Evening star., 1938-04-24

1LLIONS Of dollars worth Of air.
!" ports, few years ago the pride
OF communities in all parts of the
country. today stand. outstripped
by progress in airplane design, inadequate
to meet the needs Of modern air transpor-
tation.
Everywhere cities face the necessity of
expanding or relocating airports into
which. only few years ago. they poured
large sums Of money in the belief they were
meeting all the demands likely to be made
for many years. Washington's airport
problem, the result of long neglect on the
part of the Government, is duplicated in
virtually all of the cities which today enjoy
air transportation.
The airport problem today ranks as one
OF the most serious facing air transporta-
ton and upon its solution depends much
OF the future Of progress in the design and
use of large transport airplanes which are
being developed in answer to the economic
demands Of modern air traffic.
Unable to Expand.
AhuAiIAPnAAtieS tildI COIlSuuCteQ arpOTIS
according to Federal specifications now
complain that airlines are passing them by
because OF inadequacy Of their facilities.
The problem is made the more serious by
the fact that many of the airports, built as
close as possible to the cities they serve, no
longer are capable of expansion to meet
increasing demands for runway space.
The present congressional hearings on
the Washington airport bill-latest model
in the long series of bills-is serving to
bring into the open airport problems Of
primary concern to municipalities, arlines
and other agencies. governmental and pri-
vate, which have to do with construction
operation, maintenance and use Of air.
ports.
The House Committee on Public Build
ings and Grounds, considering the Smith
bill to establish an airport at Grav-
ely Point, has taken testimony on tricycle.
landing gears for giant airlners and the
possibility that future airports may be one
way landing strips; opinions as to the
probable future airport requirements Of
municipalities and testimony as to neces-
sary lengths of runways sizes of airports
and the necessity of regulating construc-
ton around arports which might inter-
fere with approaches to the runways 1t
has gone into matters Of traffic control and
Of radio interference.
Hearings May Bear Fruit.
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ington may get an airport as a result of all
this Those who have watched Congress
working on the matter for more than q
decade, however, are not too optimistic,
even though President Roosevelt has in
terested himself personally in the matter.
Even though Washington should not get
an airport, however, this years hearings
are not an entire waste of time as were
those in the past. They may not benefit
Washington, but it is likely they may serve
very useful purpose, nevertheless.
There has been a great deal Of loose con-
versation during the airport hearings of
this and previous years about the need
for model airport for Washington.
Loose, that is. because there never has
been definition of what constitutes a
model airport. When the matter came
up recently at National Aeronautical
Planning. Conference in Cleveland, the
delegates, nonplused, just lodged the issue
They rewrote a resolution advocating con-
struction of a model airport for the
National Capital to read "an adequate air
port and let it go at that.
Consequently, it is rather a neubulous
thing that Congress is seeking. Members
Of the various congressional committees
have made it clear during the passage of
time that they do not know what consti-
tutes model airport. They are not much
clearer in their own minds as to what is
even an adequate airport.
This year, however, the committee has
made some effort to settle this moot ques-
rather confusing and have revealed dis
concerting lack of unanimity of opinion
among the experts. They have pointed
the way, however. to comprehensive study
Of the matter.
SINNERS Down to Three Points.
This years hearings also have boiled the
airport problem down to three chief fac
tors-airport size, aircraft performance and
airport cost. These are the limiting factors.
it appears, which must be considered not
only here, but wherever the problem
comes up.
The size Of the airport is definitely re-
lated to the performance of the aircraft
It appears. therefore, that any city must
consider just what types Of air transport
operations it is likely to have and build
toward meeting the requirements of the
aircraft necessary to serve its wants. This
means, of course, an ultimate limitation
upon the size Of airplanes which may serve
any particular community. The Queen
Mary or the Normandie cannot dock In
every harbor, nor Is it to be expected that
the air giants Of the future can land at
every airport.
There would seem to be very great
difference therefore, between q model
airport, which, presumably, should be ade-
quate to accommodate the largest airplanes
now in existence OF likely to be built, and