Evening star., 1937-10-06
PLANS
PLANE SITE STUDY
Feels Money for Grading
and Making Fills Can
Be Saved.

While representatives Of the air.
lines. pilots, airport and Commerce
Department were preparing today for
a final Showdown" tomorrow on the
long-standing Washington Airport
controversy, Chairman Palmisano of
the House District Committee under
took an independent study of possible
airport locations in Maryland to the
north of the District.
Palmisano believes that suitable
airport sites may be found on level,
solid ground, SO that money which
otherwise might have to be spent in
making fills or in expensive grading
could be used for high-speed boule-
ward construction between the site
and downtown Washington.
Objecting to the exclusion of local
interests from tomorrow's conference,
the National Aeronautic Association
has requested Secretary of Commerce
Roper to authorize the attendance of
two representatives of the Aero Club
of Washington, the local chapter of
the association. 1t was pointed out
that no local interests except those
financially concerned with the OPERA
ton of the airport or scheduled air
transportation have been invited to
the meeting.
Purpose of Representatives.
The Aero Club representatives would
be instructed to uphold the interests
OF private airplane pilots and owners
III the local area. These private pilots.
1t was pointed out. now operate ap-
proximately 100 airplanes and are
frequent users of Washington Airport,
Ihey are directly concerned with all
local safety regulations and should be
given voice in determination of
future policies. N. A. A. officials said.
Most prominent of the sites so far
proposed to the north of Washington
Is the present College Park Airport
and adjoining ground to the south
and east. Plans for a model air
terminal there have been submitted
to the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission.
Secrecy Stirs Discussion.
|. Decision of Bureau of Air Com
merce officials to hold tomorrow's
Washington Airport session behind
closed doors was causing considerable
discussion in aviation circles today.
Although Assistant Director of Air
Commerce Howard Rough explained
mat the reason for the executive
session was that the discussion was
expected to prove technical, represen-
tatives OF the airlines and the pilots
voiced the opinion that the real rea-
son Is that the session is likely to
prove too hot to handle in public
1t was pointed out many conflict
ing viewpoints are to be aired and
the results are apt to have a pro-
found influence on the immediate fu-
ture Of air transport operations out
Of Washington.
Representatives OF the National Air
Line Pilots Association, who led the
original fight for restriction of op-
erations at the local airport, are ex-
pected to demand the imposition Of
further restrictions on opera tions here,
with view to the complete abandon
ment of Washington Airport this
Winter.
Demand Expected.
Airline operators are expected to
demand a lifting of the Federal re-
strictions which went into effect Sep
tember Z. contending that company
operations manuals are suficient
guarantees of safety.
It is understood that the pilots as
sociation is prepared to repudiate q
petition signed by Eastern Air Lines
pilots operating between Washington
and New, York asking for lifting of
local restrictions on operation of the
Douglas De- airplanes on the ground
that the signers were influenced by
fear Of losing their jobs If the re-
strictions remain in effect.
Washington Airport oficials, it is
understood, will contend that restric-
tions on the landing of airliners at
the local airport are unwarranted and
unnecessary, though admitting that
take-on restrictions on the larger
DC-3 type of airplane may be justified
under certain conditions Of wind and
weather.