Evening star., 1932-04-10
NATIONS A|RL|NES
GET US. APPROVAL
Interstate AirmaiI and Pas
Senger Service Operated in
Conformity With Rules.

Following the most rigid inspection
ever made of American air transport
organizations, four crews of Depart
ment of Commerce inspectors have
given the interstate airmail and pas
senger lines in the United States clean
bills of health.
The inspections, the first of regular
examinations which will be conducted
in the future, have resulted in findings
that the lines are conducting their op-
erations in conformity with Depart
ment of Commerce regulations govern
ing airline operations.
Twenty-four companies are subject
to the airline regulations, the depart
ment explained today in announcing
the results of the inspection. Five
others are not involved because their
operations are not interstate or be-
cause they do not carry passengers.
Four Crews Cover Nation.
For the purposes of the inspections
which have just been completed. the
II airline inspectors of the Depart
ment of Commerce were organized into
four crews, each crew being responsible
for the airlines in an area of approx
mately one-fourth of the country
For future inspections there will be
three crews OF inspectors, operating in
the Eastern, Central and Western parts
of the country. These crews will re-
inspect airlines from time to time and
also will pass upon the equipment, per-
sonnel and operations of any new lines
that may be organized.
The first step in each case Of the
work just completed was the checking
of the route flown by the line, the in
Spectors flying the entire route in a
Department of Commerce plane, land
ing at every airport intermediate, aux
1liary and emergency landing field along
the line to make certain that the field
facilities are adequate. All radio sta
tions along the route were visited, both
the radio communications stations and
the radio range beacons, and teletype-
writer stations and weather observation
stations were checked.
In short" 1t was explained, every
aid to air navigation along the route
is examined to make certain that it is
adequate and efficient, and if any
changes seem necessary or desirable, the
inspectors make notes of them, so that
they can be written into the report on
the airline and recommendations made
to the proper authorities for action"
Competency Is Observed.
The inspectors also rode with the air.
line pilots on their regular runs to de-
termine the competency of each pilot.
The trips with the pilots also enable
the inspectors to recheck with them
the air navigation facilities. The pilots
were asked just how efficient the bea-
con lights and radio stations have been
over an extended period of time.
The maintenance inspector inquired
closely into methods of inspection,
maintenance and repair at the
terminal, check the system of daily
and periodic inspection of flying equip
ment, watch the repairs being made
in the shop and observe the work of
personnel assigned to these duties, both
administrative personnel and the
mechanics who actually do the work
1T has been the experience of the
airline inspectors" the department an
nounced, that operators have been
eager to make any necessary correc-
tions whenever discrepancies have been
discovered"