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IGHT flying over mountains on a regular basis, new types of airplanes developed by American manufacturers for commercial purposes entirely on their own initiative, transcontinental airways improved to the point where hard-headed business men are ready to invest their millions in purely industrial air traffic undertakings -these are some of the harbingers of the new era which is dawning on American aeronautics.

Following the announcement that the Air Mail of the Post Office Department will establish night service between New York and Chicago the first of July, or as soon thereafter as the ground equipment can be completed, comes the further announcement that Col. Paul Henderson, Second Assistant Postmaster General, will quit the Air Mail to be come general manager of a highly capitalized corporation which intends to run a regular air express service between America's two big cities. If the corporation, which is now in process of formation, had looked for a better way to convince the public of its serious intentions and conviction of success than by selecting Col. Henderson for general manager, the better way would have been hard to find. Since April, 1921, Col. Henderson has devoted himself to the task of creating airways, testing out routes, learning how to carry on commercial flying in a way to get results and keep down overhead. Throughout he has insisted that the Government should do whatever it could to encourage the plane manufacturers and to interest concerns in the possibility of using the air as a highway for commerce. If he is now ready to go into the business world to practice what he has been preaching, there is reason to believe that a genuine demand for commercial air traffic exists and that it can be carried on profitably.

For a year the air mailmen have been flying regularly and successfully east and west across the level interior of the continent at night; but never before has night flying been attempted as a scheduled undertaking over mountainous regions. The Alleghanies, which separate New York City from Chicago, are the least difficult of the three

ranges which cross the transcontinental route; yet many months have been required to lay out an airway over them-designate landing places, install beacons and radio devices and in various ways make the trail safe for the flyers and their valuable burdens.

More than airways for day and night plain and mountain flying has been developed in the year. At Monmouth, Ill., headquarters of the Development Division of the Air Mail, there are four planes-there may be six by the time this article appears, for two more are due to arrive before July 15-the firstborn of the aforesaid new era. The group is the product of the first important effort of our plane manufacturers to declare their independence of Army and Navy specifications and to produce speedy burden-bearers for the channels of trade. While other countries have been developing commercial aviation-developing it more or less obviously as a military auxiliary, yet developing it our airplane manufacturers have been forced to subsist on occasional Army or Navy orders. These orders have resulted in the production of types-for the Army and Navy. No Solomon is needed to realize that an industry which makes its meagre living producing occasional types for the Army and Navy in peace times, and producing them according to definite specifications, is little likely to develop either strength or initiative. Planes capable of winning records in Army and Navy contests are not necessarily capable of winning business in the stress of commercial competitions and yet commercial aviation is a prime requisite for the establishment of our airplane industry on a sound economic basis and for building up a reserve of aircraft which might be turned to account in time of war.