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94 HELICOPTER AIR SERVICE PROGRAM those that are involved, rather than all of these flights that stop. Have you given consideration to that point? Mr. PUCINSKI. Of course, we like to have them stopping in Chicago and we would like to do everything we can to encourage it. Senator MONRONEY. Would the Senator yield? It says, speaking to Mr. Boyd's statement, which was made in the committee yesterday no action was taken with regard to the Chicago Helicopter Airways temporary certificate which expires in 1966. It means you have only a year and a half to go. You think that would be sufficient for the reopening and reactivation of Midway? Mr. PUCINSKI. I think we have started now. We are working on the reactivation of Midway now. Our feeling is that it is going to take several years before we get the thing fully going. This is why we are urging upon the Congress to continue its present program beyond 1966. I do not think that 1966 will be sufficient time, Senator. Senator CANNON. In other words, you are supporting the program up through 1970, as the CAB presented it. Mr. PUCINSKI. Yes, sir. Senator CANNON. And hoping it will be continued for your company as well during that period? Mr. PUCINSKI. Yes, sir. Senator CANNON. Thank you. Senator MONRONEY. Senator Hart? Senator HART. No questions. Senator MONRONEY. Is it because you have such rapid transit from downtown to O'Hare that your load factor has dropped to 37,622 passengers during the last year? Mr. PUCINSKI. Oh, no, sir. You mean between Midway and O'Hare? Senator MONRONEY. No. It is because you have such good surface transportation possible--I don't think it is so good myself--between downtown Chicago and O'Hare, that you don't seem to do very well on the transportation of people from downtown to the airport? Mr. PUCINSKI. You are speaking of the drop in helicopter service? Senator MONRONEY. Yes. When O'Hare and Midway ceased to be linked together with connecting flights, requiring the shuttle service, you went from 309,000 per year that you were running in 1960, down to 37,622, which is just a little bit over one-tenth of the total traffic that you had when you linked together the 2 airports. I am surprised that you didn't have a greater amount of downtown-to-O'Hare service required. Mr. PUCINSKI. By helicopter? Senator MONRONEY. By helicopter, yes. Or the long stretches that you have from the north shore that probably find it easier to drive. From the south shore it seems like quite a distance from downtown to O'Hare. Mr. PUCINSKI. As I tried to point out earlier, our main problem is connecting Midway and O'Hare. This service, surface service to the Loop, between O'Hare and the Loop, is pretty good during nonrush hours. So I would think that there is some correlation between that and the dropoff of helicopter service. But the big problem, of course, is the connecting. Senator MONRONEY. It would not be economic unless it were for the connecting?
