Evening star., 1927-03-20
ESSENTIAL NEEDS
FOR AIRPORT CITED
MacCracken Gives Pointers
for Selecting City
Plane Harb0rS.

With the increase of air trafiic,
cities without airports are finding
themselves in the same class as
coastal cities without well equipped
sheltered harbors, William +. Mac
Cracken, jr, Assistant Secretary OF
Commerce for Aeronautics. declared
in a statement last night which set
forth conditions to be considered in
selecting an airport. The pubic
utilities committee of the Federation
OF Citizens Associations has in
terested itself in the matter of an air
port for Washington, and will hold its
third hearing on the subject in the
District Building tomorrow afternoon
at 4:45 o'clock.
Naturally. those cities which pos
sess good airports will attract present
and future air commerce" Mr.. Mac
Cracken said. THE existence of such
airports and the favorable public
attitude indicated by such possession
will cause cities to be carefully con
sidered as stopping points on the
official civil airways of the country.
Cites Airport Values.
"The commercial value of an air
port is not it's only consideration. 1t
offers recreation to citizens, many
of whom will be interested in watch
ing operations of planes. In this way
it is as important as the city parks,
golf courses, equestrian trails ana
bathing beaches, and it should be a
municipal enterprise. The air com
merce act of 1926 recognizes this by
providing that civil airports shall not
be owned or operated by the Federal
Government. In general the airport
should be large enough for absolute
safety of operations, easy of approach
from all directions and quickly
reached from the city. 1t should be
planned to care for future rapid in
creases In aeronautics.
AT first the municipal hangers may
be available tor housing pubic planes
and public transport craft. Later
when traffic becomes heavy, the munic-
ipal airport will become a place for
the taking on and discharging of pas
sengers. mail, express and freight. III
will be to the airWay what the railroad
terminal is to the railway.
After unloading, the transport
planes will be flown to other fields on
the outskirts of the city where they
will be serviced and held until ready
for return trips. Another benent
from the construction of airports Is
the increase of public confidence In
air travel.
THE people of the United States
will soon become accustomed to TINS
new method Of transportation Wheh
II is placed continually before their
eyes" MacCracken believes.
Reauiremehts Cited.
THE basic requirements for an air
port is that the field be firm, approx
mately level, we'll drained without
Instructions or depresSions presenting
hazards in taking-off and alighting,
and with clear and safe approaches.
BY hazard Is meant any obstacle,
object or condition that renders opera
tions dangerous under any expected
condition. The site should be situated
on or capable of immediate connection
thereto with a good highway leading
to the nearest city or town.
The airport must be equipped with
an improved type of wind direction
indicator and must be marked by day
with a landing circle OF 100 feet in
diameter having a band feet wide,
the circle to be placed flush in the
center of the landing area or in the
center of the landing strip intersec-
tion. In addition, the name of the
city or field must be placed in or near
the center of the marking circle. The
airport must also be provided with
facilities for supplying aircraft with
fuel, Oil and water, and the airmen
with dependable communication and
transportation facilities to the nearest
city or town.
THE equipment for airports com.
pletely lighted for use at night include
the following: Airport beacon; illumi.
mated wind direction indicator bound
ary lights: flood lights; signal lights;
ceiling lights; hangar food lights,
and auxiliary lights. The purpose of
the airport beacon is to indicate the
location of the landing field. while the
other sets of lights play an indispen-
sable part in the proper functioning
of the field"