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Aviation History
1932
1932 - 0431.PDF
FLIGHT, MAY 6, 1932 factory in use, in spite of the problem of drainage of the pit and the risk of excessive wear of the expensive hose em ployed. There is to-day, how ever, a marked tendency to abandon the practice of bring ing the aircraft to the fuel point in favour of the rather more logical method of bring ing the fuel to the machine in a specially constructed lorry. I think there is little doubt that this method will super sede the fixed refuelling point, although bulk storage may still be necessary in the vicinity of the airport. Those generally in use carried oil as well as " gas " and gave rapid and efficient service. We have now considered the planning of the airport within its boundaries and looked for a moment at the different types of building that may surround it. The more important items of equipment have been superficially dealt with, and it only remains to view the airport as a co-ordinated whole in the plan of the area it serves. If the future is to be rightly provided for, it is now that steps should be taken, for the airport will undoubtedly exercise an important influence upon the sur rounding district. This is likely to become in time com pletely developed, and the plan should certainly be drawn so that the open spaces allowed for may be in co-ordination with the requirements of air traffic. In the immediate vicinity of the landing ground, lanes of approach should be zoned to prevent the construction of very high build ings which may cause obstructions. The necessity for forced landing grounds in the near vicinity suggests that open spaces should be located as nearly as possible in pro longation of the flightways. There is a further requirement which seems to me likely, although I have not seen it referred to before. I believe that for the proper control of aerial traffic in the future, signalling stations will be required at some distance from the boundary of the airport to indicate to approaching aircraft the beginning of the landing zone it is to use and to show the exact line of approach. From another point of view, the airport should offer an attractive opportunity to the town planner. As a huge open space, the surroundings of which are perhaps less suitable for residential than for other purposes, it would seem to be an ideal basis for development of park areas and recreational centres. In this connection, the example of Akron is interesting. The aerodrome itself is a large area, and besides the enormous airship shed, has an excel lent terminal building. Double runways have been planned and the hangars set back under the lee of the The plan of the Akron Airport hill. The surrounding area has been very carefully laid cut by the Town Park Com mittee. A line boulevard is being built to lead round the brow of the hill, and at a com manding point the city's war memorial is located. Between this road and the aerodrome, the country is being developed as a public park. A con venient depression of the ground is being made into an open-air stadium, while a hill at another point is being specially arranged as a camp ing ground for visitors. The equipment of the area for camping includes elaborate provisions for water supply and sanitary arrangements. At another point the park is being specially equipped for picnickers, so here also the equipment is complete, for each pitch is provided with a gas Stove and a set of utensils. The attractive surround ings, the wide views and the varied facilities available will undoubtedly make this airport the recreational centre of the whole district, although first-class communications maintain it in the closest relation to the business centre of the town. If I have to-night particularly stressed the views which have governed American development, and interpolated at times some ideas of my own, it has not been with the idea of finally stating what has got to be done, but with the quite contrary intention of stimulating interest in the fascinating question of air development on the ground, which has in the past been so much less studied than the air. I am prepared to be confounded on every point if only the correct solutions are widely published and the minds of those responsible made fully aware of the neces sity for present action if the requirements of future genera tions are to be met. After the lecture there was the usual discussion, in which many people took part. In reply to their questions, Mr. Norman said that he quite agreed about black cotton soil being very bad, particularly in spring, but otherwise, as far as he knew, they did not have great trouble with it. As regards the difficulty of landing light aircraft on run ways which were not dead into wind, he himself had found no such difficulty with a " Puss Moth," as it was generally possible to land on a line somewhat across the runway, and therefore get practically into wind. He agreed, he said, that airports must be developed in conjunction with the town-planning scheme. He agreed that there was certainly a need for economy in the development of air- The huge airship shed at Akron. 399
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