Evening star., 1937-08-05
COPELAND AIRPORT
BILL ACTION BY
SENATE SOUGHT
Plan to Enlarge Facilities
May Come Up This
Afternoon.
AERO DIGEST SCORES
CAPITALS AIR HAZARDS
Emergency Measure Spurs Nego.
tlations for New Location of
Military Road.

Senate action on the Copeland bill
providing for emergency enlargement
of Washington Airport and closing Of
Military road 1ill be sought this aft
ernoon if the Senate takes up the
calendar, according TO supporters ot
the measure.
In the meantime negotiations are
in progress between officials of the air.
port and those of Arlington County,
Va, over the location of a substitute
for Military road, which is to be built
by the airport in case the Copeland
measure is enacted
The dangerous condition of Wash
ington Airport is termed a handicap
to air transport operators and a re-
fection on the aviation industry in
an editorial in the August issue OF
the aviation magazine, Aero Digest.
Pointing out the seriousness of the
local airport situation. Aero Digest
comments that, in striking contrast
with the airports in the capital cities
OF Europe, Washington Airport is a
small, poorly developed site which has
so aroused pilots that they have
threatened to cease flying airliners TO
and from the field if the situation Is
not remedied
OF Visitor List
Washington has long been held out
as the show place Of the Nation" it
was stated in the editorial, but the
guides don't take the visitor over the
bridge to South Arlington where the
scheduled airliners land and take of.
They don't want them to see an air.
plane loaded with "a people head out
across the main highway, where it is
necessary to stop ground traffic to let
the airplane go by.
The seriousness of the situation at
Washington is something that canno,
be trif1ed with. The present condition
OF Washington-Hoover Airport is not
only handicap to the air transport
operators, but also a reflection on the
entire industry, for the Capital City
is supposed to represent the finest and
best We have to offer"
Supporters of the Copeland bill ex-
pressed the hope it would be passed
by the Senate without amendment
The House now has pending on the
union calendar the May bill. originally
similar to the Copeland bill. but now
drastically changed by amendments
adopted in the House Military Affairs
Committee.
Nav Bill Criticized,
1t was hoped that the bill might be
called up Monday. the regular union
calendar day. under unanimous con-
sent. House leaders have decided to
give the District OF Columbia Com
mittee time to call up pending bills
Monday. however. which may result
in postpOnement Of the May bill until
Wednesday. Supporters of the original
May bill, characterizing the amended
bill as unavoidable" are expected to
seek substitution of the Copeland
measure for the May bill in the House
or, failing in this, to have features Of
the Copeland bill inserted in con-
ference between the Senate and House
r. E. Steele. director Of aviation
for the Virginia State Corporation
Commission. told the Associated Press
at Richmond that in calling a public
hearing at Richmond September Is on
safety regulations for Washington Air
port. he had in mind the granting of
authority to State police to enforce
needed airport regulations.
The main regulation to be discussed,
he said would prohibit airplanes not
equipped with radio receiving sets from
landing at Washington Airport.
There is already a field rule to this
effect" Steele said, but there is notll-
ing we can do if it is violated What
the commission intends to do is give
the rule the effect of law"
Steele explained that doubtless other
safety proposals. in addition to the
radio rule. would be discussed. but We
would rather not talk about those just
now
Washington Airport, Steele ex.
planned, is the second largest in tt1e
Nation from a standpoint of flight
activities. Between so and 80 COM
mercial airplanes arrive at or leave the
field within 16-hour period daily. he
said. He said that the airport, topo-
graphically. is a good field, but the
heavy daily flight activity and the
towering spires nearby present highly
dangerous hazards.