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Aviation History
1932
1932 - 0430.PDF
FLIGHT, MAY 6, 1932 take up some predetermined attitude. In my opinion, wind indicators should be very much larger than they are at present, and when I discussed the matter with American air port managers, I found then; to be of the same opinion. For a large airport, an indi- cator 60 to 100 ft. long, dis played in the most prominent position possible, would seem desirable. Operation of aircraft at night is increasing rapidly. In America 25 per cent, of the scheduled traffic is flown after dark. In spite of the volume of this traffic, however, a number of different systems of night lighting are in use, and no doubt considerable further development will take place before a universal method is arrived at. A system of boundary and obstruction lights is, of course, essential. On certain runway airports the runways them selves are outlined by small lights. A row on each side mounted in the same way as boundary lights, whil another method is to sink lights in the centre of the run way 100 ft. apart, and mounted in flush-type fittings which are able to withstand the passage of aeroplanes. This last system I found to be universally approved by pilots. It was emphasised, however, that wherever any volume of traffic is to be handled, a degree of general floodlighting is essential. At some ports this was pro duced by a number of independent projectors of the com mercial type, mounted in groups and fixed with divergent beams to cover the required area, while at others a large floodlight unit with dioptric lens was employed. The latter system appears to be gaining in popularity. The use of mobile floodlight units has been abandoned in America as too cumbersome in operation, where the light may be required at a number of points at short intervals all through the night. The alternative has been to have two or three floodlights in permanent mountings at posi tions where they will provide jointly or separately the illumination required for landing in any direction. Alter natively, a single floodlight is used, mounted upon or adjacent to the terminal building. The normal practice is to mount the floodlight from 10 to 30 ft. above the ground, which improves the effect of the illumination, although one would have thought that it would make landing difficult where ground mist is encountered. A device is incor- Opening the canopy-type doors at Burbank. of the runway has been porated in the lamp to elimi nate dazzle from the pilot even when he is landing approxi mately towards the light. This system is the more economical of the two, and has the added advantage that it protects the pilot of the machine from all glare which may be reflected from the wings and windscreen of the aircraft when landings are being made by an ordinary floodlight. It is curious that this system of night lighting, though economical and popu lar in use in America, has not been introduced before in Europe. Another important feature of night lighting is the airport beacon, usually of the rotating or flashing type, and mounted upon the terminal building. Neon beacons have not proved of much value. It is essen tial, of course, that the wind indicator be adequately illu minated at night. At some airports this is used as a means of signalling pilots that conditions are favourable or un favourable for landing. In the former case, the wind in dicator is lit by green Neon tubes, while if dangerous con ditions prevail, the colour is changed to red. An item which must early engage the attention of the air planner is the airport wireless station. Where a beacon is to be installed, there would appear to be a good deal to be said in favour of its installation in the centre of the major building block, where its aerials could extend above the approach road and car-parking area and where, though near the centre of the landing area, it would cause the minimum obstruction to flying. The aerials of the airport transmitter station could conveniently be arranged some distance from the aerodrome. In this connection, it is notable that in America, where several air companies were operating on the same port, each had its own radio trans mitting station, and although several worked on the same wave length as the control tower, no confusion seemed to result. The provision of suitable fuel supply points has been a problem of aerodrome designers in the past. For the small type of aeroplane, pumps with overhead swing arms have proved satisfactory, but these are useless for larger machines. Underground supply to a hose pit located well out on the apron has proved satisfactory up to a point and is widely used in Europe and America. Several pro prietary forms of pit with meter and hose reel are satis- An air view of the combined hangar and station building at Wayne County Airport. 398
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