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188-40B 71st Crescent
Flushing, New York
November 14, 1949

Mr. David L. Behncke, President
Air Line Pilots Association
3145 West Sixty-Third St.
Chicago 29, Ill.

Dear Dave:

I would like to suggest three things that could possibly reduce mid air collisions.

1.  No V.F.R. flying above 3500.

2.  No flying 500 feet on top without advising "Airways" of the altitude at 500 feet on top.  Any change of altitude while on top should be reported immediately.

3.  Nobody should fly into a key terminal, such as New York, Boston, Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles, etc., without holding a valid rating for that terminal.  This is extremely important because unless you are thoroughly familiar with any of these terminals you cannot do a job.  A special rating of this sort would be issued by the CAA just like a horsepower rating is issued.  It would not involve a hardship to air line pilots as they are already thoroughly familiar with their terminals, but would serve to keep those incompetent and unfamiliar people out.  We must not overlook the fact that it would also serve to jack up and bolster our weakening route qualification requirements.

What do you think?  Regards,
Sincerely yours,

Michael A. Gitt
MAG:af

P.S. More I.F.R. flights will show us whether or not "Airways" has reached the saturation point. I firmly believe that communications are already bogged down.  We must also remember that I.F.R. flights give immediate relief in some small measure to technological unemployment.