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procedures are evolving for passenger handling; loading and unloading freight; and handling the U.S. mail--all emphasizing the need for a minimum of paper work and personnel and a maximum of speed. Similarly, navigation and traffic difficulties are being solved.

If you will excuse a slight diversion here, we would like to say that, in view of our inspection and the demonstrations which we have witnessed of the Decca system, as well as other navigational systems which might be utilized to perform somewhat similar functions, it seems clear to us beyond any doubt that the Decca system should be tested under actual helicopter operating conditions for a period of at least twelve months. While fully subscribing to the general desirability of standardization, it seems to us that with regard to the safe and economic development of helicopter operating techniques, it very well may be that a system different from that utilized by fixed-wing aircraft is highly desirable and advantageous to all concerned.

The group gathered here today will not be surprised to find that it is being proved once again that there are no shortcuts, no cheap or inexpensive ways to develop a new means of transportation. There is no substitute for actual operations under commercial conditions where problems arise and are solved by management specifically charged with the responsibility--management whose undivided attention is directed at helicopters, unhampered and undiverted by any other interests.

That, in brief, is the background.

The three companies which compose this new industry quite properly, and in line with the wise policy under which they were all certificated, consider their principal objective today, in addition to the sound conduct of day-to-day operations, to be the development of increasingly efficient machines available to serve the travelling public on an ever-improving basis.

We consider, and I am sure you will agree, that the work we have done with the Bell Model 48, the Sikorsky Model S-51, and most recently, with the Sikorsky Model S-55, has greatly advanced the day when more economically feasible models will be available for all short haul operations, not only the metropolitan services which are the concern of our three companies. At this point it might be helpful to define what is meant by a metropolitan service. A metropolitan service is one which is conducted on a regularly scheduled basis by a certificated company. Its operations are directed at rendering the greatest possible service to the community defined in its certificate. In the case of New York Airways, this may be roughly described as the area which contains 15 million people, lying within sixty miles of Columbus Circle--the official center of New York City. In performing the metropolitan service for which it was created, New York Airways is making every effort to coordinate its schedules with the fixed-wing operators serving the three metropolitan airports. By our connecting service we have, in effect, put ofer fifty communities on the routes of the fixed-wing operators for purposes of mail, freight and passengers. This we consider to be our most important task. The

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