Pilots angry, bitter

Press, 1 May 1981, Page 3

Pilots angry, bitter

PA Auckland Many Air New Zealand pilots are angry and bitter that the company has not launched a drastic shakeup In the wake of the Mount Erebus report.

The Airline Pilots’ Association president (Caplain D. G. McAlister) said last evening industrial action would follow if the company contested the findings against pilot error. Many pilots said they were dismayed that the company had closed ranks against the findings of incompetence and deception in the report. “All airlines go through it. Pan Am was investigated by (he Federal Aviation Agency after three crashes in the early 19705, but gave itself a jhakeup. It would be tragic if we allowed life to go on as iormal,” one pilot said. A Friendship captain said: 'A report like that should »ave shaken the company (ut of its complacency. It las told itself that it was Humber one in the Pacific lor so long that this was bound to happen.”

Another said: “The company reaction has saddened all of us who hoped that a good strong report would improve certain things that have been unsatisfactory for a long time.” Captain McAlister said that the association agreed fully with the report. The association would not comment on the airline’s reaction until it learned first-hand of the company plans in the aftermath of the report. “If the company, in its attempts to seek redress against the report, contests in any way the .findings against pilot error and other matters, it will have an industrial dispute on its harids.”

Most pilots are said to be demanding sackings at the top level of Air New Zealand management and replacement of key personnel in the airline flight operations control. Several said that the lack of communication between flight operations, the navigation section, and aircraft crew highlighted in the re-

port, was a long-standing complaint. They claimed that many pilots no longer made formal reports on safety and other problems to the flight operations section, "because all you get back are nasty letters.”

Too many people in important positions had no ability to communicate and handle people, they said. A group of 16 senior management executives of Air New Zealand yesterday signed a special memorandum of support and encouragement to the chief executive, Mr M. R. Davis, accused of destroying evidence of the disaster. The executives said: “We wish to confirm our complete lack of knowledge of any evidence to support the claims referring to the alleged 'predetermined plan of deception’ in the presentation of evidence to the inquiry. “Such activity could not have taken place without the knowledge of at least some of us. <We offer our loyalty and support for you and your office.”