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PLAINFIELD, N.J., COURIER-NEWS, TUESDAY, AUGUST 1, 1939

Aviation Talk Given to Rotary Club

South Plainfield -- Michael A. Gitt, manager of the Unger Airport addressed members of the borough Rotary Club last night.  His topic was the "The Role Private Owned Airplanes Play in Aviation."

Mr. Gitt, who was introduced by Dunham C. Reinig, said aviation can be divided into two classes; scheduled transportation and private operation.  Scheduled transportation, stated the speaker depends on the freight more for its revenue than passengers and each year the mail is growing heavier and heavier.

Mr. Gitt, who also is a pilot, stated owners of private planes must depend on private jobs for their revenue.  A big customer of the private plane owner is the Department of Agriculture who buys photographs. All land in the United States has not been photographed and the Department is interested in buying aerial photographs of certain area, he said.  These pictures are more accurate than surveys made on foot and the method is much cheaper.  Power lines often hire planes to take pictures for them when miles and miles of land are under consideration.  The Department of Agriculture used this method when they figured up ratios during the AAA area in the South and in the West.

Easy to Take Photos

Members of the club were told that it is easy to take aerial photographs in the West but it is very difficult in the East as certain weather is needed by the pilots.  These pictures must be taken at an altitude of about 16,000 feet so that oxygen equipment is needed.

Another important field in which the private plane plays an important part, said Manager Gitt, is in the charter work.  The private planes are chartered because they are quicker than the regular lines.  Often a passenger has to be in a certain city in a hurry and though the modern airline is quicker, often too many connections are necessary.

Important Phase

Student work is an important phase of the private plane owner especially if he is connected with an airport such as Hadley where there are mostly private owned planes, the speaker declared.  The student work is important in that it is a d ependable means of revenue all year round.  Student training can be carried on during the winter months just as wells as in the summer, he added.

Bulk of the student training is under the supervision of the government said Manager Gitt.  Teaching the Student to fly is a simple matter, he declared, the main objective of the instructor is to increase the confidence of the student so that he will trust himself.  Once a student has mastered his fears it is necessary to make sure he does not become "too cocky" after completing his first solo flight, said Gitt.

Guests at the meeting were Police Chief Cornelius McCarthy, the Rev. Thomas A. Campbell, pastor of St. Joseph's Church, North Plainfield; Howard Spalding, principal of North PLainfield High School; James Boyer, Scout executive; and Thomas Lee, Borough REferral Agent.

President Octavious Blake asked members of the club to attend other Rotary Clubs in cities they visit while vacationing.  He requested that they take special notice of what other clubs are doing so that they can bring home some helpful hints.