The Key West citizen., 1954-11-04
BURTON TELLS

BURTON TELLS
CONTINUED from PaSe one)
Of its daily flights was a hasty
action. He said that National will
continue three flights into Key West
unless they are physically unable
to do so.
National is here 10 stay" he
said.
Boea chies Use
On the question of use Of Bocs
Chica, il was stated that the Navy
has not made any decision.
Burton read q letter stating po-
Icy of a federal airport board in
which it said that to use federal
funds for the development of an
airport which duplicates an already
existing military field is a luxury
that this country can not afford.
Burton sad that they have no
assurances that the airport ever
will be expanded to 5000 feet which
would be . minimum for DC6 op-
erations. Presently, the county
plans to only make it $500 feet
which would be only be minimum
facilities for Convairs.
On the question OF minimum op-
erations, the representative stated
that 1t meant the airiiners using
he field could not safely use the
airport with a full fuel load and
therefore would only be able to
make short distance flights from
Meacham.
Fvturs Plans
The representatives Of National
stated that they hoped to r;In Dcs
air coaches from Key West but
could not do so with the present
planned facilities. When questioned
about when they believed it could
be done, they answered In 4 year
or three. They agreed that ii was
q guess.
A. question was asked from the
audience as to whether National
had ever applied to the CAA for a
price increase TO cover the fifty
cent head tax.
Diamond answered that the CAA
has recently turned down a request
by other airlines to raise fares up
to even dollar prices.
He explained that for this rea-
son and because of the fact that
National wants to lower prices in
stead of raising them, it did not
apply for an increase.
Tax In cvba
Diamond agreed that NAL paws
a head tar for Its flight TO Cuba
but he said they expected ii in q
foreign country but not in the Unit
ed States.
Chief Pilot c. H. Ruby Of Ma
tional told the members that it is
possible to operate two airports
with both having a tower but he
said the control towers are not par
ticularly cheap to operate and
maintain.
Joe Pinder said that as he un-
derStood it from Paul Sawyer, the
countys attorney, If the CONNER
eial airlines abandon Meacham, the
former owners Of the land can take
over the property.
Sawyer said that the word COM
mercial is not in the contract, but
he added that he did not believe
the tax payers OF Monroe County
would want to support an airport
for small planes.
Accusation Made
One spectator accused the air
line of using the long runway argu-
ment as q reason for excuses to
keep from paying the so cent fee
on the basis that National has a.
greed previously to pay $500 a mon-
tn when the construction is COM
pleted.
A member of the JayCee asked
what difference the 50 cent head
tax would mean in case the air.
line moved to Boca Chica. He
pointed out that additional limou.
sine fare to the Navy field would
cancel out the difference of the
head tax.
Burton answered that he was not
familiar with local taxi prices.
Mel Levitt, president Of the mo-
tel association, inquired if il was
safe for Jets to take off behind air.
liners. He expressed fear that the
jets might overtake the airliners.
The representative explained that
ii was . reason for the necessity
for controlled air departures.
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