Indiana has 6.06 private airplanes for every 100,000 persons living within the state. This is two more planes per hundred thousand than Illinois, not quite one more than Ohio. Michigan out rates us with 6.25 planes, but we trim Wisconsin with a figure of 5.47.

Out west, where men are pilots and distance isn't to be taken lightly, Nevada has 28.7 planes per 100,000 population. Arizona sports 14.34 planes and the state of Texas can't claim to be the biggest thing in this field, for there are only 11.55 airplanes for every hundred thousand lone-star staters.

Kentucky has fewest airplanes with 2.54 per hundred thousand. Those people, close to the good Bourbon country, are pretty high a lot of the time without any airplane, so maybe that explains it.

Private flying, which can be solid insurance for an adequate air force, is growing each year. So are the number of private airplanes.

On January 1, 1947, there were 81,002 registered civil airplanes in the United States, but by June 30th this had grown to a comfortable 93,000 planes.

On this same New Year's day one year ago, this nation boasted 400,061 licensed airplane pilots. Forty-seven per cent of this number held private certificates. That is, were licensed to fly passengers, but not for hire. Like me. But by May 31, 1947, there had been 246,244 new student certificates issued, which is most certainly a good omen for the flying business. The G. I. program was responsible for a large portion of this figure.

What of the airplanes for these pilots to fly? In 1946, there were 34,390 personal light airplanes built, with a market value of $96,000,000. In the first seven months of 1947, the industry was able to sell only 11,594 personal planes did a business of $37,755,000, the 1946 production glutted the market on personal aircraft, but 11,000 units isn't to be sneezed at.

Now, how about the aircraft rental business? In 1939, there were only two pilots for each airplane in the country; in 1940 there were three pilots to each plane; in 1943, five pilots argued over one airplane. In 1946, it was hard to get hold of a plane, I guess, for there were then six pilots for each plane. Then heavy production in 1946 equalized the pressure a little bit, though, and in 1947, there were only five guys fighting for each available piece of equipment.

Why so many pilots to each airplane? Simple! How many of us have from $2,000 to $10,000 to lay on the line for one of them? Apparently only one in five. There is an encouraging note here, however for more of the leading manufacturers are actually reducing the price of their models. Swift, for example, builder of a sleek all-metal, all-weather, low-wing job, 105-horsepower and fast, is offering its new model for only $8,250 fly-away factory. There are this year, good airplanes selling in the $2,000 class, too. so maybe they are coming down. I hope so, for the good of the industry.

Along this line, the problem of airplane rental is troublesome. Planes around here rent for $8.50 to $15.00 per hour, depending upon size and horsepower. this figure includes everything, gasoline, maintenance, insurance, etc. At an average speed of 100 miles per hour, though many will do better, cross-country travel costs in the neighborhood of 8 1/2 to 15 cents a mile. Too much for the average fellow to buy much of. Not economical for a sharp-figuring business man either, unless speed and time are of utmost importance.

Now I'm not complaining about local airplane rental rates for I know that operators are faced with constantly-increasing maintenance costs and not too much business. But common-sense dictates that lower rates are going to be a necessity before volume rental is obtained, same as lesser price-tags on new planes must come before volume sales--like automobiles 20 years ago, remember?

Out in Kansas City, there is an enterprising fellow by the name of Saunders. He's not sticking his neck out too far, for his father owns a drive-it-yourself auto system with branches in 89 cities. He know the ropes. He has started a "fly-it-yourself" system, or in other words, has taken airplane rental out of bucket of bolts and greasy-rage class, put it on a business footing. His rates?

They are $7.50 per hour for first class airplanes to anybody that can fly them competently. He takes a minimum of four hours per day for each day away from the field--pays for everything. He admits that even that figure is flexible for good accounts and special deals are made for special cases.

In other words, he invites bids for the particular flight you wish to make. He furnishes Luscombes and Ercoupes.

He also runs a G. I. instructional program. Rental to date brings in 64 per cent of his business, the G. I. program takes care of the other 36 per cent.

That gets the cost down to around 7 1/2 cents per mile. Inasmuch as even Uncle Sam's income-tax boys will allow a salesman about six cents per mile for auto expenses--and they ain't philanthropists, those boys--it doesn't seem that 7 1/2 cents is outrageous, counting the time saved.

Feature this: Two hundred and seventy-four of Saunders customers have used his rental deal for flights to Mexico City. Just to one place. surely there is room everywhere for increased business at lesser rates, both for rental and for purchases--and easier, cheaper rental will mean more instruction, more people flying, a financially stable industry, better airports. A safer, air-minded nation!

Warsaw Daily Times, Wed. Jan. 21, 1948