Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-02-07
Big Business and Airports

Big Business" has formally recognized the u
ture Of aviation. The announcement last week that
several Of the nations leading fnanciers and engineers
lad formed a corporation for the purpose Of estab-
fishing or taking over a chain Of air harbors with the
obvious intent Of putting large sums into the devel-
opment Of air transportation is indicative of the
trend.
The American Airport Corporation is headed by
Col. stedman Hanks. president. and Mai. John F.
orBrvan. general counsel. The directors II the cor
poration are former Senator James ". Wadsworth;
William B. Mayo, chief engineer Of the Ford Motor
Co; George Mixter, vice president Of Stone a Web
ster, Inc; J. Leslie Kinkaid. president Of the Amer
lean Hotels corporation; Guy George Gabrielson;
Major O'Rvan and Col. Hanks, al 81 whom occupy
places Of national prominence in finance or engineer
ing.
Commenting on the purposes Of the corporation,
Major Organ said: Colonel Lindbergh's country
wide flights have called the attention Of the American
people to the need for commercial airports- People
are interested. but in the average city they tell YOU
frankly that they don't know what the requisitesAf
an airport may he or how to supervise its cons& e.
ton. Tie purpose Of the American Airports Corpora
toin will Be to meet these needs and to take over a
string Of airports on the theory that the only reason
and justification for an airport i servicea5iIity in re-
lation 70 other imports"
N outlining the basis for the new company, the
president. Colonel Hanks. said:
Advance in aviation in the last few years has
brought Us to the point where airports are q sound in-
vcstment Tor local enterprise. thlS Is particularly
true when the selection Of the site, planning and De-
sign. supervision Of construction. and final operation
and management of an airport in conjunction with
other airports are directed BY a competent and expert
agency"
with Q group n airports managed as A chain or
system Il viii be possible to build up an income that
would be difficult u obtain for an airport operated
Independently. Such a system Of ~airports would have
unified regulations. standard equipment, and would
Eerve TO greatly facilitate air transport. Il would per-
form for air transport what the correlation Of traf-
fc regulations has performed for rail transport, as
FuYing maximum service and maximum efficiency.
Officers Of the new corporation state that dur
ing its early stages the American Airports Corpora
tion will be interested primarily in development east
Of the Mississippi, though its ultimate hope is 10 ex-
tend its operations throughout the United States, and
may possibly extend to Latin America. Colonel
Hanks. who was an air pilot during the World War,
hs been active in connection with aviation develop
msnt ever since the war. and j. recognized a. q nation
al authority upon the subject.
The organization az this corporal on may Ne taken
Is an indication that air transport rs not destined 10
PASS through the unorganized period rail transport ex-
perienced. American business has learned the value
Of organization and increased efficiency. They also
recognize the value Ne ard possibilities ~ ar trans
port and are willing 70 expend millions Of dollars to
assure its rapid development.