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204 HELICOPTER AIR SERVICE PROGRAM

revenue, better than we can by trying to get into the technical portions of it, which would be very difficult to explain in a conference with the House. 

Mr. CUMMINGS. The other point which would be interest to you, and maybe not of direct significance to this hearing, though, is the fact that this system is the only navigational aid which was privately developed through the use of private capital and is today financed by private capital in its operation. It is the only one in this country that I know about. 

Senator MONRONEY. That was not developed by the FAA. 

Mr. CUMMINGS. No, sir. Completely by New York Airways in collaboration with the Decca Co. There is no Federal money in this at all. 

Senator MONRONEY. I am surprised at that because Federal money is appropriated and can be utilized for that. I am surprised that FAA declined to participate.
 
Mr. CUMMINGS. They weren't asked to participate. We didn't need the money. We had it out of our normal allotment for funds from the subsidy - 

Senator MONRONEY. This come under self-financing of individual research and development, which sets a rather strong patter. I doubt if our trunklines which are doing so well have contributed as much to the establishment of the traffic control system. Of course, they participated by installing the new equipment to match up with the breakthroughs and improvements. I doubt if they themselves had the system put in. 
Mr. CUMMINGS. This is true in this particular case. 

Senator MONRONEY. I am glad to hear that. 

Mr. CUMMINGS. The other important feature which I am sure you have noticed is that it is being used in Vietnam, it was bought off the shelf as a result of our work. 

Senator MONRONEY. The military was able to buy this blind landing system, the Decca System, because you have developed it and perfected it and installed it for use in New York?

Mr. CUMMINGS. Yes, sir. 

Senator MONRONEY. This is another of the recent breakthroughs. This is one of the problems we have, of showing something new every year that you are doing for the military. It is not enough to say we did this 3 years ago, we lowered the cost of maintenance, but these specifics, as you are giving today, as we had earlier in the testimony, of the ring differential gears, and the washers, are a good illustration that the helicopters need a breakthrough in the maintenance of their aircraft. 

Mr. CUMMINGS. I would like to underscore this. There are about eight lines in this letter included in appendix 9 which I would like to have in the record right now, maybe. It is from Mr. Harvey Schwarz, president of the Decca Navigator System to me: 

It is our understanding that the Decca system is today the only navigational system which has been found fully useful for all-weather helicopter operations in Vietnam. As a result of the joint Decca-NYA program, the Mark VIII Decca Navigator System was immediately available to the U.S. armed services in 1962 substantially as an "off-the-shelf" item when it was initially procured for use in the very critical Vietnam situation. But for New York Airways early and active interest the necessary equipment would have required a minimum of 2 years from the date the first serious U.S. military procurement interest was indicated***.