4 THE CHRONICLE - MOUNTAINEER, Tumbler Ridge, B.C., Wed., Nov. 23, 1983 EDMONTON (CP) — U.S. cruise missile test flights scheduled to take place next year will maintain a distance of at least eight kilometres from populated centres of northwestern Canada, says a spokesman for the Canadian Armed Forces. As well, a test team will be on hand to ensure the flight of the missile does not conflict with other air traffic, Lt.-Col. Robert Conn told a news con- ference Wednesday. The missile, which resembles a small jet engine with stubby, retractable wings and a short tail, is designed to fly at low altitudes to avoid radar detection. It will not be armed with nuclear warheads during test flights. The federal government announced last July 15 it had agreed to allow the Cruise will turn east near Dawson Creek U.S. to test the con- troversial missile in spite of opposition from the federa New Democratic Party and various protest groups. Conn said the test team has the ability to terminate the missile flight at any time. The first test flight is scheduled for early 1984. The missiles will be launched by U.S. Air Force B-52 bombers off the northern coast of Canada near the Mackenzie River Delta. It will land with the aid of a parachute. The 150-kilometre-wide flight corridor runs south, parallel to the Rockies and turns east near Dawson Creek, B.C., across the Peace River area of nor- thern Alberta and ends at the Primrose Lake air weapons range which straddles the Alberta- Saskatchewan border. PATIO WINDSHIELDS ALL TYPES FOR ALL YOUR GLASS NEEDS MIRRORS STORM WINDOWS SUN ROOFS CUSTOM BUILT ALUMINUM WINDOWS AND DOORS 24 Hour Emergency Service 242-3732 |WE ALSO CARRY LIQUID CARBONIC WELDING SUPPLIES. DOORS (ICBC CLAIMS) OF ACRYLIC NOW OPEN (In the old liquor store location.) Featuring Watches, Gold, Diamond Jewellery — TUMBLER RIDGE JEWELLERY & GIFTWARE Fuel tanks dry Pilots were not aware By Clyde Graham WINNIPEG (CP) — Pilots on an Air Canada 767 jetliner weren’t aware the plane’s fuel tanks were running dry until the engines began cutting out over rugged northwestern Ontario, Capt. Rob Pearson told a federal inquiry. Pearson said Monday he and First Officer Maurice Quintal actually thought they had a surplus of fuel July 23 as they passed over Red Lake, Ont. In fact, the plane’s tanks were nearly empty. Notations on the flight plan showed Pearson and Quintal believed they had 11,800 kilograms of fuel left, which would have been more than enough to reach their destination of Ed- monton. Pearson said weather conditions were favorable and the aircraft was flying at a fuel-conserving high altitude. Their flight computer Many thanks to residents who attended and par- ticipated in the Remem- brance Day Service, Friday, November 11th, at the Community Centre. Aspecial thank you to the Reverend R. McFarlane and Reverend W. Hendley who conducted the com- _bined service. The Legion also extends a thank you to the Girl ‘Guides and Brownies of Tumbler Ridge for their contribution of $15 towards the poppy fund. At the present time the Tumbler Ridge Legion have enough members to form a charter which will probably be in effect by the end of 1983. showed — incorrectly as it later turned out — they had about 3,000 more kilograms of fuel than required at that point. “This all made sense to us,” Pearson told the inquiry as he reviewed figures he and Quintal had jotted down as the last few drops of jet fuel were being burned off. Since the aircraft’s fuel gauges weren’t working, the: pilots had relied on airline maintenance crews in Montreal to ensure enough fuel had been put on board. Pearson, a 26-year veteran of the airline, said he now realizes that only half the needed fuel was on board when the plane took off from Montreal because of a metric mixup. MAKES LANDING Pearson managed to glide the Boeing 767, Air Canada’s first metric aircraft, for about 150 kilometres to a_ safe emergency landing at an old military airstrip at Gimli, Man. He said he failed to spot mistakes in fuel calculations made by maintenance workers in Montreal and later during a stopover in Ottawa en route to Edmonton. Pearson said he found after the accident that airline employees were using the wrong number to convert the fuel load on the aircraft from litres to kilograms. “I was very satisfied we had enough fuel on board,” said Pearson, 48, who was demoted to first officer for six montus by Air Canada for taking off without the required fuel. He said despite having twice made the same flight earlier in the week, he didn’t notice any discrepancy in the fuel figures. “Tt did not jump out at us atall.”’ Pearson said figures he was shown in Montreal indicating he had 22,600 kilograms of fuel on board were actually in pounds because of the use of the wrong conversion factor. A pound weighs a little less than half a kilogram. That meant the aircraft only had about 10,300 kilograms of fuel on board — less than half of what was required by federal regulations. The 22,600 figure also was programmed into the flight computer, leading to false fuel readings throughout the flight. Pearson said the same conversion error was also made wh he ordered a second manual check of tanks in the plane’s wings in Ottawa. SPOTS ERROR He said he spotted one mathematical error in the figures and a maintenance High fashion comes to town On Wednesday, November 16th, T. R.’s first fashion show ever was held at the rec centre (where else). A capacity . , crowd packed:the:gym and enjoyed the evening very much. Refreshments were served throughout the event and it was a pleasure to see every one enjoy themselves. The clothes were lovely and very well presented by amateur models, nearly all of whom are members of the dif- ferent fitness classes here in town. After the show we were treated to a look at what was displayed in the library, which had been transformed into a tem- porary ladies-wear shop. Cherie Dunn, co-owner of Quarnetts Fashions, Fort St. John, told us that if her show and sale were a success: this. time, she would be back in January. We, no doubt, will be seeing more of this type of thing in the future. worker repeated the calculation, which then showed the plane had 20,400 kilograms in its tanks. “The next number I was given made sense and I asked him if he was sure of his number and he said he was.” The manual checks — using a device called a dripstick — were required because the computerized jet’s electronic fuel gauges had broken down. Pearson said the number 1.77 was used in Montreal to convert the number of litres on the plane into kilograms. He said he now knows that is actually the conversion factor for switching from litres t o pounds. A similar number — 1.78'— was used in Ot- tawa, he said. Although fuel delivered to an aircraft has been measured in litres since 1978, all Air Canada jets use pounds for calculating fuel levels, except on the 767. Pilots on the Crown- owned airline’s newest jet use kilograms. Meanwhile, the federal Justice Department is looking into allegations an interview last week with a union representative may have been in contempt of the inquiry. Inquiry counsel Jay Prober said some critical comments were made by Larry LeBlanc, head of the Canadian Airline Flight Attendants Association, on a local CBC morning radio show in Winnipeg. Witnesses were warned by Judge George Lock- wood, who is conducting the inquiry, not to talk with reporters while the inquiry continues or they will risk facing contempt charges. “I’m vested with all the powers of contempt that I would normally have when sitting as a judge and, ina proper case, I will use them,”’’ he said. OPTOMETRISTS Starting Nov. 16, 1983 Tumbler Ridge Health Centre Every Thursday Phone 242-5271 For appointments A.J. Brisson O.D. A.R. Kadziolka O.D. R.J. Kemp O.D. Did you leave JOHN NICHOLSON — Lot 47, Quadra, Tumbler Ridge, B.C, INSTALLATIONS — CARPETS — LIN REPAIRS 20 Years’ Experience “i'm Not Fast _ I’m Fussy!’ BLAKES MOVING & STORAGE LTD. 12years in moving business: »~ bonded v free estimates v insured heated storage Office: Pioneer Place Warehouse: 4532 - 45th Ave. industriel Site Serving Chetwynd and Tumbler Ridge : Offices in: Williams Lake - 392-4660 Quesnel - 747-1246 Prince George - 562-5773 wine 788-3884 Bill Fowler AUTO BODY Pat Pliece Jr. 432-115Ave. Phone 782-2856 Stn.A34 Dawson Creek, B.C. ViG3B3 Complete Collision Repair at Reasonable Rates SPECIALIZING IN PLASTIC PAINT ICBC WORK WINDSHIELDS COMPLETE BODY REBUILDING Drop*in-any time for a free estimate. LEADER Efficiency, controllability and long, long burn ® Made in Canada ; ® Eligible for C.0.S.P: | CANADA’S (Eee) WOOD HEAT ey Add to Your Existing Furnace GAS OIL _ your precious Plants behind you when you came? Clocks, Giftware, Trophies Many Great Gift Ideas for Christmas JEWELLERY AND WATCH REPAIRS Engraving, Cleaning, Lay-away plan ELECTRIC or Wood Alone KNOBLAUCH'S HAS IT ALL. The largest Greenhouse and Garden Center in the North. Open 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday until 9 p.m. Phone 242-3983 Why put up with the high cost of heating fuels when an RSF Furnace from Peace Country Heating could reduce your heating bill to a small faction of what you are paying now — and heat your water free! Water coils available for all heater models. A wide variety of tropical Plants, large & small to compliment your new home. (GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE) BE JUST FABRICS LTD. 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