The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1954-10-14

commercial military use of B0ca
Chica airport, a multi-million dol
lar facility which is adequate in all
respects for any type of aircraft
or volume of traffic presently or
soon contemplated to be operated
by scheduled airlines.
(c) Construct an adequate ter
minal building at Boca Chica for
scheduled airlines use in which Ma
tional will lease the space it re-
quires.
Alternative No. l has a great
many advantages to the communi-
ty, the Navy Department and to
the airlines. The community would
benefit by the reduction in cost
and operative expense of the Mea-
cham facility; the improved air.
line service with the most modern
equipment in the world; the reduc-
ed coach fares; the more available
seats and more frequent schedules;
the elimination of serious hazards
inherent in the overlapping and
conflicting flight patterns between
Meacham and Boca Chica Zone SER
ious mid-air collision with loss of
43 lives occurred at Key West on
April Is, 1850; and by the insured
room for growth and expansion.
The Navy would benefit by having
complete control of traffic; the
more convenient and less expensive
coach service to Government and
military personnel, which is more
than 60 per cent of Nationals total
traffic in and out of Key West; the
more efficient utilization OF a
multi-million dollar Government
facility in addition to providing a
scource of revenue to the Navy De-
partment without impairing mill
tary use of Boca Chica; and the
availability of an established air
line service to an important mill
tary base in the event of National
emergency, which in addition serv.
es almost the entire 9Th Naval Dis
trict. The airlines would benefit by
the less hazardous operations at
Boca Chica; the ability to use
modern, larger and faster aircraft:
the assurance of room for expan-
sion in the future; and charges far
more reasonable than would be re-
quired by the County to operate
Meacham Airport as proposed.
During the course of discussion,
the Board mentioned that use Of
Boca Chica may not be available
for Aerovias "Q", a foreign car.
rier. In this connection it might be
noted that Aerovias 20" operates
regularly into West Palm Beach
Airport, a military facility of the
United States Government (U. S.
Air Force).
National respectfully questions
the need for the elaborate improve
ments proposed at Meacham Air
port. After serious consideration il
is suggested that the Board car
eliminate unnecessary improve
ments from the proposed plans
which would result in substantial
savings while at the same time
provide an airport for present op
erations. Alternative No. 2 could
be followed if it is absolutely i'm
possible to work out satisfactory
arrangements with the Navy De
partment at Boca Chica. The pro.
posed items which could be readi
ly eliminated are as follows:
(a) Reduce considerably or defer
construction of proposed taxiways
The Board indicated that approx
mately $50, 100000 of the $450, 600. OF
was to be expended for the con
struction of taxiways. Nearly all o.
the $3.50, 10000 for taxiways can BIZ
eliminated or deferred since they
are not required for the present
volume of traffic at Meacham Air
port nor could it be expected, be
cause of its limitations, to accom-
modate such a volume of traffic
as would require the proposed taxi
ways. National presently operates
into several airports which do moi
have such extensive taxiways. Ha
vana, for example, has a traffic
volume which is conservatively
twenty times greater than that al
Key West and the lack of taxiways
such as proposed for Meachan
Airport does not cause any unusua
congestion or traffic problem.
(b) Modify the plans for the ter
minal building. The Board stated
that it plans to build a new termin
al building at a cost Of $3.50, 10000
1t is suggested that building cost
ing much less than that proposed
will adequately serve the needs o
the airport. For example, thu
Board advised National that it!
building plan provides for So'
square feet to be leased to Nation
al. After a survey, National sub
mits that it will only require AZ
square feet Of space in the build
ing to more than adequately NEE
its needs.
(c) Reduce substantially the es
timated cost for maintenance ant
stating. The Board estimated tina
it will require revenues from it!
nronoSed facilities sufficient IN mr.,