Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer

Kevin Guyah of Airlink Express leaves the Tinson Pen aerodrome yesterday after flying in from Montego Bay. - Norman Grindley/Deputy Chief Photographer

WESTERN BUREAU:

"The safest device in an aircraft is a well-trained pilot," says 28-year-old International Airlink captain, Kevin Guyah, who has been praised for safely landing a Cessna Caravan airplane last Thursday. Passengers included two Government ministers.

The ministers, Water and Housing Minister Horace Chang, and junior minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, Daryl Vaz, were en route from the Tinson Pen Aerodrome to the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, when the plane encountered minor difficulties.

In his first interview with the media since the incident, Captain Guyah, a former St Catherine High School student, whose earliest encounter with a control tower was during his grade six days, told The Gleaner, "We are well trained to deal with all sorts of situations, so my priority was to put the aircraft safely on the ground."

He said that five minutes after taking off, while flying at 4,500 feet, he heard a big bang and felt a slight vibration in the engine, "I was surprised, but being scared was out of the question. As soon as I heard the sound, I analysed the situation, followed procedure, shut down the engine, and made a glide into Tinson Pen, while advising the emergency services."

Having had 12 years of experience under his belt, Captain Guyah's love affair with airplanes started when he was 10 years old. Reminiscing, he said a trip to the waving galleries at the Norman Manley International Airport meant much more than 'goodbye'. Going to the airport and seeing the planes take off and land gave him goose pimples, and the conviction that one day he would pilot an aircraft.

By age 16, his dreams became a reality, and off he went to the renowned flight school, 'Wings Jamaica'. He later enrolled at the Professional Flight Training School in Ft Lauderdale. But today, when he speaks of the Jamaican company that trained him, pride comes from within "Wings is one of the best schools in the Caribbean, and I can vouch for that."

He said the greatest contribution to his pilot career has been the last three years spent at International Airlink.

According to Howard Levy, managing director of International Airlink, it is normal for his company to do further training when they hire commercial pilots. "We train them to meet our standards and expectations. This training can last up to two years," he explained.

Levy, a former trainer of Wings Jamaica said in the past he has been forced to turn back pilots, "because, for me, no pilot can fly here unless I have seen their personal performance." Singing high praises for Captain Guyah, Mr. Levy added that pilots are not allowed to fly for his company, "unless they can carry my kids and my wife, and Guyah can fly my family under adverse weather conditions and I wouldn't have to worry."

Safety first

He said safety comes first at the company, and what happened last Thursday was a partial loss of engine power, owing to the failure of a turbine engine blade. Adding that it was very unusual for this to happen Levy sai the aircraft is a single-pilot-certified one, he had two pilots on board.

Captain Guyah, who also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering, was ably assisted by first officer John Hall, who said he was able to take the workload, checklist and briefed the passengers."

Hall, too, had high praises for the captain. "He was quick to respond and made the right decisions," Hall said.

According to the first officer, there was absolutely no danger, "you need an engine to take off, and not one to land, and this aircraft was designed to glide."

The aircraft that both men were flying was cleared by the US Secret Service to transport former President Bill Clinton and Senator Hillary Clinton last year. The manufacturing statistics states that the plane has 99.8 per cent dispatch reliability, which makes it one of the safest in the world.

"Before we could fly the former US President, the CIA combed us with a fine-toothed comb, checking our maintenance record," said Hall.

International Airlink is the preferred choice for celebrities coming into the island. Up to last week, the airline flew Michael Douglas and his wife, Catherine Zeta Jones, who were vacationing here.

Hall