Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-07-07

GDlS country, ali S6TN1CG OpCIdVOIo
are f~lourishing in hundreds of
cities; executives are flying their
own planes in the conduct of their
daily business; and the manufac-
turing industry is behind on its
orders.
Present day flying is divided
into three classes: Air transport,
commercial flying; and private fly
ing.
Air transport flying includes
scheduled operations over eStab-
lished routes with passengers, mail
and express. These routes now
cover 24,589 miles over which air
planes FLYNN g67,171 miles daily,
maintain daily schedules, flown
with a precision equal to that Of
the best railroads. These air lines
serve cities and directly connected
trading centers totaling IS, 00O,0 900
population.
Volume of Flying
"Air mail is flown over 1921
miles of the routes but, in addition,
there are 10 companies operating IS
routes, carrying passengers or ex-
press or both, which are not de-
pendent upon air mail for their
incomes. And this scheduled air
transport service comprises only
one-tenth of the flying in the U. S.
With the exception of private fly
ing, the balance of the flying is
done by commercial interests en-
gagged in taxi service, aerial photo
graphy. surveying, mapping, sight
seeing, messenger service, crop
busting. and many other industrial
services.
1.-The U. S. Department of Com
merce established, maintains, and
operates lighted intermediate land
ing fields approximately 30 miles
apart along the Federally Lighted
AirWay. There are now approx
mately 300 of these landing fields
in operation and, as the network
of lighted airways increases, addi-
tional fields will be established.
Thirty-eight Of these intermediate
lighted fields are in the process of
being laid out or will have been
laid out within the next two
months. Ten thousand miles of
airways are lighted. Land along
these airways will rise in value as
land along important roads and
near important terminals has risen
in value.
I'm 1923, the U. S. Department
OF Commerce listed fewer than 400
a1rports either completed or &C
tually under development, exclusive
OF those used for military or naval
forces. In February 1929, Col.
Harry H. Blee, Chief of the Air
ways and AirportS Section of the
U. S. Department Of Commerce,
said there were approximately 1000
alrportS then actually in use or un-
der construction and that about
1,OOO others were being studied by
chambers OF commerce, municipal
tiles and others with a view to Sc
Letting sites. He qualified these
statements by saying that even
these figures were not reliable be-
cause they were changing daily.
Figures covering the year and a
nall previous to February showed
the sum of 100000 already
spent or pledged for airport devel-
opment and a forecast was made
by Col. Blee that at least $500. OOO.-
600 would be spent in the next year
ana a half for new airports.
In addition to the 1889 existing
alrports, described above, there are
4,OOO unlisted fields, emergency in
character, OF which the govern
ment has no record. The locations
OF THESE fields are changed in the
Scheme Of crop rotation.
Plane Production Grows
There are 1853 manufacturers of
aircraft in the U. S. These organ
lzatlons, making airplanes. amphi-
plans, flying boats, and seaplanes
nave shown a large increase DURING
1923, which indicates the growth
Oh this business that will demand
new useSe for the land.
-Four thousand. three
ana 1orty-six aircraft, valued at
S45,ol2,318.00 were produced in this
country during 1923. This is the
!IrSG annual compilation bv the
AeronautlrS Branch of the Denart~
ment OF Commerce.; but Statistics
oy ne Bureau Of Census placed the
production Of airplanes in the IT g
y ISzi at 1883, with a valuation Of
SIz,zzayS79.0O. This shows an in
crease OF more than 24O0 planes
valued at $31, 587, $4,000 in n wear
AS more airplanes are manufac-
Curea, more factory sites will : he
required and this is another now,
use Tor real estate. Every airnleno
IacCory site means the permanent
employment Of from 200 to ann
men. Inns means housing for these
men and their families. The Roc
ing Air Transport Co. in SeattIo
on May II, 1929, EMPLOYED q
worKmen In their factory. the Iaroo
est IN the world designed excI,,s;ue
~ o alrplane manufacture.
n ADDITION every aircraft plant
oi any size has its own TESTING
Ilelo which comprises several b,,n9
uIeo acres. An example of this l.
IN wichita, Kansas, where tharo
are nine factories which tI,rn 90
ne DuIK OF the smaller planes
manufactured in this country. Each
q THESE factories is built close -
or on a flying field" ="
speaker also described the
use OF airplanes for "cron d11s+;nns,
especially in the south g. Zig
ing Is done to protect crons fron,
Log es mat annually cause the
;ooS Vi millions of dollars to Amer
~ farmers and fruit growers. II
Sr e past n busting has been done
ny hano machines at a very Slow
IaVe and the insects often 800