Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1961-11-19

other airports could be dropped
or sharply curtailed.
Two forces at work in Civil
Aeronautics Board hearings on
scheduled helicopter service in
the Washington Baltimore area
may cause these reductions.
One is the interest of private
firms in making money or, at
least. minimizing losses.
The second force is the CABS
interest in minimizing the sub
Sidy that may be required to
establish the service. Congress,
especially the House, has re-
Gently been critical of subsidies
for helicopter operations.
The two forces have appeared
and reappeared in the long
CAB hearings, which began
here October 81 and are far
from over. The CABS decision
probably won't be announced
until next fall, when Dulles
International is scheduled to
open.
Forces at Work
Here are examples, taken
from the testimony, of the
forces at work:
l. Pilgrim Helicopter SerV-
ices, Inc, testifies that if GER
tificated it would not initially
extend service to Baltimore's
downtown Pier 4 heliport be-
cause the traffic potential is
inadequate. .
2. Allegheny Airline, Inc,
emphasizes that inter airport
traffic holds the greatest po-
tential with Dulles-to-Wash-
ington traffic as the second
most important market. There (
is no need for District-Natioual
service" Allegheny argues, be-
cause it takes less time to go
by taxi than by combination
of helicopter and taxi.
The need for service to
Friendship is questionable"
Allegheny continues. because
Dulles will likely become the
primary jet airport for the Dis
trict.
3. Lake Central Airlines, Inc, /
which is not seeking the hell
copter service. asks the CAB
to take no action to damage
present Friendship National
and planned Friendship-Dulles
service by fixed-wing planes. /
The airline says such competi- |
ton would be destructive and
probably force the Federal
Government either to substitute
both services or let them die.
Some Testimony Favorable
Some testimony, such as that
of New York Always, does. I
however seek service to all five
points.
And much of the testimony
is still not in. The last appli-
cant scheduled to present its
case is Washington Baltimore
Helicopter Anyways, Inc, a firm
with great interest in the po-
tential traffic it foresees among |
all five points.
A spokesman for the firm /
said he believes that helicopter
service between Friendship and
Dulles and National will be
necessary because fixed-wing
craft will not be able to operate
if air traffic over the Washing
ton area becomes much heavier.
Helicopters. he said, are the
answer to this congestion.
Besides lDhdt will be served,
the concept of hotD the points
shall be served is at stake.
Some believe the CAB decision
here will set a national pat I
tern. Thus, these "how" ques-
tons are hotly debated:
Is scheduled helicopter serv-
ice an extension of mass trans
it, best handled by a local
firm. such as D. c. Transit?
Or is it an extension of inter-
urban service of local-servicc
fixed-wing airplanes? Or
specialized service requiring
specialized, independent hell
copter firm?
Four Locally Owned
Four of the applicants are in
dependent companies, owned
primarily by area businessmen.
PILGRIM HELICOPTER
Services, Inc, has been oper-
ating non-scheduled services,
including helicopter sightsee-
ing here, for five years. 1t says
its Potomac Plaza Heliport at
Twenty-sixth street and New
Hampshire avenue NV. is the