Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-04-19
AGE OF AIR HERE,
! EDSEL FORD SAYS.
Foresees Day When Com
pany Will Produce Planes
hs in Large Quantity.

America is on the verge of greatly
increased aircraft production with
airplanes in daily use for personal
purposes and landing fields every
where save Edsel B. Ford in an
article in the May number of the
Nations Business Magazine, publish
ed by the Chamber of Commerce of
the United States.
Mr.. Ford says it is conceivable that
the Ford Motor Co. will some day
he engaged in the quantity produc-
ton of aircraft, if not of air sedans
and air transports, at least of the
motors for them
1t is suggested by Mr. Ford that
since the automobile motorized the
world and turned every other man into
a mechanician, there will probably be
no need for the airplane to pass
through a stage similar to the spec
taCular racing stage which was neces-
sary to keep the early automobiles in
the public eye. That preliminary
work has been done for all forms of
motor transportation, and aircraft will
naturally benefit by it.
Explains Firms Interest.
The interest which my father and
myself have in the development of
aircraft arises quite naturally and
iOSNdllN OUT OF our Interest III ctll
forms of motor transportation. While
the Ford Motor Co. has not yet built
any airplanes, we have lent assist
anCe to those who are doing so, and
ii is conceivable that some day we
shall be engaged in the quantity pro-
duCtion if not of air sedanS and air
transports, at least of motors for
them. The fundamental of all com
mercial transportation is speed. and
he 6aII i,.l,t for r1 n
he obtained is in the air. The center
Nf speed and security in an airplane
is the power plant. and the motor in
dustry, of course, is leSitimateiy con-
Cerned with that.
I'VE, with others. are interested a
present in heavier-than-air machines
and in the all-metal dirigible, light
er-than-air machine.
ut is my opinion that both types
have their distinctive places, like pas
senger automobile and motor trucks.
The airplane will be used for speed
or any form of fast express work,
while the dirigible will be used for
carrying heavy loads. 1t is probable
that dirigibles will traverse the longer
MAIN routes of air travel, while the
planes act as feeders on the branch
lines The heavier than-air machines
probably will not be used for regu-
lar transcontinental or transoceanic
journeys.
Could Decrease Cost.
I'VE have progressed far enough
with the cabin type Tor, if you pre-
fer. the sedan type) of all-metal air
plane to be fairly we'll convinced that
increased production would result in
a decreased cost that would put the
plane within the means of a wide
circle of users. At Dearborn we
It., yuriII
presently have mooring mast for
dirigibles.
1.-The Ford Motor Co. is commencing
Immediately its own aerial transporta-
ton line between Detroit and Chi
cago, for the experience it Will give
as we'll as the service it will render.
We believe it is best, wherever pos
sible, to link experiment with some
form of useful service. In actually
doing the thing that is sought to be
done commercially, a valuable type
of experience is gained, which is
excluded by merely experimental or
occasional flying.
From what / have said it may be
gathered that we have faith in the
all-metal type of aircraft. 1t has
greater strength and durability, and
the thick wing type is without wires
and struts; it offers less wind re-
sistance; besides one does not need
a hangar with a mattel plane as you
do for one with fabric wings. A
metal monoplane built at Dearborn
will carry a pay load Of between 1900
and 2,0e0 pounds at 100 miles an
hour.
Sees Production Grow.
There is no doubt in my mind that
we have already entered the flying era
and that we are on the verge of
greatly increased aircraft production.
The use of aircraft in national defense
and commerce long ago lifted it out
of the sport class. But it would be
hazardous to prophesy what the flu
ture will see. Or, to put it another
way. it would be hazardous to say
that anything is impossible in the line
of future aircraft development. AL
ready voices are heard which say that
aircraft will never be able to do this
or that but one is never quite sure
that prophets of the impossible have
sufficient basis for their declarations.
THE recent aircraft investigation at
Washington by a committee of Con
gress will eventually prove to have
been of great value to aviation in this
country.
This is truly the age of the air."