Evening star., 1934-05-27
U.S.ASKSFORB|DS
ON 500 PLANES
Vidal Encourages Manu-
faCturers to Produce Rev.
oIutionary Cheap Ships.

Steps to encourage the American
aviation industry to design and manu-
facture the type of light. cheap air.
plane which the Department of Com
merce believes can be produced in
quantity lots for private flying at a
cost Of not exceeding s7o0 each. were
taken yesterday when the depart
ment's aeronautics branch called for
bids for IS airplanes of this type for
the use of its flying inspectors.
The rs planes must conform to spec
iflcations believed to be the Commerce
Departments idea for the $700 private
airplanes. The specifications call for
q small, inexpensive two-seater air
plane, embodying safety factors and
performances that probably cannot be
met by any American airplane now
In production, 1t was explained.
To give American manufacturers
time to comply with the specifications
bids will not be opened until July IS.
SAFETY Factors Increased.
"Our specifications" explained Eu-
gene L. Vidal, director Of aeronautics,
Department of Commerce, feature
simplicity and safety of operation as
well as low maintenance and operating
costs. 1t is our belief that beginner
could learn to operate this type of
aircraft in far less time than Is now
required, for the reason that the land
ing and take-off requirements make
for increased safety and ease of con-
troll in these two important maneu-
vers. Further, the specifications set
forth greater visibility requirements for
pilot and passenger than the industry
has heretofore been called upon to
produce"
The planes are to have a landing
speed of IS and a top speed of not less
than ll0 miles per hour. At cruising
speeds, the engines must give 20 to Is
miles per gallon of fuel. The planes
must be capable of operating in and
out of small areas and be sufficiently
rugged for continuous flying duty. ac-
cording to the specifications.
Although the Public Works Admin
istration announced December % that
1t was setting aside $500.000 for the
use of the Department Of Commerce
aeronautics branch in pioneering de-
velopment of the $700 airplane, none
Of this amount has been made avail
able to the Commerce Department, it
was understood.
Waiting Policy Abandoned.
Without waiting any longer for the
Public Works Administration to act,
the aeronautics branch Is taking the
initiative in creating the plane by pur-
chasing the ships of the type it wants
to put in the hands Of all private
flyers out of its equipment funds. for
the use Of its inspectors.
Use of the planes is expected to re-
place all present airplane equipment
for the inspection service which are
obsolete or unusually expensive to
operate. Their use Is expected to re-
duce operating costs to a lower level
than ever before. 1t is believed the
planes can be operated more cheaply
than automobiles. The first plane Is
to be delivered within five months
after the contract Is awarded.
Some Of the specifications are re-
garded as astonishing in the light Of
previous airplane performance. It Is
required that the plane shall be
capable Of clearing an obstacle IS feet
high from a standing start 800 feet
away and that 1t shall be capable Of
being brought to stop within 400
feet of a 35-foot obstacle which 1t
has cleared in q normal landing. On
the ground it shall be capable OF being
brought to Q stop from ground speed
Of As miles per hour in $50 feet.