News Letter 1941 Jul-Dec - Air Force Historical Studies Office

the danger from aircraft falling or dropping objects
on these establishmants.
The Navy Department has, therefore, abandoned
the policy of designating air space reservations
or danger areas over high explosive areas, and has
recommended that previously designated areas of
this type be discontinued. It is believed the War
Department will adopt the same policy.
In this connection, it is interesting to note,
however, that many danger areas have recently been
--and it is reasonable to assume that many more
will be--established. These areas, however, will
be established as a means of protecting or warning
aircraft in flight rather than protecting activities
or facilities on the ground from aircraft.
These new danger areas are being established over
artillery firing ranges, aerial gunnery and bombing
ranges, searchlight and barrage balloon training
areas, congested training areas, etc. In
other words, these danger areas may be defined as
the air space above a designated area on the
grouRd wherein the pilot, in entering, subjects
himse If and plane to unnecessar y risk but does not
greatly endanger the National Defense.
You might reasonably ask what is being done to
protect high explosive plants, munitions depots
and fortifications from subversive activities and
sabotage by persons utilizing aircraft. The danger,
of course, is reasonable, and I can assure
you that the War, Navy, Justice and Commerce Departments--as
well as the Office of Civilian Defense--are
giving this problem considerable study.
New Control Method R.c~nded
The Interdepartmental Air Traffic Control Board
in a recent report recommended that a more rigid
control of non-scheduled civil flying be placed in
effect as the most effective means of accomplishing
this objective.
It was recommended that:
1. Within the limitations of constitutional
authority all airports and landing areas be required
to obtain a certificate of public convenience
and necessity from the Civil Aeronautics
Authority as I condition precedent to their operation,
and that in issuing airport certificates
particular attention be given to the qualificat
ions of airport management persoone 1.
2. The Civil Aeronautics Board prepare regulations
to be placed in effect, when necessary, by
the Civil Aeronaut ics Administration governing the
control of all non-scheduled civil flying by requiring
individual flight authorization, from an
airport llllnageror his author !zed representat ive,
similar to Air Corps departure and arrival reports.
3. The fingerprinting of all licensed airmen
and the investigation of each place owner and pilot
by a law enforcement agency to determine na-
tionality, place of birth, crl~in.l record (if
any), etc.
The Interdepartmental Boerd realizes ~he importance
of a large civil aviation reserve of plane.,
pilots and aircraft factories to the National Defense
and will assist the industry in every manner
possible in working out its many problems during
the present or any future emergencies. However,
conditions chall!terapidly from day to day, and the
civil pilot and plane owner must be prepared to
adapt himself to new regulations and restrictions
should they become necessary.
Long R~. PrOiram Planned
From what I have sa id, you may have gathered the
impression that regulations, restrictions and more
regulat ions are the only means by which the var i-
our Departments of Government are attempting to
cope with the problems of air traffic control.
..
This is not the case, for during the past five
years at least one Department (the Airport Divis
ion of the CAA, Department of COlllDerce, of which
I was formerly Chief) has been preparing long
range, nation-wide airport and airway development
plans, and airport layout plans of all types. In
preparing these plans, the safe and efficient flow
of air traffic has been a deciding factor.
The War Department has. indicated its interest in
civil aviation and the coordination of military
and civil air traffic by appointing a representative
on the Interdepartmental Air Traffic Control
Board, and the creation of the Civil Aeronautics
Section within the Air Staff of the Headquarters
of the Army Air Forces.
Another important move to relieve the restrictions
imposed on airports am pr ivate flying within
the limits of civil airways in the vicinity of
radio range stations and control airports, while
at the same time increasing the safety of through
traffic, has recently been made by the CAA upon
the recommendat'-,s of the Interdepartmental Air
Traffic Control Board, This plan provides for the
establishment of a -Range Approach Channel- four
miles wide (two miles each side of the center line
of the oncourse signal of the range) for a distance
of 15 miles from the radio station. This in
effect means that the airways have been narrowed
from 20 miles to four miles along this 15 mile
section.
Length Depends en Terrain
It is realized that training or other flying
activities--terrain, etc., may require the establishment
of a Range Approach Channel IDOre than 15
miles in length in some localities to provide
space for local flying activities. This will be
done where necessary, upon the recommemations of
the Regional eM Managers and the approval of the
Administrator of Civil Aeronautics, after clearance
by the Interdepartmental Air Traffic Control
(Continued to Page 34, Col. I)
OCTOBER 19#
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