Evening star., 1935-04-14
RESEARCH MAPPED
| TO HELP A|RL|NES
Vidal Announces Program
of Development to Aid
Transport Firms.


ment to assist the air transport lines
Of the United States In improving the
safety and reliability Of air travel was
announced yesterday BY Eugene L. Vi
dal, director Of air commerce, Com
merce Department.
The program, which will involve the
bureau In new activities never before
handled by q Federal agency. will deal
with air transport operations ut the
lower level Of the stratosphere; IN.
strument landings In thick fog and
bad weather by the use Of radio and
lights; elimination Of ice on aircraft
and in aircraft carburetors; airport
and airways trafhc control, and de-
velopment Of new types Of transport
airplanes for use on feeder services.
The program Is being drafted as Q
result of q conference Of airline oper-
ators with the Bureau Of Air Com
merce last Monday.
Stratosphere Studied.
The Federal Government will CO.
operate with the airlines In develop
ing air transport operations In the
stratosphere. It Is believed, the bu-
reau explained, that greater reliability
and speed will result from flying at
extremely high attitudes. The Gov
ernment will aid the industry in over.
coming technical obstacles to Night In
the sub-stratosphere, among them
problems Of supercharsing and cooling
Of engines and the development Of a
reliable oxygen system for pilots and
I4%n rat wArtr al
be in charge Of r. w. Shorty" Schroe-
der, chief Of the Air Line Inspection
Service. who formerly specialized In
high altitude test work for the Army
and at one time held the world alti-
tude record.
Work also is to be carried on look
ing toward the elimination Of the ice
hazard, which now halts a substan-
tial number" Of scheduled airline
flights.
Installations Planned Here.
The bureau now is undertaking the
installation on large scale Of radio
blind landing aids and lights. Wash
ington Airport, although regarded IS
too small and too closely surrounded
by obstacles, to be successfully adapt
ed to full blind landing operations, Is
to be improved as q part Of this pro.
gram by the installation of 4 system
of landing lights for use in thick
weather. Upon the result Of the tests
at the local airport will depend the
installation Of similar lights at other
important air transport terminals.
The bureau announced that 1t Is
engaged in preparing . new method
| OF air trafdc control on the airways
and at airports because Of the IN.
creasing danger Of aerial collisions
unless stricter control Is coupled with
the increasing amount Of instrument
fying, especially in thick weather.
Plane Research Planned.
The bureau also Is planning to aid
In the development OF new type trans
port airplanes for the feeder line
routes. This work Is to be undertaken
through the development section and
Is expected to relieve the smaller lines
OF heavy engineering costs. It was
pointed out that the bureau could call
for bids on q plane Of the type re.
quired, carrying six or eight passen-
gers. paving the way for operators Of
small lines to purchase similar types
without bearing the initial develop
| ment costs.
Consideration also is being given to
the development Of an aircraft ensine
| OF 1,000-horsepower or more and to
several types Of larger planes to &C.
commodate increased trafac on the
trunk air lines.