Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-28
AIR CORPS BEHIND
IN 5.YEAR PROGRAM
Assistant Secretary of War
Reviews AeronauticaI AC-
tivities for 1880.

Though the past fiscal year witnessed
Q new high mark in postwar military
flying, the Army Air Corps found itself
ut the end Of the year we'll behind its
allotted strength under the five-year
program, according to the annual re-
port of F. Trubee Dawson, Assistant
Secretary of War for Aeronautics, made
public today.
More than 32,5o0,o00 miles were
flown by the Air Corps during the year,
q peace-time record, Mr.. Dawson said.
The close of the year, however, found
the corps below strength in officers,
men and planes. The situation. he
said, lis not as satisfactory as 1t should
be-"
Much OVERLAPPING Required.
Mr.. Dawson said the 1919 planes on
hand included ships out OF service Tor
major overhaul, amounting to approx
mately one-f1fth of the entire number,
and 1873 aircraft more than 3 years old,
which are obsolete from a military
standpoint, making approximately 1885
modern serviceable planes on hand, in
stead of the 1920 authorized. The
flve-year program provides for an ulti-
mate strength of 1900 serviceable
planes.
He pointed out that in order to keep
Army aircraft in safe and efficient fly
ing condition, 10 per cent Of all Army
planes are constantly in depots for
overhaul and that during this period
these planes cannot be considered
"serviceable equipment"
The report said there were 1885
officers and 1906 enlisted men in the
corps. The program called for 1874
officers and 1910 men at that time.
Air Legislation Wanted.
Hope that the coming Congress will
pass promotion legislation for the Air
Corps was expressed by Mr.. Dawson,
who declares that the present slow pro-
motion schedules not only impair the
morale of the Air Corps but cause the
resignation Of many competent officers
whose services the Government can i'll
afford to lose.
The report shows that 3O6 cadets
were graduated from the Advanced
Training School last year and that
more than 1000 young men sought to
enter the Air Corps, of whom less than
one-fourth qualified.
There were So lives lost in Air Corps
accidents, SIS per cent of these being
due to human error" % per cent to
engine or structural failure and Is per
cent to weather and inferior landing
facilities. The other 3 per cent were
listed as Undetermined" This repre-
sents a decrease in deaths, only one
fatality being recorded for every 625, 900
miles of flight, as against one for each
100000 miles In the previous year.
Hours In Air Announced.
Air Corps Reserve pilots during the
year new 1880 hours, (which is held
10 be far from adequate" Mr.. Dawson
reported. Most Of this flying was done
IN training planes, which aided the
military efficiency Of the pilots very
little. He urged replacement Of two
thirds Of all training type planes by
fully-equipped service type aircraft.
National Guard squadrons flew "a, TIA
hours with but one fatality, as against
eS,375 hours with four fatalities the
year before.
The report shows that building ac-
e0mmodattons were provided during
the year for 2,450 enlisted men, 260
non-commissioned officers and 80 off,
GERS, at q cost of $6.300.000. Technical
construction, including hangers and
5000 900, including 100000 worth Of
equipment to be used this year. Hous-
ing and technical construction planned
for the current fiscal year amounts to
912,248, 900, of which $4,000, 900 Is for
technical and the remainder for hous-
ing construction.