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Aviation History
1949
1949 - 1962.PDF
728, FLIGHT, 8 December 1949 LAND-and-WATER AIR BASE Progress at Egypt's Fuad I Air- port—and a Note on B.O.A.C.'s Solent Service to South Africa This plan of the Fuad I Airport at Alexandria shows the proximity of the marine and land bases The airport is immediatety to the south of the city and three miles from the sea front. LAKEMARIUT By GEOFFREY DORMAN, A.R.Ae.S. EGYPT, which contains some of the oldest signs ofcivilization in the world—the Temple of Karnak atLuxor—has one of the best-laid-out airports in the world, and has shown an initiative which might well be followed in Britain as well as by other nations. At Alexandria the Fuad I Airport has recently been opened. It has a land airport with four runways, the longest of which measures 1,800 metres and the shortest 1,250 m, and adjoining it is an artificial lake with a longest run of 3,000 m and a shortest of 2,400 m. Between the land airport and the marine base is a control tower and traffic building, with adequate customs space and wait- ing room. The artificial lake is named Lake Mariut, and this basin has been reclaimed from marshland on which the land base has also been built. Lake Mariut has an average depth of 10ft 6in, which is adequate for our present biggest commercial flying-boats; the draught of a Solent is 5ft 6in. Before the larger flying- boats such as the Saunders-Roe Princesses come into service, the depth can, if necessary, be increased. The base was planned by the Egyptian Ministry of Civil Aviation, and work was started in 1939, but the outbreak of war stopped all progress on it. It was then completed in 1947, but the retaining wall was not strong enough and strong winds caused damage. Complete reinforcement of the wall with concrete was then undertaken and the lake was ready for use in June, 1948. The total cost to the Egyptian Government of building this basin was £125,000. Use of the lake was then further delayed by lack of radio aids, met. facilities, and lighting. B.O.A.C. eventually started using it by day on October 24th, 1948; the change-over from the old base at Rod el Farag was made overnight. Because of the unsettled state of Egypt and Israel, night operations were not permitted until April this year. Then B.O.A.C. was able to speed up the Springbok service from South Africa by flying from Port Bell on Lake Victoria to Alexandria in a day, with a refuel- ing stop at Khartoum. That entails arrival at Alexandria just after dark. When I flew from Johannesburg in the Solent City of Cardiff in April this year we were delayed at Port Bell by a mishap to one of the crew. That caused a six-hour delay, during which Capt. John Davys, who last summer put down a sister Solent on the Thames in London, per- formed a feat which seemed like black magic. He pro- duced another B.O.A.C.-trained radio officer from the heart of " Darkest Africa " in six hours. He had intended to make up schedule by arriving at Alexandria soon after midnight, after a night alighting and take-off at Khartoum ; but just before we alighted at Khartoum he received a signal from Alex, that they would not accept so late an arrival. So we had to remain for a night at Khartoum, and it was a considerable task to arrange, at short notice, night accommodation for 37 passengers and nine crew. At Alex., B.O.A.C. have at the lakeside their stores, marine office and yard, engineering workshops and offices, staff canteen and kitchen in which meals served on the flying-boats are cooked. There is also a restaurant and rest-room for passengers, with a pleasant outlook over the lake. Here immigration and quarantine formalities are completed, after which passengers go to the nearby control-tower building for customs. The station manager is A. J. Johnson, who smoothes the way for all comers. On the outward flight to South and Central Africa, a stop is made at Alex, for refuelling the flying-boat, and also the passengers, who have an excellent lunch all ready waiting for them. Passengers are accommodated for the night at the Hotel Cecil on the sea front. Route Modifications Since the flying-boat service began in April, 1948, there have been several changes in the route. A fine " air post- ing-house," named Canopus House after the first of the Short Empire boats, has been opened at Augusta. Pas- sengers walk straight off the boat there on to a pontoon and into Canopus House, which has a fine view over the bay, and of Mount Etna. The stop at Cairo has been discontinued, and after the refuelling stop at Lake Mariut, the flight is continued to Luxor. The Marine Base at Victoria Falls has been greatly improved and a road six miles long has been made by the Rhodesian Government from the base to the hotel. At Johannesburg, there is now an alternative alighting- point for use on those rare occasions when thunderstorms blot out the Vaaldam, the normal alighting-point. The alternative is at Haartebeeste Port, about 30 miles equi- distant from both Pretoria and Johannesburg and due north of the latter. It is close to high mountains, so would not be so suitable as Vaaldam for regular operations. On the homeward run the night stop at Luxor has been discon- tinued in favour of Alex., where accommodation is better. The land section of Fuad I airport is not at present used by B.O.A.C., but several charter firms use it, and also various South and Central African airlines. When flying- boats become more widely used—and if popular opinion has any bearing they will be—then similar airports should be seen all over the world, and thanks will be due to Egypt for giving such a fine lead. Many passengers1 like the comfort and roominess of the flying-boat as manifested in the Solent, and I formed the conclusion that it is much pleasanter to arrive at one's destination with a cool splash than with a hot bump, specially in hot climates
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