Inference of Pilot Speeding Is Incorrect

* In response to your editorial, “Averting Future Air Disasters” (Dec. 24): You state more than once that the Westwind jet was going too fast and that the pilot was “warned” of this several times by air traffic controllers. Your inference seems to be that the pilot of the Westwind was “speeding” and this was a negligent operation of the aircraft which contributed to the accident.

Quite to the contrary, the Westwind pilot was operating his aircraft at a speed which he considered prudent for the circumstances.

The speed limit for such airspace is 200 knots, and the Westwind was well below that speed.

Once within five miles of the airport, air traffic control must relinquish all speed control to the pilot--this is primary to safe flight operations. The John Wayne tower controller was likely concerned that the Westwind would arrive at the runway before the 757 had exited the runway after its landing roll.

If that happened, the controller would have had to direct the Westwind to balk his landing approach and fly another circuit for landing.

Thus, the only real concern the tower controller had was one of efficient use of the runway, not a concern that the Westwind was “speeding’ toward disaster.

Unfortunately, your technically flawed editorial suggests otherwise. You should research the matter more carefully, then set the record straight.

Now that the FAA has belatedly declared the 757’s wake vortices to be dangerous, the ground rules are different. But, based on the rules in place on December 15, neither the pilot of the Westwind nor the John Wayne tower controllers did anything wrong as to speed and separation of airplanes.

Having said that, the approach controllers who worked both aircraft before they were handed over to the tower could have provided better spacing--but again only to make sure both airplanes would have the runway available separately in order to land.

Instead of making false accusations, you might want to instead explore the rules which still permit a heavy airliner to operate above the electronic glide-slope on approach to landing. That is likely what caused this disaster more than any other factor.

WALLACE B. ROBERTS

San Clemente

Roberts is a retired airline pilot and consultant on instrument approaches.