Flying takes a cool head, not strength
I HAVE had a private pilot’s licence for 19 years, flying out of the old wartime airfield at Little Snoring, Norfolk. I was incensed at Angela Epstein’s attitude to women pilots (Femail). She says they make her nervous and feels that ‘sometimes it’s better to have a strong man in charge’. I can assure her that brute force is not a prerequisite to pilot a plane safely. The female Air Transport Auxiliary pilots in World War II flew everything from Tiger Moths and Dakotas to Spitfires and even a Lancaster bomber. Women sit the same exams and have to show the same aptitude as any man to be allowed to fly. It is cool, clear thinking and the ability to handle any situation in the air that is required, not muscles. How sad that one of my own sex is so blinkered. It’s attitudes such as hers that have lead to a glass ceiling for women pilots.
lESlEY STANTON, Foxley, Norfolk. IT MAY reassure Angela Epstein to know that flying modern commercial aircraft is more like sitting at a desk operating a laptop. Hands-on flying is a small part of the work, usually being only those few minutes of take-off and landing. Even then the aircraft’s safety systems will let the pilot know if there is a problem.
BOB PHIllIPS, Bristol. and strongly dispute I have done anything wrong.
It would be almost impossible to drive through the junction when the lights are green. You couldn’t engage first gear before the lights went red again!
Despite numerous requests to the local highways authority and my MP, I’m still waiting for an explanation.
In the meantime, the police continue to rake in the cash.
PAUl SHIPMAN, Broughton Astley, leics.
Plunging pound
NOW the pound is at almost parity with the euro, at least when you pick up the menu in a restaurant on holiday there won’t be any confusion about the prices.
Just try to forget that on October 27, 2000, the pound was worth 1.73 euros.
R. J. DOE, Weston-super-Mare, Somerset.
My thanks to the Mail
I WAS delighted to read about the lady whose life was saved after she read about bowel cancer in the Mail (Letters).
I had a similar experience when my vision deteriorated. I read about Fuchs’ dystrophy in this newspaper, which warned I could lose my sight, but there was a treatment.
After two corneal transplants by the consultant Arun Brahma at Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, I have recovered and don’t even need glasses.
JEAN RABY, Stockport, Gtr Manchester.
Use your head!
HOW I long for the days when we didn’t rely on computers, but used common sense.
I borrowed a book from the library and returned it on time. I then received an automated letter saying it was overdue and I would be fined. So I went to the library and pointed it out on the shelf.
My bank kept sending me statements for an old ISA with a small amount of interest. I asked for this to be transferred to my current account and to close the ISA.
Then I received a statement showing a balance of 0.01p on the ISA. It took half an hour for the cashier to work out how to close the account. MARGARET MORlEY,
Enfield, Middlesex.
Show some backbone
I DON’T feel sorry for the woman who took part in a trendy Tough Mudder event and is suing organisers after suffering facial injuries needing £27,000 of reconstructive surgery (Mail).
She entered an event for which she was clearly illequipped, signed a waiver and had a mishap.
Sadly, the compensation culture is rife. Too many people will not take responsibility for their own actions.
I have had two accidents where I could have been killed or maimed, but didn’t blame anyone else as I had chosen to undertake risky activities.
I have worked in rehab with sportspeople and service personnel recovering from terrible injuries. They didn’t blame others. They showed backbone and got on with it.
TIM lASKEY, Hindhead, Surrey.