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...