HAI refuses to allow Spanish-speaking editor to review new Spanish-language manual

By ANN Associate Editor Juan Jimenez

The Helicopter Association International (HAI) has announced it has released a Spanish-language version of their prestigious Safety Manual. With the guidance of the Latin American Aeronautical Association (ALA), the previous manual has now been rewritten to reflect "a more appropriate Spanish translation."

The Spanish Safety Manual is now available in hard copy and on CD-ROM.  It is also posted on the Members-Only portion of HAI's website. New Regular HAI Members and Associate Members, upon request, will receive their choice of either an English Version Safety Manual or a Spanish Version Safety Manual and CD-ROM at no cost.  Members who currently have an older issue of the Spanish printed manual (publication date prior to June, 2003) may receive the new Spanish printed manual by mailing in the registration card (found in the present manual). This Spanish printed manual will also include a CD-ROM copy.

As a Spanish-speaking pilot who at one time performed professional translations on a variety of technical subjects including complex aviation accident reports, and knowing full well the difficulty of translating documents into Spanish in a manner appropriate for a general audience, this announcement peaked my curiosity. As soon as I read the press release, I decided to ask the association's Public Relations Assistant, Ms. Lindsey Heyl, for a review copy. I am not a helicopter pilot, but I do think an effort such as this deserves an in-depth review. After all, it is not every day that an organization like HAI goes to such lengths to better serve the Spanish-language aviation community.

I was extremely surprised, however, to receive a response from Ms. Heyl informing me that they do not provide either "free" or review copies of the manual.

"Regrettably we are unable to provide free copies of the Spanish version of the HAI Safety Manual," Ms. Heyl wrote. "The manual and the CD-ROM may be purchased, however. We are not sending out review copies. This document is a Safety Committee document and is primarily directed to HAI members and is made available for purchase to non-members. Each manual is numbered for tracking, updating, and for future revisions. Our database shows that you are not a member and neither is your company;  Perhaps you would consider joining, then you would receive a free copy of the manual."

Now, I may be wrong about this, and if so I would not mind being corrected, but I have a pretty good idea that the HAI Board of Directors would not be opposed to having the Spanish-speaking associate editor of the largest online aviation news daily review their newly-rewritten Safety Manual. We'll even promise to return the PDF file when we are done...

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