Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-21
MODEL AIRPORT
OPENED BY FORD
Auto Manufacturer ForeseeS
Much Larger Planes
for Future.

Designed to reflect the stability of
the new air industry, the Ford Model
Airport, which is said to compare
favorably with the best of the great
nationally owned airportS of Europe
has just been opened for service by
Henry Ford of Dearborn, Mich.
Mr. Ford. according to his aviation
plant executives, looks upon the Ave
ton Ford triple-motored transport
planes now in use on commercial air
ways throughout the country merely
as the torerunnerS of much larger
planes of the future, which cannot be
operated successfully on mud and ruts
and with down-at- the-heel equipment.
Henry Ford's model airport, there
fore, is reflection of his opinion that
the airplane has advanced to point Of
mechanical perfection which compares
with that of the automobile, and he
has accordingly built a harbor worthy
of the new unit of transportation.
Last Word in Efficiency.
The Ford Model Airport while smaller
than some of the splendid European
ports, is the latest word in efficiency
and equipment. A site of 300 acres has
been utilized and careful planning and
construction have made it an excellent
port. A paved highway gives direct
access to the field. and series of at
tractive, permanent buildings have been
erected along this road, bordering the
field. Even more impressive than the
buildings, however, Is the system of
paved runways established to afford the
airplane complete ease of operation on
the ground.
Aside from the broad concrete apron
before the hangers, there are two warm
ing-up strips in front of the main
hangar referred to by the pilots as
pant legs" and runway 1852 feet
long and IS feet wide, permanently
paved with concrete, doing away entirely
with turf. dust and cinders.
THE concrete runway has proved so
satisfactory in the first few weeks of
service" says w. B. Mayo, director of
aviation activities of the Ford Motor
Co.. that a second. at right angles
to the first, is planned for 1928 con-
struction. The heavily loaded plane
taxis, in all weathers. smoothly and
surely down the concrete to the point
of take-off without bump or jar. The
distance required for perfect take-off
is materially reduced, although we do
not feel 1t advisable to reduce the
length of the runway on this account.
i
safety which will be still more valuable
as the weight and size of loaded planes
continue to increase"
Take-offs Positive"
Stanley Knauss general manager of
the Stout Air Services, now the prin-
cipal passenger-carrying users of the
Ford Model Airport, explained that
take-off from the concrete runway
always is positive" the pilot knowing
that his plane lifts off only when it
has attained full speed and that it has
not been catapulted into the air for
false take-off before attaining flying
speed in bouncing over a rut or bump.
AS further safeguards, diagonal strips
have been painted on the concrete to
show the proper take-off distances
from either end. If the ship has not
left the runway by the time it reaches
these marks, the pilot slows down and
taXis back for new attempt.
Experience at the Ford port already
has demonstrated that the heaviest
planes accelerate more easily and take
off more readily from the concrete than
from other surfaces which are subject
to mud, sand or roughness. The con-
crete not only eliminates the expense
VI BldNCiS anu u dCbOlo ACquiACo w
keep an earth field smooth but also
eliminates the hazards such equipment
constitute at a busy airport. The con-
crete runway at the Ford airport is
said to be the first of its kind in this
country, although concrete has been
used abroad, notably at Milan, italy,
since the close of the World War.
The Ford Airport buildings are re-
Election of the seriousness with which
commercial aviation development is
viewed at the Ford plant. The paSsen-
ger station, where hundreds of flight
tickets are sold on good flying days,
is a simple and attractive permanent
building designed for handling passen-
gers efficiently. Two hangers have been
erected, one handling requirements and
being equipped with complete. machine
shop and the other having storage ca
pacity for scores of planes of all sizes.
The factory where the Ford tri-motored
planes are turned out also is located at
the field All OF the buildings are of
similar design and fit into carefully
organized plan.
When given ample facilities air traffic
assumes large proportions, experience
has demonstrated and the true airport
is intended to prepare the way for ire
mendous expansion in aerial travel. At
the Ford airport the movement of planes
already is described as far more active
than the movement of trains and
buses to and from the majority of
small cities.