Evening star., 1946-05-21
CAA Prefers
Sites in City for
Antenna Masts
House Group Told
Plane Hoard Is Less
Than in RuruI Areas

Plane Hoard Is Less
Than in RuruI Areas
The Civil Aeronautics Admins
tration favors construction of an
tenna towers within cities rather
than in open country, a subcommit-
tee Of the House District Committee
was told today by William j. Nc
Kenzine. chief of the aids and haz-
ards staff of CAA flight operations.
Testifying at the final session of q
public hearing on legislation spon-
sored by Chairman Mcmillan of the
District Committee which would bar
construction of such towers in resi-
Dental areas here, Mr.. Mckenzie
said:
From the standpoint of safety of
air commerce, we would be bound to
say that it's better to have them To-
Gated In the cities than In the
country"
Five Accidents Recalled.
He explained that a CAA regu.
lation banning flight at attitudes
OF less than 1000 feet over "cities
towns and settlements" keeps pilots
well above distractions. On the
other hand, he told the committee
isolated towers in the country pre-
sent a greater hazard to pilots fly
ing legally under 1000 feet.
Under questioning by Subcom-
mittee Chairman Abernathy, Mr.
Mckenzie said he recalled i've acci-
dents resulting from crashes of air
craft into antenna towers. Later
Harry S. Wender, local counsel fol-
the Bamberger Broadcasting Serv-
ice, Inc, inquired where the towers
involved in the mishaps were
located.
ITO the best of my knowledge,
they were all located in OUTLYING
areas" Mr.. Mckenzie replied.
The CAA Official would not COM
NIT himself specifically on possible
hazards to air navigation which
might be produced by construction
of the proposed Bamberger televi-
sion tower at Fortieth and Brandy
wine streets NV.
Pattern" for Country.
He said the CAA had not COM
pleted its investigations in that case
and IN that of the projected televi-
sion antenna installation OF The
Evening Star Broadcasting Co. on
the campus of American University.
He added that If the CAA finally
found them to be undue hazards,
he was sure the Federal Communi-
cations Commission would support
the decision by refusing construc-
ton and operating authority for the
stations.
John r. Poppele, chief engineer
and vice president of the Bam-
berger firm, who also is president OF
the Television Broadcasters' Asso-
ciacion. testified that the proposed
legislation would "retard television
station installation throughout the
country.'a
He explained the industry believed
the pattern" established here would
be followed elsewhere.
Question Of Hazards.
The subcommittee also heard
further testimony in support of the
legislation from George A. Corbin
representing the Manor Park Citi-
zen's Association; Joseph B. Porto
OF 40l8 Chesapeake street NV, and
Mrs. Ida r. Rossi Of 1000 Chesa-
peake street NV All emphasized
they felt the Bamberger tower
would be a mental and physical
hazard to adjacent property own
ers and would result in depreciation
Of property values.
Julian Berla, whose architectural
firm has been retained by the Bam-
berger company, was asked by Rep
resentative Abernathy whether he
would share the property owners
views If he lived in their area. Upon
a rephrasing of the question by the
subcommittee chairman, the archi-
tect said that he would not feel in
secure and that he would consider
the tower to considerably enhance
the value of my property"
Representative Abernathy then
commented that he would have q
sense Of insecurity" If he lived
nearby.