The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-05-05
PLANE LANDING
ON BUILDINGS
PERFECTED
Invention Said to 0yerconle
Chief Obstacle to Com
merciaI Aviation
By OSCAR X. COLT.
Cosmopolitan News Service.

NEW YORK. May 5.-The great.
est handicap to development Of com.
mercial aviation, the landing Of an
airplane in a congeSted city dis
trict, has been mastered, according
to the claim made today by r.
James Gibbons, inventor of the ap-
paratus and president Of the r.
James Gibbons Company, dealers in
heavy hardware.
He sajA his device would make
1t possible for an airplane to land
on most any large building, thus
making il possible to open up a new
era in commercial flying. The War
Department, he said, has his landing
apparatus attachment for roofs,
which will permit safe landing or
taking off from high structures,
under consideration.
"'The airplane, because of its
speed, needs large space for land
ing and scientists and engineers
have tried vainly for years to con-
quer the problem. believe / have
found the solution said Mr.. Glib.
bons.
Device Is Platform.
MY device consists of fiat plat.
form about sixty feet wide and ITS
feet long, which is pivoted in the
center to allow it to be tilted to any
desired angle. 1t is mounted on q
circular track, which permits It to
be revolved into the wind for
launching or receiving planes. The
exact size Of the platform Is de-
termined by the size and weight of
the planes 1t is to accommodate.
Il proposed to have the platform
installed on the tops of high build
ings, On piers and rocky cliffs where
no landing facilities are available"
Retarding devices on the surface
or the platform are the means by
which Mr.. Gibbons proposes to bring
the plane to q stop in such q short
distance.
when the plane lands on a fiat
ueld 1t has a tendency to bounce
over the grounds surface Just be.
fore 1t comes to a rest, because of
the fact that the air beneath the
wings is banked and presents a
blanket of interference" said Glib
bons.
THE bad feature of landing is
eliminated in my device by means
Of fans which will draw all the
air away from the surface of the
platform as soon as the plane
strikes.
Land In Face Of Wind.
For example-when plane is
sighted the control men on the end
OF the platform swing the entire
structure around so that the ap-
preaching plane may land in the
face of the wind. The platform il
then tilted to its greatest angle. A
lever raises a series Of wire cables
stretched across the structure. The
planes wheels strike the lower end
! of the platform and the steep grade
materially reduces the speed.
Now the retarding wires offer
friction against the wheels and
and rear skid and as the air
stream from the propeller becomes
so weak that the rudder can no
longer be used for steering, other
guide cables On the platform pilot
the craft. The plane comes to rest
high on the platform, which is
then tilted to horizontal"
Mr.. Gibbons explained that il the
planes speed should carry it too
near the end Of the platform. a
steel trap would be released at the
end to prevent it from 'nosing
over"
This Device" added the inventor.
could do no more than break the
propeller blades and would be used
only in an emergency. II the
pilot should misjudge his distance
so as to strike the platform too
high the control men would lower
the retarding devices and the plane
could pick up speed for another at
tempt.
I'm launching a plane the plat
form Is tipped downward. The re.
tarding devices again hold it back
until flying engine speed is at
tanned. Then the plane glades swift
!y forward, the platform being lust
long enough to permit a safe take.
off,"