To The Editor:
Many Sikorsky Aircraft retirees remember Harry Gray as the United Technologies Corp. executive who most helped Sikorsky in 1972 win an uphill battle for the prototype of what later became the Black Hawk helicopter. He helped shape our winning strategies at the time when few experts believed that Sikorsky would even bid against Bell for the Huey replacement program and when Sikorsky was at the absolute bottom of its long business history.
Later, when we experienced severe technical problems with the prototype, Mr. Gray became involved with our redesign activities and actually flew in one of the rebuilt prototypes to satisfy himself that we were ready to deliver them to the Army for competitive testing. On the basis of the much improved performance of our three prototype aircraft, the Army in 1976 awarded Sikorsky the production contract for what became the Black Hawk helicopter.
Black Hawk models and their many derivative models have been in continuous production for over 30 years and production life is expected to exceed half a century. Harry Gray is owed a debt of gratitude for his invaluable leadership during the Black Hawk’s formative years to help elevate Army aviation and the Sikorsky production base to the levels that they enjoy today.
Ray Leoni (Retired senior vice president, Sikorsky Aircraft) Woodbridge, Conn.
Stimulate State Firms
To The Editor:
The argument that out of state companies (“State’s Stimulus Cash Crossing Border,” July 20) will use in-state workers is not valid. In these economic times, employees from Massachusetts will be more than willing to drive to Connecticut worksites. If that happens, the state won’t even see any tax income from these workers. Qualified in-state companies need to be given priority for this capital. Looking at the big picture, it will be less expensive to hire a Connecticut company with workers that will pay Connecticut income taxes.
Leo Pellerin
Chief Information Officer
Digiwize
Tolland
Stop Squawking
To The Editor:
A lot of squawking here about nothing (“State’s Stimulus Cash Crossing Border,” July 20). First off, as the article clearly states, federal law does not allow Connecticut, or any state, to exclude companies just because they’re out-of-state. Read the article!
And why would anybody think that safety is automatically compromised because the job has gone to the lowest bidder. That’s the way business works for both public and private bidding.
Ever had your house painted?
There’s nothing wrong with what’s happening here, and no reason to be alarmed. This is a non-issue.
Steve Goetz
Westport
Comply With Bid Laws
To The Editor:
Those who are complaining about this result (“State’s Stimulus Cash Crossing Border,” July 20) would be the same ones who would complain if the contract was awarded to a Connecticut-based company, but that company charged more to do the job.
State bidding laws exist for a reason. They are not just for implementation “if and when” the executive branch feels like implementing them.
Daniel Lemire
Farmington
