Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-25
L|NDBERGH PRAISES
MEXICAN AIR PLANS
Flyer Advises That United
States Also Invest in Plane
Development.
BY COL. CHARLES A. LINDBERGH.
BY Mexican War Department wireless dircc
to The Star and the New York Times.

BY Mexican War Department wireless direct
to The star and the New York Times.
MEZICO CITY. December 24.-My
trip to Cuernavaca as the guest of
the Mexican army pilots gave me a
new idea of the beauty Of this coun-
try 1t was an interesting experience
and was one of the first opportunities
for relaxation since my arrival here.
They are good hosts and could not
have had pleasanter time. The trip
over the mountains took two hours
and half. but i'm plane 1t could
have been made in half an hour.
There seems to be great desire in
Mexico to extend its air service and
particularly to establish an air mail
service. This would be of tremendous
value in this country. where railroad
travel is so difficult, because Of the
mountains.
There should he greater support Of
the air mail service and the develop
ment OF air transportation by business
interests in the United States, even
though at first 1t might be carried on
at a loss. Certainly business men i'm
the United States can afford to back
air transport I'm all its forms. mail.
express anu passenger service.
Financial support.
1t does not require much magma.
ton to foreSee that in a few wears
air transport will become not only
profitable to operators. but of inesti.
mable value to business, IL sufficient
financial support Is offered now.
The present air mail routes have
developed far beyond what was deem.
ed possible when the Government first
established the transcontinental line.
The records of the operating com.
panies show high per centaye of
performances in maintaining their
schedules. Flying by night. even in
the Winter. has been proven practi.
cable and reasonably certain, with
proper lighting equipment.
The only great obstacles to fIyin-
over established air routes are fog
and sleet. and some way Of overcom.
ing these dangers will undoubtedly
be found. There are interesting ex.
periments now going on which NAV
soire the fog problem. and there
should be some way of eliminating the
uanger OF sieet on the plane. But
these are technical matters which
must be worked out by engineers
The public and business men can 4,
their part in developing aviation in
the United States by sending letters
by air mail and investing money In
aviation. Surely industry can spare
Inc money necessary for that pir.
pose. There have been a few indica.
tons that business men are coming
to the conclusion that aviation is
necessary to them. and when they
DO there will be rapid development.
Passenger Needs Ignored.
and express carriers and 1t Is only
natural that under the existing condi.
lions the development OF passenger
travel by air should be slow. There
nave been almost no attempts 10 pro.
Niue comfortable air passenger ser,.
Ice In the United States. There are
only few three.motored planes In
passenger service in the United
States.
or course. there has been little
demand for passenger service and
multimotored planes are EXPENSIVE
TO build and cost good deal To
operate. But I venture to say that
the only way to bring about mir
passenger service In the United States
is To offer the public the greatest
factor Of safety which multi.motored
planes provide. and then make these
planes comfortable
American business will look far
enough ahead to shoulder the rela-
lively small cost OF providing ade-
quate and safe air transportation. |
am certain that flying between the
Atlantic and Pacific Coasts and from
the Canadian border TO the Mexican
border will become commonplace in
the operators. There Is no country
In the world which offers such op-
portunities for air transportation as
cur own
The operators must also do their
part. They must provide we'll built.
safe airplanes. equipped with every
possible instrument for navigation
and pilots who are thoroughly
trained.
Personnel Question. |
The matter OF personnel Is perhap,
the most important In aSiation tust
now. for ] believe that nearly 80 per
cent OF the serious accidents In n.y.
ing are due to errors In Judgment.
Every cross-country pilot should he
able 10 navigate and should be able
10 ny blind IL necessary. Eventually
that will be required of air transport
pilots.
This matter Of equipment and per.
sonnet IN UP to the airpiane industries
and the operators. and II is Just nv
necessary as the support Of the public
to make airplane operation successful.
The public cannot be blamed for fail.
ure to take advantage of air trans.
port. unless II has the assurance that
everything possible has been done to
give comfortable and safe transports.
ton.
The trouble at present In that sum.
cient financial support has not been
offered to operators TO enable them to
obtain the proper planes and person
mel. and the public VIII not fly until
these are provided.
II seems 10 me that the solution IL
mp to business men with financial re.
houFces large enough to enable them
To back air transport. Commercial
aviation just now needs men with
faith and money.
Copyright 1877 In the United States
.Ahaha, Mexico Cuba. Central and south
America Enrope and the British Don,inions
ny u. New York Times Co, All rights Te,
served -