New Britain herald., 1927-03-22
AIRPORT ESSENTIAL
 TO C|TY'S PROGRESS
Flying Station Needed for Future
 Trade, McCracken Says
BY GEORGE II. MANNING

N
 (va shnrton Bureau ot the x. |. Herald,
 Washington. D. C.. March 22-If New Britain wants to be considered ss a stopping point on the official civil airways Of the country. it should provide it's own municipal airport.
 This is the advice William P. Nc Cracken. Jr.. assistant secretary Of commerce for aeronautiCs, gives to cities seeking 10 attract present and future air commerce,
 With the increase in air traffic. cities without well designed airports Are finding themselves in the same class as coastal cities without well equipped. sheltered harbors. Ndtur- ally, the existence Of such an airport in a city and the favorable public attitude indicated by such possession will cause cities to ba carefully con- sdered as stopping points on the of- fcial civil airways of the country" Assistant Secretary MCCratken said.
 But the commercial value of an airport is not the only consideration. according to Assistant Secretary Me tracken. An airport has reCrea- tional value. just as city parks mu- nicipal golf links bathing beaches and riding trails have, he believes. People like 10 watch the operation Of airpian.s.
 Furthermore, the more airrorts there are, the more accustomed peo- i. ;r and the less afraid of aviation, he eays.
 The Air Commerce Act of 1926 recognizes the local and rocreational value of municipal airports and con- sequently provides that the civil air ports shall not he owned or opcr- ated by the fed oral government.
 Assistant Secretary McCracken thus describes the way an airport should be constructed and equipped:
 Tn general, the airport should be large enough for absolute safety Of operations, easy Of approach from all directions, and quickly reached from the city.
 Tt should be planned 10 care for future rapid increases in aeronautics. At first the municipal hangars may be available for housing public planes and public transport craft. Later when traffic becomes heavy. the municipal airport will become place for the taking on and discharg- ing Of passengers, mail express and freight. l. will be to the airWay what the railroad terminal is to the railways.
 "The basic requirements for an airport are that the field be firm, ap proximately level. well drained, with out Instructions CT deprcssions pre- scnting hazards in taking-on and aighting, and with clear and safe ap- breaches. By 'harzard' is meant any obstacle, object or condition that renders operations dangerous under any expected condition. The site should be situated or capable of immediate connection thereto with a good highway leading to the nearest city or town. ''rhe 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 l in diameter having a band 4 feet wide. the circle which is to be placed flush in the center Of the i, landing area or in the center of tho ! landing strip intersection. In addi- l ton, the name of the city or field | must be placed in or near the ccn- | ter Of the marking circle. The air ! port 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 near est city or town.
 'The equipment for airports com- pletely lighted for use at night in- clude the following: airport beacon: illuminated wind direction indicator: boundary lights; flood lights; signal lights; ceiling lights; hanger flood lights: and auxiliary lights The pur- pose of the airport beacon isS to in dicate the location of the landing field while the other set of lights play an indispensable part in the proper functioning of the field.'