Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-24
AVIATION
BY JOSEPH S. EDdERToN.

III II
mi personnel and larger ap,
" preparations for the aero
a nautics branch of the De.
partment of Commerce as a re.
suit of the tremendous increase
in civil aeronauticS in the Unitel
States during the past two years
is revealed in almost every page
of the annual report submitted
this week by Maj. Clarence M
Young, Assistant Secretary Of
Commerce for Aeronautics.
Although air commerce opera
tionS in this country increased
considerably more than 100 pei
cent during the past fiscal year
the total personnel of the aero
nauticS branch was increased only
So per cent and appropriations for
the branch only As per cent.
Makeshift eXpedientS, overtime
work and the curtailment of i'm
portant functions of the brancii
have been the result of shortages
in personnel and funds.
The work of the inspection sec
ton, charged with the examina-
ton and licensing of pilots, me-
chanics and flying school in
structors, the inspection and ap-
prevail of airplaneS and flying
schools, and with all field work in
connection with the enforcement
of the air commerce regulations
including air traffic rules and the
investigation of aircraft accidents,
has been kept current only be-
cause of the willingness of the
personnel to work overtime.
Hurt by Loss of Men.
In common with other technical
departments of the Government.
the aeronauticS branch is handi-
capped by the necessity of train
ing inspectors and other employees
only to lose them to the industry
because the Government cannot
or will not pay the salaries which
these men are able to command
in commercial posts. AS a means
of partially safeguarding its in
tereStS in this respect the inSpec-
ton section has been compelled
to force an understanding with all
men employed as inspectors that,
unless they are discharged for
cause, they will remain in the
service at least one year.
The aeronauticS branch now
employs As flying inspectors and
Is inspectors assigned to factory
duty in connection with the in
spection of aircraft and motors.
The flying inspectors face unusual
hazards in the performance of
their duties in testing new types
of aircraft and in examining
pilots for licenses. They should
be given extra compensation for
such duty. Two inspectors have
lost their lives during the past
year in this work. Extra COM
penSation for extra hazardous
duty is a rule in other branches
of the service and should be in
this case.
All inspectors, especially the
aeronautical inspectors, Maj.
Young pointed out, are working
under high nervous tension and
for long hours to handle the tre-
mendouS amount of work thrust
upon them. There, must be an i'm
crease in personnel If the inspec-
ton work Is to be done properly as
the volume of work increases.
Inspectors Need Planes.
The efficiency OF the inspectors
also would be increased If they
were given airplaneS in which to
travel. There now are more than
four inspectors to each airplane at
their disposal, and a majority of
the travel must be done by rail.
This greatly retardS the work OF
inspection. Moreover, much OF
the inspectors work is at the va
rious airports, and other means of
travel is necessary from the rail-
roads to the airportS. Time could
be saved, more work accomplished
and better service rendered IL air
planes were used.
One of the functions of the
aeronauticS branch is the encour-
agement Of commercial aero
nauticS. Is is embarrassing and
difficult for inspectors to advocate
the use of aircraft when they
themselves are compelled to travel
in railroad trains and taxicabS.
In the enforcement of the air
traffic rules the inspectors are
often helpless unless they use air.
planes. AS Maj. Young points out
it is as difficult to enforce the air
traffic rules without an airplane
as it would be for traffic police
men to enforce the speed laws
without a motorcycle or automo-
bile.
In the licensing of pilots and
issuance of approved type certifl-
Gates and license numbers for air.
craft the lack of adequate per-
sonnet is handicapping the aero
nautics branch. Every possible
means has been used to reduce of
fee routine, but this cannot be eX-
pected to meet the situation wher
it is considered that, while the
volume of this type of work has
increased 204 per cent, the per-
sonnet to handle it has been in
creased by only 43 per cent.
Medical Section Hampered.
The medical section also Il
hampered. One of the most i'm.
portant factors of the work of Thu
section is the coordination of TIT
activities of more than TOO medi
cal examiners throughout thu
country. It is essential tina
physical examination be Standar;
throughout the country. To in
sure this the technique of the ex
aminers should be inspected ant
personal contact maintained.