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238

HELICOPTER AIR SERVICE PROGRAM

needed. Helicopter operation from Downey should reduce this time by approximately one-half.
The improvement of transportation facilities in this manner will be conducive to a better industrial climate for the southeast area of Los Angeles County by providing direct connections with airway systems throughout the United States.
We wish to commend the city of Downey for its endeavor to establish a helicopter site in the heart of the southeast industrial area of southern California. It is our understanding that the city is willing to pay the entire cost of the site without any Federal assistance. 
Than you, Senator.
Senator MONRONEY. Thank you very much for your statement indeed. We appreciate that, Mr. Wirth.
You may continue, Mr. King.
Mr. KING. Thank you.
Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, this does conclude our testimony. We said it would be brief. We just want to bring to you the message of the users of the helicopter service.
Senator MONRONEY. We are very glad to have your testimony, Mr. King, particularly since it not only is brief but is very illustrative of how great value this helicopter service can be to a rapidly growing community such as yours is. Calling this to the attention of the committee, and to the aviation fraternity in general, will prove very helpful, I hope, to improve transportation for cities such as yours, and others that are like it, many of whom are not fortunate enough to have an Oklahoma City manager.
Mr. KING. Thank you. I might recite this as an interesting item that happened to Mrs. King and myself about 3 weeks ago.
We were flying to Sacramento. We gave ourselves an hour and 15 minutes' time to get to the Los Angeles International Airport from our home. Due to traffic conditions we arrived there with about 20 minutes to spare. I unloaded her at the terminal, gave the baggage to the porter, and gave her the tickets. She checked the baggage in, went out, was right at the gate to get on the plane and I was driving around the airport to find a place to park.
I finally ran all the way around and was the last one on board. She almost went to Sacramento alone.
Senator MONRONEY. If you had had the helicopter land at your home city, you could have been there and somebody else could have checked your baggage in as you checked into the heliport and had it put aboard the plane, and you wouldn't have had to handle baggage or worry about the parking.
Mr. KING. I might say the charge for the helicopter service in our minds is comparable in some degrees, depending on how long you stay, to the parking facilities at the International Airport, in cost. 
Senator MONRONEY. That is a thought that hadn't occurred to me, but that is true. The larger the airport, the more volume, the higher go the parking fees.
if you are going to be gone for 2 or 3 days, it is cheaper to take a helicopter. It might be a good idea for some of these helicopter advertising men to impress on the public, because it is a point that had never occurred to me. 
Mr. KING. We thank you and the members of the committee for the excellent work you are doing here. It is a long hearing. We are privileged to have been here.