jrc@ritcv.UUCP (James R Carbin) (09/07/83)
Velu Sinha does make a good argument for looking at the KAL-007 incident
with some objectivity.
However, as a Private Pilot who has flown a single engine aircraft from
the Atlantic to the Pacific more than once, I have to take issue with
Velu's contention that it would be that difficult to distinguish between
a 707 and a 747. When landing at a controlled airport, it is common
practice for both approach controllers as well as tower controllers to
make reference to other aircraft in your vicinity, and may well give you
instructions to follow "such and such type of aircraft." You will be
asked if you have the traffic in sight, and even Private Pilots are
expected to be capable of making identifications whether it be another
light aircraft one or two miles away or a commercial or large military
aircraft up to several miles away depending on the range of visability
at that moment. Expectation that you can locate and identify other
air traffic is not limited to daylight hours. If a Private Pilot can
be expected to locate and properly identify other traffic in order to
avoid them, it is not asking too much for a military pilot who most
likely flies both more regularly and frequently to be able to do the
same.
The profile of a 747 at 3 miles even at night is unique. It is the
only aircraft (to my knowledge) with an elevated fuselage which houses
both the flight deck and the first class lounge. (First class lounge
may be replaced by first class seats by some carriers.) And by the
admission of the pilot who voice was recorded and then played back in
the U.N. Security Council, prior to launching his missles, he saw both
the navigation lights (wings and tail - which would be strobe lights)
as well as the large strobe lights on the fuselage.
Yes, it is possible that we had an error on the part of the MiG pilot
but let us not be to quick to assume that we were expecting anything
other than normal by requiring him to be able to distinguish between
a 747 and a 707. The outline of a 747 is just too unique to expect
anything else.
Just wanting to try to keep the record straight.
j.r. {allegra,seismo}!rochester!ritcv!jrc
Rochester Institute of Technology