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Aviation History
1933
1933 - 1151.PDF
FLIGHT, DECEMBER 7, I'm before granting this licence a thorough inspection is always made by an officer of the Ministry. If the condition of the ground meets with his satisfaction at the first inspec tion, the engineer can congratulate himself that his work has been well done. With regard to maintenance, the chief concern seems to be in keeping down the growth of the grass during the growing season. With large airports, continuous mowing may be necessary,- but with smaller landing grounds there are the alternatives of controlled grazing or permitting the grass and clover to grow to scything height and allow ing local horse owners systematically to cut it and cart it away. During the autumn the tops of the clinker drains should be raked over and topped up as required, while the pre servation of surface consolidation by frequent medium heavy rolling is also essential. From the foregoing it will be seen that the construction and maintenance of a landing ground need not be beyond the scope of am' progressive local authority. THE BUILDINGS AT SOMETOWN-IN-AIR By GRAHAM R DAWBARN, M.A., F.R.I.B.A., M.I.Struct.E., A.F.R.Ae.S.* I AM asked to write on " The Design of Buildings Suitable for a Municipal Airport." My best course is to describe briefly the sequence of building operations that took place between 1934 and 1944 at Sometown-in-Air. The Council obtained an area of 250 acres of compara tively flat land within four miles of the town, well served by a secondary main road. Councillor Bligg moved that the whole area should be surfaced and immediate steps taken to erect buildings of a dignity worthy of the name of Sometown. Councillor Blogg, on the other hand, argued that, since the amount of initial traffic was uncertain, it might prove financially unsound to develop the whole area and that the first buildings should be as economical as possible. He moved that advice should be obtained. After eight months of discussion, this was agreed, and four months later the Council received a Report. The first portion of this report was devoted to what was called the Ultimate Scheme which, it was expected, might be in full use in 1950. It was illustrated by layout plans of the whole area* and by sketch plans and elevations of each proposed building, but what caught the eye of Councillor Bligg was an air view showing ranges of hangars and stores, quarters for a local flying club of obvious affluence with own lockup hangar adjoining, public enclosure with long covered verandahs and tearoom, at least six full blown factories and a complete terminal building. On examining the sketch plans of the terminal building, he was further impressed in finding that it included accom modation for airline passengers, operating companies, taxi services, sales organisation, immigration and Customs, mails, weather bureau, general administration and control.. A note on the total estimated cost temporarily staggered him, and Councillor Blogg seized the opportunity to turn on to further sections of the report. After passing pages devoted to estimated traffic flows, expected rentals and returns, servicing, lighting, fuelling and so on, he came to a comparatively small section headed " First Stage." It argued that, as there was not at present even a local flying club and as no airline had yet definitely staked a claim, the aero drome could only look for casual I activities at the start, and that it was therefore essential to keep first Cost as low as possible. After further discussions it was decided to carry out the first stage as ad vised, the two main items to be included being a) levelling, drain ing and surfacing a carefully ^elected initial landing area of 75 acres, and (b) the erection of one building to act as hangar, store, workshop and offices, and to instal at once the beginning of an elec tric sub-station served from the main in the road and to carry out the first stage of a sewage-disposal plant in a carefully selected site in such a way that it could be greatly increased in the future. The levelling, draining and sur- BLACKPOOL : Blackpool Aero drome at Stanley Park is an ideal centre which caters for the many flying enthusiasts who visit that resort. facing contract was let to Huncas, who, nine months later, completed their work at a cost of £1,825. Meanwhile, action was taken with the building. The report had sug gested a building with a central unobstructed space 90 feet wide by 80 feet deep and two aisles 15 feet wide, one for stores and benchwork and the other offices, lavatory accom modation and small refreshment room. The central space was to have a clear height throughout of 12 feet with doors 12 feet high and 70 feet wide, and the estimate given for the complete building, with 700 square yards of tarmac outside, was £2,500. Councillor Blegg then came forward as an expert anil proved that the cost of supplying and erecting the steel work, coverings, roof glazing and windows of a building ot this size should not exceed £1,100. In support he pro duced an estimate for this amount which he had un officially obtained. It was, however, found, to the general surprise, that the cost of the " builders' work," including foundations, concrete floor and tarmac, partitions, heat ing for offices only, lighting, painting and a limited amount of sanitarv work, was more than the " shell " of the building, and, on tenders being obtained, the cost was found to be: steelwork and shell £1,020, remainder £1,405, total £2,425. The roof was of corrugated asbestos and the wall coverings of corrugated iron. After work had started, Councillor Blagg pointed out that there was no control tower, which he understood was essential for any self-respecting airport. The reply was that a control tower was almost essential for night flying and valuable for really congested day flying, but that all at present required was an office with a good view of the landing area. The aerodrome was opened in great style, and on the opening day the accommodation found quite inadequate both for aircraft and visitors. It then settled down to a period during which the accommodation was adequate. * Mr. Dawbarn is in partnership with Messrs. Norman and Muntz, as Architect and Aeronautical Consultant. 1219
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