Evening star., 1925-11-05
CIVIL AIR BUREAU
FAVORED IN REPORT
Committee Finds Measures
to Aid Development of Fly
ing Through U. S. Aid.


merce, with broad powers to regulate
and promote all civil and commercial
flying in the United States, forms the
central recommendation of the com
mittce on civil aviation which was ap-
pointed by the department and the
American Engineering Council last
June to make an exhaustive study 81
the question.
The committee. Of which ]. Walter
Drake, Assistant Secretary OF Com
merce, IS chairman. declares In its
report, made available for publica
ton today, that the possibilities which
it sees for the development OF com
mercial aviation in the United States
can be realized only through a definite
and continuing program of govern
ment assistance for the industry. The
lack of this and Of a definite legal
status and government control for
the industry, II found. have been the
chief causes for its failure to keep
pace with the development in Europe.
Air Route Development
IN addition To its function of reg
ulating air navigation. including il
censin" Of pilots and inspection 81
planes. the proposed bureau would he
authorized TO develop. establish, o.
take over and maintain air routes and
ar navigation iaCllitleS.
The provision Of essential air nayi-
cation facilities, such as properly
marked airways for both day ANA
night flying and emergency and ter
ninal la anding fields, the committee
holds TO be public responsibility"
Government aid should take this
form. together with adequate prOviS-
ion for research work in aircraft de-
sign and use by the Government de-
2
subsidy which the report opposed as
'uHwise and unnecessary" In this
connection il declared The direct sui
sides granted by European govern.
ments to civil aviation had not worked
TO the best interests Of the Industry.
In The legislation 10 create the pro
posed bureau II was recommended
that there be other provision 10 pni
air navigation on the same footing -
70 legal requirements as other forms
of transportation The committee in
dOrsed these and other purposes -
the bill which was favorahly reported
AZ the last session by the conmerC"
| committee Of the House.
Ratification by the Senate of tn"
| international air navigation conven-
| ton. drawn up in Paris in 1919, was
! urged by the committee in order thai
the United States should not suffer
non contracting States in it's recogni-
ton of a nations exclusive sover-
eighty over its air space.
The committee recommended that
the Government engage in no non
military flying activities which can lie
properly performed by private oper-
alton"
Summarizing conditions in the In
dustry, the report declared that not
ND q
caps. the industry has survived and
made progress creditable under the
adverse conditions il has encountered.
There is no doubt it added, that
! under really favorable conditions its
great possibilities Will be realized"
Only II Plants.
The committee aScribed 10 the Gov
ernments failure after rhe armistice
TO formulate ana put into operation
! continuing aviation policy" The fact
that the - airplaue plants in the
country in 1918, With a capital invest
fment of more ths n So 900 900, have
now Shrunk ilT number to "A plants,
representing capital OF about S4OOo.-
| 600 While these il plants have an
| estimated annual capacity of 5000
! planes, even this rate of production
| could not be attained in an emer-
| gency, the report said, within four
| TO six months.
Other recommendations of the com
mittee on the side OF Government aid
| were:
| That the Government extend its use
! of aircraft in n0n-military activities
| to all practicable fields.
| That Congress authorize reason.
| able" use of Army, Navy and air
mail fields for con.mercial aircraft.
| That the Post Office Department
transfer to private operation as rap
| idly as possible all of its air mail sery-
! ices and turn over to the proposed
| Bureau of Civil Aeronautics its air
way eQutpme Mt.
! That Congress authorize Govern
ment purchase of special types Of
| civil aircraft and equipment designed
and constructed by private industry
| under the joint direction" OF the
| Government departments concerned.
| That present restrictions requiring
| competitive bidding for Government
! purchase of aircraft be modified TO
permit equitable compensation TO
| the manufacturer for design and de
! Velopment' of aircraft:
That the Government, while carry
| ing on fundamental research" in
aviation, should not compete in the
design OF construction Of civil air
craft. nor handicap civil aviation by
! lndiscriminate dumping of aeronau-
| teal material
! That the Government adopt policy
)f facilitating the eXporta ton OF COM
| nercial aircraft, instead of opposing
| this as in the past for fear of their
use for military purposes.
1t was believed the development
| such a policy would bring IN the in
| dustry would gradually work TO re-
| move the present lack OF public and
business confidence and support" and
nrepare the way for the assistance
the committee bespeaks for 1t from
this quarter.
ON the side of business support, the
report recommends that aircraft un-
derwriters and life and accident in
surance companies grant more IA
vorable rates for the enterprise Of
commercial flying Financial inter
ests were advised to invest in com
mercial air routes only with full
knowledge of the costs involved and
the responsibility of the operators.
State Legislation.
State governments generally were
urged to follow the example OF sew
eral which already have authorized
by legislation the requirement by
municipalities of landing fields and
facilities for commercial aviation. In
the matter of State regulation or civil
a Walton, the committee declared the
lack OF uniformity in the state laws
already enacted only worked to Its
disadvantage III the absence OF
Federal control law.
Although European countries have
gone ahead of the United States In
civil aviation, the conditions in this
country were decidedly more favor
able. the committee said, chiefly be-