Evening star., 1934-09-02

built around the bombardment air
plane and the pursuit plane has been
relegated to a secondary position.
With the expansion of this policy, the
next three or four years are expected
to bring great changes in types and
numbers Of airplanes required by the
Air Corps for national defense.
A hint of the startling changes in
store was given by Maj. Gen. Benja-
min D. Foulois, chief of the Army
Air Corps, in an informal talk few
days ago before the I'd Division
Post of the American Legion.
We are" the veteran Air Corps
leader said, going to eliminate a
great many of our miscellaneous
types of airplanes. 1t Is probable
there may be a reduction to only one
or two basic types. We are likely to
have a more or less stabilized type of
aircraft, which may remain stable
over period Of years. This will
overcome the high rate of obso-
lescence which now makes the main
tenance of an effective military air
force costly and difficult"
Types to Become Larger.
Not only will the number of air
plane types be reduced, Gen. Foulois
indicated, but the types which do re-
main will become larger and larger.
The Nation may expect in the near
future to witness the development of
bombardment airplanes capable of
Hrviv . - -
with full load of 5000 pounds or
more of bombs and crew of 8 to 10
men.
Then" the general said, I'VE will
have fairly good military weapon. "
Coupled with the development of
the airplanes of tomorrow, now well
on the way to realization, is a cor
responding development of radio
control and aids to air navigation
which will permit the flying of mill
tary missions to any point at any
time, regardless of weather. The Air
Corps blind-landing system has been
put into actual service, Gen. Foulois
said. Formation of ice on airplane
wings remains as the chief obstacle
to be overcome before all-weather
military flying becomes routine.
so far has the development of aids
to complete instrumental navigation
been carried that flight in any weather
now is chiefly matter of training OF
personnel" Gen. Foulois said. when
we have whipped the ice problem we
will be able to operate in almost any
kind Of weather, day or night, any
where"
Bidding Difficulties Shown.
Some of the glaring incongruities
of the competitive bidding system OF
purchasing experimental equipment
such as new airplanes have been re-
vealed in the efforts of the Commerce
Department. Bureau of Air Commerce
to launch its family" airplane pro-
gram. BY law the Commerce Depart
ment Is bound to the competitive
bidding system. Congress, against the
judgment of military officials the
world over, has forced the Army Air
Corps into the competitive bidding sys-
tenn, leaving the Navy Bureau of Aero
nautics as the only aviation organiza-
ton able to negotiate contracts.
The Bureau of Air Commerce want
ed to obtain an airplane, frankly ex-
perimenatl, which would approximate
the ideals its engineers held of the
airplane for the average citizen. The
bureau drew up specifications, in a
general way, of the airplane it had in
mind. 1t called for bids on such an
airplane.
Fourteen bids were received, ranging
widely in price. With the bids, plans
and specifications were submitted,
some quite complete, others distress
ingly vague. The bureau has on its
hands just so many paper airplanes.
If it accepts one of the bids it will
still have just paper airplane-noth-
ing more. The airplane it selects from
the plans may fly. On the other hand,
it may fall far short of expectations.
There is no certain way of telling. If
the bureau selects one of the plans, as
the law says it must, because the price
is low and it appears to meet the speci-
cations, it may get a good airplane.
Or it may get an airplane nobody
would want to own. Airplanes which
look we'll on paper may not fly well, as
the Army and Navy have found to
their grief many times.
Could Inspect Models.
Under the negotiated contract sys-
tenn the Bureau of Air Commerce
could have held a design competition,
under which competitors would have
to submit actual airplanes, not just
paper plans for airplanes. From the
airplanes submitted the bureau could
have its choice of the best, from the
standpoint of actual flying qualities;
could have ordered necessary changes,
On the basis of flight experience, and
ultimately could have gotten the best
possible airplane. 1t could then have
negotiated with the designer of that
airplane for the best price on guam
,ity lot, with the assurance that 1t
would get a certain definite, known
1alue for its money. 1t would not
De buying pig in poke.
The bureau probably will get
rood airplane in the end, but it may
lot be the airplane it could have
rot by the more direct method of
iesign competition and negotiated
contract.
This drawback Of the competitive
bidding system is the factor that is
hurting the Army Air Corps. Many
lviation people feel that if Congress
persists in its determination the Army
hall buy combat airplanes only by
bidding, the designing of
military aircraft will be seriously cur
allied and the progress necessary to
military leadership in the air stif1ed.
Under the competitive bidding plan,
hey fear, designers will submit de-