New Britain herald., 1928-11-20
UNITED STATES IS
FOREMOST IN AIR
P,st Year Has Seen Great
Developments

Washington, Nov. 20.-A pheno-
menal record of progress in all
branches OF American aviation is
revealed in the annual report of
Major Clarence NJ. Young, Director
of the Aeronautics Branch OF the
Department of Commerce, which
was made public today. The growth
of air commerce and the air craft
industry OF the United States, Ma
lor Young believes. is due in no
small measure to the strict enforce
ment of federal regulations which
has inspired public confidence in the
safety of air transport
During 1927 American factories
produced nearly 1000 aircraft hav-
ing a total value OF s14,250,000 as
ned at ss,S7o,o00 during the preced-
ing year. Exports of aircraft and
parts during 1927 amounted to
nearly 100000. an increase of ap-
proximately S. per cent over 1925.
During the first half of the current
year OuT loldl sdies III ioltlSh MAJ
kets Of aircraft products were So
per cent greater than the entire
shipments of last year.
Air-transport. Major Young de-
clares, has now attained a definite
place in the economic scheme of
transportation. The established air
way system is the backbone of our
commercial aviation, although oper-
atoms over this network form only
one-tenth of all civil flying. These
routes now cover 11,191 miles on
which 27,S17 miles are flown daily.
OF these. 1886 miles are under
mail contract and 200 mail planes
fly 23,224 miles daily over these
routes. There are now $3.50 miles
lighted, 1900 miles under contract
for night flying, and 5,30S addition
al miles considered for lighting dur
ing the fiscal year 1929. The cities
actually connected by the routes at
the close OF the fiscal year num-
bered IS, the trading areas served
containing so million people. BY the
close of the current fiscal year it is
believed that almost all of the larg
er cities and many of the middle
sized communities will be connected
by air routes and that smaller feed
er fines will serve many outlying
cities.
Communication to aircraft In
flight along the transcontinental
route, the report states, will be
available within short time. Ra-
do equipment is under construction
for replacing obsolete apparatus
now in use. The new apparatus will
provide radio-telephone or radio
telegram communication as may be
required on frequencies between 100
and 500 kilocycles.
Considerable research and testing
work was conducted by the Bureau
of Standards for the Aeronautics
Branch during the period under re-
view. These Investigations embraced
radio aids to navigation, lighting Of
airways, sound proofing of airplane
cabins, airplane control tests. and
tests of commercial aircraft en-
gines.
Approximately 600 airplanes are
being built in American factories
each month which have to be in
spected as to their airworthiness II
Is obvious, Major Young states. that
a very efficient organization Of the
inspection section is essential in Or
der to carry out the work involved.
To this end. factory inspectors are
being employed and trained as rapid
ly as possible for the purpose of in
speeding and licensing new produc-
ton" airplanes at the time they
leave the factory. This. It is point
ed out, will aid the industry by ia
cilitating the issuance of licenses in
the first instance. although these
planes will still require periodical
reinspection by the field personnel of
the department.