Evening star., 1932-05-25
j, s, OFFERED LEASE.
ON SITE FOR MODEL.
MUNICIPAL AIRPORT.
Washington and Hoover
Fields Declared at Disposal
of Government.
$25, 900 YEARLY RENTAL
WITH PURCHASE OPTION
Would Close Portion of Military
Road and Grant New Right
of Way.

Proposals have been made to lease to
the Federal Government, for operation
by the Department of Commerce as
Washington Hoover Airport areas. it
was declared today by S. j. Solomon,
legal adviser to National Aviation Cor
poration, owners of the Washington
Airport property.
The proposal, according to Solomon,
would give the Federal Government an
option upon the property for purchase
when pending questions of title are set
tied or when the financial condition OF
the Government makes further develop
ment of the field advisable.
The proposal, Solomon said, includes
the purchase by the owners of Wash
ington Airport of the holdings of Inter-
national Airways, Inc. known as Hoover
Field, the combination of the two prop
critics and the offer to the Government
of new right Of way around the edge
of the airport so that the section OF
Military road between the two fields
may be closed.
Approval Declared Given.
The plan, Solomon said, has been
discussed with and approved by officials
of the Department of Commerce. Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning Com
mission, War Department. District gov
eminent and Senate and House.
Though Washington Airport and
Hoover Field have been combined for
nearly two years into an operating Or
ganization known as Washington-Hoo
yer Airport, the two properties still are
separately owned. This separate own
ership has blocked closing the portion
of Military road between the two fields,
preventing throwing together of the two
properties into a single airport unit
Purchase of Hoover Field Solomon
said. would result in withdrawal of Op
position to closing the road and Wash
ington Airport will offer to the Federal
Government land for a new right Of
way for the road around the boundary
of the combined field.
National Aviation Corporation is Of
fering to lease the combined Washing
ton Airport and Hoover Field areas to
the Federal Government for $4,000
year. with the option of purchase at any
time" Solomon said This appears to
be the only way out of the difficulties
confronting us"
No Expense Seen.
The plan will not cost the Federal
Government a penny, in the opinion of
officials of National Aviation Corpora
ticn, since the annual revenues from
air transport operations, hangar rentals
and service charges to visiting planes
are expected to more than exceed this
figure annually.
The Department of Commerce Solo
mon pointed out, also could effect econ
omies in its aeronautical operations by
moving to the airport its planes and
equipment now at Boiling Field and its
aeronautical radio research station at
College Park, Md. where rental now is
paid for use of the field.
Creation of model municipal air
port on the Washington-Hoove site has
been approved by a joint Congressional
Airport Committee, headed by Senator
Hiram Bingham of Connecticut, and
legislation for the creation of such a
field is pending in Congress.
The Department of Commerce ap-
proved the Bingham plan for creation
of the Federal airport, to be operated
under supervision of the airport section
of the Aeronautics Branch.
Should the Government take over the
airport. Solomon believes the way will
be cleared for immediate construction
by Eastern Air Transport of a large
hangar now required as part of its
New York-Miami system Eastern Air
1ldllSpolG lldS dGlcHlUIcu W ledSe LIE
land for construction of the Hangar
from Washington Airport. but the only
area available lies partly within the
limits of the old Roachs Run channel,
which is claimed by the Federal Gov
eminent.
Closing Of Military road is opposed by
the owners Of Hoover Field, Interna-
tional Airways, Inc. because the road
now provides the only approach to their
property and the closing would greatly
reduce the value of their holdings.
Sale of Hoover Field to Washington Air
port, however, would remove this objec-
ton Oficials of International Airways,
Inc have reached an agreement with
National Aviation Corporation as to the
sale of Hoover Field, Solomon said.
Washington Hoover Airport has been
developed by private capital at total
cost, including land purchase, of ap
proximately S1,500,000. The field equip
ment includes a model air transport
terminal building, a large concrete and
steel hangar, now occupied by the Lud-
ington Line, two steel and sheet metal
hangers, on the Hoover Field area, a
smaller terminal building at Hoover
Field, the Weather Bureau airways sta
tion, servicing equipment and lighting
equipment for night operations.