops have riskily stormed a Garuda DC-9. This year marks the 50th an niversary of the first recorded hi jacking. On February 21, 1931, a Panagra Ford Trimotor flown by Capt Byron Rickard landed at Arequipa, Peru. He and his air craft were seized by army rebels who, after an unsuccessful coup against the Lima Government, de manded to be flown to Arica in Chile. The aircraft and its crew survived unharmed. (Capt Rickard was hijacked again 30 years later, flying a Continental 707 from Phoenix to El Paso; he now lives in California in retirement.) Even at the height of the 1968- 1972 epidemic, when successful hi jackings were averaging 30 a year, few passengers and crew were killed or even closely touched by this new piracy; and the number of hijackings dropped dramatically —especially in the United States— following strict airport security procedures introduced from 1973. In the USA, from 1973 until 1977, the annual average fell from 30 to a little over three; and non-US hijackings fell from 35 to 18. SecurityHScreening on embarka tion is still the most effective anti- hijaoking measure. In the United States in 1976-1978, more than 1,400 million airline passengers were screened, and, in the process, more than 8,000 firearms were de tected. The US Federal Aviation Administration has enforced and monitored the strictest security at US airports—with results which should impress the many non- American airports where security is cursory or even non-existent. As the recent events have shown, hijackers are the most determined and resourceful people, exploiting the soft spots and dropped guards. It is not uncommon even at major airports to see security staff chat ting instead of watching the X-ray images of baggage passing through screening equipment. Indeed, it is not unusual for passengers to com plain about the laxity of screening measures. Once on board, of course, the hijacker has the initiative. Experi ence suggests that every effort should be made by the crew —flight and cabin—to relax ten sion; to let the terrorists feel they are in charge; to submit technical choices to them so that they take the decisions and hence the respon sibility for delays; to ban alcohol and political discussions; to deter would-be heroes; to explain all un usual moves; to relay information only when absolutely sure that the hijackers are not aware of it; and —perhaps above all—to achieve if possible an atmosphere of good- humoured submission and even to establish personal relationships with the hijackers while those on the ground or in the tower play their part. It would be helpful if many otherwise civilised States which have still not ratified the Tokyo, Hague and Montreal conventions on hijacking could do so, to ensure that all nations comply with the international law against the har bouring of air terrorists. Meanwhile the most effective anti-hijacking measure, as the records show, remains effective screening before embarkation. J.M.R. IN THIS ISSUE World News Air Transport Defence General Aviation Business Private Avionics Spaceflight Industry International Letters SHUTTLE FIRST FLIGHT IN PROFILE CHOOSING YOUR PRIVATE AIRCRAFT MICROLIGHTS— THE DESIGNER'S DILEMMA ANTI-MOSQUITO SQUADRON INTERNATIONAL AIR SHOW CALENDAR Straight and Level 1022 1024 1027 1031 1032 1033 1034 1035 1036 1039 1046 1054 1056 1069 1073 Front cover: Space Shuttle Columbia on its way to the Kennedy launch pad. Our feature, begin ning on page 1039, looks at a profile of the first flight, due in the next few days. i
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