Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-08
NORTHEAST OFFERS
SITE FOR AIRPORT
Area Conforms Almost to
Letter to Army Speeifica-
tons for Field.

The site in northeast Washington,
bounded on the north by Benning
road. the east by the Anacostia River
and the west by Twenty-first street,
which has been suggested to Maj. T..
s. Grant, Sd, executive officer of the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission as a future airport for the
District of Columbia, conforms almost
- to the Letter with standards adopted
by the Army Air Corps to insure sue
cess and safety in air navigation.
The Always Section of the Corps
has been engaged in laying out aerial
highways and encouraging the con-
struction Of municipal airports for the
past six years and today is probably
more qualified to advise and recon-
mend on this subject than any other
existing agency. It's work in behalf
of civilian and commercial aviation
now is being taken over by the Civil
Airway Service of the Department Of
Commerce, in the process of final or
ganization under the provisions of
the Air Commerce Act of 1925.
According to Lieut.. Donald r.
Duke, chief Of the Anyways Section,
the following standards must be fol
tain the maximum advantage from
such a terminal
Should BE Near City.
IAN airport" he declares. should
be as close to the center of a city
as safety to populace, property and
aircraft will allow. The city should
be easily reached by as many means
of transportation as possible. The
site should offer facilities for eX-
pansion in the event of future neces-
sity."
The Benning site is situated on a
main artery. Benning road, which
connects with Maryland avenue, run
ming to the front steps of the Capitol.
Street cars also parallel the highway
and the present site probably could
be expanded should the occasion
arise.
While the size of airports depends
on many problems peculiar to each
city" Lieut.. Duke continues, there
IS minimum size for airports which
Is intended to take care of all types
of airplanes in use today under all
conditions of traffic and weather.
This minimum size should allow
clear unobstructed area of not less
than 1900 feet along the direction of
the prevailing wind if not in all di
reCtionS."
Site Meets Requirements.
The area suggested by the District
Chapter, National Aeronautic Asso-
citation. is much larger than the mini
mum set by Lieut.. Duke and it's long
est side would be in line with the pre-
vailing wind.
Such a field" he explains. would
afford a reasonable degree of safety
for personnel, planes and property in
case of engine failure on the take-off.
Dimensions given may seem eXces-
sive, as many planes have landed safe
ly and operated from smaller fields.
However. the point to be considered
. is a saving of life and property. The
usefulness of small fields is determined
by the presence or absence of obstruC-
lions around the field which prevent a
clear approach for landing. An OBJ
structiOn leo feet high, for instance.
would make at least 700 feet of a land
ing field unavailable. Thus the avail
able length of a runway should be
computed by SuhtraCting seven times
the height of distractions that pre-
vent a clear approach to the landing
fields"
AS the site now exists. the only oh
structions are the trolley poles and
wires utilized by the Washington
Railway & Electric Co. and the Wash
ington. Baltimore and Annapolis line.
AS these wires are probably not moro
than so feet above the ground, if
planes, by reason of the wind direc-
ton, are forced to come in over them,
then only $50 feet of the field border
ing on l2enning road would be useless
at that time.
Shape Important Factor.
. AS to the shape of the field, Lieut..
Duke SAYS: 1T m ist be borne in mind
that airplaneS and airShipS must take
off and land headed directly against
the wind Thus the best shape of a
landing field is roughly u square. in
that it allows landing or taking off in
any direction. 'L'-shaped and rec
tangular fields are only slightly less
useful, mainly because they restrict
TO a certain degree the number of
angles of possible approach for land
ing"
The Benning area now is roughly
square and as now constituted it could
be made more geometricallY correct.
Referring to the character of the
ground. the aviator continues: 1.-THE
ground should be we'll drained and
firm under all weather conditions,
sodded If possible. because of the dust
Injurious to many working parts of
the motor The surface should be
level and fairly smooth. bitches or
deep burrows will cause considerable
damage if not wreck an airplane. The
grass should be kept cut and not al
lowed TO reach more than six inches in
height. SO as not to damage pro
pellers.
Preparation Is Needed
CHE suggested site could not be used
today, To advantage. for landing. al
though the terrain has been made
firm and solid in connection with the
Anacostia park project. Here and
there little mounds arise which would
have to be leveled off.
After field has been selected
Lieut.. Duke concludes, and is avail
able for landing. il should be marked
with the standard marker. which is a
white circle. 100 feet in diameter, with
a band four feet wide. SO constructed
as 10 be flush with the ground, that it
will in no way interfere with an air
plane rolling over it. All markers
should be kept white, SO as to be
easily seen from a great distance in
the air
Toledo'S Memorial Trees.
Through Fred w. Leu. Douglas fir
mara cl.-&ippI f4.Dn1 tho SlNna