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Aviation History
1936
1936 - 0233.PDF
JANUARY 30, 1936. FLIGHT. 103 A pleasing example of design for the smaller type of municipal airport—the Perth aerodrome building. It is probably generally agreed that the critical element in airport design (assuming that the airport site has been wisely chosen) is the relation between the buildings, whether grouped or distributed, and the aerodrome proper, i.e., the landing and rising space. Safety is clearly the first requirement. The buildings must be so placed and so limited in height that they do not impede or endanger the manoeuvring of the largest anticipated volume of air traffic in any reasonable flying weather. But speed in the circulation and in terchange of traffic is equally important, and if safety tends to push all buildings away from the perimeter of the aerodrome, speed tends to pull them to its centre. At the same time, both forces act to some extent in the opposite direction, for (other things being equal) the safe and efficient control of an aerodrome's traffic is best carried out from some compara tively central point, while speed on an aero drome is a function not only of the air traffic at its centre but also of a varied ground traffic which must normally concentrate at one or more points on its perimeter. Rival theories have been evolved. The simplest visual ises a flying field of roughly circular form with the build ings arranged along a chosen section of its circumference ; if the buildings are extensive, they are probably divided up into two or three groups with "flying-gaps" in be tween them. Of this type the Hamburg aerodrome is the most complete and probably the most successful example. Its finely massed and terraced station building, with its central control turret, would appear to have been taken as prototype for the station building now projected for the airport of Liverpool—a large and dignified scheme, somewhat marred by the excessive emphasis of its central of design. In this the buildings are arranged in V-shape. jutting out into the aerodrome with the station building at the head of the V. The control point and the centre of traffic interchange are thus brought closer to the centre of flying operations, while the station building can con veniently be given two or even three faces to the aero drome, and thus increased scope for simultaneous connec tion with several aircraft. A third and more revolutionary theory of design is now being tried out at Gatwick airport. This boldly places the station building out in the field as a circular " Mar- tello " tower with access to and from aircraft on every side. An underground passage connects the station with the railway and road approaches. In the station a central Jersey's new airport buildings, now in course of construction—"a common scale and character given to buildings so widely different as a terminal station and hangars." feature, in which the necessary control turret is magnified lnto a rather unnecessary clock tower. Another design on this pattern is the still larger new station building for ans (Le Bourget) airport, the construction of which is about to be begun. The very heavy traffic doubtless demands a building of this vast bulk, but the monotony of s unbroken lines of windows seems needlessly inhuman, . a it seems doubtful whether there is convenient provi- '0n *or the rapid simultaneous loading or unloading; of "Tttal large aircraft. ue airport of Lyon is the prototype for another theory " concourse" surrounded by offices, restaurants, etc., con nects with three entrances from arriving aircraft and three exits to departing aircraft. Each passage-way terminates in a telescopic gangway and could readily be adapted in the future to branch into two or even three such gang ways. It is far too early to judge whether this building, which is to be opened in May, will become the regular model for the major airports of the future, but, for all the detail inconveniences involved by planning on the circle, it certainly represents a substantial advance towards the solution of some of the requirements of airport design.
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