Funding for Conservation

In response to your web brief (“Conservation Group Funding Anti-Poaching Helo,” Aug. 15), anyone wishing to support anti-poaching organizations in Africa should first consider supporting INTERPOL’s Wildlife Crimes Division. Most poachers are linked indirectly or directly to Islamic State and Al-Qaeda groups.

To this date, there are a number of illegal endangered animal parts that enter the U.S. What most people are not aware of is the presence of INTERPOL working globally to eradicate the poachers. Unfortunately, its funding is limited.

In my opinion, there are too many groups trying to replicate INTERPOL. If people want to make a donation, they should do so to INTERPOL and direct the donation for a specific purpose.

For example, my donation was to hire and train conservation rangers, or for the purchase of surveillance aircraft also equipped to take out poachers.

We have experienced people in the U.S. who donate their time to train African park rangers through INTERPOL in various ways. I am not experienced with the poaching in Africa; however, I am very knowledgeable working with INTERPOL with the endangered sea turtle. I wish them the best, but to be effective there needs to be one chief.

Leslie J. Weinstein /Boise, Idaho

Helicopter Pets

Coast Guard Masks

What is the purpose of the red mask with teeth on the aircraft crewmember in the picture on the cover of the September 2016 issue? The flooding is terror enough. I’m not sure I would want to be rescued by someone looking like this. I hope that the Guard is more professional than this crewmember appears to be.

Conrad W. Davis / Enterprise, Alabama

Single-Engine IFR Critics

In regards to your August 2016 article “Momentum Builds for US Single-Engine IFR Certification,” (page 24), critics of the industry white paper have every right to their opinions. However, they are wrong when it comes to the cost factor and making pilots “braver” if they had single-engine IFR-certified helicopters. Manufacturers and operators who disagree with single-engine IFR operations are not required to participate, but please don’t oppose the efforts that will allow others to pursue those operations.

Craig Wheel / Newark, Delaware