Evening star., 1938-04-27
AIR COMMERCE
REAL|GNS AREAS
Nine General Inspection and
Six AirWays Districts
Consolidated.

Consolidation into seven regional
districts of the present nine general
inspection districts and six airways
districts Of the Bureau of Air Com
merce was announced today by As
sistant Secretary of Commerce j.
Monroe Johnson, effective May l.
Regarded as a major reorganization
move. the change was initiated under
direction of former Director Of Air
Commerce Fred D. Fagg. jr., and is
expected to stand as the major re-
organization effort of the new director,
Denis Mulligan.
Field activities of the Bureau of
Air Commerce in the past have been
administered by two separate district
organizations-the general inspection
districts, which were concerned with
the regulatory functions of the bu-
reau, and the airways districts, re-
sponsible for construction, mainte-
nance and operation of air navigation
facilities.
Efficiency One Objective.
Principal object of the reorganiza-
ton, Col. johnson said, is to unity the
borders of the airways and inspection
districts and to have one responsible
person at the head of each combined
district to coordinate all of the
bureaus work in his region, with
greater efficiency and economy and
improved service to the aviation in
dustry and the public.
Each of the seven regional districts
will be in charge of regional super
visor, who will have direct jurisdiction
over all of the bureaus functions in
his district.
The new regional supervisors, all
but one of whom have been with the
Bureau of Air Commerce for 10 years,
and their regions and States included,
are as follows:
District John E. Sommers, reg
ional supervisor, Maine, New Hamp-
shire. Vermont. Massachusetts,, Rhode
Island. Connecticut, New Jersey. New
York. PENNSYLVANIA, Maryland, Della
ware. Virginia. West Virginia and the
District of Columbia.
Copeland Has Southeast.
District 2-R. c. Copeland, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia
Tennessee.
District 3-Harold r. Neely, Ohio
Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky. Illinois,
Wisconsin, Minnesota and North Da-
kota.
District Al. c. Elliott, Arkansas,
Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma and New
Mexico.
District 5-Leonard w. Jurden
Iowa, Missouri. Kansas. Colorado,
South Dakota and Nebraska.
District 6-J. S. Marriott, Cali
fornia, Nevada, Utah and Arizona.
District 7-R. D. Bedinger, Mon
tana, Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon, Wash
tngton and Alaska.
Mr.. Sommers, with the bureau since
1928. when he was transferred from
the Bureau of Lighthouses. was pro-
NOTED from the post of aeronautical
inspector in Washington. Mr.. Cope
land came to the bureau in January
1884, and has been serving as district
manager at Atlanta, Ga. Mr.. Nicely
was appointed an airplane and engine
inspector in 1928 and recently has
been supervising aeronautical inspec-
tor Of the 4th District, based at De-
troit.
Elliott From Fort Worth.
Mr.. Elliott, district manager at
Fort Worth. Tex, was appointed an
airways extension superintendent in
1928. Mr.. Jurden was appointed an
airplane and engine inspector in 1928
and was promoted from the post of
supervising aeronautical inspector of
the lst District, Roosevelt Field. N. Y.
Mr.. Marriott also was appointed an
airplane and engine inspector in 1928
and has been serving as supervising
aeronautical inspector of the End
District, Los Angeles. Mr.. Bedinger,
also appointed an airplane and engine
inspector in 1928, has held the post
OF supervising aeronautical inspector,
District 8, Oakland Calf.
The new supervisors now are en-
gagged in survey of their districts
with a view to making any necessary
changes in headquarters and housing.
Movement of some field personnel is
expected and the new program is ex-
pected to be in full operation by
July !.