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DOOLITTLE: "Certainly the electronic and mechanical equipment compensates. But it is still necessary that today's pilots be carefully selected and very well trained."

BLAIR: "How about age, sir? Do pilots today have to be younger than formerly?"

DOOLITTLE: "Well now, we'll have to qualify that statement by saying what you consider young. Young is usually someone younger than you."

RUSSELL: "That's a good answer. All right. Now, do you think that competitions like the Bendix Trophy Race have aided the development of aviation?"

DOOLITTLE: "They have aided very greatly because in the '30's and in the '20's it was very difficult to get money for the development of aviation. And the air races stimulated interest in the promption of aviation and made funds, finances, available and tried out the things that were necessary to develop aviation."

BLAIR: "Well tell us, General Doolittle, what does the airline passenger have to look forward to in the way of trans-continental flight in the future?"

DOOLITTLE: "Within two years the airline passenger flying jet aircraft will be able to cross this country at speeds of about 600 miles an hour. Going from East to West it will be a little less. From West to East it will be a little more due to the prevailing westerly winds.

"So it's not going to be too long before the country will be crossed in six hours and then in four and possibly sometime in three or less. And when you cross it in less than three going from East to West you'd beat the sun."

RUSSELL: "Here's two for the price of one, General. Is there any limit to the speed of planes and do you foresee a time when we'll be using rockets to travel across the country?"

Transcription Notes:
First transcribed 5-4-21