In cooperation with several other organizations and unions, we were assisted with promotion of a rapid transit system.

So, Mr. Chairman, I submit that although the Department of Agriculture employees have been treated very well indeed in a lot of respects, from the standpoint of transportation they have not been treated so well.

So I would like to plead in behalf of the USDA Employees Welfare Association continuing the use of this space as long as is possible. At least until arrangements can be made to take better care of the transportation of these people, not necessarily providing parking spaces, but better public transportation.

Senator ÎNOUYE. You may be assured that this committee will most objectively study the testimony of all witnesses here.

Mr. HENDERSON. Thank you so much.

Senator INOUYE. Thank you very much for your testimony.

Our next witness will be David H. Scott, executive vice president of the National Pilots Association.

Mr. Scott, welcome to the committee, sir. You may proceed.

STATEMENT OF DAVID H. SCOTT, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, NATIONAL PILOTS ASSOCIATION

Mr. SCOTT. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

My name is David H. Scott, and I appear here as the executive vice president of the National Pilots Association.

We have a prepared statement, Mr. Chairman, and with your permission I would like to insert it for the permanent record. I will not read the statement.

Senator INOUYE. Without objection, your statement will be incorporated in full in the record, sir.

(The prepared statement is as follows:)

PREPARED STATEMENT OF DAVID H. SCOTT, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, NATIONAL PILOTS ASSOCIATION

Mr. Chairman, my name is David H. Scott, and I appear here as the Executive Vice President of the National Pilots Association. We are an association of five thousand members made up mostly of aircraft pilots who fly for business or pleasure or a combination of both. Our ranks also include a small number of professional airline and military pilots who either own or rent small aircraft for personal reasons.

The National Pilots Association supports H.R. 15024 and we hope your distinguished committee will report favorably on it.

The Washington-Baltimore area has needed helicopter service for a number of years. This need has been brought to the forefront in recent months with the necessity of doing something about the overcrowding at Washington National Airport. The only effective way to promptly reduce congestion at this field is to encourage the use of other airports in the area not only for air carrier aircraft but for the equally numerous general aviation non-scheduled operations.

The Federal Aviation Agency has asked the National Pilots Association and other aviation groups for their cooperation in reducing congestion at Washington National Airport by encouraging pilots of non-scheduled operations to use airports other than Washington National whenever possible. In order to provide this cooperation it is necessary to make the outlying airports as convenient as possible to downtown Washington. Helicopter service from Baltimore Friendship and Dulles Airport to Washington is one of the most feasible ways to provide quick and convenient service of this type for those who have a need and are willing to pay for rapid and frequent service to the city. A very high percentage of the people who use executive and private aircraft are willing to pay for helicopter service to save them time and the annoyances of ground transportation.

In other words, we believe that the percentage of general aviation passengers who will use this service will be higher than the percentage of airline passengers. As general aviation operations continue to grow and expand we visualize helicopter service between downtown Washington and other satellite airports such as Montgomery County, Leesburg, Manassas and other airports yet to be built in this area. There have been at least twelve helicopter sites recommended in the city of Washington and all of them have been rejected because of opposition from some groups. We are aware that there is opposition to the present proposed site at 12th Street between Maine and Maryland Avenues. A decision on a heliport has to be made sometime and we think that time is now. The site is feasible from an operational standpoint and could at least be used during a trial period. For this reason, we believe the search for other temporary sites should cease and the proposed site adopted. At the same time we recommend that efforts be redoubled to select and establish a permanent heliport site.

In conclusion the National Pilots Association supports HR. 15024 and recommends that the Public Building and Grounds Subcommittee of the Senate Public Works Committee report favorably on this legislation.

Mr. Chairman, we sincerely appreciate this opportunity to appear before this committee and express our views.

Mr. SCOTT. Thank you, sir.

The National Pilots Association supports this legislation.

We are interested in the starting of helicopter service to downtown Washington at the earliest possible moment, and our reason for this position is that the Federal Aviation Agency has asked us and other aviation groups to do everything possible to solve the congestion problem at Washington National Airport.

The easiest and quickest way to do this is to divert traffic to other airports.

Dulles and Friendship are the two largest other airports in the area, and we would very much like to cooperate and are cooperating with the FAA in this effort to get our members and all other pilots who operate nonscheduled aircraft to operate into Dulles or into Friendship.

The big problem of using Dulles now is the relatively long transit time to downtown Washington, and many people ask us if there is some way of getting faster service.

Obviously, the answer is helicopter service.

We believe that this helicopter service would be popular immediately, and we don't see that it would be necessary to wait 18 months for scheduled service to begin before air-taxi service would receive some sort of popular appeal and use.

I will not speak for any of the other witnesses who will testify, of course, or of their desire to operate a nonscheduled helicopter service, but in connection with the questions that were brought up this morning, as to whether there is a demand or not, I thought the committee might be interested in some figures on nonscheduled operations at Dulles during this past summer.

For instance, in the month of June, there were 925 nonscheduled operations at Dulles, and 6,317 passengers either departed or arrived in those aircraft.

In July the figures were 1,145 movements, 7,218 passengers.

In August it was 1,167 aircraft movements, 7,887 passengers. And in September, this past month just concluded, 972 movements, 6,313 passengers.

I don't think anyone has a means now of gaging how many of these passengers would use helicopter service, and I am a little hesitant to enlarge upon this point, but just to give you some idea of what we are talking about, let's assume that there are only 10

percent of these people that want to get into Washington in the quickest possible manner, and they are willing to pay for helicopter service. This would mean about 700 passengers a month from this type of operation only.

Please remember that I am not talking about scheduled air carrier passengers. I am only talking about nonscheduled air passengers. Seven hundred a month is, roughly, 35 per day. That, of course, is based on only a 10-percent use of the service.

I cannot prove that it is an accurate figure, but it would not be surprising to me if as much as 50 percent of these people were willing to pay for this quick service.

I don't think I have anything else to add, Mr. Chairman.

Senator INOUYE. Sir, in view of the possibility that Mr. Chalk's corporation will start construction on this lot in 18 months, and assuming that we passed this measure and appropriated the sum of $75,000 for construction to begin I assume in about 3 or 4 months, which would leave, oh, possibly 15 months of operation, and during 15 months to amortize $75,000 plus the ground rental, would any of your members be willing to pay this amount?

Mr. SCOTT. Well, Mr. Chairman, our members are not helicopter operators. We would be helicopter users. We would use the service.

I could not speak for any helicopter operation per se. Senator INOUYE. I would presume from the cost estimate that the passenger fare would be extremely high during those 15 months or so. Mr. SCOTT. Well, again, I do not wish to speak for a helicopter operator. I think there is more involved here than just dollars and cents. I think we face a very severe problem in Washington National, and something must be done to reduce the congestion there.

It almost cannot be measured in dollars. There is a safety problem out there, and I think experience and history have shown that helicopter service, or any new form of transportation, when it is first started, can perhaps not pay its way, but its potential is tremendous. It has got to start sometime, and it is the real solution for quick transportation into the heart of this city.

Senator INOUYE. I agree with you. Even in little Honolulu we have helicopter service now.

Thank you very much, Mr. Scott.

Mr. SCOTT. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Senator INOUYE. Your testimony has been most helpful.

Our next witness is Mr. A. L. Wheeler, president of the WashingtonBaltimore Helicopter Airways, Inc.

Mr. Wheeler, welcome to the committee, sir.

STATEMENT OF A. L. WHEELER, PRESIDENT, WASHINGTONBALTIMORE HELICOPTER AIRWAYS, INC.

Mr. WHEELER. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I have a prepared statement here that sets out briefly what

are on this heliport.

my

views

However, you have raised some interesting points this morning that I think I should address myself to.

Senator INOUYE. Your statement will be incorporated in full in the record.

(The prepared statement is as follows:)

PREPARED STATEMENT OF A. L. WHEELER, PRESIDENT, WASHINGTON-BALTIMORE HELICOPTER AIRWAYS, INC.

Mr. Chairman and members of the Subcommittee, I appreciate this opportunity to present a statement to the Senate Subcommittee on Public Buildings and Grounds on the need of the Washington metropolitan area for a heliport.

My name is A. L. Wheeler and I am one of the founders, President and Chairman of the Board of Washington-Baltimore Helicopter Airways, the local helicopter air taxi operator at Washington National Airport. From its inception we have operated the Metropolitan Police Department Trafficopter Service reporting traffic conditions in and around the District and otherwise providing charter helicopter service in this area. We operate one Bell 47H and two Bell 47J helicopters. We have a Bell approved maintenance shop in Hangar 12 at Washington National Airport.

Our company was formed approximately five years ago with a paid in capital in cash in excess of $1,000,000. The prime function of our company was to operate scheduled helicopter service between Washington and its airports and between Baltimore and its airport. We participated extensively in the WashingtonBaltimore Helicopter Case, Docket 11941, et al. before the Civil Aeronautics Board. It now has on file with the CAB an application for helicopter service in the Washington-Baltimore area in Docket 17665.

Originally there were two impediments to scheduled helicopter service with large aircraft in the District of Columbia: (1) the need for Federal subsidy and (2) the need for a good in town heliport. As members of this Subcommittee may recall, the CAB in its decision in the above-mentioned case, Docket 11941, found that there was no need for helicopter service in the District largely because Federal subsidy would likely be terminated by Congress. The subsidy funds were terminated to all helicopter operators in 1965. However, since that time the airlines have found the need for helicopter service in Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York and have themselves provided financial assistance to the carriers in those areas. We believe this kind of assistance will be available for the Washington area.

So there remains only one impediment to the scheduled helicopter service in the Washington area, namely the provision of a good temporary in town heliport or helistop. I am pleased to support Congressman Kenneth Gray's bill for the location of the temporary heliport or helistop at 14th and Maine Avenue, S.W.

Five years ago, Mr. James G. Ray, Sr., first President of our company and a prominent helicopter authority, endeavored to have this site designated as a heliport for the city of Washington. We appeared before the Board of Trade's Committee, the Planning Commissioners' Committee and many other committees pointing out its advantages. It lies about midway in a triangle consisting of Capitol Hill, the Pentagon Building and 16th and K Streets, the approximate center of the Washington commercial district. This location gives it maximum traffic appeal. The RLA at that time pointed out to us that this was very expensive land and suggested that we would be better off supporting another site. Ultimately the Canal Street site was selected by others over our objections. While it is true that the Canal Street site was closer to the Congress, it was quite distant from the Pentagon and the center of the commercial traffic. These handicaps substantially detracted from the potential of the Canal Street heliport.

I am pleased to say that after five years we are again considering the 14th and Maine Avenue site as a heliport for the city of Washington. Once again I repeat that it has all the ingredients of a good in town heliport from both a traffic and an operational standpoint. In the first place, it is large enough operationally, being 200' x 450', for successful operations; from 12th Street it has access to main traffic flows; helicopters can land and take off under the existing flight paths of fixed wing aircraft utilizing National and it is within the central taxi zone meaning a 60¢ taxi fare. From this heliport Capitol Hill, the Pentagon and the center of the commercial district, the traffic generating triangle, can be reached within five minutes driving time. No residential area is so close as to be substantially adversely affected by the noise from its operations.

I have gone over this heliport with members of the staff of the FAA and only & few things need to be done for qualification under FAA rules and regulations, such as additional paving, erection of fences and the installation of a passenger handling facility.

I am informed, however, that there is a wrath of objections by employees of the Agriculture Department who now use this site for parking. Of course, five years ago there was no such parking objection because the site was a dump and was affectionately known by many of us as the "Dump Site." While I do not know what these employees did with their cars previously or what they will do after this site is utilized for the permanent construction, I do not think it is quite fair that they deprive the city and people of Washington of the most logical site for a heliport for their own selfish interest. If a demonstration is unable to be made to show that helicopter service is practical, then this city will be without scheduled helicopter service for an indefinite future time. It is a cardinal principle in helicopter transportation that a successful helicopter service requires a well located heliport. If this ingredient is not present, the chances of establishing a successful service is remote. This heliport presents the best opportunity to conduct this experiment and possibly the last chance. It would be lamentable if modern terminal transportation by helicopter would fail in this area because the Agriculture employees who park their cars on this site would be permitted to prevail over the public interest.

I have discussed the matter of a heliport for Washington with Mr. George R. Rodericks, our local Civil Defense Director. He informs me it would play a vital role in any national emergency and presented testimony to the CAB to this effect. I am attaching a letter which he wrote to me several years ago outlining this position. I have recently talked with him and he states to me that his position is unchanged. I have also discussed this matter with members of the Post Office Department and they inform me that they are in favor of interairport helicopter service for the city of Washington. This temporary downtown heliport would be indispensable for such service.

Lastly, I would like to refer to the Statement of Position of the Department of Defense in the original Washington-Baltimore Helicopter Case. As you see from the attached copy of the statement presented, the Department of Defense favors helicopter service for Washington, an essential element of which is a good downtown heliport. As you may know, the heliport at the Pentagon Building is regularly utilized by the military and would be completely inadequate for defense purposes in the event of a real emergency.

Mr. JAMES G. RAY,

GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA,

OFFICE OF CIVIL DEFENSE, Washington, D.C., October 30, 1961.

President, Washington-Baltimore Helicopter Airways, Inc.,
Warner Building, Washington, D.C.

DEAR MR. RAY: Reference is made to your request advising this office of the Washington-Baltimore Helicopter Airways, Inc.'s application in the above reference proceeding for authority to conduct scheduled helicopter operations within the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Area.

Washington, D.C., is without landing strips within the city limits for fixed wing aircraft. Helicopter service is urgently needed in the city for civil defense emergencies since the available fixed wing aircraft cannot meet our operational needs.

The movement of key personnel, emergency supplies and equipment can be accomplished by helicopter service to a degree not available by any other means of transportation. We have established a radiological fixed monitoring detection network in this city and until we have the service of helicopters for aerial monitoring and reporting, our system cannot be complete.

Helicopter service in the city is urgently needed by the departments of the city government in emergencies and at the present time this type of transportation is not available to the city. It is hoped that private industry can develop helicopter transportation service in the city and that in emergency situations, this service will be made available to the city agencies charged with the responsibility for the protection of life and property.

Sincerely yours,

GEORGE R. RODERICKS,

Director.