Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-16
AVIATION INDUSTRY
NEEDS STIMULUS
Major Readiustments Due to
0verproduction Now Being
Remedied, Official Says.
BY J. C. ROYLE.

Oficials Of the Department of Com
merce, the Army and Navy and the
Post Office Department can be counted
on for full cooperation in helping the
aviation industry work out the prob
lens over which it is struggling today,
as the International Aircraft Exposition
opens in st. Louis. Aviation, Govern
ment officials recognize, is still in its
infancy and is subject to the growing
pains" of all lines of industry.
Frederick B. Rentschler, president of
the Aeronautical Chamber of Com
merce, declared yesterday that the in
dustry is well on its way toward its
first major readjustments. The period
Of over-expansion and over-production,
he added, had been foreseen even before
the stock market crash and the larger
manufacturers began early to cut out
put. 1t is apparent, however. that the
heavy carry-over from the production
of 6,034 craft in 1929 has yet, to be
disposed of.
Plane Types.
Executives of the aviation section of
the Department of Commerce assert
that one of the best methods of stimu-
lating sales and production Is for manu-
facturers to settle definitely on certain
types OF plane and go in for produce
ton OF those types and those only.
This, the officials say. would cut costs
and stimulate sales by making prices
lower. The difficulty of many manu-
facturers now, they add, Is that COM
petition has forced them to construct
planes of many types which would not
permit of line production methods such
as have become the rule in the automo-
bile industry
The aeronautics branch of the De-
partment OF Commerce also declares
that prices must be cut to move the
excess number Of planes on hand. It
Is believed this can be accomplished
TO certain extent by introduction of
recently developed machinery which
would do away with much of the hand
work on the machines.
With these conditions in mind, Gov
eminent officials believe the main adj
vance in aviation in 1880 will lie in the
operating end. Passenger and freight
carrying will be expanded to a greater
extent than the manufacture Of new
planes.
The st. Louis exposition is likely to
give the public the manufacturers and
the dealers new ideas as to plane types.
Planes, motors and accessories on view
are valued at $2.500.000. The major
1SoIOAC otICoocU Is IL6 increase In speed.
II. Trubee Dawson, Assistant Secretary
OF War for Aeronautics, says speed is
the essential factor in making CONNER
ciai aviation a paying proposition, en-
abllng cut both in flying time and In
expense of operation.
The air transport companies, which
now ny approximately $4,000 miles a
da.' and in the last year carried ap-
proximately 100000 pounds of air
mail, are extremely anxious to have
the contract mail rates put on a firm
footing, and they are no more anxious
to have this done than is Postmaster
General Brown. Measures are now be-
fore Congress, which, if passed, the
aviation men say would give decided
stimulus to airmail transportation.
Flying Schools.
The subject of flying schools is being
given serious consideration by both
manufacturers and Government officers.
1t is recognized that the industry needs
more pilots, both professional and ANA
teur, but that the schools should be
strictly supervised so that they will use
proper equipment and training methods.
There are 81 colleges and universities
now giving courses in aeronautics.
Government and industry will also
cooperate in the regulation of airports
and landing fields, many of those now
in use having been found to be unsat-
isfactory both from the viewpoint of
equipment and location.
(Copyright, 1901