News coverage of recent aircraft 'dramas' ill-informed

SOME weeks ago, a Nationwide Boeing 737-200 had its right engine fall off during takeoff at Cape Town International Airport.

The Pilot in Command, Trevor Arnold did a wonderful job of maintaining control and landed some minutes afterwards. Hats offf to Trevor Arnold, his co-pilot and the rest of the crew.

Shortly afterwards, a Kulula MD-82 had an oil pressure warning, and as a precaution the Pilot in Command returned to Johannesburg. A passenger was reported saying he was "praying and thought the plane was going to fall".

Garbage! Commercial aircraft are designed with one thing in mind – safety, and are designed to fly on one engine, should an emergency occur. Commercial jets have a far better glide ratio than most light aircraft.

Some years ago, AIRNEWS magazine published pictures of a new Boeing's wing test. The wing was to be tested to destruction. The tip of the wing was lifted using pulleys to a point above the root (more than five metres) until it broke. Incidentally, the wing itself did not break, the wing root failed.

Under the headline (Terror in the sky as storm hammers plane, DD December 5) the Daily Dispatch reported how SA481 from Johannesburg to East London was caught in a thunderstorm last Sunday evening, and, that some of the passengers screamed "as they faced death".

Nonsense! In a Cumuli Nimbus cloud formation the air currents can be quite extreme and of course cause turbulence. And the sound of the engines, now battling to maintain acceleration, is deafening.

The questions I wish to raise are, firstly, how much do the writers know about jet engines and secondly, how much do the writers know about general aviation? Clearly not a great deal! – John Boltman, Selborne

A lesson on walking the talk

AFTER reading about young Stanley Ahlschlager who joined his Xhosa friend in the age old amaXhosa initiation ritual of ulwaluko (White teenager volunteers for circumcision in the bush DD December 4), I could not help but think that this simple, sincere display of friendship between two young men probably did do more to cement relationships and respect between different cultures and races, than all the self- serving bleating of the various political parties.

There are two types of people in this world – those who loudly proclaim their good intentions and grandiose ideas, but achieve very little; and those who quietly go about their lives and make sincere, significant improvements to society. – Andrew Wilson, Seafield

Embodying 'deur dik en dun'

DECEMBER 3 marked the first anniversary of the death of my cousin, Wendell Bearchanks, who died in a fatal accident on East London's Biko Bridge.

The day brought back many painful memories, but the staff of Parkside Primary School, where Wendall's mother Yvonne taught for years, came out in their numbers on this chilly, windy day to support our family in our time of pain and grief.

Thank you teachers for your overwhelming support.

Without a doubt these teachers embody the school motto which says "Deur dik en dun". – Larry Grobbelaar, University of Fort Hare, East London

Driving tests – another view

I HAVE read the articles on the difficulty in passing a drivers test to obtain a licence, the latest being one by A Zuzani, (Shake, sweat and fail DD December 6.)

But I would like to ask those who are complaining whether they ever take the trouble to take note of how badly the supposedly licensed motorists drive. From the time I leave my place of residence in Southernwood until I return, the journey to Pick n Pay in Vincent, is an "adventure".

Every motorist seems to have his or her own version of how to obey the rules of the road. Stop streets are apparently not for stopping, but for slowing down, an amber traffic light means pedal to the metal and few take notice of yield signs.

As for cellphones – motorists do not only talk on them while driving, but send and receive sms messages at the same time!

When it comes to parking there are also no rules. Motorists park on the side of the road nearest to where they are going and park on sidewalks.

I have nearly been knocked over twice at Erik's Corner in Nahoon. On the last occasion the young male driver ask me, "Is my car not big enough for you to see coming old man?"

If you want to see why the Eastern Cape has one of the worst pass rates for driving licence tests, you only have to watch the drivers.

To the Buffalo City testing centre, keep up the good work. In fact I believe our national government should introduce the demerit system as a matter of urgency. – D Jansen van Rensburg, Southernwood

Another error 'Terror'?

TERROR Lekota trounced Steve Tshwete to become the ANC's chairperson in 1997 in Mafikeng.

Immediately after that congress some newspapers reported that Lekota claimed that his victory over Steve Tshwete was a victory over the Xhosas – comments that drew criticism from the ANC leadership in the Free State.

But our dear Terror seemed not to care.

Fast forward to 2007 and we find Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota heavier, rounder, grey-haired and apparently fighting the "demon of tribalism". His focus – those wearing the "100% Zulu Boy" T-shirts. Funny how he seems to have selective amnesia. Frankly we are getting tired of Terror. – Phumelele Ndamase, Libode

A Christmas tree for all

THANK You Daily Dispatch for your article ('Wish' tree brings Christmas cheer, DD November 28) on the Rotary Tree of Joy.

This is a project of Rotary District 9320 and we have Trees of Joy as far-afield as Potchefstroom and De Aar and at least five along the Eastern Cape coast. Thousands of people, who would not usually receive presents can now get gifts for Christmas.

Recent advertisements on Radio Algoa have possibly created an impression that Rotary is no longer the main role player in the Tree of Joy project.

But the project is Rotary driven. Rotarians voluntarily find institutions and organisations to support, get the residents or members to choose possible gifts, fill in the details on a card, put the card on the tree, man the table next to the tree, collect the gifts, sort the gifts and then distribute them to the recipients. This is time consuming and requires a lot of manpower, organisation and monitoring.

We are grateful for the support from everyone, including shopping centres that provide well exposed sites and companies that purchase gifts without expecting any reward. We appeal to the public to visit a Tree of Joy and purchase a gift for someone for whom it will mean so much. When you see that requests are often for items like a packet of marshmallows, a pair of socks or toiletries, you realise the recipients are not being greedy and will be excited to receive something that many of us appears on our weekly shopping list. – Lionel Heath, District Governor