Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-05
AVIATION
EADERS Of the aviation industry
are finding that 1t Is not an eco
romical proposition to deliver
4 a,,% Aau,are In a 1N~t0D Truck,
BY JOSEPH S. EDdERTON.

They have come to realize most
forcefully that 1t isn't good business to
carry passengers in airplanes which re-
0uire 10 horsepower per passenger wnen
they can be carried just as Wen a. on
horsepower per passenger or less.
They have begun to md that tne
laws of economics apply with heavy
hand to this new aviation business JUST
as they do to railroading, and that Just
because passengers are being carried
Through thin air without the need OF
rails or roadbed the laws Of economics
are not to be flouted or ignored.
AS a result of this dawning realiza-
tion the aviation industry, IN the opm-
ion of Clarence M. Young, Assistant
Secretary of Commerce for Aeronautics,
Il climbing out Of the bog In which IL
has been wallowihg since the dizzy
plunge from the heights Of 1929 and
now Is sitting up on solid ground, snaK-
ing itself and feeling to see whether
there are any broken bones or missing
parts. Presently, he feels, 1t will rise
to its feet and begin going forward IN
the sunlight of prosperity, avoiding the
peaks and most certainly attempting
70 avoid the pitfalls.
The number OF passengers using
echeduled airlines Is increasing at q
rate which indicates that 1000, 900
American citizens will pay to travel by
air during the current year on me
time-tabled Airlines. This growth III
passenger volume, accompanied by
steady increase in the amount OF air
mail and air express flown, Mr.. Young
Is convinced. is proof that aviation Is
on the firmer ground, where 1t can once
more find its feet.
Manufacturers and operators have
realized" Mr.. Young said In reviewing
the state Of the industry at the dawn
of the new fiscal year, that their bust-
ness Is no exception to the age-old laws
Of economics, and they are going about
its development In employing the same
methods practiced in other fields of
endeavor. This calls for sharper pen
they have not adjusted all their eco
nonic phases yet, this Is being done"
Need Economical Planes.
One Of the points that has been most
firmly driven home in the minds OF
operators and manufacturers as q re-
suit of the growth Of air transporta-
ton Is that there is an imperative need
for more economical transport planes.
The really eficient transport airplane,
fn the opinion of Frank T. Courtney.
ocean flyer who has made a world wide
reputation as an air transport engineer.
Is "a plane which, for given horsepower
and speeds carries the greatest loads"
Speed, Courtney told the American
eociety Of Mechanical Engineers at
It's recent aeronauticsl meeting. Is too
lightly considered by the average
American airplane manufacturer and
operator. In all forms Of trsnsporta-
ton, he pointed out, speed Is an ex-
pensive proposition.
There Is" said he. mo short and
simple, way around this fact There
seems to be q growing impression that.
by trick methods, it Is going to be pos
sible to carry the same loads at higher
and higher speeds. From many recent
discussions one gathers that retractable
landing gears motors inside the wings,
and elimination Of struts and wires, are
all going to be gifts from the gods
which are going to save the operator
and constructor from the laborious
proceeding Of deliberately weighing up
speed against load One hears people
speaking cheerfully Of cruising speeds
Of ITO miles per hour with the air of
one who is getting something for moth
ing. Speed costs money, loads bring In
money. Therefore If operation Is at q
speed above what calculations show to
be the optimum speed for the parttcu-
lar route, too little load Is being car
ried and the plane Is commercially in
efdcient. The speed must be fixed
first, and surplus efficiency should go
into either bigger loads or lower horse
power
Courtney expresses the belief that the
biplane soon must be recognized as
the most efficient type for commercial
purposes. The externally braced mono
plane, he believes, has many advantages
over the cantilever type, but neither
IN his opinion. meets the requirements
for air transportation as well a. the
biplane.
Air Corps Expands.
The close Of the five-year aircraft
building program for the Army Air
Corps, now in its fifth year, will bring
into existence permanent aerial COM
bat units which have not existed, ex-
cept on paper, in the history OF peace
time military aviation.
Though the largest Air Corps units
functioning today are groups. composed
generally Of four squadrons, under new
tables of organization made possible by
the building program. there are to be
brought into existence three regular
wings, composed of two groups each,
and two composite wings, for defense
Of territorial possessions. There also
will be established for the first time
since the close of the World War q
permanent air brigade headquarters, to
be located at Langley Field, Hampton,
Va.
General plans for completion Of the
Adjutant General, call for the creation
Of many new squadrons and groups.
These will bear the numbers OF squad
rons and groups which have not ex-
isted since fighting days in France.
TO accommodate the hundreds OF new
planes acquired under the program the
Army is establishing great aerial centers
where the larger units will be located
Several magnificent new afrdromes are
now being constructed and probably
viii be ready for occupation next year.
New Airdromes Listed.
One Of the important new airdromes
viii be Alameda. Calf, replacing the
great Air Corps base at Rockwell Field.
North Island, near San Diego. North
Island, originally an Army field. was
opened to the Navy, which gradually
has expanded its activities there until
It became expedient for the Army to
move out entirely, Alameda being the
ing established in Marin County. Calf.
as q part of the program. Another
important new tactical field IS Banks
dale Field, Shreveport, La. which Is to
become the home Of the new Sd Attack
Wing. to be created by combination OF
the Sd Attack Group. now at Fort
Crockett, Galveston, Tex. with the yet
to-be created 18th Pursuit Group. only
one squadron of which now Is In ex-
lstence.
The greatest of the new Air Corps
airdromes is Randolph Field. the flu
ture 'West Point Of the Air" now be-
ing carved out of raw country near
San Antonio. Tex. Here. In an aviation
city. surrounded by great flying fields,
will be located the training center which
will produce the Army's future flying
oficers.
AIhrool, piald Canal Zone IL tn he.