Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-07
AVIATION ON FIRMER BASIS,
MAJ C. M. YOUNG DECLARES
U. S. Bureau Chief Reviews
European Situation
After Tour.
American Fields Well Organ
lied, but Lack Govern
ment Subsidies.

| written Exclusively for The star and tn,
North American Newspaper AilianceJ
NEW YORK, April 6.-"Civil flying
is no longer a circus; the stunt element
is passing out" Maj. Clarence M
Young, who landed in New York yester-
day on the Leviathan. told a CORE
spondent for The Star and the North
American Newspaper Alliance.
The major is chief OF the Bureau OF
Aeronautics of the United States De-
partment Of Commerce.
A veteran of the war, In which he
served valiantly as an officer Of the
American air force, flying for nearly q
year on the Italian front, he has Just
returned from an official tour in Eu-
rope.
He few single handed more than g.
900 miles In biplane, and visited
France, italy, Germany and Belgium to
examine air transport conditions in
those countries He also studied civil
aviation in Great Britain.
How do the English airlines and
airdromes compare with those Of the
United States?" Maj. Young was asked
Croydon is a very good airdrome, .
he replied, land the things that i'm
pressed me most about 1t were the adj
ministration buildings and facilities for
controlling the airdrome and the excel
lent accommodation afforded to pas
sengers as well as to shippers and i'm
porters of merchandise.
Communication En- Route.
"In the operation of the airline itself
the impressive thing Is the constant
communication the airdrome has with
the aircraft en- route"
How does Croydon compare with the
big airdromes of the United States?"
Well" said Mai. Young, there is
dromeS of the United States are estab-
liShed and constructed as the result Of
either municipal or private enterprise,
which means that there are no gov
eminent funds Of consequence available.
There Is also this consideration, that
apart from comparatively few loca-
tons serious attention in the United
States has not been given to compre-
hensive airdromes, though more has
been given in the last three years.
THE United States has about thou
sand established airdromes in various
stages of completion. All those air
dromes, so far as area Is concerned,
and landing and take OF facilities, are
entirely satisfactory and available.
Virtually all are equipped to some
extent with hangers and shop facilities
and the like suppose that in prac-
tically every one improvements are con-
tinuing, such as additional buildings,
layout plans, etc"
What were your plans in going
abroad? To see what could be done In
improving American air communica-
tions?"
"Chiefly this" answered the major
thoughtfullys land think perhaps II
might be generalized more adyanta-
geously. In the United States comercial
aviation In an organized way Is only
about two and half years old. This
means that in that period the operation
of scheduled services of air Transports
ton over established airways, partly
equipped with various aids to navlga-
ton, has built itself up to point where
now there are some 80 air transport
organizations operating approximately
40 900 miles day for some $4,000 miles
of established airways.
Maintenance Of Service.
"The services are maintained through.
out "a hours each day, and one-thlrd OF
the total mileage is flown at night and
all night on schedule. BY far the major
portion of the revenue is derived from
mail and express.
sNow that has furnished operating
experience. and has enabled manufac-
turers to develop the right type OF air
craft, and the Department OF Commerce
to develop and install the present
known aids to air navigation, sucn as
lighting equipment, communication
service, intermediate fields in the ar
ways, the corps of attendants necessary
and SO on. All of this furnishes an ex-
celIent premise for the impending pas
senger service which will undoubtedly
start in a large way this year.
with these things in mind and re-
'membering the extensive experience
number Of transport companies have
had in Europe in handling passengers
at the airdromeS as well as In trans
portation to and from the airdromes.
sale of tickets. handling Of luggage and
SO on. my trip was arranged.
Mai. Young was asked his impression
of the air services he saw In operation
in France, italy, Germany and Belgium.
"I got very good impressions" he re-
piled. -
"Did you find anything worth adapt
ing in the United States?"
"Yes," he said, Il think we can learn
any number of things, particularly IN
connection with the facilities with
which passengers are handled, ana In
getting on and of the planes.
Comfort and Reliability.
"I think every one agrees that any
transportation system involves at least
comfort and reliability, and the third
element is naturally safe speed. Main
tain the two first mentioned, and in
crease the speed, and you will ofier ad-
vantages people viii pay for.
ITO do this you must have good air.
craft and maintain schedules anc
furnish a service that will satisfy. The