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CAB Releases Initial Erie-Detroit Decision
 
  Permanent certification of Mohawk Airlines' service on its Buffalo/Niagara Falls-Erie-Detroit route was authorized on November 27, 1959 in an initial decision by CAB Examiner William F. Cusick.
  On September 20, 1956, CAB had authorized the service for a temporary five-year period to end November 19, 1961.  Service was inaugurated on a temporary basis on December 1, 1956.
  the New York State Department of Commerce intervened at that time in support of Mohawk's proposal to extend its service to Erie and Detroit.  It contended that the service between the co-terminal points Buffalo/Niagara Falls and Detroit via Erie was necessary to the economic development of the Southern Tier and other up-State communities.
  On December 20, 1957, the Department again intervened in the Erie-Detroit case - reopened to determine whether the Detroit service granted 18 New York State communities in 1956 should be eliminated or curtailed.
  Fourteen civic and state intervenors participated in the proceedings.  They took the position that insufficient time had elapsed to properly appraise the value of the new services being rendered.
  The Department of Commerce submitted considerable data showing that adverse economic conditions prevailed in the area during early operations under the temporary certificate and that the effects of the business recession were more marked in early 1958 than in the comparable period of 1957.  Despite the depressed business activity with its obvious effect upon air transportation, the Department contended that there were strong business ties between New York State communities and Detroit, that the service had been instrumental in meeting a real public need, and that the traveling public in New York State had fully supported the service to Detroit.  They produced evidence (exhibits and testimony) showing that despite a nationwide recession the traffic generated had met or exceeded the original estimate.
  Mohawk's actual traffic in 1957 totaled 13,639 passengers.  If air traffic follows its normal growth pattern, the Department maintained, the forecast total of 17,580 passengers would be met or exceeded in 1960.
  Traffic data also indicated that public patronage of the service had been substantially in excess of the standards set by the Board in its "use it or lose it" policy, as announced in the Seven States Area Investigation.
  In the seven months from December 1958 through June 1959, Mohawk's Buffalo - Erie - Detroit service developed 26,260 passengers - a growth of 50.9 percent over the comparable period a year earlier.  This very substantial traffic increase was achieved without any increase in schedules and did not take into account the heavy traffic usually generated during July and August.  Should this growth continue for the entire 12 months - and there is no indication it will not, according to the CAB conclusions - Mohawk will carry approximately 52,900 passengers in the year ended November 1, 1959.  With this volume of traffic, there is every likelihood that Mohawk's Buffalo-Erie-Detroit service will not only be free of subsidy, but the route segment will also contribute to lowering the carrier's overall system mail-pay requirements.
  In the Erie-Detroit case, Allegheny Airlines also proposed extension of its service from Erie to Detroit.  It received authorization on a temporary five-year basis along with Mohawk, and in the initial decision of November 27, 1959 was granted authority to operate on a permanent basis, assuring one-carrier service from Jamestown to Detroit.

FAA Aide Warns Air Industry Against Longer Runways

  The day of ever-longer runways is over as far as Federal funds are concerned, according to James T. Pyle, deputy PAA administrator.  
  In telling of the FAA decision on runways, the deputy  administrator emphasized that a recent decision to increase Federally sponsored runways from a maximum of 8,400 feet to 10,500 is the final figure.
  It is the responsibility of aircraft designers, builders and users to see that their planes can operate on runways of today's limits, he suggested.  Airlines also should use the extra power benefits of the turbofan engine for noise alleviation rather than simply for carrying bigger loads.
  The turbofan, a modification of the straight jet, is said to make possible shorter take-off runs and higher climb-outs over communities, thereby permitting less noise to reach the ground.
  American Airlines plans to convert its entire jet fleet to turbofans starting next year with other airlines either studying the engine or having ordered some new jets equipped with the power plant.

  New York State with 65.3 aircraft ranks 8th in the country in total active civil aircraft ownership per 1,000 sq. mi.