Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-02-05
LANDING FOR ATRSHTPS
PLANS OF PROMOTERS
FOR BELLEVUE ROOF
Scheme Would Provide Station
For New York-to-W Washing
ton Line-Location Has
Some Hazards"
TO CARRY PASSENGERS

"NTr. and Mrs. Smith arrived by aero
plane at the Bellevue-Stratford landing
station today"
One may be able to read this an
| nouncemcnt, not as forecast, but as
| n fact, before many months. If plans.
under way to establish on the Bellevue
the only roof-landng stage for aeroplanes
in America, are carried to their con-
clusion. When they are, visitors from
the sky and those on the superior
eminence on higher building will look
down upon an immense plane. fiat as
billiard table and running the depth of
the hotel. from Broad street back to
Bellevue Court, and nearly the entire
width of the house.
The idea OF putting the landing sta
tions on the roof of the Bellevue is to
provide a landing place in Philadelphia
for aeroplanes of the New York-Philadel-
pha- Baltimore Washington line, a trans
portation line that will be placed at the
service of the public as soon as equip
ment is sufficiently perfected to make the
plan practicable.
EUROPEAN LINES.
In several Continental cities before the
war there were regular lines of airships
running over given routes at regular in
tervals. The most notable of the lines
was that which carried the passengers
in great Zeppelins, from Berlin to Dres-
den. The service was well patronized,
and passengers came to look upon the
ride as eXhilarating as well as safe.
Such n line. but making use of heavier
than.ar machines, is the aim of the pro-
motors who would convert the roof of the
Bellevue into the landing place for Phila-
delphia-bound aeroplanes. The only ques-
ton in the way of actually getting the
work under way is that of the mechanical
possibility of landing safely within the
Of the station Skilled nNiutnrg nv
clrcling. are able to come down almost
precisely at the place they mean to strike
and to bring their machines TO a stop
just where they wish.
MIGHT BE TALL" DROP.
The landing surface, as it is planned
for the roof of the Bellevue, would pro-
vide a 300 foot run for starting and
alighting, and margin of 30 feet on
each side of the aeroplane as 1t comes |
down. For the experienced pilot, such u |
landing should not be too difficult, eX. |
perts say; but the penalty for miscal-
cuation, or accident, would be "tall' |
drop into Broad or VS. nut streets, II |
stories below, Just how ISuch this would !
appeal to passengers, In the present state |
of aeronautics, cannot be foretold. |
Should it be found, however. that the |
OF landings within such an
area Is 100, there is little doubt but that |
adventurous souls would need little per-
suasion to attempt the trip.
SCHEME OF LANDING.
The financial side OF the Bellevue land
ing stage has not been worked out in de-
tail, but the understanding is that the or
ganiZation OF an aeroplane line with
Philadelphia destination would be fol-
lowed very soon by the construction of
the platform. The platform would bisect
The roof of the house from Broad street,
passing between the northwest and south
west towers.
A small platform for passengers, con-
lected by the runways with the hotel
elevator service, would parallel the great
andlng stage.