Evening star., 1934-04-01

route such as the tranScontinel
department soon is to call for bi,
d. C. Men Organize Line.
The only independent airline in ex-
istence in the Eastern United States
is that organized in New England last
year by two Washingtonians, Paul F.
Collins, former vice president of the
Ludington Airlines, and Samuel Solo,
mon, now general manager of WASH
ington Airport. Mrs Amelia Earhart
Putnam also is an officer of this line.
The New England line operates two
sections as Boston Maine AirwayS,
which is connected with the Boston,
Maine Railroad, and National Air
ways, Inc. 1t was organized after the
Ludington system, former operators
of hourly passenger service between
Washington and New York. had been
forced to sell out to Eastern Air
Transport after seeking in vain for
an opportunity to carry airmail.
The line, through its two divisions,
operates from Boston to Bangor, Me-,
and Montpelier, VT, and from New
Bedford to Nantucket. Mass, and
Rockland, Me, to Islands.
Collins, Miss Earhart and Eugene
L. Vidal, now director of aeronauticS,
Department of Commerce, were asso-
ciated as vice presidents in the oper-
alton of the Ludington Airlines dur
ing the three years when that COM
pany was establishing world air trans
port records. The Ludington line, 1t
was claimed, failed because Eastern
Air Transport used its airmail subsidy
as a club with which to beat its COM
petitor out of existence. Eastern Air
cut passenger rates to level at which
Ludington, without mail revenues. no
longer could continue to operate. The
Ludington line was taken over little
more than year ago by Eastern Air.
Wedell- Williams Oldest.
The oldest and best known of the
remaining independents is the Wedell-
Williams Air Service Corporation,
which operates an airline from New
Orleans to Laredo. Tex. The Wedell
end Of the company is James r.
Wedell, famous racing pilot. Wedell
and his partner, Williams, in addition
to running the airline, design and
build the racing planes in which
Wedell, Roscoe Turner and others
have established many records and
won a number of the Nations most
priced race trophies.
The extent to which the former air
mail contract holders will be able to
participate in bidding for the new
routes Is not known and will not be
known until it is determined legally
the extent to which they must reor-
gariize to qualify for new contracts.
Since virtually all the air transport
airplanes suitable for combined air.
mail and air transport service now
are owned by the former mail con-
tractors, it is apparent that the new
airmail lines must be operated by
these companies, reorganized to meet
the Governments terms; that new
companies must be organized to buy
out the equipment of the old lines.
or that time must be allowed for new
lines to acquire new equipment.
1t also is apparent to those in the
Industry that If new companies are
organized to take over the airmail
service they must pour great quanti-
ties Of capital into their organization
at once. They must negotiate con-
tracts with airports, set up repair
shops and servicing facilities, break in
ground personnel, build or rent Offices
and hangers and install communica-
tion facilities for handling traffic be-
tween ground stations and between
ground stations and aircraft. It Is
problematical how many lines will be
willing to go to such an expense for
the privilege of flying mail for three
months under temporary contract.
Soaring Meet Planned.
Although delays in the opening to
the public of the Shenandoah National
Park area prevented the holding there
this year of the fifth annual national
soaring contest, plans are being made
by the Soaring Society Of America
for a meet of national scope in the
Big Meadows area Of the park Sep
tember 1880.
Experiments made last year by the
glider expedition headed by young
Richard du Pont showed that the
Blue Ridge Mountain country pos
sesses natural qualifications for record
glider and soaring flight. This area
may prove to be the best in the
country for this type Of flying. Bad
weather brought halt to the du
Pont expedition work last year after
du Pont had made a magnificent
soaring flight Of l20 miles from
Waynesboro, Va, to Frederick, Md.
to establish a new national record
and threaten the world record. There
is no reason why, with proper wind,
this distance cannot be exceeded ma
terially. glider enthusiasts believe.
They hope for record of 200 miles.
The new Skyline Drive along the
crest of the Blue Ridge into the Big
Meadows area is not expected to be
ready for opening before mid-Sep-
tember. The directors of the Soaring
Society felt this would be too late
in the season for a national contest,
because many students by that time
would be back at school or on their
way there.
The fifth annual meet, accordingly,
will be held at the old site. on the
hills near Elmira, N. Y, June % to
July 8. The Big Meadows meet in
September will be open to pilots al
ready possessing c ratings, although
it is expected that the large area on
top of the Blue Ridge there will be
ready for automobile launchings
by that time.
The Elmira meet will be held earlier
than usual to take advantage of the
strong winds usually blowing there
late in June and early in July. Lack
of winds later in the season last year
prevented much record flying.
Should the September meet prove
successful, it Is highly probable the
1885 national meet will be held at
Big Meadows, possibly with some Of
the record attempts starting from
farther south on the Blue Ridge in
the vicinity Of Waynesboro, Va,
starting point for the du Pont record
hop.
Credit Given Neutrality-suspicious..
Credit for discovery" of the Blue
Ridge soaring sites goes largely to