Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-09
Urges Site for Airport.
Writer Regards Benning Race
Track as Best Location.


cation and cost. The writer does not
for a moment think that the National
Capital will be so stupid or oblivious
to the Importance of air transport as
to fail to provide airport facilities.
1t Is not to be wondered at, however
that our representative trade and bust
ness groups do not welcome the idea
of contributing to $4,000 900 project
which is repeatedly advanced by a
group of aviation enthusiasts as the
best buy"
On August II, 1926, the Kenilworth
and Benning Citizens Associations
jointly addressed a letter to the Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning Com
mission, asking that a tract of land
somewhere within the District be ac'
quired for the establishment of an air.
port and pledging their cooperation
and support to any movement toward
a city.owned air terminal. Before the
adjournment Of Congress these two as
sociations succeeded in having an air.
port bill introduced in the House. but,
vote. This bill. by Representative
Gasque Oh. r. 17208). provides for the
appropriation of 100000 for the pur'
chase Of the Benning race track prop
erty, comprising 1873 acres. and the es'
Establishment and operation OF a COM
pete modern aviation field there. The
bill will be reintroduced at the next
session of Congress.
Meanwhile the citizenry Is being mis-.
led by discussion of the advantages of
an airport at Gravelly Point. which
are unbiased.
The Benning field is only miles
from the city post office and railroad
terminal and Is easily and quickly
reached by auto, bus or trolley.
Since the site at Benning was ad
vanced by these citizens associations
a group connected with the National
Aeronautic Association, purporting to
have the best interests of the city al
heart, has repeatedly urged the estab
lishmcnt of the proposed airport al
Gravelly Point, on the Virginia shore
Of the Potomac River. This site is
now under feet Of water and has
been estimated to cost between
$1,O00,000 and 100000 to reclaim
after which hangers and other facil
tiles would have to be installed at
additional cost.
1t has been argued that the finest
airport in the world could be estab
lished in the Gravelly Point region
but that is mere fancy. The converse
Is true, for $2,000,000 would just buy
a patch of mud that would be very
much less than the finest airport In
the world.
The Benning tract can be made
available for use as an airport in a
| very short time, at one.fourth the cost
| of the other; is nearer affiliated bust
ness and is a desirable civic improve
ment. Business and trade attracted by
an airport here would be enjoyed by
our own people. Against these points
we agree with the committee of the
! Chamber of Commerce that the elabo
rate and expensive project proposed at
| Gravelly Point is not sound business
The owner Of the Benning property
has pledged the use of this field for
the air mail contractor until the first
of the year free of charge. Very likely
Congress by that time would rise tC
| the need and acquire this property for
a permanent municipal airport.
! Postmaster Mooney has definitely
stated through the press that the Ben
| ming tract is the logical location for
an airport from the point Of view OF
| his department. Postmaster Mooney
is perhaps better qualified to speak on
| the business aspects of aviation than
| those enthusiasts who have set them
selves up as experts on all matters re-
lating to the construction of airport
| for this city.
1t is reported that Lieut.. Donald
| Duke Air Corps, has made landings
and take-offs in four directions at Ben.
ming. which would seem to demon
| Strate that the potential possibilities OF
this location exceed those at Gravelly
| Point, where landings are at present
| impossible. Advantage has been taken
to crab against petty distractions that
| exist near the Benning site. AS q
matter Of fact, no real obstruction ex
| lists in the vicinity, and those Of minor
| nature that do exist are such as to be
| easily and quickly removed. Bennine
race track was used as early as 1916
~ Claude Grahame White, the English
aviator. That was In the days Of real
! u~certetrtv. when +-ieas n-ese~'eA
hazards to the airman. If this field
was disable for aviation purposes in
1910, then. we think. it obvious that
it is today. when planes get away
quicker and climb more rapidly.
1t has also been argued that we
should build any airport with an eye
| to the use Of seaplaneS. In reality we
are not warranted in making seaplanes
any consideration when we set about
providing an airport. A survey reveals
| that less than One-twentieth of the air.
craft constructed last year for com
| mercial purposes was designed for
water work and less than one-twenty.
fifth Of the miles flown last year was
| flown in seaplanes. The reasons are
| obvious. In this vast country the
waterways are by comparison few in
| number, and these run generally from
north to south. The flying done over
the waterways is therefore only frac.
| ton of the cross-co untry flying. Fur.
| thermore, it is becoming more and
more apparent that where flying must
he done over water at all the am
| phibian plane. capable of alighting on
either land or water and restricted to
neither alone, will be the logical
equipment. 1t was craft of this type
which recently completed the Army
pan-American flight, where a great va
riety Of landing places was to be en-.
countered. This design is entirely
practicable, and the Looming Aero
nautical Corporation, New York, is
completely taken up with construction
Of such craft to meet demand. The
amphibian is generally acknowledged
to be making the seaplane passe. The
city will be unwise. therefore, If led
into the Gravelly Point project chiefly
to accommodate type of aircraft now
becoming obsolete.
JOHN S. DRIGGERS.
President, Kenilworth Citizens
Association.
|