Evening star., 1936-03-28

for air traffic regulation is relief of
congestion at airports. The Newark
and Chicago Municipal Airports lead
the world in the number of scheduled
planes lin and out" daily. Washing
ton also has such problem.
With such airports as these faced
with the problem of getting so to 100
scheduled planes daily down to the
ground, air traffic control assumes
the form of blessing.
Mr.. Ward solved the problem for
Newark. AS airport traffic control
director there for the four airlines
serving that center, he built himself
a tower and from it handled all in
coming and outgoing planes. AS soon
as plane got within so or 10 miles
OF the airport, the pilot Of the craft
radioed his position and such other
information as was desired by Mr..
Ward. He then was informed as to
landing at the port. If congestion
was such as required him to wait a
few minutes before coming down, he
received that information. He also
received such other information as
of assured safety. This system of
radio airport traffic control has been
working satisfactorily at the Cleve-
land and Chicago municipal airports
for several years.
Today there are something like
1000 civilian planes flying the air.
ways of the United States. To this
number must be added the planes
of the Army, Navy, Marines and Ma
tional Guard. The entire number
totals in the neighborhood of 10000.
To expedite scheduled airline traffic
at some of the Nations buster ter
minals, such as Newark, Chicago.
Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Fort Worth
and Dallas and at the same time to
increase safety Of operations, the
lines operating through those ports
have entered into what are known
as interline safety agreements and
these have been approved by the
Department of Commerce.
ONE of these regulations has to do
with altitude. For instance, it
is agreed that all eastbound and
northboupd planes shall fly at even
altitude levels of 1000 feet-Say,
1000, 5000, 5000, 10000 feet. And
that all west and south bound planes
shall fly at odd altitude level-5,o0o
1000 and SO on.
Other features Of these agreements
provide for crossing airways. radio
beams, departing from and approach
ing airports, instrument flying, night
flying and bad-weather flying.
The task confronting the Depart
ment of Commerce in general and Mr..
Ward in particular is not unlike being
a Judge at a baby show. These types
Of aircraft are to be found flying over
the % 900 lighted and radio equipped
airways of the Department of Com
merce: scheduled air liners. large club
car" ships owned by executives Of in
dustrial concerns; charter ships on
emergency missions; privately-owned
planes of sportSmen pilots; miscellane-
Gus commercial types; students in
training, and planes belonging to the
military and naval services. All these
interests must be reconciled.
In keeping with the standard prac-
tice of the Bureau of Air Commerce.
regulations are tentatively drafted, the
groups concerned are either called to
Washington for conference, or drafts
are sent them for study and report.
Amendments are made from time to
time and eventually smoothly work.
ing set of rules for airway and air
port trafic control discriminating
against none, but providing safety for
all who fly, will result.