Evening star., 1938-01-28
C0-0PERAT|VEPLAN
URGED TO PROVIDE.
AIRPORT FOR CITY.
Development of Washington
Field by U. S. and Pri-
Vate Interests Asked.
ENLARGEMENT PROGRAM
IS OFFERED BY SOLOMON
Acquisition of Land South and
West of Site and Use Of Expert
mental Farm Proposed.


Joint development by the Govern.
ment and private interests of an air.
port on the site of the present Wash
ington Airport which would exceed
minimum Commerce Department re.
qulrements for the highest type all
transport terminal was proposed by
Samuel j. Solomon, general manager
of washington Airport, today before
the House Committee on Public Build
ings and Grounds.
Mr.. Solomon submitted plan for
an enlargement of Washington Air
port to Columbia Pike on the south
and nearly to the southwest corner ol
Arlington National Cemetery on the
west. The plan shows four major
runways having lengths of 4,570 feet
4,685 feet, ATS feet and 4,535 feet.
He was asked by Chairman Ianham
whether he thought the Federal Gov
ernment should buy and develop such
an airport or whether it should assist
private capital in the enterprise.
Favors Expanding Present Port.
If the Government is going to
build and operate an airport for Wash
ington, then think it should take and
expand the Washington Airport site, -
Mr.. Solomon replied. Il think. how
ever, it would be more economical
for the Government to participate 10
the extent only of making it possible
for private capital to go ahead with
this development.
Acquisition of the proposed land to
the south and west and use of the
Arlington experimental farm area
would permit enlargement of Wash
ington Airport from the present 143
acres to about 400 acres, Mr. Solomon
said. The land required between the
airport and Columbia pike now is as
sessed for tax purposes at s297,000.
Military road. under the present
system of traffic control, Mr.. Solomon
told the committee. ''is not now haz-
ard. but it is a nuisance and a source
OF expense and prevents proper utiliza-
ton OF existing airport area" If the
road were closed, he said, the airport
would remove the present airship and
two airplane hangers on the Hoover
Field tract and would rearrange the
runway system.
Questioned as to Future Expense.
Mr.. Lanham inquired whether if
the Government were to contribute
Military road and a part of the ex-
perimental farm and to buy and con-
tribute the necessary additional land
south and west of the present airport,
1t would be possible for the present air.
port management to operate on a self
sustaining basis.
1T not only would be profitable to
the private corporation but to the Gov
ernment as well" Mr. Solomon replied.
Although estimates for the proposed
enlargement have not been prepared,
MIR. Solomon told the committee it
probably would be possible to develop
the proposed airport at cost not to
exceed $3.500,OO0.
Mr.. Solomon praised the proposed
Grave,ly Point airport site from the
standpoint of physical development,
telling the committee that "the pro-
ponents of Gravelly Point have not
done full justice to this site" It would
make a good airport, usable probably
SO per cent of the time, he said.
The chief drawback, MIR. Solomon told
the committee, is the fact that Gravel
ly Point and Boiling Field are only
5000 feet apart. constituting an aerial
traffic problem which he did not think
could be solved with safety.
Aerial Traffic Problem.
Mr.. Solomon cautioned the COM
mittee that it should not recommend
any airport site without going thor
oughly into the aerial traffic problem,
and invited members of the commit
tee to visit the airport traffic control
tower "any day at O'clock" when
traffic is heavy.
He pointed out that there never has
been fatal accident involving
scheduled airliner at Washington Air
port or any other transport terminal
which was due to the physical limita-
tons of the field.
If my corporation felt at any time
that Washington Airport was unsafe,
we would close it at once" Mr.. Solo,
man told the committee Develop
ment Of new stypes of landing gear for
the 40-passenger. 4-engine Douglas
and Boeing transports now under
construction gives promise that in the
future cross-wind landings may be-
come possible. eliminating the neces-
sity for "all-way" airports, Mr.. Solo
man said.
Washington never will be terminal
for trans-oceanic flying boats, the
witness testified. He said the Potomac
River is not wide enough to accom-
.modate them and there is no prospect
that ocean flying boats will come past
the sea coast. For this reason he did
not believe it was necessary to develop
= combined seaplane and landplane
terminal of the type proposed at