The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-07-11
TO HAVE COMMERCIAL
AIR ROUTE TO FLORIDA
CHAMBER ASKED TO PRO.
VIDE LANDING FIELD.
Dixie Air Route" From In.
dianapolis to Mama Beach
Touches Chattanooga.

The question of an air highway
from Indianapolis paralleling thu
Dixie highway to Miami beach hat
once more been revived and the Chat.
tanooa Chamber OF Commerce ha,
been asked to provide a landing
field for planes. II is the plan of the
enthusiasts to have the fields where
oil and gas may be obtained at such
close intervals as to make travel by
air comparatively safe and the fire.
quent stops will make the journey
more pleasant allowing for periods
of rest.
A letter has Just been received
from Carl G. Fisher by the chamber
of commerce pointing out the advan-
| tages of such an air route and stress
Ing the good advertising Chattanooga
will get provided a suitable landing
field Is secured and equipped. MT
Fisher is a director of the Dixie
Highway association. A similar
proposition was submitted to the
| chamber before the war, during the
administration of President r. c.
Jones, and an investigation Of the
| matter was conducted. Renewed In
terest has been taken In the propo-
sition with the improvements and
advance In aviation due to the de-
mands of war. The letter Of Mr..
Fisher. in which he asks the cham
Der to provide a suitable field, Is as
follows: 80
nifty to aid in the Advancement OF hu-
man progress. to further the business
interests of your community ana 10
demonstrate the progressiveness OF the
t.xr fling with other Cit
les along the Dixie highway In the es-
tablishment of the first practical long,
distance airplane route for commerciai
and private flights In the United
States. =.
Everybody believes that the era OF
commercial flying Is about to be inaug-
urated There are thousands or COM
petent aviators now in the United
States as the result of the govern
ment's training activities during the
late war; and thousands of planes VIII
soon be released from war require
ments for commercial work. In addi-
ton, there are from six to eight COM
panies preparing TO build airplanes for
pleasure and commercial flying.
1.-THE government has several plans
under consideration for aiding this de-
vclopment, the subject Is being dis
cussed by prominent men everywhere;
but meanwhile nothing definite is be-
ing done at time when 1t is most es-
sential.
"obviously. the one thing that is now
needed to make commercial flying a
success is the immediate establish
ment OF number of practicable flying
routes, through the creation of neces-
sary landing fields along the way. The
sole barrier to flights by aviators with
existing planes is this lack of landing
fields. Provide landing fields and the
rest OF the development will follow.
Now in the winter the only place
for aviators to fly with comfort and
pleasure Is the south. Obviously the
south should be first to lend aid and
encouragement to this new develop
ment. containing such great possible
ties for its progress. At present avia-
tors from northern states could not fly
south II they would. due to the lack
OF landing fields above mentioned.
What splendid thing 1t would be
II the following cities got together In
the practical building of the first long
distance airline in the United States
Indianapolis. seymour Louisville,
nooga, Rome. Atlanta, Macon, Way
cross, Jacksonville, Dayton, TT. Pierce,
Palm Beach and Miami.
Suitable landing fields at each OF
these points would permit travel all
along the route from Chicago to Miami
and between intermediate points with
reasonable safety, being spaced close
enough together to enable frequent
stops for food and rest, gasoline and
other necessary supplies, and would do
more to develop the art of flying than
all the discussion that is at present
being devoted to the SUBJECT.
~ am enclosing specifications for
landing field that has been demon
strated TO he satisfactory, and invite
you to cooperate in this enterprise
with the enthusiasm and energy war
ranted by its magnitude and impor-
lance. The first long distance flying
route will not only have an immediate
but an historic value that you will be
proud to have helped create.
"A number OF modes OF procedure
are possible In obtaining landing fields
However. as a uniform method 1t Is
suggested that you lease q field for Ave
years. with a charge of, say, SIS TO
ench plane for landing. The field need
not he withdrawn from productice
purposes, but could be kept in grass,
clover, alfalfa or hay. Some loss would
result due 10 landings, of course. but
no matter what the cost, the upkeep |
should not prove deterrent factor.
From the first two or three years
the revenue from landings will not be |
very great hut after that II should |
to something. Provided a route |
is established, I know of several par
ties who would make flights immedi- |
ately. In three years traffic will grow |
10 considerable proportions, and at |
Tint time IL would he a good idea to
nut In night signals and food lGhts for |
landing purposes. as there will prob
ably he a good deal of night flying.
1T is planned at present TO issue
the first complete man OF the now
nirplane route by Sept /, the name of
the route to he Dixie Airline. mas
much as It will parallel the Dixie
highway II is almost needless to
ooint out the advertising value that
will result to your community as part |
of this route. es nationwide interest
and attention will follow its announce
N nnt l.