Evening star., 1945-12-16
Air Transport Is Rapidly Becoming
One of Capitals Leading Industries
BY w. H. Shipper, Jr.

One of Washington's biggest busi-
neses is growing UP around National
Airport now pulsing with postwar ex-
pansion plans.
A visit to shops and home Offices of
Pennsylvania Central Airlines, for ex-
ample, is oddly reminiscent of the hectic
days of the war boom.
The frantic haste is lacking, of course,
and new employees are being hired by
tens instead of thousands; but the whole
plant is busy with an expansion pro-
gram which calls for tripling present
activities in terms of employees and fly
ing equipment by January l, 1913.
The forward drive of Pea is typical
of the whole commercial establishment,
including the Airport Terminal and the
growing number of airlines it serves
lines extending or connecting their
routes to cities on all parts OF this
continent and throughout the world.
Plans for some 100000 in new con-
struction at the airport are expected to
get final approval soon.
These will provide for four new ham
gars, for additions to the the terminal
and boiler house and for financing an
engineering survey for proposed high
way overpass across the railroad tracks
to give the airport an additional con-
nection with highway No. l.
Held back by the war and restrictions
on civilian travel, some of which are
still in effect, commercial operators are
building up equipment, personnel and
new routes for big increase in passen-
gers mail, cargo and express expected
next spring American Airlines opened
a new Washington-London service last
month, and Transcontinental 81 Western
Air plans flights from the Capital to
Paris and the Near East.
Pan-American World Airways already
has Civil Aeronautics Board permission
to operate between Washington and the
British Isles.
An additional service expected soon
will be opened by Colonial Airlines be-
tween National Airport and Ottawa and
Montreal, Canada.
New equipment and new services also
are being planned by United and Eastern
Airlines. Rail and even bus lines will
be in for heavy competition beginning
when enough flying equipment can be
converted from military use and enough
returning service personnel trained to
carry the load.
Lower Rates Seen
This competition, airline officials say,
will continue into an era of low rates
made possible by vastly more efficient
transports now on order. Washingtons
home line, Pea, is basing its bid for
heavy postwar traffic on a fleet of IS
twin-engined, f1ve-mile minute planes
to be manufactured by the Glenn L.
Martin Co. of Baltimore.
Pea meanwhile is having II Douglas
four -motored DC-4s converted from
war service to 56-passenger transports,
the first of which are now being placed
in service. 1t seems likely that the
company's 4,0O0-mile network in the
East, South and Middle-West will be
extended 1000 miles through merger
with Northeast Airlines, proposal now
awaiting CAB approval.
Expansion over present routes, ac-
cording to c. Bedell Monro, president
of Pea, calls for an increase in employ
ment of from about 5000 as of Decem-
Der l upward to 5000 by January l,
l943. More than third of these will
be based at National Airport.
The company's employment Office at
the airport already is as busy as its ad-
ministrative Offices, shops and schools
for fight crews, maintenance workers
or hostesses.
Perhaps the largest need at this time
is for men with specialized skill in the
maintenance field such as mechanics,
machinists, sheet metal, engine and radio
overhaul paint and upholstery workers
and the like, who total about 40 per
cent of the whole force. Previous ex-
perience is required, it was said, al
though the company maintains upgrad-
ing classes for its regular employees.
Office, clerical and administrative
help comprise some IS per cent of total
employment, with the remaining 25 per
cent being made up of flight and ground
crews, ticket statesmen and reserva-
tionists, all in the operations and traffic
sections.
In addition to maintenance personnel.
the company plans to hire in smaller