Evening star., 1939-08-20
Reviews Progress in
AirmoiI Pickup
By Frederic J. H1Skin.

air passenger service was started over
the Atlantic to Europe, and the world
acclaimed another triumph in the amaz-
ing progress of aviation.
Overshadowed by this spectacular
achievement, but surprising it in sgnifi-
canoe from the standpoint of public
service, another great event in aviation
was taking place at about the same time.
This was the Inauguration of the air
mail pickup service.
The first event brought Europe within
"a hours reach; the second brought the
advantages of direct air service, now en-
jOyed by less than IS per cent of our
population, within reach of the smallest
community with the prospect that 1t
eventually will revolutionize the air
transportation system.
The comparison offers a simple index
to the relative utility value of CONNER
cial aviation's two latest innovations.
The airmail pickup service was estab-
lished by the Post Office Department,
under an act of Congress, to test the
merit of the system whereby collections
and deliveries are made in flight in pro-
vlding service to communities which are
unable to obtain it because of their size,
geography or lack of airport facilities.
Nothing like it had ever been tried as
scheduled air operation anywhere in the
world.
Two routes were laid out, one EXTEND
ing between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh,
and the other between Pittsburgh and
Charleston and Huntington, w. Va.
There are SO communities on the two
lines none Of which, with the exception
of the four termini has ever had q
direct air service of any kind
Operator of the routes is All American
Aviation, Inc. of Wilmington, Del. the
president of which is Richard C. du Pont
internationally known flyer and aviation
authority who is also president of the
American Soaring Society and once held
the American gliding championship.
In addition to providing airmail facili-
ties for communities which cannot be
practically or economically incorporated
into the trunk line air system the pickup,
service was started in an effort by the
Government to encourage the develop
ment Of fast and efficient feeder sys-
tenn for the main lines
In aviation circles the conviction is
widely shared that the development of
feeder lines. and the extension of the
benefits of air transportation to COM
munltles that are anxious for the serv-
ice, is essential to the ultimate success
OF commercial aviation in this country.
Neglect of this vital arm of any ade-
quate transportation system Is consid-
cred by many experts to be the big
weakness of aviations expansion pro-
gram.
While the system has been in OPERA
ton only short time, it has demon
strated the entire feasibility of the pick
up principle.
The high degree of performance
achieved by the service in maintaining
daily schedules, and in the efficient han
ding Of the airmail, although it has
been pioneering new field has demon
strated its efficacy as a practical and
economical adjunct of air transportation.
What is also important is that the
growing volume of mail that is being
moved daily over the two lines is proof
OF what has been long suspected but
never verified. that there is fertile
field for the expansion of commercial
aviation beyond the countrys populous
centers
The success of the operation has been
so encouraging that the company has
EXTENDED the service to include express,
and the feasibility of placing the pickup
equipment on passenger planes, to be
used for collecting mail and express when
landings are unnecessary. is now being
studied III connection with plans to ex-
pand the system to every section of the
country.
While novel and spectacular. the air
pickup system is simple and dependable
operation. The ground equipment con-
sists Of two steel poles % feet high. which
are set so feet apart. A transfer rope to
which the pickup container is attached
is suspended horizontally between the
poles The pickup equipment in the
plane comprises a winch and shock alb
sorber and a 60-foot steel cable, to which
is attached four-fngered grapple. De-
liveries are made with the same kind of
containers and ropes that are picked up.
The mail itself is transported in small
pouches which are placed in the con-
tainers. These pouches are labeled as to
their destination and they are sorted
en- route for delivery.
AS the plane approaches the air sta
ton for pickup and delivery the cable
and hook is unreeled through hatch in
the bottom of the ship. The rope bear
ing the delivery container is attached to
a release just over the hatch and is low
cred by hand so that in approaching the
station the plane is trailing two lines, the
delivery rope and the cable.
The plane comes into the station on
gentle glide much the same as it would
in landing. An instant before he reaches
the air station. the pilot releases the de-
livery. bag and rope which fall to the
ground. The containers have been espe-
cially designed and constructed to pro-
tect their contents from this impact. In
making the pickup the plane passes over
the masts of the air station at an alti-
tude of so to 70 feet AS contact is
made, the rope slips down the cable into
the grapple. simultaneously the bag
slides to the opposite end on the fitting
by which it is attached to the rope. This
simple slide-fltting attachment, which