Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-02-27
MULTIPLE AIRPORT
SYSTEM PROPOSED
City Is Only World Capital
Without Adequate FaciI-
tiles, He Says.

Construction of a system OF null
tiple airports for Washington was
recommended by Eugene L. Vidal,
director of air commerce. at the clos
ing public hearing before a House
subcommittee today on the Smith
Gravelly Point airport bill.
Vidal declared the United States
should have adequate airport facili-
ties here, saying Washington is the
only world capital lacking such pro-
visions. He added, however. that air
transport and private flying operations
must be completely separated and
recommended that an air terminal be
constructed either at Washington Air
port or Gravelly Point and that a
series of inexpensive landing fields be
provided in the suburban areas for
private flying.
Opposition Weakens.
Army opposition to the Gravelly
Point development was partially with
drawn by Brig. Gen. Oscar Westover,
assistant chief of the Army Air Corps.
Westover said there is no doubt the
Capital must have an airport and said
if it is found that Gravelly Point is
the only available site, it probably will
be possible to work out some system
of traffic control between Gravelly
Point and Boiling Field. separated
only by the Potomac River.
THAT will have to be carefully
worked out through system of uni
fed traffic control" Gen. Westover
said.
The Army had previously been on
record as unalterably opposed to
Gravelly Point because of the traffic
problem.
Gen. Westover admitted Gravelly
Point possesses number of advantages
over any other site that has been Of
fered. He pointed out that seaplane
facilities can be provided there, that
there is ample room for modern, high
speed airplanes and that its location
on the river would make possible al
most unlimited expansion.
He said studies made by Air Corps
officers led him to believe the site
could be developed within three years.
He cited examples of other airports
developed successfully on filled ground,
particularly at Portland, Ore, and Ala
media. Calf.
Year Required for Work.
Mai. Brehon Somervilie, Army En-
gineer Corps, who prepared the original
Government estimates for Gravelly
Point, testified the site could be filled
within one year if necessary. He said
the work could be done by contract
or hired labor, and that there are
enough dredges available either in the
Army Engineer Corps or in the hands
of private contractors to do the work
in any designated length of time. He
said it would be cheaper to spread the
work over a period of several years.
He estimated the cost of. developing
an initial unit considerably larger than
the present Washington Airport would
be $2,300,000.
Director of Air Commerce Vidal
told the committee the idea of having
just one airport for a city is obsolete.
He said airports for private airplanes
need be nothing more than a cleared
field and expressed the opinion that
within a few years, airplanes will be
developed for amateur flyers which
can be operated from any vacant lot.
Vidal said that although there is
an element Of hazard in the proximity
Of Gravelly Point to Boiling Field, he
did not think this presented an in
surmountable difficulty. He said a
satisfactory air transport terminal
could be developed either at Washing
ton Airport or Gravelly Point. WASH
ington Airport, he sale, probably Is
tbs 6sst located Aixpekt IN the