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    HELICOPTER AIR SERVICE PROGRAM   353

  Mr. COLONNA. We have already submitted a prepared statement.  I would like to make some short remarks.
  I am appearing here as president of the Municipal and Airport Division of the American Road Builders' Association.  Everything in our formal testimony has been ably covered by other more eloquent witnesses except the fact that the endorsement of this subsidy by the Municipal and Airport Division of the ARBA indicates a measure of popular support.
  The subsidy would keep in being three complete operating companies in whose success the United States has invested millions of dollars.  It will be a waste of all these funds to stop now just when success is in sight.
The Government is about to undertake a study to expedite travel between the large cities along the North Atlantic Seaboard. This study may well find that the helicopter or some steep takeoff machine is the best available answer to this problem as far as passengers, mail, and express are concerned.
By relieving the major airports of the bulk of this traffic, their capacity to handle longer-range flights will be materially increased. A result that could postpone for some years the need for additional major airports at a saving of hundreds of millions of dollars.
By flying from city center to city center, the saving in time and money involved in travel to and from airports will go a long way toward popularizing the higher cost of the interurban air ticket.
Thank you gentlemen.
Senator MONRONEY. Than you for your appearance here. We appreciate it. We are glad to have your valued support for this undertaking.
I would like to recognize the Senior Senator from Maryland.
Senator BREWSTER. I would also like to thank Col. John Colonna for his distinguished testimony. I am glad to see my distinguished colleague from the State of Maryland before this committee.
Mr. COLONNA. Thank you, sir.
Senator MONRONEY. Thank you.
(Mr. Colonna's prepared statement follows:)
Mr. Chairman and members of the subcommittee, my name is John O. Colonna. I am appearing in my position as president of the Municipal and Airport Division of American Road Builders' Association.
At the 63d annual meeting of the American Road Builders' Association held in Washington, D.C., February 21-24, 1965, the members of the Municipal and Airport Division voted unanimously to petition Congress to continue the federally support helicopter service.
The helicopter is a unique vehicle in that it can rise vertically or at a steep angle with no ground run such as is needed for fixed wind aircraft. After a flight of 100 miles per hour or more, it can descend vertically or at a steep angle and land on an area a little more than the diameter of its rotor. It needs no large area such as is required for an airport.
The helicopter's potential for rapid transportation of passengers and light cargo such as mail between city centers offers one promising avenue of attack upon the urban traffic problem especially in such heavy traveled corridors as between Washington, Boston, and intermediate cities. It uses air space not available to fixed wing aircraft and hence, need not congest the airways. Its value in rescue operations an disaster service was well illustrated during and after the recent California floods.
In the past, the helicopter seat-mile cost has been quite high with the 12 passenger helicopters operating by the subsidized carriers in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, but there have been spectacular improvements in the machine recently. Twin jet engines have increased the reliability, speed, comfort and capacity of helicopters.