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Six          The Air Line Pilot            May, 1947
The Air-Minded Shah of Iran
IMAGE 
  The whole globe is air-minded nowadays. Even little Iran, which was once only a name in a geography book to most people, today boasts of a full fledged military air force. Here the Shah of Iran, Mohammed Reza Shah Pahlevi, takes his duties as commander in chief of the Iran Air Force seriously. A qualified pilot, in his uniform as commander in chief of the air force, he is shown at the controls of his own plane. 

 Pension Progress
(Continued from Page 5, Col. 3)
condition and uninjured by rough handling in the mail. During April and May, the Publicity and Public Relations Department also distributed two news releases-one on the Association's safety activities and the other regarding the pilots' reactions to the ICAO standardization proposals-which went to over 1,000 newspapers, wire services, aviation writers and magazines. Considerable time was also spent in assembling date for many writers interested in doing articles on ALPA and its activities.
  A meeting of the ALPA Pilots' Retirement Committee, authorized by the Ninth Convention to draft a pension plan for air line pilots as the first step in a plan to securing a federally legislated law similar to the Railway Retirement Act covering railway workers, was held in Washington on April 28 and 29 at which the first draft was reviewed and modified. The committee is composed of Clayton Stiles, of Local Council No. 52, UAL-New York; A. F. Foster. of Local Council No. 2, TWA-New York; and Mike Gitt, of Local Council No. 28, Colonial. Murray Latimer, who assisted in drafting the Railway Retirement Law, is ALPA's consultant. 
Engineering Department
 During the latter part of April, 1947. ALPA's Engineering Department's activity included compiling comment relating to the direction of motion of the indicating dial of gyro stabilized direction indicator. The ALPA Air Traffic Control and Airway Aids Advisory Committee members were contacted on this matter and as a result of the comments received, a letter was written and submitted to C.F. Dycer, of the CAA.
 Another matter, which has become more and more active, is the transporting of dynamite on air carrier aircraft. Headquarter has received correspondence from pilot members transporting dynamite, which expressed their concern in regard to transporting such materials by air. The Bureau of Standards and the Civil Aeronautics Board Safety Bureau have been contacted in this matter and every step is being take to assure a maximum degree of safety when dynamite or other explosives are transported by air. The Safety Bureau is seeking ALPA's assistance in this study. 
 According to the correspondence received in the ALPA Engineering Department on ILS, a subject which ALPA members as a whole 
LANDING AIDS
have had under study for some time, is apparently reaching a satisfactory conclusion. This is evidenced by the fact that correspondence from the chairmen and technical committees indicates the ILS (Instrument Landing System) final installation plans are in the most instances acceptable to the air line pilots. This is viewed as an indication that the preliminary surveys and studies made jointly by CAA, ATA, and ALPA are yielding satisfactory results. 
Landing Aids
 Another step, which has long been active with ALPA, is the subject of landing aids. Reports from the ALPA committee members assigned to this task (E.A. Cutrell, J.E. Wood and Arthur Foster) indicate increased activity on landing aids studies and demonstrations. The goal of the committee is to make a final selection of an arrangement of landing aids that will be satisfactory to all concerned. 
 On May 5, 1947 R. Riech, field service engineer of the A.M. Bayers Company, visited Headquarters and discussed his company's plans for heated runways with Mr. Linnert. This contact is the second in a relatively short period and indicates increased interest in this field. A. M. Bayers Company submits proposals for heating runways by means of steamed pipes beneath the concrete runway surfaces. Test installations for snow melting on concrete surfaces have been made by this company with satisfactory results. The application of their design principles to airport runways should add much to increase safety of landings by providing dry runways, a factor considered in the goal of all-weather flying. 
 A survey of the date in the Headquarters Engineering Department files indicates that the height of the antenna towers used for broadcasting purposes require the establishment of height limitations. A subject recently opened by ALPA with the Safety Bureau and now under discussion, and embodies the question of obstruction towers which reach a height of over 1000 feet. It is felt that such heights become a hazard to air navigation regardless of location. The need for a height limitation for man-made obstructions is apparent. 
Committee Meets
 On May 8, 1947, an Engineering and Airworthiness Advisory Committee meeting was held in the ALPA conference room. (See Photo on Page Five.) The Engineering Committee members present at this meeting were R.M. Van Tuyl, of Local Council No.12, UAL-Chicago; I.E. Sommermeyer, of Local Council No.12 UAL-Chicago; C.H. Tschirgi of Local Council No. 25, TWA-Chicago; K.D. Wright, of Local Council No. 43, Delta-Chicago and T.G. Linnert, of ALPA's Engineering Department.
The agenda for the meeting included the subject of Draft Release 47-4, Draft Release 47-5, a discussion of Permanent Set or Deformation in Air Line Airplanes, the subject of Performance on DC-4 Aircraft, and a request from the CAA for ALPA's reaction to applying the sliding scale for ceiling and visibility minimums to four-engine aircraft.
A review of Draft Release 47-4, subject, "Consolidated flight dispatch of scheduled air carrier aircraft," resulted in the opinion that the individual air carrier should maintain its own dispatching, and that the Civic Air Regulations, as currently in effect, reveals the need for this, both comprehensively and conclusively.
Draft Release 47-5, subject, "Proposed regulation covering minimum requirements for route qualifications of scheduled air line pilots," revealed that the amendment was not entirely satisfactory.  The subject of structural deformation appeared on the agenda and the data on hand was studied and the subject will be further reviewed at a future meeting.  The performance review on DC-4 aircraft revealed that this airplane has given a fairly good account of itself to date; however, some concern is felt at the operation of the DC-4 at high gross weights.
The subject of applying a sliding scale of ceiling and visibility minimums to DC-4 and Constellation (Continued on Page 7, Col. 3)

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-Acme Photo
"INFORMAL CHAT" Howard Hughes, head of Hughes Tool Company and majority stockholder of TWA whose influence was largely responsible for the recent TWA shake-up, is show after a recent secret session with the Senate War Investigating Committee. Huge was not subpoenaed, but appeared voluntarily before the committee which heard him in a secret session. In the above photo (l. to r.) are Senator Carl A. Hatch (D., N.M.), Senator Owen Brewster (R.,Me), Senator William F. Knowland (R., Calif.), and Howard Hughes.  Committee Chairman Brewster said Hughes discovered certain war contrasts of his were under investigation and "asked to appear to discuss them informally with the Committee." It is known that there has been considerable government dissatisfaction over the federal underwriting of Hughes' $20,000,000 flying boat, the "Hercules," but whether or not that was one of the subjects discussed was nor revealed by the committee nor Hughes. 

RESIGNS
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Jack Frye
The resignation of Jack Frye as Trans World Airlines president marked the high light in the changing TWA managerial setup under Howard Hughes' control. Jack Frye, like many others in the industry, made many friends and also some enemies during his long period as an air line pioneer and builder. 
President David L. Behncke, of the Air Line Pilots Association, said of Frye's resignation: 
"Irrespective of what people say about Jack Frye, either good, bad or indifferent, the fact remains that he is one of the outstanding pioneers in air line history, and his accomplishments speak volumes for his ability as one of the greatest organizers and promoters of air lines that this country has ever produced. The vast TWA air line network is a monument to the ability and ingenuity of the man, Jack Frye.
Frye has recently taken the position as board chairman of General Airline & Film Corporation and General Dyestuff Corporation.  All of his friends in the air line industry wish him the best of luck and boundless success in his new undertaking.

TEN YEARS AGO
Standing firmly for its convention that proper air safety legislation should be enacted not only for the welfare of the pilots, but for the protection of the traveling public, as well as the security and progress of American aviation, the Air Line Pilots Association and their veteran leader, David L. Behncke, continued their battle in May of 1937, in the House and Senate advocating the establishment of an independent Air Safety Board. 
A prominent American citizen and outstanding statesman, Jesse Jones, chairman, Reconstruction Finance Corporation, further reiterated ALPA's plea in his testimony at Senate hearings that month. An account of the Jesse Jones' testimony was carried in the May, 1937, issue of the AIR LINE PILOT and is reprinted below:
"I think that everything should be done to stablize and make more dependable the air service. I think that applies as well to rates and to certificates of convenience and necessity, and certainly to all apes of air safety and schedules.
"It seems to me that air travel should be subject to just as strict regulation as, if not stricter than, any other form of transportation-certainly as strict. I will o further and say that the government ought to do everything it can to encourage the development of the air service, the improvement of flying conditions, flying instruments, and things of that kind, even to the point of liberality with the exchequer, if necessary.
I SEE NO REASON WHY THE INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION SHOULD NOT HAVE CHARGE OF COMMERCIAL AVIATION, INASUMUCH AS IT HAS CHARGE OF ITS COMPETITORS."
Giving his staunch support to the cause of the pilots, Fiorello H. LaGuardia, former mayor of New York City, pointed out in his testimony before the Senate Interstate Commerce Committee ten years ago this month, that it is the fallacious practice of the investigatory agency to label the cause of the majority of air crashes to "pilot error." Disputing this contention, Mr. LaGuardia's views hold the same significance today, as ten years ago. Below are some of the salient points stressed in his testimony which was reprinted in the AIR LINE PILOT of May, 1937:
"We have had too many accidents of late, an it is just not fair to put the blame on the pilots. The pilot is not here to tell what happened after the accident. It has shown very poor sportsmanship on the part of the companies. We have the best flying personnel in the world. These boys who are flying commercial-gentlemen, there is nothing to compare with them. They fly day after day. The only way to become a good flyer is to fly."
Commenting on the desperate need for proper air safety legislation, he said:
"We sue want to I've the fullest protection to the traveling public, and we want to protect the pilots. Post mortem ha never cured anybody. There is very little to learn from a post mortem of a wrecked airplane. There is nothing that spells finality more. There is little that can be learned from a wreck because everything is in pieces. I think that this bill would do more good than 150 investigation of 150 wrecks."
To David L. Behncke, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, the safety of the men he has guided for nearly two decades is a paramount factor. This fact was clearly reflected 10 years ago, as today by this courageus and incessant efforts to re-establish an independent Air Safety Board. Quote below from the AIR LINE PILOT of May, 1937, is a vivid example of his stand in the matter.
"It is high time that the American citizen listens to the men who do the flying rather than to the swivel-chair kiwis who, unfortunately, have such a firm grip on the control of American aviation for many years.  Our country should stop hampering the piloting profession with improper regulations and needless red tape and pay more attention to the opinions of the men behind the controls who actually know what the present needs of American aviation are.
"It is significant that the pilots, who have carried American air transportation to its high place, are at the present time asking for a real air safety law which will transfer safety regulation from the Bureau of Air Commerce to the non-political Interstate Commerce Comm. 
And this same logic, which ten years ago proved its validity as the solution to the bewildering dilemma in air transportation, is again being advocated-the establishment of an independent Air Safety Board.