Evening star., 1946-02-24
New Wings for Amateurs
Cutting Down
Restrictions Is
Clearing Skies
For Fledglings

For Fledglings
BY w. H. shippen, Jr.,
Aviation Editor Of The Star.
EVERAL factors In addition to
spring will help clear the sky
soon for local amateurs who want
to spread new wings.
Out at Riverdale. Md, for instance
they're beginning to roll out q little
spinproof, two-seater which promises
to revolutionize the personal plane in
dustry.
What this may mean to Washington
can be reckoned from the fact that the
reconverting factory already has COM
mitments for delivery of $4,000 Err
coupes to dealers throughout the coun-
try and hopes to turn out 10000 this
year.
Too, over on Long Island the manu-
facturer of the rugged Thunderbolt
fighter bomber is preparing to launch
a high-altitude attack at the industry's
price structure with feet of four-place
amphibians to cost around $4,000, or
about half what that much airplane
brought before the war.
Washington Sportsmen
Are Placing Orders
A A.number of Washington sportsmen,
with an eye to inviting areas on the
Potomac, Chesapeake and coastal
waters. already have placed orders for
these amphibians with more than $50
mile range, comfortable seating capacity
and built-in sleeping facility.
1t is the manufacturers idea that
aircraft prices are too high and can
only ke lowered by quantity production.
This also is the theory of the Ercoupe
makers now turning out from IL to Is
planes day at Riverdale while tooling
up Ifor much larger production. The
factory currently employs more than
1000 and expects to build up its force
to $500 by the end of this year. Civil
Aeronautics experts say the Ercoupe,
with its sinplified controls and tricycle.
landing gear, is as safe and practical
for the amateur as any light plane
dulOIlS DOlliC ~ Nd1ACtACS 4loW P1d1AASu
or in production.
The local distributor however, prob
ably will get no more than 80 this year.
The company was just getting into pro-
duction before the war, and gave up
making light planes to turn out gun
turretS for bombers. Performance of
some 100 postwar models created a
Nh, u,;Lo Lo
met for many months, 1t was said.
A Dozen Manufacturers
Are Making Ready
Meanwhile, Aeronca plans to supple
ment its Champion with two-control
Chum and Tennessee General will be
turning out It's Skyfarer with simplifed
controls. At least dozen manufac-
turers will be putting two-place planes
of the conventional three-control design
on the market in increasing numbers
soon. A number of newcomers will be
Taylorcraft.
At least half a dozen private fields in
nearby Maryland and Virginia are pre-
pairing for the biggest spring and sum-
mer season since the war. Several are
struggling against labor and material
shortages to build additional shops and
hangers and improve runways.
Service Stations for
Private Flying
The average amateur, who probably
knows as little about his airplane motor
as the one in his automobile, should be
able to count on adequate maintenance
service at local fields this year. Quail
fled mechanics already on the ground
are being supplemented by others re-
leased from the armed services.
At Boiling Field, for example, the
CAA and Army Air Forces are opening
model" school to familiarize dis
charged service mechanics with the
maintenance of commercial aircraft.
The school, like others at AAF bases all
over the country, grants CAA certifi-
Gates on completion of the course.
The CAA believes these mechanics
will find jobs at small fields as well as
the big commercial airports. They will
be needed to keep private planes in
condition to pass the CAA's annual air
worthiness inspection and commercial
jobs in shape for 100-hour engine
checks. The CAA is designating quail
fed mechanics to give airworthiness
checks as an aid to its own overworked
staff of inspectors.
Regulations have been relaxed since
the end of the war to encourage private
flying within reasonable safety limits.
Some criticism has resulted, even
from within the industry, but most
pilots seem to agree the CAA could cut
plenty of red tape without danger to
the public safety.
New Qualifications for
Flying Licenses
The age limit for a private pilots
license has been lowered from IS to II
years. Designated instructors, as we'll as
CAA flight inspectors, can certify stu
dents for licenses. Subjects like naviga-
lion and meteorology have been elm
mated from qualifying tests, along with
'pirals, simulated forced landings and
coordination exercises from flight tests.
Weather restrictions on cross-country
lying have been relaxed somewhat, and
private pilots now can give flight In
truction if not for hire. This instruc-
ion time, however, cannot count on the
hours required for license. Minimum
light time for license now is IS hours,
II which 18 is solo.