Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-04
MUNICIPAL AIRPORT
|OF ADEQUATE SIZE
DESIRED BY HOOVER
Gives Impressions After
Bingham Explains Plans
of Committee.
GROUP TO LOOK 20 YEARS
AHEAD, SENATOR STATES
Hearings Will Start Monday.
Dawson Will Be First Wit
ness to Be Called.

President Hoover is extremely anxious
to see Washington have a municipal
airport of adequate size and located
properly so as to meet the needs Of the
Government departments and the Dis
trict government, as well as the COM
mercial and individual needs of the
Capital. according to the impression he
gave today to Senator Bingham of Con-
necticut. chairman Of the. joint con-
gressional committee appointed to
study the airport problem in this city.
Senator Bingham said after his talk
with the President that he had advised
him OF what the committee has done
in the way OF studying the airport
question and what it is planning to do
between now and the next regular
session Of Congress- when legislation
covering the local airport needs will be
recommended to Congress.
Senator Bingham stated he found
the President remarkably well informed
as to the airport needs of the Capital
as well as to the various sites that have
been proposed. It was explained to
the President by Senator Bingham that
the joint committee, In planning for a
local airport, will look 20 years ahead.
In other words, it will be the aim Of
the committee to provide the Capital
with port that will be sufficient in
size and equipment to meet the re-
quirements 20 years from now. He
said 1t may be necessary to have more
than one airport and possibly three, If
these are thought necessary to meet the
situation anticipated for that future
period.
Hearings Start Monday.
President Hoover was informed by the
Connecticut Senator that the committee
will start hearings at 10 O'Clock Mon
day morning at the Capitol. Maj. D. A.
Dawson, assistant engineer commits
sioner Of the District, he said, will be
the first witness called before the COM
mittee. The Senator said that the COM
mittee already has received letters from
one or two Of the departments of the
Government directly interested In the
proposed airport. He said that repre-
sentatives Of the Post ONCE Department
the Department of Commerce as well
as the District government and repre-
sentatives of commercial aviation will
be called before the committee.
7 am not committed to any particu-
lar location" said Senator Bingham in
discussing the project. IF Gravelley
Point Is the best location, then 1t should
be there.
In years to come will the Post Once
Department have inspectors of air mail
service who would need flying facilities
from Washington? will the Treasury
Department have inspectors who could
use plane service to advantage?
"One of the important developments
In the immediate future viii be the for.
nation and growth of flying clubs and
storage accommodate for these pri-
vately owned planes will have to be
taken into consideration in planning an
airport here"
Senator Bingham said it is desirable
to have an airport located where land
ing would be easy In the immediate
vicinity In the event forced landing
becomes necessary before altitude has
been attained
Desirable Starting Point.
Senator Bingham, in discussing the
future development Of fiying-boat pas
senger service both within the United
States and from this country to Central
and South American points, said he
thought washington would be desir-
able starting point for flying boats to
Florida. The Senator said he had heard
that such service from Norfolk to
Florida was being considered
The Connecticut Senator, who learned
to fly in the vicinity of Miami, Fla, IL
years ago and who is enthusiastic over
the future of aviation, returned here
yesterday from trip to Florida much
impressed by the landing facilities he
found in Miami. He said there are two
airports in Miami. one municipal and
one the terminal of the Fan-American
Anyways. The latter concern is operat-
ing plane service to Havana and other
points south of the United States.