BRIEF NOTES

RUSSIAN HELICOPTER FOR THE MARINES -- RI government procure four Russian Mi-17 helicopters for the marines./Foto:Kazan Helicopters

Navy Chie-of-Staff, Admiral Achmad Sutjipto in a press statement recently revealed that the Indonesian government plans to procure four Russian Mi-17 light cargo helicopters for the Marines. The four helicopters are expected to support troop transport in large numbers and in a relatively short time.

"The Marine Corps is currently facing problems of tactical mobility. Troop dispatch to operational areas lacked maximum effectiveness because of the lack of adequate air mobility means. The four helicopters hopefully will fill in this short coming,"said the admiral quoted by Antara news agency.

The helicopters purchase plan has already been studied most intensively, and the fund will come from the navy's routine budget, and no special funds are allocated for the procurement of the aircraft.

The press statement did not mention the price of the helicopters. Asia Military Defense magazine indicated that the Mil-17 chopper has the capability to fly an altitude of 6.000 meters, covering a distance of 950 km and is classified as a medium-size cargo aircraft most popular in Asia and Pacific countries.

The helicopter can also be modified as an attack helicopter by fitting it with rocket launchers, machine guns, anti-tank rockets and chaff to deceive attacking missiles.

With all these equipment, this helicopter may compete with one built by the West, such as Super Puma and Black Hawk used by the Interfet in East Timor. (ds)

Crash of an airplane is never out of a discussion. Questions of what went wrong or whose fault it was ­ the aircraft's design, operation factor, working environment, or the one that people always pointed at, the human factor ­ has never been answered completely. However, let us not forget that sometimes the plane crash is caused by an external factor. Like the Concorde crash that is presumed because of an object left on the runway, last July.

That is the mystery of aviation. "We have technologies, human resources, and facilities, but accidents do happen," said Captain Paul McCarthy, Chairman of the Accident Investigation Committee US-ALPA (United States Air Line Pilot Association), one of the speakers in Flight Safety Seminar, which was held by Garuda Pilot Association (APG) at Mulia Hotel on September 11.

According to the President of Garuda Pilot Association (APG), Capt. Ari Sapari, the seminar that is on Asean Pilot League's agenda, shows APG concern for flight safety. "Safety is number one," he said. With Flight Safety theme, this seminar actually aims to provide a forum for Flight Accident and Investigation & Analysis awareness. And Capt. Santoso Sayogo has brought this issue perfectly by taking the case of the DC-10 Garuda accident in Fukuoka, Japan as an example.

While another speaker, Prof. Oetarjo Diran, Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Committee, emphasized on our concern for the safety. "The awareness of safety is very low in this country," he explained. (ben/don)