Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1950-05-20

5 Nearby Sites
For New Airport
Copitol Urgently
Needs Second Field,
Rented Testifies

The Civil AeronauticS Admins
tration has three sites in Virginia
and two In Maryland under con.
sideration for what II calls an
urgently needed" intercontinen-
tai airport in the Washington
Area.
This was revealed yesterday BY
CAA Chief D. W. Rented before
a House Interstate and Foreign
Commerce subcommittee. The
group is studying legislation to
construction Of q $l4
air terminal in the area
to relieve congestion at National
Airport and handle expected
heavy increases in traffic.
Mr.. Rented said his organixa-
ton is looking for about $500
acres within 80 minutes driving
time lover express highway OF
the center Of the city. The $500
acres would allow for q four-fold
expansion.
Talking to reporters later, the
administrator said the CAA was
studying three sites In Fairfax
County and two near the WASH
ington- Annapolis highway.
He told the subcommittee he
already had talked to Governor
Battle and several community del
egations from Virginia about the
possibility Of sites in that State.
Early Authorization Urged.
After declaring that National
Airport. the third busiest In the
world. is saturated" with traffic.
the official urged that authorize
ton for the second major TEL
minal be made soon.
If we begin work In 1850. We
will probably not complete the
airport until 1854" he said.
Mr.. Rented torpedoed the s,lg-
gestion that Baltimore's nc;
Friendship international field. dur
to open June "a. be used to handle
Washington's surplus trafic.
Pointing out that CAA studies
showed the average elapsed tim
between the center of Washington
to Friendship was 56 minute
while to National 1t was less than
IA. he said:
Neither the air carriers nor
their customers will accept vol
unfairly the disadvantages and in
conveniences arising from such
disparity"
Denies Encouraging Baltimore.
Under questioning by Repre-
sentative Beckworth. Democrat. of
Texas. Mr.. Rented denied that
the CAA had encouraged Balti-
more to build an airport the size
Of Friendship.
Maj. Gen. Donald Connolly.
Baltimore official who spoke for
Mayor Thomas D'Alesandro. IT..
said he was told the Friendship
project was undertaken with the
understanding 1t would serve the
combined Washington Baltimore
area. He also said his city stands
to lose a great deal of money II
Washington does not make use Of
Friendship. a SIS million project.
Mr.. Rented said it was essential
that the two Washington area air.
ports be as close together as pos
sible. giving due regard to safety
factors.
1879 Traffic Increase.
In selecting a site, the CAA
will be guided by two major fac.
tors, safety and convenience, the
witness said. Since surveys show
the majority of passengers origin
ate in the Northwest and down.
town sections Of Washington. con-
venieces Of access from that area
must be assured, he added.
Declaring that passenger traf-
nc at National Airport increased
~ per cent last year over that
IN 1948. Mr.. Rented asserted that
Washington has one of the high.
est air traffic potentials per capita
IN the country. National will be
unable to handle the increase of
between 10000 and 100000 air
craft movements expected by
1855, he testified.
The CAA chief also told the sub.
committee the Defense Depart
ment advised him that the
Andrews Air Force Base would DO
required exclusively for military
purposes within the foreseeabls
future. 80
He said that Andrews would be
satisfactory for q second major
public terminal. but only after
substantial expenditures for modi-
flcations.