Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-12-25

Ludington, one Of the owners Of the
Ludington Airlines. Said Mr.. Juding-
ton:
Washington Hoover Airport is one
Of the most advantageously located air.
ports in the country. It needs i'm
provements, but any move to the
Gravelly Point area brings in a greater
flying hazard due to the Army and
Navy operations at Boiling Field and
the Naval Air Station and also Is un-
desirable because such a site would not
be as convenient as the present one"
It remains for Congress to decide the
fate of the Washington Hoover and
Gravelly Point areas and of the Dis
trict's airport problem as a whole. Very
extensive hearings were held many
months ago by a special joint ccngres-
siOnal committee and the pros and cons
of the question were fully discussed at
that time The basic facts have not
been changed materially since those
hearings and for that reason it Is not
likely that the congressional committees
will hold any very long hearings. II
Congress is to deal. at last, with the
local airport matter, all the facts in
dispute should be made thoroughly clear
and the action based upon those facts.
In any event, Washington-Hoove Air
port is the only air terminal the National
Capital is likely to have for some years
to come. and, regardless of what Is
done in the future about Gravelly Point,
no effort should BE- spared to make the
existing field safe for the air traffic
which it must handle.
Air almanac Issued. =
The Navy Department has Just begun
the issuance Ct an Air Almanac which
is designed to meet the special needs
of the air navigator The almanac for
the year 1888 was published by the
Naval Observatory and will serve the
same purpose for the air navigator that
the Nautical Almanac serves for the
marine navigator.
Many improvements have been made
in recent years in the methods for de-
termining positions at sea, not only IN
the application of mechanical aids, but
also in the mathematical determination
of position by celestial observations.
The American Nautical Almanac has
been published by the Naval Observatory
for Is years and is used by al nationah-
ties. The annual issue has reached
$4,000 copies. The Nautical Almanac,
however, fell short OF meeting the
specialized needs of the air navigator,
who requires tables enabling him to
IeOUCS OOS6IhdL1u4S u l1SdfC1l1y UC04co
more rapidly than is necessary for ma
rine practice.
Two years ago an aeTonantical sup
plement to the Nautical Almanac was
published with lunar tables for the last
three months of 1880. A more com
plete supplement was published for
1881 and for this year the Nautical
Almanac is a publication designed prt-
marily for the use OF the surface pAvi.
gator but embodying IN " the fea-
lures which are especially useful to the
aerial navigator.
Work Will Be Slmplt6e6
The air information for 1888 wM be
published separately and will be mate
rally improved in many respects The
almanac will simplify and shorten
astronomical sight calculations and will
eliminate the complicated equation OF
time, right ascension and slderlal time.
Other short cuts have been provided
for the convenience of the aerial naN-
gator. who must work much more
rapidly than ever becomes necessary for
the marine navigator.
Although the Air Almanac Is designed
to meet the special needs Of the air
navigator, the Navy Department an
nounced, it can be used as well by sur
face navigators and is expected to
appeal to those navigators who have
adopted the various quick" methods
of computing lines of position. 1t will
result in additional reduction in the
calculation of their sights, it was ex-
planned. Navigators of small boats,
amateur yachtsmen and the students
of the science of navigation other than
professional mariners may be interested
in the application of the Air Almanac
to their own use. in the belief of the
Navy Department, which will watch
with interest the reception of the new
almanac by all classes of naNgators.
Copies Of the Air Almanac may be
obtained from the superintendent Of
documents, Government Printing Office,
for s. cents copy.