Evening star., 1950-01-30
Airport
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Airport
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port for Col. William S. Dawson
do you classify Washington as
congested area?" asked Senate,
johnson.
Col. Spencer said, I'VE don't be.
lieve the density here is such that
it cannot be handled safely"
well, We have had some pretty
bad accidents here. and congestion
has had something to do with il
do you agree with that?" Sena-
tor Johnson continued.
No Accident Record.
Col. Spencer replied that there
is no record of accidents where
the proximity of Boiling Field OF
Anacostia Naval Air Station had
anything to do with it.
The prepared statement pre-
sented for Col. Dawson revealed
that modern radar equipment has
been delivered recently to An
drews Air Force Base, and should
be in operation in the near future.
This will allow more military
traffic to be diverted to Andrews,
and should further relieve the
congestion during instrument con-
ditions," the Dawson statement
said. Under visual fight condi-
tions the problem is more one of
proper traffic patterns than con-
Although the proximity of the
civil and military airports is not
a desirable situation, it is not
considered inherently dangerous
from the traffic control stand
point" - -
Senators johnson and Tobey
both pounced on the next SEN
tence in the statement, which
read: In this connection ii
should be pointed out that local
traffic control instructions are
permissive in nature, and do not
relieve the pilot of his response
bility to make sure that the air
space is clear along his intended
path"
Regulation Cited.
Senator Tobey demanded to
know if this meant the pilots are
"free agents" in coming into the
airport.
Both Col. Spencer and Felix E.
Larkin, general counsel to the
Secretary of Defense, said the
statement did not imply that
meaning. Col. Spencer said there
are regulations, and penalties for
violating them. He said he was
only trying to make the point
that there is no physical way by
which the control tower can reach
out and stop pilot.
Senator johnson asked Col.
Spencer to clarity in the record
the reference to traffic control in
structions being "permissive," be-
cause the chairman said he did
not want any doubt to exist as to
the authority of civilian officials
to control commercial landing
field.
Gen. Lawrence Keuter, of the
Air Force, joined in to assure Sem
ator johnson that there is no
doubt as to the civilian authority
at National Airport, and cited part
Of an agreement between the CAA
and the military making that
clear.
Earlier, the committee was told
the Budget Bureau opposed the
spending of government funds at
this time to develop prototypes OF
transport and cargo planes that
would be practical for civilian use
in peacetime and military needs in
wartime.
Secretary of the Air Force
Symington explained to the Sem
ate Interstate Commerce Commit
tee that the Defense Department
had prepared a bill under which
$50, ,000, 900 could have been au-
thorized for two such prototype
planes. He said, however, that
the Budget Bureau decided last
Friday the plan would not be ir
accord with the Presidents pro-
gram.
Deputy Secretary of Defense
Stephen Early testified that "a
very real deficit" exists between
present air lift capacity and thu
facilities that would be required II
wartime.