Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-10
AVIATION
90 BY JOSEPH S. .EDGERTON.

! airportS. The 1929 airport budget
for continued improvement AND
construction of new airportS is
estimated at $94,000,000. Wash
ington, probably, will conduct an
other airport survey" while
towns of $4,000 population and, in
some cases less, construct air
ports.
Lack of a municipal airport is
an economic loss. Baltimore is
building a large municipal airport
by constructing a Seawall and
making an earth fill along its
waterfront. Within the last two
months two large airplane produc-
ton plants have announced that
they will move to Baltimore, to
sites adjoining the airport. The
Glenn Martin Co., one of the
pioneer airplane manufacturing
concerns in the country, is setting
up large and costly plant and
will employ hundreds of skilled
workers there. Plans for the re-
moval of the Berliner Aircraft Co.
from Alexandria, Va, to Baltimore,
were announced this week. The
new ST 100000 concern to be eStab-
lished at the Baltimore airport is
largely a Washington enterprise,
forced to Baltimore because Of
the lack of airport facilities closer
to home.
Inaugural Flyers Take Chance.
On March 4 it is proposed to
hold great aerial parade over
the city as a part of the inaugural
day program. Flyers will come
here in planes of every type from
all parts of the country. They
will take their chances on find
ing accommodations There will
be no municipal hangers in which
they may store their planes. They
may be welcomed at the Navy and
Army fields, but they cannot be
welcomed by the City of Wash
ington except by insubstantial
language.
AS a city the National Capital
can say to it's aerial visitors: I'VE
are glad you have come. We hope
that you will be able to find some
place around here where you can
leave your planes while you are
visiting u.s."
On February %, 1882, the world
will be invited to come to the Ma
tional Capital to celebrate the
bicentennial of the birth of George
Washington. Visitors by railroad
will enter the city through Union
Station and their first glimpse of
Washington will be the Capitol
standing at the end of the new
parkway, vista now being prepared.
by automobile they will come in
over the new Arlington Memorial
Bridge. But by air, unless Con-
greSS gets busy, they will take pot
luck at whatever commercial fields
may be in operation at the time.
Engineers say that at least two
years will be required to prepare
a landing field at Gravelly Point.
If Congress adjournS March 4
without starting the Gravelly
Point project Washington is going
to find itself without an airport
in all probability when the eyes
Of the world are focused on it in
1882.
City United on Question.
It is not the fault of Washing
ton aeronautical people that a
municipal airport is not in ex-.
iStence. It is not the fault of
Washington business men nor of
Washington taxpayers. Rarely has
the city been so united on any
civic question as it is today on the
airport matter. Washington is in
the hands of Congress and, it must
be admitted, is finding Scant con-
Sideration in the situation con-
fronting it with regard to the air
port problem.
Washington must have an air.
port eventually. It should have
one now. Congress has had time
to become aware of the situation
and to study the necessary legis-
lation as fully as may be needful
for comprehensive and intelligent
action. It is high time for action
and that action should be the pas
sage of the pending airport legis-
lation, backed up by the required
funds to permit the beginning Of
construction in the Spring.