Evening star., 1952-09-02
Government Hearinqs
On Non-Sked Air|ines
To Open Tomorrow
BY the Assoeiated Press

Inc teQeraI Government sets
out this week to determine what
role the non-scheduled airline
should play in air transportation.
The Civil Aeronautics Board, in
a notice of hearing on the issue
to start tomorrow, has posed these
questions:
(a) Is there a need for air
transportation services by the
large irregular carriers. popularity
known as the non-skeds, in addi-
ton to the services performed by
the scheduled or certificated car
rierS?
tb) If so, what should be: /,
their geographical distribution; 2.
the frequency and degree of ir-
regularity; 3, the type of traffic
to be carried-that is. persons,
property or mail or all three;
4, the relative price of service;
S, the character of the obligations
to the public?
(c) Has the board the power,
under present law, to authorize
such supplementary services lin
lited as to type, quality and guam
tity? -
Millions at Stake.
The problems may require
months to resolve. The arguments
are certain to be sharp and bitter,
for millions of dollars in revenue
and investments are at stake.
More than 200 interested parties
will be heard-the non-scheduled
and the scheduled airlines, the
railroads. Government depart
ments, Better Business Bureaus,
cities and associations.
Testimony here, including that
of % non-skeds and most Of the
big certified lines-and the Puerto
Rico Transportation Authority,
the City of Oakland. Calf: the
New Orleans Chamber Of Com
merce and the Better Business
Bureaus of Chicago and Los An
geles-probably will take up most
of September.
After a two-week recess, the
hearing will be reconvened in
Miami. where IL non-skeds will
present their case. At Los An
geles, two dozen more irregular
airlines will be heard, along with
the county of San Diego and the
Better Business Bureau of San
Francisco.
Alaska Service to Come Up.
The hearings will conclude at
Seattle with an airing of perhaps
the angriest controversies of all
air services to Alaska. Seven
non-skeds are to be heard at
Seattle.
The non-scheduled airlines
largely are by-product of
World War II, which stimulated
aviation and also produced a
surplus of C-46 transport air
planes and trained and ampi-
tious pilots.
Attracted by the low price of
surplus aircraft, many an ex-
flyer lost his shirt in a try at
commercial aviation. Others
scared to quick riches in the
growing demand for rapid move
ment of cargo.
In 1945 the CAB began looking
into the safety and economic
aspects Of non-scheduled opera
tions. The outcome was an order
that operators not certified for
regular service must keep their
schedules irregular and infre-
quent."
But the scheduled airlines now
complain that the situation is out
Of hand. that many non-skeds are
providing daily schedules, and
that some even advertise that
theirs are not non-scheduled
flights.
Ask Limit on Field.
The non-skeds contend they
pioneered and developed low-cost
aircoach services and large-scale
economy-minded freight services,
without the benefit of Govern
ment subsidy"
They have asked Congress to
reserve the field of low-cost air
coach and cargo transport to
"non-subsidized carriers" They
also have demanded the right to
carry airmail-and have offered
to do it for less than the sched-
uied lines charge.
The regulars pointe to q recent
announcement by the House In