Evening star., 1934-01-28
AVIATION RESEARCH
TERMED ESSENTIAL
Roosevelt Sends to Congress
Report of Aeronautical
Advisory Group.

Declaring "the continuous prosecu-
ton Of fundamental research in aero
nautics is essential to the national de-
tense and to the future OF air trans
poration upon a sound economic basis"
President Roosevelt has submitted the
annual report of the National Advisory
Committee for Aeronautics to Congress,
1t was announced today.
The President, in his message to
Congress, calls attention to recent i'm
provements in speed and efficiency OF
airplanes for military and civil uses
and states that the principal under
lying cause of this remarkable progress
has been the efficient functioning Of
the National Advisory Committee for
Aeronautics in co-ordinating and plan
ming for the research needs of aviation.
civil and military. and in conducting
the necessary fundamental scientific re-
searches to serve the needs of all
agencies"
New Problems From Speed.
In his message of subnlittal, DR..
Joseph S. Ames, chairman of the N.
A. G. A., declared that the past year
has to an unprecedented degree wit
messed the application by the Army.
the Navy and the aircraft industry OF
the cumulative results of years of fun
damental research conducted by this
committee to meet the needs of mill
tary and civil aviation"
1T saw greater improvement in the
speed of aircraft and in economy Of
operation than has been made in any
single year since the war" he said.
Higher speeds have introduced new
problems into heavily crowded pro-
gram of Investigations. The commit
tee is energetically prosecuting COM
prehensive research program to serve
ali needs, and is confident that con-
tinued support Of its work will con-
tinue to yield results of immeasurable
military value and of economic value
greatly in excess of its annual appro-
priations. The independent status of
the committee has been the most vital
factor in its success and Is essential
to its continued efficient functioning." ="
The committee voiced the opinion
that aeronautical development in the
United States is certainly abreast, and,
i'm certain particulars, in advance Of
the development in any other country
"value Inestimable."
Speed wes held to be still the most
important factor in increasing the rela-
tive Importance Of aircraft for national
defense and in extending their use for
commercial purposes. The increase in
speed of multi-engine airplanes from
1882 to 1888 was approximately 40 to
60 per cent with the same engine
pewer, due in great part to the N.
A. c. A. research work, it was said.
mo money estimate can be placed
Oh the value of superior performance
OF aircraft in warfare" the commit
tee reported, "for aerial supremacy is
quite likely to be ultimately decisive Of
a:war: nor can a money estimate be
placed on the indeterminable savings
in life and property due to improved
safety in the operation of both mill
tsry and civil aircraft.
1.-The value in dollars and cents of
improved efficiency in aircraft resulting
from the committees work can, how
ever, be fairly estimated. For example,
the results of six researches completed
by the committee within the last few
years, when applied to airplanes equal
In number to those in use during 1882,
show that savings in money alone will
be made possible in excess annually Of
the total appropriations for the COM
n1ittee since its establishment in 1915"