AMERICA IN THE AIR

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 83, 6 January 1928, Page 10

AMERICA IN THE AIR

AMAZING PROGRESS OF CIVIL AVIATION 300,000,000 LETTERS CARRIED BY AIR MAIL NEARLY FIFTY MILLION MILES FLOWN (George L- Moore in the "Christian Science Monitor.”) Miles flown by aeroplanes in the United States last year were the equivalent of upward of 2000 flights around the world, but in columns of newspaper space the fact has been wortli only a few paragraphs. Aircraft in nonmilitary flying did 23,452,852 miles, of which the regular errands of the an mail account for nearly 4,000,000. Military flying brought the total to 48,586,402 miles. Figures indicative ol 1927 recently were released, showing that civil airway operators flew more than 12,000,000 In the first six months of the year. The bare statement that nearly 50,000,000 miles were covered has none of the sauce of human inter

■» . m... ..■■■ii Seat which makes facts. palatable; yet it is tremendously significant. The mileage rolled 'up by the air mail carriers was flown as part of a service which has Kept so close to regular schedule that the inscription over the Brooklyn post office literally describes its accomplishments: “Neither sleet, snow nor gloom of night stays these swift couriers in their appointed rounds.” The achievement of the Post Office Department in developing an air mail service, which Colonel i Lindbergh said was regarded with reverence in Europe, is one of the outstanding achievements in aviation history. It also is. unique in the history of transportation. Ordinarily the demands of industry •nd commerce originate means of transportation, whereas the Post Office Department has developed means ®f transportation in order to foster ’ the progress of the carrier itself. This : fact is central' in any consideration of ; commercial aviation’s status to-day: ’That the air mail is the backbone of I sound commercial aviation activity in tire United States and that now private contractors have taken over air transport of mail, together with small express and passengers, an eminently sound basis exists for future development. First Air Mail Route. The first air mail route was started iff 1918 between Washington and New York, a five-hour trip by train, 2+ hours by air, The distance was so short that after transfer of mail by truck from the flying field to the centre of .the cities, air transport could be credited- with only a slight margin of time-saving. In 1920 short disconnected lines, such as New York-Wash-ington, Minneapolis-Chicago, St. LouisChicago, and Chicago-Cleveland were abandoned in favour of a transcontinental line beginning in New York and ending in San Francisco The first ’plane over the transcontinental route "made the journey in four days. To-day mail leaves New York nt noon and is flown to San Francisco by late the following afternoon, tak- ‘ ing 31 hours for the 2700-mile trip, including stops for transfer. Two years ago an overnight service was inaugurated between New York and Chicago. Mail now is carried over the transcontinental route twice a day. In addition, feeder lines, authorised by Congress, ply between Los Angeles and Salt Lake City, Dallas and Chicago via Kansas City, and Boston and New York. From May 15, 1918, to June 30, 1927, when the Government turned over the transport of mail by air to private contractors, similar to that between the Government and the railroads, the 'planes of this magnificent Gov-ernment-operated route flew a total of 15,657,330 miles. Nearly 300,000,000 letters were carried, with losses so inconsequential that. air mail now carries no higher an insurance rate than railroad mail. Postage rates at first were based on a zoning system, at so much per thousand miles. On February 1, 1927, a flat rate of 10 cents a half-ounce for letters sent anywhere over the routes became effective. Ground Work. Back of such surprisingly efficient accomplishment have been extensive ground support, personnel training, and administrative vision essential to such-a stupendous task as working up an aeroplane service from a standing start. An airway is more on the ground than in the air. requiring airports, flood lights for night use, beacon lights, intermediate landing fields, and radio stations. The Government’s air mail activities have resulted in trained fliers, development of a route, and creation of a sentiment for air mail service. 'Air mail fliers were the first to fly through ice-forming clouds, one of the greatest menaces to firing. They have conquered fog and high mountains, and an air mail-trained pilot electri-

fied the world by the first flight from New York to Paris.

The development of route and the creation of sentiment now are assets on the ledgers of the contractors, who have taken over the pioneer mechanism set up by the Post Office Department, and are striving to make the business of flying profitable in dollars and cents.

The business aspects of commercial aviation will be discussed in more detail in a future article. At this point it is well to emphasise the fact of a

fundamental difference between aviation developments in the United States and in Europe. Surveys have shown that virtually all European commercial aviation i« non-profitable as a direct business venture; that is, flying passengers, express and mail in Europe is done at a loss, which is paid back to the operating companies by the various Governments.

Company Earnings.

This subsidy is regarded as worthwhile because of the support accorded aviation as an arm of the national defence.' Deutsche Lufthansa is reported to draw 30 per cent, of its support from earning; 70 per cent, from the German Government. Imperial Airways, Ltd., next in size, derives 45 per cent, of support from earnings and 55 per cent, from the British Government.

Entirely apart from the merit or demerit of Government subsidy in theory, the fact exists that in the United States there are no indications of Government subisidi.sation of aviation. Mr. Hoover has said that there will be no Government subsidy. Business men, bankers, railroad presidents, and leaders in the aviation industry who have been consulted by the writer of these articles are virtually unanimous in stating their judgment as being against subsidy. A typical expression of such opinion comes from Harold M. Bixby, of St. Louis, president of the St. Louis Chamber of Commerce, the man who suggested the name for Lindbergh’s ’plane: "In my opinion, there’ will not be anv Government subsidy for American transport aeroplanes. The development of commercial aviation should be by private capital, and there is no reason, in my opinion, why air passenger service tnay not ultimately be conducted at a profit.” The Government, through the Post Office* Department’s air mail, has blazed the trail for American commercial aviation. The judgment of business men at this stage of development is that the future of the industry ultimately is dependent on the initiative of American business men. The underlying philosophy of the matter is that tilings grow great which earn a profit. Capital Friendly.

Large-scale aviation enterprise as yet is only formative. True, the industry has passed the tin-cup solicitation basis. Capital is friendly, but earnings records are naturally not yet on the books in any considerable amount, at least as far as transportation phases are concerned. And growth of transportation is intimately interrelated with manufacturing. In 1926 the companies engaged primarily in the manufacture of aircraft built 1179 aeroplanes, compared with 711 in 1925. A total of 85 aircraft were exported, and 855 aeroplane engines were shipped to other countries. Mass production as yet cannot be applied to building aeroplanes, for these isn’t the . mass demand which makes it possible to “Fordise,” and the engineering requirements in building ’planes are still in a stage where constant painstaking experiment and test are necessary. As to the transportation phases, companies are vet largely obliged to “feel their wav”; testing; pioneering. During 1927 there have been great strides forward. In the current Aircraft Year Rook, 420 operators are reported as maintaining 969 'planes for various uses. Their equipment ranges from one ’plane to a score—for sightseeing or taxi trips; that is, trips made without schedule, as the operator is asked to carry merchandise or fly a passenger, and such uses as dusting crops with insecticides, photography, and flying instruction. Over 7,500.000 miles were flown bv these operators; 380,201 passengers carried, and 182,508 pounds of express flown.

The transport companies which now have the air mail routes on contract will carry cxnrcss, under an arrangement with the American Express Comnanv, and also will seek business