Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-03

the computed strength of necessary member
in the ssadrcme will be added strength four
times greater
SGXXTE expect these Seadromes to stay at sea
for at least twenty years with repairs
made only from aboard the seadrome ITSELF"
he declared.
The landing surface will be 1900 feet long.
in the shape of longtudal-membered square,
with the corners rounded for the sake of looks.
The bow and stern will be 200 feet wide.
Amidships the seadrome will be 400 feet wide.
to accommodate the oval-shaped. streamlined
buildings on each side of the landing runway.
One building will house the planes and the
necessary equipment and supplies for them.
and provide rooms for the seadrome crew.
On the other side will be modern, 40-room
hotel with all conveniences for the accommo-
dation of travellers while awaiting plane
servicing or changes. Here also will be MAIN
tanned radio communication with the other mid
ocean landing stations, and, possibly Armstrong
thinks, the first transatlantic telephone cable.
The radio beacons, which will bring planes to
the seadrome regardless of fog or darkness, also
will be housed within the hotel. Bathrooms,
swimming pools and various social activities
planned to help TRANSATLANTIC air passengers
while away their hours aboard the Seadromes
Huge anchors and buoys will hold the sea-
drome at its appointed place in the trans
oceanic chain The seadrome will swing in
wind because of the wave action against the
Streamline stills or struts. Thus it will always
be in position for a plane to land, as planes
have to do-into the wind.
The comparatively short length of the landing
surface. only 200 feet, is explained all that
is necessary by Armstrong. The inventor points
out that the illimitable fiat surface of the
ocean will allow a plane to get landing speed
a distance away from the seadrome. and then
drop easily and comparatively slowly on the
deck Of the seadrome
The inventor sees no necessity for any
arresting gear on the deck of the seadrome, such
as has been used on airplane carriers to halt
the run of a plane its deck and cut short
the landing space needed by the plane.
His plans do provide. however, for constant
communication by radio not only with the
other Seadromes on the chain, with detailed
weather reports from the entire course, but also
with the planes themselves coming into the
seadrome. Plans call for all planes in the
seadrome service being amphbianS, so that they
can, if the necessity arises. land on the sea.
Down on the ocean, the pilot of the plane
can get in radio communication with the near
est Seadrome and a rescue boat can be sent out
immediately.
COMMENTING on the peculiar structure of
his seadrome, Armstrong said: when I
first began thinking over this idea. the thing
Cuat Stoou cut OSioAe hie IioSI cAealH WAS tuS
necessity of stable surface for the passenger
planes to land upon. I studied the results OBJ
tanned by the Navy with its airplane carriers
and decided that a ship presents much too
unstable deck for the safe landing of passenger
planes. suppose aircraft carriers all right
for warfare, and for the pursuit planes used
by the Navy to land upon, or even. for that
matter the heavier bombers to use il 1t is
necessity. but put away any idea of boat
or scow type Of structure. ..tt,.. 4.s