Air Shuttle

At Pier 5, just north of San Francisco's clock-towered Ferry Building, is the semicircular "landing button" or artificial beach of Air Ferries Ltd., whose red Loening amphibians flash back and forth across the bay between San Francisco and Oakland every 20 min. On the button last week gathered local bigwigs to watch Dry-goodsman Marshal Hale and youthful James Rolph III, son of California's Governor (both directors of Air Ferries), slice a great cake on which stood one birthday candle. One would never have guessed from the exuberance of the affair that Air Ferries had not made money in its first twelvemonth.

Because the amphibians shuttle across an 8-mi. route 60 times a day, Air Ferries naturally made "records" for the year: 19,771 flights, 61,245 passengers. But the passenger loads averaged less than half the planes' capacity of eight persons; and at the fare of $1.50 a plane would have netted $30 per hour, while operating costs might be figured at $40. Great problem to Air Ferries is to persuade enough commuters, of whom there are about 91,000 daily, that it is worth $1.50 to scoot across the bay in 6 min. instead of paying 21-c- for the 40-min. trip on one of the two boat-&-train ferry systems. But California financiers and airmen are optimistic about Air Ferries, point with pride to its record of 99% completion of schedule, no fatal accidents in the first year.

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