WINGS FOR TRANSPORTATION — WRIGHT 569 



then such that from the standpoint of competition it could force 

 consideration on other forms of transportation. Let us therefore 

 consider the broad relationship between air transportation and 

 transportation by rail. 



AIK TRANSPORT IN COMPETITION WITH OTHER TRANSPORT 



METHODS 



In table 1 this comparison shows that by virtue of greater speed 

 and shorter distances, the time-saving factor favors the air by about 

 3^2 to 1. The fare differential favors travel by rail by a ratio of 

 3 to 2, but combining the two in a time-cost eflBciency factor, there 

 appears a resultant gain for the air by 2V2 to 1. A more refined 

 analysis is given later but because of the existence of these broad 

 considerations, the rapid expansion of air transport has resulted. 

 Let us now view this progress in terms of equipment. 



Table 1. — Transportation: rail vs. air 



Variation Average 



Speed between stations over 200 miles apart 0. 30 to 0. 40 : 1 0. 33 : 1 



Distance between stations over 200 miles apart 1. 05 to 1. 22 : 1 1. 15 : 1 



Time between stations over 200 miles apart 3. 00 to 3. 90: 1 3. 50 : 1 



Fare ' between stations over 200 miles apart 0. 65 to 0. 70 : 1 0. 66 : 1 



Time-cost efficiency factor=l/cost factor X time 



factor 0. 30 to 0. 49 : 1 0. 434 : 1 



* Fares cited are based on quotations for 1-way trips, Including Pullman fares In the 

 case of rail travel, and not taking account of reductions for round trips, for use of scrip 

 tickets or excursion rates, or other special considerations, such as the saving in expanse 

 for meals when traveling by air. The result of comblniner such factors will react to the 

 advantage of air travelers, giving, in round numbers, a time-cost efficiency factor favorable 

 to the air when comparing to rail of about 2.5 : 1. 



EQUIPMENT USED IN AIR TRANSPORTATION 



Starting from the use of Army training planes during World 

 War I and later modified Army observation planes, it was not until 

 1926 that types designed specifically for air-transport use appeared. 

 As an example of this early eflfort, plate 1, figure 1, illustrates the 

 Boeing Model 40, a biplane designed much along the Army observa- 

 tion plane formula but nevertheless specifically built for air trans- 

 port. Its cruising speed was about 100 miles an hour. By 1929 

 the Ford trimotor had come into use for air transportation at a 

 cruising speed of about 105 miles an hour (pi. 1, fig. 2). The expan- 

 sion of the air lines at this time and the period immediately following 

 was very largely based on the Ford, which appealed to the popular 

 fancy because of its monoplane arrangement, its all-metal construc- 

 tion, and its three engines. Not economical to operate in the light 

 of present standards, it nevertheless seemed to operators of those 

 days the last word in efficiency and many considered that nothing 



