Re: Observations reveal problems with airpark, letter, Jan. 29.
The letter writer notes that pilot Bela Toth had recently passed a flight physical and then asks if "there is anyone at age 79 who has the reflexes, the response time and the field of vision that would warrant a license to fly an airplane at the speeds of flight" and wonders what the criteria are for such licensing.
Fencing is a sport which requires at least an equal reaction time, mental acuity and perhaps a greater level of vigorous physical health than flying. I have a friend in her 70's with a string of fencing gold medals, who is also a pilot and a member of Mensa. Does anyone think that someone with a measured IQ in the top 2 percent of the general population cannot lose as much as 10 percent of their intellectual ability due to declining years and not still be above average in intelligence?
At the 1995 World Veteran Team Fencing Championships held in St. Petersburg Beach, the gold medalist in foil was a gentleman from the United States in his late 70s. As the minimum age for entry was 40, this means this gentleman had to beat all the fencers who had entered, with the majority being much younger, including the 40-year-olds who were little more than half his age. There were no fencers there, of any age, who could not give lessons in reaction time to the average 20-year-old, and from watching, I know his reaction time was faster than some of the younger fencers there.
Yes, there are people in their late 70s who have the reflexes, the response time, etc., necessary to pilot an aircraft, and I have met more than a few who have demonstrated this capability in competition against individuals much younger. I am quite certain any flight physical which could be passed by an average healthy 40-year-old could also be passed by an above-average individual in his late 70s.
-- C.F. Allen, Dunedin
Times needs truly informed reporter for aviation stories
Re: Pilot error blamed in fatal plane crash, story, Feb. 5.
I read with interest this article about the Clearwater Airpark midair collision of Jan. 17.
I also saw the report on the National Transportation Safety Board Web site the day it first appeared, since I peruse that data almost daily. I read the NTSB report before I read your article. I found your headline misleading at best. I found it to be editorializing and prejudicial.
I would like to plead with the Times to hire a writer (and then use that writer) to write articles about aviation who is a pilot and knows about aviation. The writer's lack of knowledge about NTSB reports, accident scenarios and acceptance of incorrect quotes without challenge, is not responsible reporting.
The Clearwater City Commission member who said the pilot of the Cessna 150 did not communicate did not know what the NTSB report said. The writer should have contacted him and asked if he wanted to change his comment.
I would be glad to write for the Times about aviation without compensation, just to ensure that someone, anyone, who knew about aviation from the inside could report facts that are fact and leave the typical media conclusion-jumping to less-equipped journals.
Not everyone can write about everything. Poorly educated writers really show, and do nothing to enhance the Times' already less-than-stellar image in the community.
-- David Nusbaum, St. Petersburg
Misleading headline heightens family's anguish over accident
Re: Pilot error blamed in fatal plane crash, story, Feb. 5.
I am writing to express my outrage at Jennifer Farrell's article. Ms. Farrell took a preliminary report from the NTSB and turned it into a sensationalized headline, placing blame before all the facts are known.
As the NTSB has stated, the preliminary report in no way is supposed to assess blame and all of the facts have not been reported yet. However, Ms. Farrell decided to write such a flawed article that the St. Petersburg Times printed a retraction the following day. I would like to point out that the inaccurate accusations made headlines, and the retraction was so small our family had difficulty finding it in the paper.
Also, Clearwater City Commissioner J.B. Johnson is at fault for his unqualified remarks about what happened on Jan. 17. Mr. Johnson states that "the crash happened due to pilot error." I am interested to know where he obtained this insightful information if the organization that is leading the investigation (NTSB) has not even made that pronouncement. Mr. Johnson himself was a pilot; shame on him for making those assumptions and having them used as fact during a media-heightened tragedy.
The preliminary report is available to the public on www.ntsb.gov and I have read it thoroughly. It does not place blame on either pilot. I am disappointed that the Times would print such an unfounded and inaccurate article with no regard to the pilot's family. We are still grieving, and Ms. Farrell's careless reporting along with Mr. Johnson's overstated conclusions are inexcusable.
-- Amy Barrett, Orlando
EDITOR'S NOTE: The Times story did not report that the NTSB report blamed either pilot for causing the crash. It stated that a "preliminary federal report" found "that the pilot who died did not report his altitude or intentions on the radio, while the pilot of a second plane involved in the midair collision did." The Times stands by that story. The headline on the story was wrong and was corrected in the Times the next day. The story itself was not retracted. Reporters do not write the headlines that appear on their stories.
"Passion' not enough to sway Christians from forgiveness
Re: Passion plays are not gospel truth, column by James Shapiro, Jan. 31.
I cannot understand all the fear of increased anti-Semitism that some say will come from Mel Gibson's movie, The Passion. As the writer states, passion plays have been around since the 12th century. Mel Gibson tells the same story that has always been told, which is one of the mainstays of Christianity.
I do agree with the writer that the story of the passion of Jesus Christ is taken from the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, which were written a generation after the death of Christ and are therefore not first-hand accounts of the event. But I must remind him that this is also true of almost every historical account of a happening. They are written accounts made by historians who have researched the facts. For example, most accounts now written about the Holocaust are being made a generation after the actual horror.
The writer also refers to Vatican II, which I believe he somewhat misinterprets. The pope's message was that Jews of today must not be held accountable for what was done two thousand years ago.
As for the fear of Christians hating Jews because of the crucifixion, the writer, who appears to have researched to some extent, ignores the teachings of Christ and one of the basic fundamentals of Christianity. True Christians practice forgiveness, not hate and revenge as is being feared.
Giant steps have been taken in recent years in the fight against intolerance and prejudice. I think the protesting of this film strongly displays anti-Christianity and may itself cause a setback in the progress thus shown.
I in no way try to say there is no anti-Semitism in the world today. There is, just as there is anti almost anything. But I have too much faith in Christians to believe Mel Gibson's The Passion will destroy what has been accomplished in the past 50 years with regard to respecting and understanding people who may believe other than what he or she may believe.
-- Donald Murphy, Clearwater
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