Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-21

What is regarded as one of the most
important conferences Of the year from
the standpoint Of the aviation industry
is to be held at the Department of Com
merce Thursday and Friday for the
consideration of changes in the air.
worthiness requirements Of the air
commerce regulations.
Radical changes which have been
made in the economic structure of the
aeronautical industry during the year
will have a marked effect on the views
of manufacturers regarding the pro-
posed changes which will be discussed
by officials of the aeronauticS branch
of the Department of Commerce and
representatives of the industry.
First Under New Code.
The conference will be the first held
under new code of procedure, which
affords the manufacturers full oppor-
tunity to express their views before
airworthiness requirements rs promul
gated by the department. The air
Worthiness requirements changes pro-
posed for consideration this week are
designed to cover the many new de-
velopments in aircraft design and con-
struction developed during the year.
In the main, it was explained by
II
of Commerce for Aeronautics, the
changes are intended to bring about
greater safety and reliability in aircraft
design and construction.
Aircraft manufacturers face the
problem Of building airplanes which
will meet the demands of the natural
economic market. This means that
painstaking consideration must be given
factors of price and economic oper-
az h. crH,N -,
bear upon them the manufacturers
cannot devote their time to a product
which, though 1t may be entirely salts
factory from an engineering standpoint,
will have no market The need for
finding a happy medium makes this
weeks conference of vital importance
to manufacturers.
Simplicity to Be Urged.
Through their national trade organ
ization, the Aeronautical Chamber of
Commerce, the manufacturers will urge
upon the department the utmost possible
simplicity of regulation in 68 proposed
changes in the requirements for manu-
facture of aircraft. In addition to the
So changes advanced by the msnufac-
turers, the Department of Commerce
has listed 81 proposed changes in the
engineering code, which all manufacture
ers of aircraft must follow in detail to
produce aircraft for the commercial
market which will meet the approval of
the Department of Commerce. The
changes proposed by the department
also point toward an attitude of greater
engineering freedom, without sacrifice of
safety
The proposed changes in the require
ments are of Importance to the aircraft
engineer and manufacturer because they
are certain to direct the trend of air
craft engineering. The manufacturers
will seek to prevent adoption Of too de-
tailed requirements which might re-
suit in the curbing of initiative among
designers, whose engineering innovations
may improve the science of aviation and
result in construction of safer, faster
and more economical airplanes.
While the conference is expected to
be a peaceful one, it is indicated by
members Of the industry; nevertheless
they are coming to the Capital prepared
to fight for simplicity of regulation. The
manufacturers will meet here for two
days prior to the joint conference and
expect to have their problems ironed
out before going into the session with
Department of Commerce officials.
Against IrOnclad Rules.
One recommendation which probably
will be made at the conference is that
responsible manufacturers be given more
latitude in designing and building planes
and that the air worthiness requirements
of the Department of Commerce be
changed gradually to take the form of