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HELICOPTER AIR SERVICE PROGRAM 371

This fairly new medium of transportation can be and is a tremendous asset to the community.  It can transport passengers, freight, and mail at a more economical rate and much faster than regular transportation services.  There are no rapid transit systems or regular commuter trains in southern California.  The only regular transportation is by bus or automobile.  This makes transportation  slow and difficult.  This is especially true in an area such as southern California where a dense population and congested highways make it difficult and time-consuming to travel by automobile from one side of metropolitan Los Angeles to the other.

A helicopter can shuttle passengers from outlying counties to the Los Angeles International Airport in less than 20 minutes.  An automobile or bus from Riverside or San Bernardino Counties takes from one hour and a half to two and one-half hours, depending on traffic conditions.

According to Mr. Clarence Belinn, president of  the Los Angeles Airways, Inc., the service has grown from 4,779 passengers in 1955 to over 205,111 passengers during 1964.  Over 800,000 passengers are expected to take advantage of helicopter service by 1970.

Because of the great need, the helicopter service will in a few short years become self-sufficient and I feel that there will no longer be a need for Government subsidies.

AIR LINE DISPATCHERS ASSOCIATION
Vienna, Va., March 8 1965.
Hon. A.S. MIKE MONRONEY,
Chairman, Aviation Subcommittee,
U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C.

DEAR SENATOR MONRONEY:  The Air Line Dispatchers Association, representing the dispatch personnel of 26 scheduled air carriers, supports the continuation of Federal subsidy to the scheduled helicopter airlines of the United States, and urges that any reduction in the annual support figures be programed on a gradual basis, rather than on a sharp cutoff.

It is our impression that the scheduled helicopter airlines are doing an excellent job of attempting to maintain regular service to the traveling public.  Many people, like myself, find it necessary at times to shuttle back and forth between airports to conduct business. We not that the loads are frequently less than break-even, and yet the service is maintained.  The bugaboo of weather is gradually being overcome.  In fact, although the FAA has recently offered instrument authorization to scheduled helicopter airlines, they are presently operating VFR on approximately the same weather minimums that conventional airplanes use for circling limits. It is plain that these carriers intend to stay in business and meet all the regulations laid down by the FAA to conduct virtually all-weather operations.

In an era when the administration is talking about providing rent subsidy to low-income groups, we think that it would hardly be justifiable to deny continuation of subsidy to private enterprise which is striving to become self-sufficient and subsidy-free.  Can this Nation afford to regard airline subsidy as a charitable handout?  We don't think so.  It seems no different to us than a price support or a Government-insured loan.  Far different than the handouts envisioned in some of the so-called proverty programs.

If subsidy to the scheduled helicopter airlines is suddenly reduced or cut off, the cost of continued operation will become prohibitive.  Passenger fares will be hiked for above willingness to pay figures.  Safety items will be overlooked.  Pilots and ground personnel will be laid off.  Hard bought confidence will be destroyed.

There has not been enough time for public acceptance of this mode of transportation.  There is plenty of evidence that it is growing and that there will be more and more combinations of cities that demand helicopter service, and in the face of this evidence we can see no justification for shutting off the Federal support.  More modern and complex equipment is being introduced, equipment that is large enough and safe enough to be self-supporting from an economic standpoint.

The Federal Government is urging a third level of air carrier service upon the aviation industry.  Such service, while intended to be subsidy-free, will in time be reexamined for possible Government support.  All infant industry that thrives and which serves the public interest, has some time in its history obtained