Evening star., 1940-05-17
PIune Makers Called
To PorIey Monday
On Program PIons

Aviation manufacturers have been
called to meet with Army and Navy
officials here Monday to work out
plans to raise the Nations annual
airplane production capacity to the
$4,000 units requested yesterday by
President Roosevelt, Assistant Sec
retary of War johnson announced
today.
Telegrams to 40 aviation firms,
asking them to send representatives
to conference here at 10 am. Mon
day, were sent out late yesterday,
Mr.. johnson said. The invitation
asked the industry's cooperation in
this national emergency.
Mr.. johnson said the Government
desires to use private equipment
wherever possible, but he added that
Federal aid will be extended If the
program is too late for private con-
Germs to handle. Loans for private
plant expansion probably could be
made through the Reconstruction
Finance Corp, he pointed out.
The Government has designed
and completed architectural plans
for typical plane plant, Mr.. john
son revealed. He said this type Of
typical plant" was developed by use
Of $4,000 Of w. P. A. funds. It is
planned on basis of 100 planes per
month capacity. which, he said, was
taken as a standard unit for the
study of plant capacities.
Goal Seen 1S Months Away.
Leaders Of the aviation industry
already have pledged their coop
Grafton In the expansion program,
but Indicated that at least q year
and q half will be required to reach
such q production scale.
The Presidents goal. it was pointed
out, represents . 1000 per cent In
crease in the existing strength OF
the Army and Navy mir forces, at
tanned after an expansion program
which has been under way for a
year.
Estimates Of the cost Of q $4,000
airplane program have been placed
as high as 5000, ,000. 900 and it has
been estimated that st least half this
amount will be required annually
for maintenance, apart from ground
personnel and bases.
Pilots Training Is Factor.
Aviation experts, however, were
less concerned over the ability OF
the aircraft industry to build war
planes for the new program than
they are with the training of pilots
for such an air force. The problem
of providing engines for such q fleet
of warplanes also may prove to b<
| far more serious than that of pro-
viding the aircraft, it was pointed
out. Furnishing of aircraft engine.
and trained flight crews have beer
the "bottlenecks" of the present ex.
pansion program and the lack o1
sunicient engines, it is reported
has slowed the expectation of com.
bat airplanes to Great Britain anc
France.
The air force of the United State.
today is composed of approximately
5000 Army airplanes and abou'
2,100 Navy aircraft. The Army ha:
2,700 Regular and 1000 Reserv,
pilots on extended active duty IL
its squadrons. The available re-
serve is placed at not more thar
1900 pilots, plus pilots for abou
20 squadrons in the National Guard
| Maximum Of $1,000 = Year.
/ Present Air Corps plans look t,
the training Of q maximum of TOO
pilots year in the future but tn
j present training program win pro
i duce only a few more than 400
| pilots during the fiscal year endinl
June 80. The Navy Department
would not release figures on tn
number of pilots actually availabl
and under training for the Navy
Its reports showed 1858 Navy per
sonnel assigned to flying duty a
l /1.. 0Y a NYTrey Y1~-~ 4