FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1993
1993 - 1751.PDF
LETTERS Statement on Korean PC-9 SIR — It was with surprise that we read "Pilatus faces South Korean row" (Flight Interna tional, 23-29 June, P14) and we wish to correct some of the article's statements. • The Republic of Korea Air Force (RoKAF) requirement of operational capability (ROC) calls for a trainer, not for a trainer/lighl-altack aircraft; • the decision by the Korean MND to order the PC-9 was made on 7 May by the eight- member committee (the ap proval of the nine-member committee is dependent upon export permission from the Swiss Government); • what has membership of Switzerland in the United Na tions' Neutral Nations Supervi sory Commission to do with an area of "war or tension"? • Pilatus was never in danger of losing the South African order, as the air force agreed to a modification of the PC-7 without hardpoints. It was re ported, nevertheless, that the Tucano was selected as the South African trainer (Flight International, 9-15 September, 1992). This is the second time wrong information has been given about Pilatus; WHAT'S ON Int'l Air Tattoo 93 24-25 July, RAF Fairford, UK. Contact: Tony Webb, Public Affairs Co-ordinator, The Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund Enterprises, Bldg 15, RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire GL7 4DL, UK; tel: +44 (285) 713300; fax: +44 (285) 713268. Lelystad Airshow 28 August, the Netherlands. Contact: William van der Meulen, Postbus 9, 8200 AA Lelystad, the Netherlands; tel: +31 (32) 0078269. Aviation 93 20-23 August, Notting ham, UK. Contact: Andrew Worsley, Airworks, 26 Chessington Road, South, Mansfield, Notts NG19 7AD, UK; tel: +44 (623) 634635; fax: +44 (623) 636436. While Waltham Airshow '93 22 August, White Waltham Airfield, UK. Contact: Nigel Warren, Opera tions Department, White Waltham Airfield, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 3NJ, UK; tel: +44 (628) 823272/3/4; fax: +44 (628) 826070. • people from the UK have forwarded to newspaper agen cies, among other confidential documents from the Korean Government, the letter from the MND to the Swiss Ambas sador. Quotations out of the context do not reflect the truth; • the $99.95 million bid is wrongly stated. The Pilatus bid, according to the contract signed in November 1992 with RoKAF, states another figure and definitely does not contain a part for Fabrique Nationale; • Pilatus has no contact with any company capable of arming the aircraft. That DK Interna tional, the Pilatus agent, tried to promote the armed PC-9 proves only that Pilatus refused to compete for the contract as long as the RoKAF requested arms provision (never re quested in the ROC); • the RoKAF accepted the PC- 9 in standard configuration, which has six hardpoints, but dropped the requirement for arms provision; • Oscar Schwenk, a Pilatus board member has never been in Korea, but this is irrelevant. The fact is that, when Pilatus found out about the disputed brochure, its immediate re moval was ordered. A confir mation letter from DK Interna tional proves that. O BRUNDLER W ODERMATT Pilatus Aircraft Stans, Switzerland [Flight International stands by its story (see P6). We reported correctly South Africa's pur chase of PC-7s when that coun try's Government announced its final decision in December 1992. Editor! Who flew to Argentina? SIR — I am seeking accurate and factual information for a novel I am writing. 1 hope that readers of Flight International can help. If anyone wished to fly on a civil airline, such as Pan Amer ican World Airways, to Buenos Aires, Argentina, in the autumn of 1947, what type of aircraft would have been used — a WINGLETS Don't put down air-taxi pilots SIR — The arrogance of Capt M Davies (Flight International 23-29 June, P62) astounds me. Although I have flown with national carriers, in a variety of locations, 1 would say that one of the most demanding positions I have had was operating as a pilot of a light twin for an air-taxi company in northern Europe. It is a great way to learn the meaning of "in command". CAPT D WALLACE United Arab Emirates ...I can assure Capt Davies that a light twin, heavily (if not over) laden, with engine out and prop feathered, is more demanding in terms of workload and skill than a well-managed airliner's cock pit environment. G BACZKOWSKI Sussex, UK ...Capt Davies snipes ungra ciously at air-taxi and commuter pilots, yet these are the experienced people who I much prefer to have as seconds in command. As an experienced airline pilot, I have flown with new gradu ates, those whom Capl Davies clearly considers are the "right stuff", and I often worry whether they could cope alone on a black-night circling approach if some thing happened to me. JOHN LAMING Victoria, Australia. ...The self-improver route to gaining a commercial licence has always been a long and hard one and sweeping state ments made by the likes of Capt Davies will do nothing to make the search for employment any easier. Like it or not, self-improvers can be found at all levels within the airlines, both national and regional, be it chief pilot, fleet manager, etc. Indeed, much publicity was given recently to British Airway's first woman Concorde pilot, her self a self-improver. IAN SOMMNER Surrey, UK ...There is room for both ap proved-course graduates and self-improvers and, surely, the qualities of either group, once established in an airline, are as much down to the airline's training department as to the initial training. CAPT M WALLIS Sussex, UK ...Despite ruffling the dignity and insulting the profession alism of many civilian-trained pilots, Capt Davies' letter is more important than it might at first appear, because its sub-text raises the question: "What makes a good pilot?" There are three main things that make a good civil- transport pilot — spatial awareness, a good tecbnical education and the "right" at titude. Added to these, goes experience of the airborne environment and this is something that only be at tained by doing the job. B THOMPSON Hampshire, UK Douglas DC-4 or 6? Presuma bly, the distance would have necessitated stop-overs for re fuelling. Would Houston, Texas, have been suitable? Also, what was the probable flying time needed to make the journey from Idlewild, New York, to the re-fuelling airport and the final length of the journey on to Argentina? It would be useful to know the aircraft crew size and whether refreshments were served. Should Pan Am not have had a scheduled flight to Buenos Aires, which airline did in No vember 1947? MALCOLM CADE West Blakewell Cottage Charles, Nr Barnstaple Devon EX32 0TF, UK. The opinions expressed in this page do not necessarily represent those of the Editor. Flight International cannot undertake to publish letters without name and address and reserves the right to select or edit letters. 58 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 14 - 20 July. 1993
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
