Evening star., 1940-07-30
BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON,
Star Aviation Editor.

BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON,
Star Aviation Editor.
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (By
AirmaiD Acting in close co-opera-
tion with the Brazilian government,
American air transportation has
sought to strengthen the hand of
this vitality important member of
the American community of ma
tions ir dealing with it's national
civil and military avii.tion prob
lens.
Although the international United
States air transport system which
serves all of the Latin American re-
publics remains under the United
States flag, with United States pilots
and co-pilots in command of its
airplanes, the pan-American unit
in Brazil, Panair do Brasil, has
been converted wholly into Bra
lillian organization to operate local
services in the nation as feeders to
the main American system.
Under Brazilian law air transport
systems operating wholly within the
country must be Brazilian organiza-
tions, stated by Brazilian subjects.
To come within this law. for eX-
ample. the German Brazilian air
transport unit, Slndicato Condor,
built up service around German
pilots and crews who had taken out
Brazilian naturalization papers. Un-
der Nazi tradition. however, such
people are not considered to have
surrendered their German citizen
ship or responsibilities and are held
to be Just as much members of the
Nazi organization as their relatives
in Germany. This situation was
well understood in Brazil, and, al
though the German line operating
within the nationall boundaries
technically came within the law,
Brazilians generally considered it to
be Nazi organization. Travellers
by the Condor system in Brazil re-
port that German language is
spoken in dealing with the public at
some of the Condor airport sta
tions.
Pan-American Policy Hailed.
To the credit of the United States
In its relationship with South
American nations, however, it may
be recorded that an entirely differ
ent policy was followed by Pan
American Airways voluntarily in its
dealings with Brazil. Panair do
Brasil became wholly Brazilian, not
only within the mere letter of the
law but in keeping with the spirit
that Brazilian aviation should be
strengthened in every way possible
and made completely a national
effort.
After the initial period of its or
ganization Panair do Brasil began
to build up, with the support of
Pan american Always, staff of
bers and ground personnel. Pan
American co-operated wholeheart-
edly in the training of Brazilian
personnel. No fiction of natural
ization was permitted; every man
chosen had to be Brazilian born.
The system, established voluntari-
iy in the interests of a stronger,
more self-reliant Brazilian aviation,
has worked well. Well-trained, ef-
flcient air and ground crews of ma
tive Brazilians have been built up,
and they fly aircraft of Brazilian
registry on co-ordinated operations
schedules with the United States
aircraft and crews of the Interna-
tional Pan-American Always sys-
tenn. Many Brazilian army and
navy pilots are finding their way
into commercial aviation through
Panair do Brasil
Legislation Enacted.
So we'll did the system work that
the Brazilian government this year
enacted legislation requiring that
the same system be applied to all
other airlines operating in Brazil
and gave the German Condor sys-
tenn one year in which to replace
its naturalized Nazis with men born
and bred in Brazil. The year will
expire early in 1941.
Control of civil and commercial
aviation in Brazil is in the hands of
a Department of Civil Aeronautics
with headquarters in Rio de Janeiro
under the Ministry of Transporta-
tion and Public Works. The work
of this department follows essen
tally that of the present Civil Aero
nautics Board in Washington.
In 1884 the duties of the Depart
ment of Civil Aeronautics were ex-
tended to include the construction
of airports, night-flying aids, radio
range stations and similar projects.
At Rio the department undertook
construction of two great airports,
the Santos Dumont Airport, which
now is the capitals air transport
terminal, and an airship terminal,
Bartholomew de Gusmao Airport,
which was used as the German
Zeppelin transatlantic base. Other
airports were started in various parts
of Brazil, and during 1885 alone the
department built or improved SO
airports and is continuing this work
on an impressive scale.
Resembles Airport Here.
Santos Dumont Airport, not yet
completed, though in full use, is
strikingly like the new Washington
National Airport at the United
States Capital. Both are close to
the heart of the city and are on
filled ground made in navigable
waters, with unobstructed ap-
proaches from all directions Both
will be notable architectural and
landscaping additions to the beau
ties of the capital cities they serve.
OF the two. the Washington project
Is the larger by considerable
margin. Santos Dumont has both
landplane and seaplane facilities
The landing field has not been COM
pleted. Airplanes are using a two
way turf landing strip until perma-
nent hard-surfaced runways are laid
out and paved. Hangers and other
buildings also are under construc-
ton. A broad new boulevard is
p,,+ ~,