Evening star., 1934-02-16
ARMY MAIL BASE
AT TLOCAL AIRPORT
Large Increase in Traffic
Seen With PasSenger-Ex-
mess Schedules Same.

washington Airport will be the
operating base for the Army Air Corps
sirmail service out of Washington, it
vas announced today at the War
Department.
At the same time, orders were re-
eeived by the local Office of Eastern
Air Transport that all present sched-
sles Of the airline through Washington
will continue to be flown with pas
sengers and express following can
collation. of the company's airmail con-
tEacts on Monday.
PENNSYLVANIA AirlineS and American
Always also will continue to operate
out Of Washington next week without
change of schedules, it was announced
today.
The result will be very large in
crease in traffic out of Washington
Airport when the Army takes over on
Monday, Army airplanes, carrying the
mail, in many cases, taking off at the
same time the big passenger planes
leave.
Use of Local Airport.
Pursuit airplanes of the 36th Pursuit
Squadron, operating between Wash
ington and Cleveland, and of the 37th
Pursuit Squadron, charged with car
5ying the mail along the Atlantic coast
from New York to Miami, will use the
local commercial airport
Eight enlisted men, five from the
9th Squadron and three from the
s6th. will be assigned to Washington
as the servicing and emergency re-
pair crews for the planes of the two
BquadronS. While these men are to
work at Washington Airport, under
the present plans, they may be quar-
4 tered at Boiling Field in the new
barracks building.
None of the officers or airplanes of
Che two squadrons will be stationed
here. Headquarters of the 36th
Squadron will be at Columbus, Ohio,
where the pilots of the squadron have
been assembled. The 37th Squadron
will establish headquarters at Rich
mond, Va.
Decision to use Washington Airport
was reached in accordance with the
general policy of the Air Corps and
the Post Ofice Department to con-
tinue the use of existing airmail air
ports wherever possible.
Instructions, however, specify that
mo use will be made of hangar facili-
ties or other equipment of any air
mail company or concern whose con-
tract is now being Cancelled by the
Government" This will prohibit the
Army flyers or servicing crews here
from making any use of the equip
nent OF Eastern Air Transport, Penn
Sylvania Airlines or American AirWays
ut Washington Airport.
Ownership of the local airport, it
was pointed out. is in the hands of
National Aviation Corporation, q
private group with headquarters in
New York, which is not connected in
any way with any of the air trans
port companies carrying the airmail.
Three Daily Round Trips.
The Army will operate three round
trips daily between Washington and
Cleveland. Pennsylvania Airlines
VII NOAlb44AOS " ORtId i've
trips daily with passengers and eX-
press. The pursuit planes are to
leave Washington at 1I:30 am. 6
pm. and 10:55 pm. daily for Cleve-
land, with intermediate stops at
pittsburgh and Akron, except in the
case Of the night run, which will
stop at Pittsburgh only. Eastbound.
the Army flyers will leave Cleveland
ct 2 am. and 2:30 and 8:15 pm.
Only one round trip a day will be
flown by the Army between New York
end Miami and one between New
York and Atlanta. The southbound
Miami plane, leaving New York at
S45 pm, is due in Washington at
$40 pm. and out of here at 6:25
pm. NorthbOund, the Army plane
leaving Miami at 7:45 pm. Is due
an Washington at ITO am and out
IS minutes later
The Atlanta plane, leaving New
York at 9;4O pm, is to land at
Washington Airport at 11:5O pm.
and to take off again at 1905 am.
Northbound, the little combat ship.
with its peacetime cargo of mail, is
TO leave Atlanta at 7:35 pm, and
will land in Washington at 2:20 am,
stopping Is minutes for servicing and
the handling Of local mail
In addition to these daily new Army
schedules, Eastern Air Transport is
to continue operating five round trips
q day through Washington on its
coastal runs; Pennsylvania, five round
erips daily between this city and
Cleveland, and American Airways, one
round trip a day between Washing
ton and Chicago.