America’s Air Way

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 543, 21 December 1928, Page 9

America’s Air Way

AMAZING PROGRESS MADE Growth of Sky Transport PRIVATE AND GOVERNMENT AID

—yga MERICA is fostering her air industry in every possible way. The amazing growth §P of airways has deeply impressed the Australian delegates to the Washington Air Conference. They point out that America’s successes and failures, experi- • ments and experiences, will be of great value to countries that are not so far ■Jt , ' I,M —> forward in an air way. The Americans were generous in their counsel to the visiting experts.

Reed. 10.49 a.m. NEW YORK, Thurs. After spending a week inspecting the aviation industry in this city, Lieutenant-Colonel H. C. Brinsmead, Controller of Civil Aviation in Australia, and Captain Hughes, president of the New South Wales Aero Club, will proceed across the continent and continue their study, departing for Australia by the Sierra on January 10. They will travel very little by train during their entire American stay, and air travel will permit them to crowd into a few weeks Pbservations that otherwise would have taken months. They are agreed that the Washington Aeronautics Conference afforded an unexcelled opportunity to consult with leading experts in aviation and obtain data and points of view that would have been otherwise virtually impossible to get. It was not only the conference sessions that proved useful, hut chiefly the private discussions carried on before and afterward. IMPRESSIVE GROWTH They feel that from an observational point of view, the most important aspects in America are the impressive growth of the American aviation industry and the eagerness of large financial interests to underwrite the industry on a large scale. The United States, they say, has a highly effective administrative system federally that watches over and advances to aeronautics large sums, and the skilled technical ability that is being developed will solve the scientific problems of aviation. The conviction throughout the American business community is that aviation is definitely an important transport factor, and with pride the commercial houses push their airmail business as valuable advertising. The Post Office Department is energetic in the development of the airmail. Extreme friendliness was shown by all factors of the aviation industry to Australia, whose representaives were received with open arms, all data being placed before them without

reserve and the frankest discussion of failures as well as of accomplishments. The American aviation industry has increased in value thirty-fold during the last two years. The tendency, therefore, is to increase mass airplane production, with the natural result of improvement in machines, and reduction in price. The aviation industry finds large financial interests ready to advance all the capital needed. It might be interesting to consider the ultimate outcome of this great expansion of the American aeronautical industry. Weaker concerns will tend to disappear, leaving the field to better-established firms. The United States Department of Commerce, which supervises civil aviation, has developed an administrative system which should be of great interest to Australia because of its efficiency and usefulness. The National Aeronautical Council, which reports directly to the President of the United States, is doing excellent research work, as are private aviation interests. STUDY OF PROBLEMS The problems of night-flying, meteorological conditions, such as icing of airplanes, etc., are being closely studied, and the findings will be of use to international aeronautics. „ The manner in which the railways are co-operating with aviation in the United States shows that flying is recognised as an established means of transport. The air-mail keeps constantly to the fore. When American steamers begin to approach the United States shores writing-room envelopes of the ordinary kind disappear, and others marked air-mail are distributed.

Special air stamps are constantly being issued to commemorate all kinds of events, such as the Aeronautical Conference itself.

Air postage rates have been reduced and the community encouraged by every means to use the air-post. America’s experiences, both successful and unsuccessful, will be helpful to Australia in indicating the pitfalls to avoid and the directions to take,