AERONAUTICS: Inventory

”While this year will undoubtedly be the worst that commercial aeronautics has ever experienced … it will be the best from the standpoint of re-establishing the industry upon a firm foundation. The economic, sieve has been at work, sifting out the insecure and the unprepared who rushed into the industry to supply a demand that did not live up to their anticipations. The gold paint has at last been erased from commercial aeronautics.”

Thus last week spoke Major Clarence Marshall Young, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Aeronautics upon completing an examination of U. S. aviation for the first half of the year. Although the industry is suffering from the general economic depression, Major Young found “no greater discouragement” among aircraft firms soundly established and attending to business than among similarly established companies in other industries.

Best evidence of the immediate status of business is the low ebb of production.* According to the Department of Commerce estimate made public last week, 1,325 planes for civil use and 359 for military use were manufactured in the first half-year. In the same period of 1929 the output was 2,854 civil craft, 527 military.For all of last year, 5,537 civil, 677 military.†

Of the aircraft built this year (exclusive of planes exported) 598 were biplanes, 562 monoplanes. Of the biplanes, 493 were open cockpit landcraft, eight cabinlandcraft, 18 flying boats, 30 amphibians, 49 convertible. Of the monoplanes, 271 were open cockpit landcraft, 275 cabin landcraft, five flying boats, seven amphibians, four convertibles.

At the end of the half-year there were 9,773 licensed and identified aircraftin the U. S., 13,041 licensed pilots, 8,843 mechanics. California has the largest number of each: 1,275 planes, 2,515 pilots, 1,658 mechanics. New York is second with 1,148 planes, 682 pilots, 874 mechanics. Nevada foots the list of states with ten planes and 17 pilots, but has 27 airports.

In all states, territories and dependencies there were 5,388 transport pilots, 1,880 limited commercial, 133 industrial, 5,640 private.

The department reported 1,657 U. S. airports including intermediate landing fields. Municipal fields numbered 502, commercial 535. California leads this list with 164; Texas is second with 115; Delaware last with three.

To Assistant Secretary Young a bright picture was presented by the transport lines. Said he: “Those that render a service clearly advantageous in time over other means of travel, or which advantageously augment surface transportation, are doing a satisfactory business.”

*Of the great aviation companies, only United Aircraft & Transport Corp. has issued its semi-annual statement. It showed $2,102,531 profit, compared to $4,410,046 for the first half of 1929. †1929 figures from Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce.