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166 HELICOPTER AIR SERVICE PROGRAM Then we have the local businessman, who supports our community, our commerce, and also the general tourist and vacation traveler who is so very important to us in southern California. The subsidy that has been received by Los Angeles Airways, nevertheless, has not be exclusively for the traveling public. We have made very substantial contributions to the development of the art in maintaining and improving flying helicopters. I think I can safely say that some of the technological things which were discussed here by the previous witness may have some of their origin in the rotary wing concept of the helicopter. In the meantime, as you have already heard, we have been certificated now for almost 18 years. At the start of this period, subsidy represented 81 percent of our total revenues, and commercial revenues about 18 percent. By 1964, the total revenues, our subsidy represented 46 percent, and commercial revenues, 53 percent. The total subsidy during the 10-year period between 1954 and 1964 was $12,683,390. Senator MONRONEY. $12 million what? Mr. BELINN. $12,683,000. Senator MONRONEY. For how many years? Mr. BELINN. Ten Years. Senator MONRONEY. That would be $1,200,000 average if spread equally over the 10 years. Mr. BELINN. That is correct, sir. Senator MONRONEY. You fly, by far, the greatest number of helicopter miles of any of the carriers, do you not? Mr. BELINN. We fly about twice as many miles as our counterpart, and he is using the same category of equipment. I believe we fly about the same number of ton-miles as the three certificated carriers combined. I am not certain how far we could make inroads into the nonsubsidized. But you are correct, we do this. Senator MONRONEY. What is your load factor? Mr. BELINN. Our overall load factor has been running in the high 50's; right about 58 percent. Senator MONRONEY. What is your break-even requirement? Mr. BELINN. It is a little difficult to put your finger on because our through-route segments have different revenue yields. We have one route on which the break-even point, if I remember correctly, is about 80 percent. We have one on which I am sure does not break even at even 100, and one which, probably at this point, the one which has the least development, will probably break even somewhere in the neighborhood - I am guessing now - at around 120 or 125 percent. Senator MONRONEY. Your stage length between stops is how long? Mr. BELINN. I would say-- Senator MONRONEY. Give me the low, middle and high. Mr. BELINN. The high would be 65 miles. Senator MONRONEY. That would be San Bernardino to Los Angeles. Mr. BELINN. Yes. And the shortest one would be Van Nuys, I believe, which is 20 miles. Senator MONRONEY. What about your stage length to Ontario? The manager there, who used to be manager at Los Angeles International, tells me that is going to be a second airport one of these days for that area. Do you have much traffic to and from Ontario?
