Evening star., 1936-06-28

innate 900, 900 passengers.
During the decade since the air
commerce act went into effect the
number of aviation firms in the domes-
tic industry has more than doubled.
AirplaneS in operation have treblcd in
number. Mileage flown by commercial
and private flyers has increased four
times. The annual airmail poundage
is II times what it was in 1926.
Month after month is witnessing the
writing of new air transportation rec
ords, particularly in passenger carry
ing and air express traffic. Airmail is
growing constantly in volume; in 1926
the total was 8l0,855 pounds Last
year the total was 13,779.6O8 pounds.
Air express, starting with slim 1855
pounds in 1926, amounted TO 5,5ll,737
pounds last year and will be very
much greater this year If the present
rate of increase continues.
In 1926 there we're 500 firms engaged
in the aeronautical industry. Today
there are more than 500 firms so en-
gagged, many of them tremendously
larger than those of a decade ago.
The length of domestic airways in
operation in the United States has in
creased from 1882 miles in 1926 to
28,267 miles, while the growth of
foreign extensions of United States
routes has been even greater, from a
total of only l52 miles to 81 ,l84 miles.
Airplanes now operate in regular serv-
ice under the United States flag into
every country of South and Central
America, the West Indies across the
Pacific Ocean and in China. There
are splendid services in operation in
Alaska and Hawaii. Trans Atlantic
service is expected within another year
Safety has been greatly increased
A record Of miles flown per fatal ac-
cident was not kept before 1928. In
that year the total was 889,454 Last
year it was 6.922.5 .544
The number of persons regularly en-
gagged in scheduled airline operations
has grown from 462 in 1927 to 8,l2l
last year. The total number of air
ports in operation has increased from
l.O36 in 1927 to 1869 today and the
I standard for airports and their equip
ment has very greatly improved.
These figures, compiled by the
Bureau of Air Commerce, successor TO
the original Aeronautics Branch. in
dicate most wholesome growth in
every phase of civil aeronauticS. II is
a decade of growth which compares
/ Fay HI yrrith 10-Uaar npT1nd in
/ the life of transportation.
| 4 MEXICAN air transport equipment
and terminal facilities are far
superior to those of France or Eng
/ land. it is reported by Mrs. Joy B.
/ Hancock. in charge Of the information
/ section of the Navy Bureau Of Aero
/ nautics. who has just returned to
t Washington from a European trip
: which involved two trips by air across
the English Channel between Paris
and London.
Equipment used by Imperial Air
WAYS, the great British international
airline. even on the star route across
/ the Channel. is 20 years old. Mrs.
/ Hancock said, and there is no aSsur-
ance that it will be replaced at any
time in the near future. due largely
/ to the demands upon British airplane
manufacturers by the great military
expansion program now under way.
Automobile manufacturers are being
asked to produce airplane parts. as
a supplemental program, for two years
more, she said.
Although facilities in England for
caring for the comfort of air
passengers are