Evening star., 1941-04-13
Flying Classroom
To Be Laboratory
For {. A. A. Staff
Big Ship to Help Train
Inspectors and Check
On Airline Pilots
Nv JOSEPH s, EDGERTON.

BY JOSEPH ;. EDGEhION.
A combined aerial laboratory and
flying classroom for Federal air
transport inspectors has been ac-
quired by the Civil Aeronautics Ad-
ministration.
The twin-engined Douglas DC-3
airliner has been stripped of con-
ventional airline trimmings and
converted into flying workshop
for addition to the G. A. A. feet of
aircraft of representative types.
One of the principal functions OF
the new plane will be the continued
technical training of the c. A. A.
inspectors who are in charge of
testing the professional qualifica-
tions of the worlds top-notch group
of pilots-the men who fly the Ma
tons airliners.
For this purpose, the big Douglas
has been converted into one of the
most highly specialized aeronautical
laboratories in the world, with all
available space devoted to crew, OBJ
servers and test equipment. 1t Will
be used in an effort to keep the staff
Of Federal airline and personnel in
spectors not only abreast of but, If
possible, ahead of developments in
the rapidly developing air transport
and general aviation field.
Room for IL Inspectors.
To keep these inspectors in train
ing for their task of testing the air
line pilots requires periodic, spe-
cialized and concentrated" instruc-
ton of the inspectors themselves, 1t
was explained by Brig. Gen. Donald
H. Connolly, C. A. A. administra-
tor.
The flying laboratory is equipped
to accommodate crew of three and
IL inspectors, as observers, all sta
tions being connected by an inter-
phone system which enables
them to maintain communications
throughout the ship. For high-al-
titude work each seat has an oxygen
outlet and face mask.
Routine acceptance tests of the
ship are in progress and, at the
same time, c. A. A. inspectors have
begun research work on new navi-
CATION instruments included in its
equipment.
This is the first airplane of its
size and type to be operated by the
C. A. A." it was explained. Since
it is typical of current airline equip
ment, it will be used for objective
flights to obtain data for regulatory
purposes, to standardize test pro-
cedures and give manufacturers and
airline operators opportunity to. OBJ
serve and benefit by carefully engi-
neered tests"
To Be Sent to Each Area.
Following acceptance tests. the
plane will be sent to each of the
C. A. A. inspection regions for use
In the flight proficiency" test
ing Of all airline pilots. In this
work, which starts this week. the
plane will cover most of the 30,500
miles of airways in the country.
All airline operators will be given
demonstrations of the advanced ma
vigating devices installed in the
ship.
Among these are two outstand-
ing radio developments; the first
embodying a simplified system of
controls, which reduces the num-
Der Of switches on the master radio
control panel from an average of
18 in current transport planes to
five. The second is q dual auto
matte radio direction finder, the
result of three years of work by
radio engineers of the G. A. A.
and three manufacturers working
in collabora ton. This instrument,
is was explained, "presages naviga-
ton In the entire ocean of air
rather than in the relatively mar
row channels maintained by radio
directional beams"
Although this is the first install
lation of its kind. the three manu-
facturers who aided in it's develop
ment are expected soon to have the
equipment in production for addi-
ton to regular airline equipment.
The flying laboratory is to be
based at the new c. A. A. Standard
ization Center at Houston, Tex.