Evening star., 1932-05-22

charge pilots, TO have the limitation
upon flight pay removed, or to obtain
additional funds. With no change in
law the return to general service of 100
Navy pilots will be mandatory, accord
ing to Navy estimates. If the Senate will
remove the special limitation of flight
pay and leave the item, as it always has
been, a part of the general pay to Navy
commissioned officers, the Navy can
handle the situation, with Congressional
authority, by transferring to pay certain
maintenance funds and by economies
in other directions.
The Navy, it is estimated, can save
auout $4,000 by withdrawing flight
orders of some non-aviator officers,
without seriously impairing aviation.
The order will curtail the usefulness of
such personnel but will be better than
looping pilots off the rolls, it is felt. 1t
is hoped that the Senate will permit
the Navy handle the situation by
removing the restrictive clauses and
transferring funds so as to keep up
necessary flight pay, without adding to
the general Navy expenses, and that
the House will concur.
Ocean Flyers Meet.
In Rome today is being held the
opening session of an international
convention Oh transoceanic flyers. which
is expected to give impetus to efforts
to establish regular ocean air trans
port service. The meeting is the first
of its kind and it is being watched with
keen interest by air leaders of many
nations.
The object of this meeting" it is
stated in special report to the Navy
Department, lis to study the problems
relative to the realization of the great
oceanic communications which in the
near future shall unite the two Ameri
cas- to Europe"
The flyers who have flown over the
oceans since 1919, when the first ocean
flight was completed, will submit re-
ports giving the results of their flights
which may be of value in connection
with future ocean air travel.
There is nothing better than this
for obtaining subject for study in this
field" it is stated in the report from
Italy THE convention, therefore, will
not have only an idealistie value, but
it will also be of considerable practical
use. as the air communications between
the continents interest all peoples"
The ocean flyers today number about
100, including % pilots Of the great
South Atlantic cruise of Gen. Italo
Balbo, of Italy. Among the American
ocean pilots expected to participate in
the sessions are Capt. H. c, Richard
son, U, S, NJ, retired, pilot of the NC-3
on the Nays 1919 mission which re-
suited in the first aerial crossing of the
Atlantic; Lieut.. Comdr. Elmer F. Stone,
u. S. c. G., co-pilot of the NC-4, first
plane to actually cross an ocean under
its own power; Harold Gatty, who flew
around the world last year with Wiley
Post crossing two oceans; Capt. Albert
Hegenberger, Army Air Corps. who flew
from California to Hawaii with Lieut.
Lester Maitland in the first Pacific
crossing; George Haldeman, who was
picked out of the ocean after getting
most of the way across the Atlantic
with Ruth Elder Camp, and Hugh
Herndon. Lieut.. Comdr. Philip V.
Weems, U. 8. N, whose navigation ad-
vice was instrumental in the success
Of number of the ocean flyers, will
attend as an expert.
Among the other ocean flyers expect
ed to attend are Brown, CosteS, Mer-
moz' Won Gronau, Endrez, Magyar,
Jimenez, de Barros, Coutinho, Bellonte
Assolant Lotti, Clinic Challe, Debry
de Aida, Braga, Kohl, Zimmerman.
Gouyeia and Borges
An Expensive Operation.
The question is frequently asked:
Are air transport companies making
money!"
Though air traffic is in~reosi-g
steadily, all is not rosy in the air trans
port industry. The number ul passen-
gers flown is increasing tremendously;
airmail traffic climbs steadily to new
levels and air express business has in
creased many-fold during the past two
years. Despite these increases in traf-
nc, few companies are making money.
The first financial report for the first
quarter of 1892 from large air trans
port organization shows heavy financial