Evening star., 1932-08-21

THE safety of airplane traffic from the point
of view of the lives of the passengers has
been fairly conclusvely demonstrated. OF
course accidents have happened and passen-
gers have been killed, and because Of the spec
tacular nature of the accident, when there Is
one the news has been carried far and wide,
but considering the $4,000 600 miles flown over
the air lines of this country each year, the
number of accidents has been low
This safety from the passengers point OF
view, however, is not reflected in financial
safety for those operating the lines. The
operation of an air line is highly expensive
undertaking. 1t is an undertaking OF youth,
youth in planes and youth in pilots. Neither
the planes nor the personnel operating them
are permitted to stay in service beyond the
point Of maximum efficiency. Neither plane
which has lost its full strength nor pilot
who has lost absolute control OF muscle, nerve
and resistance to fatigue may be permitted to
fly over the air routes carrying human freight
and commercial freight.
Standard statistics of course, are not readily
obtainable giving clear understanding OF just
what the cost of operating an air line Is PlaneS
are now flying regularly over nearly 27,ooO
miles Of air routes in this country. Some OF
these routes are over fiat land with no COM
plications Some are over mountainous coun-
trv where high attitudes must be obtained.
Others face the danger of storm and fog, some
times in both directions and sometimes only
in one.
The nature Of the service varies Over
routes here and there single motored planes
are used for light work Tri-motored planes
are essential Others 1t is safe to say that
practically every type of heavier -than-air craft
is now in service in some part of this country
flying over the commercial routes Of the Nation.
An average of slightly less than 3,000,0O
miles Is flown every month. The cost of oper-
alton varies for this tremendous amount OF
flying from around so cents mile or $50
an hour under the most favorable conditions,
to 81. .03 mile or $119 per hour The general
Nation wide average is 68 cents mile, or s73
an hour
This cost of course, Is not the cost OF gaso-
line oil and employees salaries alone. 1t covers
the entire cost of the undertaking and provides
for the replacement of a plane at the end OF
five years service The question Of obsoles-
cence is serious. Twenty per cent Of the total
cost of operation for replacement Is heavy
tax on the industry. Add to this the Is or 16
per cent which goes into repairs and upkeep,
13 per cent more for flying personnel and
per cent for fuel and oil and you have con-
sumed SO per cent Of the total revenue Of the
air lines.
Unfortunately that is not the end Of the
cost. The impression made on the flying pub
to the dignity Of a regular passenger service
means that the stage setting, if it may be
termed that, must be good. The natural timid-
ity upon the part Of novices taking their first
flights must be overcome by the impressions
they get as they approach the airports. The
old-time flying field will not do any longer.
Instead Of approaching over a sketchy sort
Of cinder road to a more or less dilapidated
sheet iron hangar with a carelessly kept and
Uttered field in general, the passenger now
drives up smoothly over a fine hard-surfaced
road. The impression of smoothneSs and
swiftness is developed and maintained through
out AS the passenger reaches the air field
a uniformed attendant is ready to receive him,
takes his baggage and leads him up to the
ticket window where he is greeted calmly. In
due course, with no fuss or furore, the plane is
announced and he is ushered out to the plane
in which his baggage has already been placed
and where q uniformed attendant Is waiting
to help him into the plane. Inside steward
hostess is waiting to see that he Is COM
Portable during the flight.
All this setting requires large pay rolls and
heavy expense. Everything must be spick and
span and orderly in every detail. Everything
must be done to strengthen the passengers
confidence and add to his enjoyment. It is
expensive. but it is vital. In a way, it is adver
tising for its purpose is to sell the air lines to
the country.
Then, with all these things charged of, there
still are many expenses involved For instance
there is the cost Of selling fuel and oil to
people who may need to have the autos re-
plenished at the air fields. There Is the cost
Of repair and service stations, the equipment
and maintenance of emergency landing fields,
special flights off the air line the necessity OF
sending empty planes from point to point TO
meet emergency demands. There are all the
administrative expenses involved in maintain
ing the administrative forces, the general ofiice