Evening star., 1936-05-01
|NEW AIRPORT HELD |
URGENT NEED HERE|
Washington Is Behind Other
Cities in Facilities, Mrs.
Putnam Says.
BY JOSEPH s. EDGERTON.

With a plea for establishment of q
safe, adequate airport for Washington.
Amelia Earhart Putnam today closed
an appeal to the Senate Aircraft Ac-
cident Subcommittee for greater sup
port Of Federal aeronautics officials
and for greater federation of the mis-
takes Of "a youthful industry"
In response to questions from Chair
man Copeland. the tousel-headed
woman flyer said Washington is far
behind other cities of this and foreign
countries in its provisions for air
travel Senator Copeland is a MEM
Der of the new commission created
this week to select an airport site for
Washington.
Il want to make 1t clear that rep
resent no organization and that !
come here merely as an individual
pilot" Miss Earhart said.
She vigorously defended Federal
airways personnel who are virtually
"on trial" before the subcommittee as
result of charges of inef1ciency,
failure OF airway aid and RESPONSE
bility for airline accidents.
Aids In U. s. Held Best.
During her whole flying career she
has found no airway aids to compare
with those in this country, she told
the committee. She expressed the
belief current criticism OF the airway
aids has "ballooned" them beyond
their rightful status in the minds
of the public. She said that aids to
air navigation should be considered
in the same light as highway safety
aids. She expressed the fear that
public confidence in flying may have
been damaged by overemphasis on
the shortcomings OF airway aids, de-
claring that the important item is
pilots and airplanes.
IF all aids were abolished, air.
planes could continue to fly" she
said. "Of course, their performance
would be curtailed"
She told the committee that she
did not want to belittle the impor-
tance OF aids and urged that there be
no letdown in the Federal airway
policy. She described herself as "a
crank on instrument flying" and
pointed out that for such flying air
way aids are indispensable.
She also praised the Bureau Of Air
Commerce for its efforts to increase
the safety of the airplane itself. She
said yesterday afternoon she few the
new Bureau of Air Commerce Ham,
mond experimental plane and said
she feels lit may open the door to
an entirely new conception of safety
in aviation"
Appeals for Aid to Inventors.
Miss Earhart appealed to the COM
mittee for Federal support Of "starv-
ing inventors" whose activities may
prove the life-blood of the aviation
industry. She asked that the COM
mittee hear representatives. of pilots
Of all ranks and Of professors who are
studying aeronautics in the universe
ties and who may have a perspective
which the ordinary aviator lacks"
She asked whether members of the
committee had flown and whether
they ever heard radio range beacon
in operation. Copeland replied that
while all the members Of the COM
mittce had travelled by air he did not
think all Of them had listened to q
beacon broadcast. Miss Earhart said
that they should, and offered to bring
a radio receiving set into the COM
mittee room so that they might tune
in on their regular airways broadcast.
DO you have the radio with you?'
Copeland asked.
No, but I can get one" she re-
piled.
Bring 1t along" Copeland said.