Evening star., 1941-06-15
Airport
Continued From Page B-10

airport was designated as the alter
native air terminal when weather
conditions closed Washington Air
port to airline operations.
Opening of the new airport is ex-
pected to result in an immediate in
crease in air transport traffic ont
of Washington. which has been re-
stricted for some months because OF
inadequate accommodations at the
old field. Nevertheless. Washington
Airport for some years has ranked
as perhaps The third busiest airport
in the world being exceeded in total
traffic only by New York and Chi
cago.
There now are so round trips or
100 flights daily scheduled between
Washington and New York, with
extra sections operated almost every
day and with a number of extra sec
tions flown every week end. More
than l8O regularly scheduled arrivals
and departures are handled daily
here. with big aiTliners coming and
going like streetcars' at busy
periods.
II is estimated that more than
$500 airline passengers are handled
every "a hours at Washington Air
port.
In addition. there are many un-
scheduled flights handled at the
airport. They include sightseeing
flights by airplane and Goodyear
sirship. charter fights and opera
tions of many privately-owned air
planes.
Under c. A. A. Direction.
While Washington Airport has
been privately owned and operated
throughout its history. Washington
National Airport is Federal project
throughout and will be operated
under direction of the Civil Aero
nautiCs Authority, which has ap-
pointed John Groves, formerly OF
the private pilot training section, as
manager. J. Earl Steinhauer, vet
eran local airport executive ana
former director of the District COM
pulsory automobile inspection serv-
Ice. is assistant manager,
Many of the airport facilities, in
cluding the sale of fuel and Oil, op-
Grafton of the dining room and res
taurants. newsstands, taxlcab serV-
ice and other operations will be con-
Quoted on a concession basis and are
exnected to make the new airport a
profit-making enterprise from the
start. Air transport users will pay
landing fees for use of the field
Construction of Washington Ma
tional Airport was ordered by Pres
tdent Roosevelt after 13 years OF
procrastination and delay on the
part of Congress in meeting an ur-
gent demand for suitable air ter
ninal facilities for the Capital
Slashing red tape, the President In
1889 allocated Federal emergency
funds for the project, in which II
Federal agencies took part. 1t was
the first project undertaken by the
Civil Aeronautics Authority follow
ing its creation in August, 1889, un-
der terms of the Civil AeronautlcS
Act.
Best Equipped IN Noriu.
Although not the largest or the
most expensive airport in the United
States, it ranks as the most modern
and best-equipped in the world to-
day and is expected to be main
tanned in the future as world
model and a testing ground for the
latest advances in aeronautical prog
ress.
The old Washington Airport, Gre
stedby merging washington Air
port and old Hoover Field, formerly
separated by Military road, has been
operated continuously as a flying
field for 18 years and as an airline
terminal for Is years. Its passing
from the Washington scene removes
one of the Nations pioneer aero
nautical enterprises.
Although sharply criticized by
world aviation leaders as utterly in
adequate to serve the needs Of the
Capital, Washington Airport has
enioyed a safety record almost with
out parallel among the worlds i'm
portant air terminals. There never
has been a fatal airline accident at
the field and very few resulting in
important material damage. Fol
many years it has been regarded as
one of the most efficiently managed
strports in the world and is one OF
the very few. public or private,
which consistently has been out OF
the red"