Les Asbend,

Referencing the Kalitta Air Bogata Accident, I wanted to imform your audience about the other Capatain in the right seat on that flight.

I hired on with this Captain at another cargo airline back in 1997. After a year, with both of us riding side saddle on the 727, we moved to the right seat of the DC-8. We were in ground school together, and were also in the sim as well. As anyone can varify, the DC-8 was like trying to, as stated by many, "driving a Mack truck with no power steering, and the front end knocked out of alignment, or trying to balance a BB, on top of a bowling ball!" This pilot, in his first hour, with the most feared instructor, was doing 2 engine approaches with one hand, down to minimums. He was that good. Then they took a hand full of us out to do the infamous 3 bounces in the aircraft, and we all slammed it on dutifully, and this gentalman greased all 3 on. He was that good. So, that flight in Bogata, also, had a very skilled 727, (he flew them before that job in 1997) DC-8, DC-10, and a Boeing 747 pilot in the right seat. That whole crew was extremely talented, and we at Kalitta are all very proud of them. Thank you.

Ron Conrad