I used to fly in Nasca, more than 200 hours total time, and if I learn anything about flying in Peru, is, that no matter how good a mechanic is, and how hard he works to keep the planes safe, if customs retains spare parts, or they are not available in the country, and they charge ” luxury taxes” on all the items needed to keep the airplane safe, there is not much the mechanic can do about it, safety is compromised because of bureaucracy.

Airlines work and fly on cents per passenger, the profit margin is very slim as it is, it gets worse, when they have to decide between patching up a repair, or spend 100% or more of the purchase price on spare parts than anywhere else in the world, for example, a spark plug, here in the US, depending on the quality, can be between 50 to 100 dollars each, in Peru, the same spark plug costs between 100 to 200 dollars due to taxes.

Aircraft, engines or spare parts are not made in Peru, for the simple reason, the General Direction of air transport ( DGTA) can not certify aircraft,engine or spare parts, they depend of the FAA to do it for them, they don’t have any parameters or rules to apply to domestic fabrication, Aircraft are treated as ” rich man’s toys” and not the core of development and transportation they are in other countries.

The day Aviation is given a fair treatment, without excessive taxes, without the most expensive airspace fees in America, with decent fuel prices ( yes, Peruvian Aviation fuel is double the price than in the US), we could expect a sharp reduction of incidents and accidents.

That and the addition of professionals in the regulatory areas of Peruvian aviation, there is way too many people who are employed in the sector due to a ” buddy system” instead of being hired for their credentials.

I have flown in the Us for almost a decade, and I remain amazed on how good and efficient air traffic control, the FAA, and the regulatory areas are, availability of parts, the the speed and effectiveness they have to identify and address possible problems on aircraft ( Airworthiness directives) the availability of real time information, effective field inspections, and the ease of having good and timely maintenance, something I never saw while flying in Peru.

PS, I have also worked as a aircraft mechanic, with a flight testing background on a twin jet all composite aircraft, and besides the expensive type of maintenance composites have, compared to aluminum, composite aircraft can be stronger and safer than aluminum. But in any case, any aircraft can fly for an indefinite amount of time if given the proper maintenance.

Thanks for publishing my note to Pilot Krl, unfortuantely I missed the reason header of this note or it was not printed by accident:

Dear Karl, Refrence: US Pilot Karl Says:
December 3rd, 2008 at 9:12 am
I do not agree on:

I’ll appreciate your adding this to teh note fro a complete understanding of the
subect matter.

With all my respect and best regards:

Jorge Eduardo Beltran

I will truly appreciate your feed back and kind response, a Happy and Prosperous New Year!!

I sent a personal note to Mr. Carlos Palacin Fernandez (in Spanish) last week through this contact of your prestigious magazine.

It is been some 20 years plus, that I haven”t had contact with Carlos, owner of the now “Travel Air” Air service for tourism in Lima Peru, I’ll greatly appreciate if you could deliver this note to him.

I provided aircarft work for him here in Miami Florida back in the eighties, that led to a personal invitation from his business to Lima, Nazca and Pisco.

In reference to a note written by a pilot, Karl, that speaks of “plastic” aircraft, please do let him have this note, nothing but constructive counter oipinion, that I belive he and others that are not familiar with the new “composite” aircraft and aero space technology should research a bit:

<Dear Karl, Refrence: US Pilot Karl Says:
December 3rd, 2008 at 9:12 am
I do not agree on:

I concur totally with you on:

My name is Jorge Eduardo Beltran US. Citizen, A&P since the early seventies, “AI” at one point, Private Pilot Single, Multiengine Land (5.000 + hours in several aircraft), EAA member since 1986 # 697208, built an Experimental Twin Pusher prototype for a Venezuelan designer at Tamiami Airport in Miami Fl, it was signed and fly tested in the eighties. Damaged in 1992 with hurricane Edward., currently been revised for promotional investment on a future renewal.

I did work for Mr. Carlos Palacin in Miami preparing a Cardinal for him to ferry to Lima then, some other work and came to Lima to visit with him and attempted to do a feasibility study for his Company about an FAA Repair Station Certification, I never knew what the outcome of that attempt was..

I was invited and had the pleasure to visit with them in Lima, Nazca and Pisco witnessing the professional and excellent tourism service they offer, about the wonders of Nazca ,Pisco, Cuzco.

Back in the early eighties I took training and schooling in: Kevlar, Fiberglass and Carbon Fiber composite materials for the aviation Industry. Was contracted by QUITE NASCELLE at Miami International Airport, for the prototype work on the NOISE REDUCTION NASCELLES FOR the cargo DC-8’s, installed the pitot tube test system and physically worked on the building and installing the nacelles on the prototype aircraft with the other technical crew

The twin Pusher I built was a combination of 4130 tubing, aluminum and composite: foam, fiberglass etc. in the airframe. If Carlos Allows me I will send him a CD about building it and flying..

I do not intent to impress you with my humble background, just to try for you and other aviation avid people, to learn and experience the wonder of this “composite material” now widely used in the commercial Aviation and naturally in the design and building of totally amazing new general aviation aircraft.

“Instilling fear about this new century and for certain our aviation future technology, I consider not appropriate without the due knowledge and experience”

Most outstanding example: The SPACE SHIP ONE of Mr. Burt Rutan, the first civilian Space Ship to go to space, winning the $10.000.000 Ansari Award, all of it (except the power section and other metal needed materials) is made of composite .

As far as the “ultra violet rays” that supposedly damage this composite materials, “yes it is a factor”, but when a composite aircraft or boat etc is built, a protective film is sprayed or painted in a subject built, precisely to prevent the UV to damage or affect it.

I hope to hear from you and get your opinion on my note, it is simply that on a near future, Mr Palacin and/or other Aviation Operators and Business Owners, might and/or will want to come up to the composite technology to provide a more profitable tourism and charter service to the thousands of tourists that visit the beautiful Peru and will use Mr. Palacin’s excellent services for sure.

With my best regards
JEB

Note: Have you ever visited OSKOSH? Visit http://www.EAA.org, by instance look for the (www.CIRRUS.com) aircraft, if you do not know the advanced and superb results of this “plastic” technology, surely you and others will be surprised!!!>

Here’s the cargo airplane I flew for a few years in the US during the late 1990’s (its’s a 1955 Convair 340):

[http://www.flickr.com/photos/28078186@N08/3102734585/]

If you want to worry about airplanes, consider the new plastic (fiberglass, carbon-fiber) designs and the effects of ultra-violet sunlight on the materials.

Meanwhile, simply ensure that whoever you fly with has proper training, and ask about their maintenance practices.

As to navigation, satellites or ground stations – if you can see where you are going (which you can while you are sight seeing) it doesn’t really matter. It only becomes an issue in the clouds or very unfamiliar territory. And even then, every pilot is taught to navigate if needed by a compass and a clock.

So calm down, enjoy the vistas.

Saludos de EEUU.
Karl
(missing my time in Ilo on the beaches and in Lima/Mira Flores delivering pizzas)