The Washington times., 1928-04-05
RUKEYSER Sees
CROW I H IN
AVIATION
By MERRYLE STANLEY
RUKEYSER

NEW YORK, April 5. - The
turning Of the speculative lightning
to the airplane stocks to bring to
public attention a significant new
Industry.
The epic flights Of Lindbergh,
chamberlin and Byrd have had i'm
portant business consequences IN
attracting favorable foreign atten
ton to American airplane motors
ana also have helped to make the
American people air.minded. Avia'
ton was first conceived and de.
veloped In this country. but until
recently the initiative In the devel'
opment Of the art was seized Dy
Europe. AIR routes overseas have
long been an accepted means OF
TRANSPORTATION. and strangely
enough, despite added difficulties
here on account Of the nature OF the
winds, America. because Of its
huge distances, IL more IN need
Of commercial aviation than Eu.
rope. Commercial aviation In the
United States, which started less
than four years ago with the
establishment Of the Air Mail
Service, has made more rapid
progress than II generally real
ized. American air routes al
Teadx cover more mileage than
the British imperial airways.
Production Increases
Airniane production In the
United states i'm 1927 was twice
as large as in 1926. Total PRO.
duction Of airp1anes in the United
states in 1926 reached 1,263b COM
pared with 900 planes in 1921.
Recently the demand for planes
for commercial aviation for the
first time began to 0utstrip Gov
eminent orders for military and
naval use.
At the opening Of the year,
in this country were 1,047, the
number. protected sSs, and the
number actually under constfuc.
ton 66. According to the De-
partment Of Commerce, 661 OF
these airports were municipal,
ia were commercial, IS belong to
the Army and to the Navy.
Raymond Willoughby. in the
Nations Business, says Of this
new industry: The expansion Of
plane production IL almost evil
dence enough that another infant
industry has put on pants. But
IL II in contempla Of the raf1ii.
ficati0ns OF thiA industry that q
more enlightening measure of
growth Is obtained. Largest place
in the sun Of aviation ID, perhaps,
held by planes and engines.
Eighty-fOur companies are now
making airplanea, and 10 are
regularly building 61nphibians. n.y.
ing boats, and seaplaneg. Engines
are manufactured by Is firms.
These products are sold by 10 dis.
tributors and by 80 dealers. But
an aviator does not live by wings
and motors alone. Witness the
Is firms making life belts, the
making parachutes, the IL
making clothing, the producing
goggles, the 2 providing first-aid
kits. Nor Ii flying merely q mat
ter Of free air. For 5 companies
are turning out special tires and
sIuOGSI eAu0 y OeAlSES OAECE WHCClSs
Furniture for Planes
"One concern speciaIizeS in
wicker furniture for plans use.
Pfopeilers are made by Is plants,
radiators by 8 and poitoons by 2.
Metals are offered by 10 COM
panies and woods and plywoods
by another 10. The importance
Of ignition equipment IL attested
by the fact that. 20 firms make
q business Of 1t"
These graphic facts incidentally
help to reveal the new types of
opportunity that are opening up
to workmen released by tech.
biological changes in the older
industries. The business OF com
r1ereial aviation. despite the re.
cent optimism revealed by spec.
ulators. faces the hazards as
well as the opportunities Of pho.
neering. As in the radio indus
try, the new trade eventually, no
doubt, will become stabilized in
the hands Of the larger and more
efficient producers and distrib.
utors, but not until period OF
fierce competition eliminates the
Ia. an,,nroN&Ark vxylan ara AVeF at.