Mr. PETERSON. In addition to this, a new situation has arisen. The Coast Guard, as you know, has a station at St. Petersburg and they have begun to do some training there, and I am placing in the record, with your permission, a letter from the commanding officer of the Coast Guard in which, among other things, he states: it is anticipated that our training program will accelerate in the very near future and we are looking forward to the same splendid cooperation and assistance from the control tower operators that we have experienced in the past. I have included a copy of his letter in my statement which I am leaving for the record and which was prepared by Dr. J. E. Mooney, director of the airport. Dr. Mooney also asked me to thank you for having accorded him the privilege of appearing, but he won't be able to be here. He was up here about a week ago and had to go back, and he asked me to express his appreciation of the courtesy extended to him and has sent me a telegram as follows: Kindly inform Appropriations Committee my appreciation their invitation appear with you. Unable be present. Suggest you present oral argument for Pinellas International Airport tower, also typed script data. January-February showed increase back to approval points. March average shows 2,400. Following statement authorized Coast Guard air station commanding officer Davis "We use field checking new pilots for instrument approached coordinated with Pinellas tower. We feel tower essential to us. Gives unrestricted use of facilities. Impossible use MacDill since MacDill too crowded. We have to do a lot of instrument flying. Your facilities are a big part of our training in fact on the requirements.' Data exhibits also includes previous statement Captain Davis. Our tower pioneered inter-American flight coordination. Steady increase flights makes tower operation imperative. Combination Coast Guard civilian flying, transport flying, and international should place Pinellas high Government tower quota. Extenuating circumstances placed Pinellas marginal group last summer when CAA budget was prepared. Many thanks. That is the situation at the present time. I won't go into all of these figures, but they show the base air freight coming in, the civilian training, Coast Guard use, and quite a bit of international flying as between the areas and, in addition, a lot of private flying in that area, 'all of which will appear in detail in this statement I am filing. As I say, this was one of those borderline cases by reason of flights being canceled on account of strikes, and now it has come up in count and is an area which is badly needed for the Government to take over the operation and which would be of great benefit to the agencies which are there. This was the operation of an old Army field which, as you know, had a very fine airfield there, and is used quite a bit by the Coast Guard and other governmental activities. MacDill is badly crowded there now. That is the Regular Army field. That is my story. I know what you are up against. The item is not in the budget estimate. New facts justify its inclusion and I urge the item. Mr. ROONEY. We are up against this, Congressman Peterson. This Pinellas airport is No. 37 on the list prepared by the Civil Aeronautics Administration. That means there are 36 airports ahead of yours. Mr. PETERSON. Was that the budget list prepared last year? Mr. ROONEY. And the figures on the number of traffic counts would remain substantially the same as those on which it was based at that time. Mr. PETERSON. It was my understanding in that decision that the canceled flights had entered into it by reason of the strike. Mr. ROONEY. What was the date of the strike? Mr. PETERSON. It was just along about the time when the budget was being made up, and it was my understanding that entered into it. It was during the early part of 1948 when the strike occurred, and then from eight flights it was reduced to two flights during that period until they settled the strike a few weeks ago. So the flights went off to one-quarter. Mr. ROONEY. You said awhile ago that this would cost $30,000. You were then referring only to the salaries of personnel in the operation of the tower? Mr. PETERSON. Yes, the cost of operation of the tower. That is what I have been informed. Of course, you know from experience better about that than I do. Mr. ROONEY. In addition to about $30,000 a year for that, it would cost $44,780 for installation of equipment. Mr. PETERSON. Dr. Mooney told me $30,000 would be all that was required. Mr. ROONEY. That would merely pay for salaries of the operators. Mr. PETERSON. I understand they already have the tower and the tower is equipped and is being operated somewhat by local people now. Mr. ROONEY. The salaries of the people to operate it run $28,000 to $30,000 a year. Mr. PETERSON. That is right. Mr. ROONEY. And, on top of that, there is the cost of installation of equipment amounting to $44,780. We are indeed pleased to hear you on this matter, Congressman Peterson, and we assure you we will give great weight to what you have to say. The members of this committee commend you for the interest you have shown in this subject. I am sure every member of the committee will give proper consideration to your request. Mr. PETERSON. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. STEFAN. Mr. Chairman, I want to say Congressman Peterson of Florida has discussed with me over a period of years the problem of the airport at St. Petersburg, Fla., and other airports in his district. When I was chairman of this subcommittee, he and I went over this carefully, and he expressed great concern over the lack of air-navigation facilities not only at St. Petersburg, but at other places in his district. I recall that several years ago Congressman Peterson took up with me other problems, not only the control tower at St. Petersburg, but some other air-navigation facilities which he thought his district required very badly. There have been a lot of aviation problems in that district presented by Congressman Peterson, which have been in the public press in recent years, and which were of great concern to him, and we were very sympathetic to his pleas for new installations at various airports. And I, too, am grateful, Mr. Chairman, for Mr. Peterson bringing our attention to many of the problems that he has confronting him in his district in connection with civil aviation administration matters. I feel Mr. Peterson is one of the ablest Members of Congress on Capitol Hill, and I have learned to admire him very much. In his chairmanship of the Public Lands Committee, he has been very helpful to other Members of Congress in their problems, especially where communities have been forced to take over Government facilitiesnot only airports but other Federal land used in connection with national defense. I feel his district is most fortunate in having such an able Member as he is to represent them. Mr. PETERSON. I thank my colleague and appreciate more than I can tell you that fine expression of friendship. (The following statement was filed for the record by Mr. Peterson:) PINELLAS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT CONTROL TOWER OPERATION The control tower now operated at Pinellas International Airport by county funds was activated for air traffic control in the spring of 1946 and has been operated continuously since that time by Pinellas County. The tower has CAA-approved operators and is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission. The tower radio station is designated WCKM and operates on frequencies 317 and 118.3. The air traffic at Pinellas International Airport consists of the following: Common air carrier aircraft (domestic) air-freight aircraft (foreign and domestic), Army, Navy, and civilian. COMMON CARRIERS National Airlines offers the common carrier service. At the present time, National operates 8 flights per day (16 control landings and take-offs.) On or about December 1, 1948, National Airlines increased its flights. During the early part of 1948, National Airlines' strike difficulties caused cessation in flights for a period of 2 months. Two flights were reinstated and the total was increased to eight. Eastern Airlines has applied to serve St. Petersburg-Clearwater through docket 3089-Delta Airlines, docket 3104. The case is called for hearing on February 15, 1949. BASE AIR FREIGHT Pinellas Airport is used as base operations center by United States Airlines, Aerovias Sud Americana, Southern Air Express, and Caribbean Trading Corp. By letter of registration, these airlines operate domestic and foreign service in the airfreight field. Added to this group is Willis Air Service, which uses Pinellas through letter of registration. CIVILIAN TRAINING Three civilian training schools are operated at Pinellas International Airport: Tropical Flying Service, Moore's Aviation School, and Dixie Flying Service. UNITED STATES COAST GUARD The United States Coast Guard base in St. Petersburg has arrangements with the management of Pinellas International Airport to utilize the airport for training flights. The craft used are the large amphibious type, PBM's and PBY's. In these training flights, the Coast Guard trainees receive experience in control tower operations. It is understood that the operation of Pinellas is of importance to the flight training program of the United States Coast Guard. A letter from the commanding officer of the United States Coast Guard base of St. Petersburg is appended to this report. Pinellas International Airport is used by the Army Reserves in their flight training program. VOLUME OF AIR FREIGHT The volume of air-freight business into and through Pinellas International Airport to and from foreign ports in Latin America, places the airport among the first 5 in export and import clearances in the United States. There are times during the year when the airport is among the first 2 or 3. PINELLAS AND THE GOOD NEIGHBOR POLICY In America's struggle for hemispheric relations through the "Good Neighbor Policy" with Latin-American countries, Pinellas International Airport stands out among the best examples in the country. Any investment made by the Government in the operation of Pinellas International Airport's tower is not only a benefit to aircraft safety, but also to international relations. The customs and immigration income at the customs and immigration center grosses many thousands of dollars. SUMMARY The board of county commissioners of Pinellas County operates Pinellas International Airport as a public service. This operation includes the usual services necessary for foreign and domestic air travel. Among these, is the customs and immigration center. In addition to maintaining the field with its many modern facilities, the board of county commissioners have operated the air traffic control tower with CAA approved operators at no expense to CAA. The total traffic count each month has been furnished the regional office of CAA giving an accurate landing record and not an estimated record. From these reports, CAA has considered including Pinellas tower in the tower operation budget. In the summer of 1948, Mr. William E. Kline, Assistant Administrator of Federal Airways for the Civil Aeronautics Administration showed an official of Pinellas County a report on file in the Washington office of CAA. In this report, Mr. Kline informally stated that Pinellas tower had sufficient points at that time to warrant inclusion in the CAA budget of 1949–50. The Bureau of Aeronautics for Pinellas County, representing the board of county commissioners, through the Director of the Bureau of Aeronautics respectfully requests that the House and Senate Appropriations Committee include the tower operation at Pinellas International Airport in the appropriations for the fiscal year 1949-50. This is based upon evidence furnished: upon good faith of the county in furnishing tower operation service. The need has been proven. Air-traffic control service at Pinellas International Airport is necessary. Moreover, air-traffic control at Pinellas includes common carrier aircraft, domestic and foreign air cargo, charter carriers, military aircraft, the Coast Guard, and the Army Reserves as well as civilian aircraft. The extenuating circumstances mentioned above together with runway cross-center flight hazards give full evidence for inclusion of the tower operation in the appropriations made by Congress. In a letter from Mr. W. M. Robertson, regional administrator dated November 3, 1948, addressed to the Honorable J. Hardin Peterson, M. C. (Member of Congress), the following extract is taken: "The operation of airport traffic control towers are subject to appropriations made by Congress, and the locations to be operated by such funds are specifically listed. You may be sure that, should Congress provide funds for the operation of the control tower at Pinellas International Airport, we shall be very happy to expedite action in the region." Respectfully submitted. JAMES E. MOONEY, Director, Bureau of Aeronautics for Pinellas County (Under the authority of the Board of County Commissioners). |