Evening star., 1933-08-20

Suspicion that at least two fatal
crashes already have been caused by the
darkening of Federal airways was voiced
by two former members Of the Federal
aviation cabinet" Out of a maze Of
conflicting advice, the department is
trying to find its way to apply the neces-
sary sweeping reduction without in
curing the risk Of further loss Of life.
Air transport operators and pilots who
use the airways have been given 10 days
in which to present their views concern
ing applications Of the reduction. This
period will expire August 26. The cur
tailments Of service must be made Sep
tember IS.
The method of applying the economies
Is of no small moment. It involves a
decision as to what constitutes modern
airway. It must be determined whether
beacon lights, corresponding to marine
lighthouses, or radio range beacons,
which guide pilots when lights cannot
be seen, are the more essential. There
is no agreement among the pilots on this
point. The aids are too new for opinion
to have crystallized. Some pilots place
their chief reliance on the lights. Others
ignore the lights and follow the radio
beacon courses even on clear nights.
Some habitually employ both types of
aids.
The department must decide whether
to take out the reduction by eliminating
lights and retaining radio aids, reduc-
ing the amount Of radio aids and main
tanning the lights or steering a middle
course and reducing all aids. 1t must
decide whether teletype circuits are to
be reduced or eliminated. Whether
weather information can be reduced
without endangering pilots and passen-
gers also must de determined.
General Reduction Outlined.
Under the tentative program sketched
by Rex Martin, assistant director OF air.
ways, and his chief engineer. Charles I.
Stanton, general reduction OF all aids
has been proposed to the operators for
their comment and criticism. The air
ways division has eliminated 73 inter-
mediate landing fields, commenced con-
solidation Of radio aids at go points, pre-
pared to consolidate or eliminate air.
ways or portions of airways in num-
ber of places, tested the feasibility Of
cutting down the candlepower in its
beacon lights and eliminating course
lights altogether, proposed to turn OF
boundary lights on all intermediate fields
having keeper personnel unless actually
required in emergency, proposed to shut
down radio range broadcasts except IN
dangerous weather, planned to discon-
tinue certain radio stations entirely.
proposed to eliminate nearly 1000 miles
of teletype circuits and to curtail serv-
| ice on others and institute drastic ad-
ministrative economies.
A proposal to darken airways for long
periods each night caused intense ap-
prehension among the operators and is
hall iy,o I,ou rot nf q
400 miles of airways probably will be
discontinued altogether and the airway
mileage still further reduced by consol-
idation OF routes, even though this will
remove a number Of cities from the air.
ways system.
II q general curtailment is decided
upon, the tentative program OF Martin
and Stanton undoubtedly presents the
most comprehensive and intelligently
considered method of applying the need
ed reductions, in the opinion of many OF
the operators. Through the application
of this method, the department would
not eliminate any Of its essential serv-
ices but would in effect skeletonize them
for the period of the emergency, leaving
foundation upon which to build when
better times come.
There can be no doubt in the mind OF
any one who attended the conference
that economies must be applied. 1t re-
mains only to apply these economies
with intelligence, SO that the resulting
damage may be limited to reasonable
bounds. The attitude of those in the
department and in the industry IN ap-
preaching these difficult problems. as
reflected IN the conference. gives every
indication that the situation will be
cheerfully and intelligently met and
that the maintenance of safety will be
the primary consideration in the minds
of all who must WELD the inife OF
economy.
Hand Of Economy Felt.
Governmental economy also Is laying
&bn No fioy,'c oirsn all