KIFIS
30th Jun 2001, 15:02
As an addition to the “ female pilots” discussion that is running here perhaps some of you may care to ponder on this. Last year I went to China to visit the site of the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River. The wall of the dam is moving towards about 75% completion and its construction is such that a fleet of immense super cranes ride across it and lift into place massive concrete blocks that must weigh hundreds of tons. Each block is designed to fit exactly into its allocated position and must mesh with the surrounding blocks. I was told that each crane has a crew of three and that the best crane drivers are young women, one of the captains of these massive lifters was only 23 and her female first officers were even younger. The engineers responsible for all this feel that young women have an in-built skill that allows them to position the concrete blocks accurately, softly and with great precision. Don’t ask me to explain further but it seems to me that these are the same skills that a good hands on pilot should have.
KIFIS
KIFIS