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The development of long-distance transportation should not be neglected, but there is a wide difference between military aircraft and air line aircraft. In military aircraft, safety is important, but air safety must be sacrificed in many instances to gain the necessary advantages over the enemy to retain air fighting supremacy; and it must not be forgotten that military airmen wear parachutes.

When we get over into the civil air line transportation field, it's a different story. Retooling with new equipment must be slower and carried on in broader cycles or the economic factor will become inconsistent. There must be a far greater degree of safety present in air line aircraft or far too many of our traveling public will say, "When they get those things down so that they're reasonably safe, we'll patronize them; but as long as they keep trying to establish world speed records, bruise up their passengers due to excessive speeds, and continue having a chain of accidents, broken only by miracles involving miraculous escapes, we won't patronize them" Hairbreadth Harry stuff doesn't appeal to the traveling public.


IN ANOTHER PART OF THIS PRESENTATION, WE HAVE ALREADY DESCRIBED and explored at some length the value of air line pilots during war time. The President's Air Policy Commission must not forget that in time of war air line pilots, as was proved in World War II, fall primarily into two categories, i.e. (a) the civil air line network must be kept operating and expanding to meet the war-time transportation needs, and (b) in addition, there must be an ample supply of air line pilots to activate and carry on the military and naval air transport services so necessary to successfully prosecute a war.

HERE IS A SAD PHENOMENON. Many World War II pilots were employed on the air lines. Let's take a look and see what has happened to these air line employed military pilots since the shooting ceased. They went to work on the air lines but technological unemployment has reared its ugly head, and large numbers of air line pilots have been laid off, furloughed. Each time a larger and faster piece of air line equipment comes on the air lines replacing a smaller twin-motored aircraft, such as a DC-3, the air line company operating the equipment employs less pilots. The larger and faster equipment is more difficult and fatiguing to fly. The 85 flying hours permitted monthly to be flown in the small equipment, such as the DC-3, is too many hours to fly in the larger and faster equipment. This 85-hour monthly federal law limitation must be reduced for two reasons. First, if it is not reduced, the air line pilots presently flying on the air lines will be worn out prematurely; and secondly, the number of highly trained air line pilots so necessary to the security and well-being of our country in time of war will be cut to a mere handful.

Facts of this character are never mentioned without causing a flare of ridicule and criticism from the monied interests in the air line transportation industry. It is natural that they should complain;