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HELICOPTER AIR SERVICE PROGRAM                   67


This is the area in which the Agency can be most effective. It can help countries develop institutions to operate the nation's airways, to operate the nation's air traffic control programs, to provide airfields, to provide weather reporting services, to run airlines, and so forth.
 
Into this institutional framework there can then be placed all kinds of aircraft, including, where appropriate, helicopters and other V/STOL aircraft.
 
The possibility is greater that AID will assist developing countries acquire small helicopters or V/STOL aircraft for some of the non-transport functions to which we have alluded.
 
We have in the past helped countries such as Mexico and Thailand acquire small helicopters to help combat narcotics traffic, to patrol borders and the like.

In these jobs, no other form of aircraft is satisfactory and thus cost comparisons become less relevant. We would expect that the use of such aircraft for these purposes would continue.

In closing, may I repeat that we are interested in V/STOL aircraft, and we are hopeful that the price of such operations may be reduced to a point that their greater use in the developing countries may be practical.

Senator LAUSCHE. Senator Hart?

Senator HART. It is interesting. I have no questions.
  
Senator LAUSCHE. Except for Pakistan, which if any undeveloped countries have purchased or been provided with helicopters? 

Mr. HALL. We have provided a few for Nepal, Thailand, and Mexico for police and administrative purposes. These are small

Senator LAUSCHE. In Thailand and Nepal and Pakistan.

Mr. HALL. Yes, sir, and Mexico.

Senator LAUSCHE. And Mexico.

Mr. HALL. Yes, sir.

Senator LAUSCHE. You say that there are peculiar geographical and flood conditions that are existent in Pakistan that make the helicopter peculiarly useful; is that correct?

Mr. HALL. Yes, sir.

Senator LAUSCHE. How many did we provide for Pakistan?

Mr. HALL. We did not provide any, Mr. Chairman.

Senator LAUSCHE. How many did it buy?

Mr. HALL. They bought four. 

Senator LAUSCHE. Four.

Mr. HALL. Yes, sir. 

Senator LAUSCHE. They financed them through the Export-Import Bank.

Mr. HALL. I think they financed most of them commercially, but with Export-Import Bank guarantee, advice and help, sir.

Senator LAUSCHE. Did we build an airport for Pakistan?

Mr. HALL.  We built an airport in Karachi, yes, sir. There is an airport in Dacca going back to the days of the Second World War, built by the British.

Senator LAUSCHE. I may be mistaken about this, but I have a faint recollection that there were pictures shown of this very modern airport, practically unused. Do you recall that?

Mr. HALL. No, sir. That airport is a very busy airport. It is our main international route. There are military airports in Tashan, Orranan, which are not as fully used as this one.