Evening star., 1948-04-25
Airport Ceremonies
Mark Dedication Of
First 5kyway in u. 5.

The nrSt OkyWdy, an air route
proyiding visual air markers along
a 4O-mile-wide path from Wash
ington to Los Angeles, was dedi-
Gated Yesterday to the safety of
the private flier by Delos w. Rent
eel. Just nominated to be admins
traitor of the Civil Aeronautics
Administration.
In his first address since Presi-
dent Truman selected him for the
post, Mr.. Rented declared that
although he had been concerned
with invisible electronic navigation
aiQs for years, he still felt that "air
markers are the important need
for the personal plane and will be
for gears to come"
He spoke at a National Airport
luncheon before more than 600
private flying enthusiasts who had
come from points all along the
route and neighboring States. The
route was named the Wright Way
in honor of the inventors of the
airplane.
Lauds Board Of Trade.
The new CAA chief congratulated
the Washington Board of Trade
"for its imagination in conceiving
and taking the initiative in starting
United States Skyway One in con-
junction with the Los Angeles
Chamber of Commerce"
Similar ceremonies were held all
along. the transcontinental route
In Dayton, O., former Gen James
H. Doolittle declared that only
through continued growth of pri-
vate flying can the United States
achieve aviation's promise of bet
ter way of life
Gen. Doolittle, leader of the first
air raid on Japan, predicted that
soon a low cost, easily maintained
family plane-safe and dependable
will be introduced in the market. -
P. Y. K. Howat, Board of Trade
vice-president, also spoke at Dayton.
Vice President Frederick P. H.
Siddons of the Board of Trade, in
opening the ceremony at the air
port, said the Wright Way would
provide private flyers with safety
and convenience and bring the
larger cities closer together and
stimulate business.
Largest Gathering in History.
Jesse M. Hadley, chairman of the
Boards Aviation Committee, acted
as master of ceremonies. He said
that the meeting was the largest
gathering of private flyers in the
history of Washington.
The flyers were both young and
old-ranging in age from II to &C.
and they arrived in every type of
private craft. There were 200
planes.
Prizes were given to the youngest
and oldest man and woman and
to Richard Sanders, who flew the
longest distance-from San Diego,
Calf. Rosemary Lane, II, of 1911
Russell road, Alexandria, who flew
the 10 miles to National Airport,
was the youngest girl. The young
est man was Edward Stem, IT,
Maplewood, N j., and the oldest
was Louis C. Derunsbusch, 66, New
York.
Fifty-seven-yea -old Mrs. Florence
r. Meyers, Bruce Corners, Pa, who
has more than 1000 hours in the
air and who plans to fly the Wright
Way to California, received the
prize for the oldest woman flyer
present. Her husband. William F.
Meyers, also has his own plane, and
will fly the route along with his
wife.
Easy as Auto Driving.
The idea of the Skyway fits
perfectly with our familiar Ameri-
can scheme of personal transporta-
tion," Mr.. Rented said. He pointed
out that the automobile driver now
could drive anywhere merely by
following road signs and added that
now "it should be as simple for
the personal pilot to fly along this
Wright Way from Washington to