Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-26

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are taken to prevent formation Of
washes, which in most cases nee.
essitates growing of q good sod
the placing of revetments to holc
fills and in some cases cCnStINlc-
ton of brushwood dams to aic
rainwater in filling low spots anc
to break up formation of washes
and gullies. Lighting and mark
ing Of the fields form the fina
stage.
AS the work of conditioning
fields extends over the entire
country, every conceivable condi-
ton of climate and soil is met
requiring the solution Of a great
variety of purely local problems
Nearly all sites are limited by the
tracts of ground obtainable al
fair rental, by the nature of the
site, the type of soil and drainage
conditions. Artificial drainage Is
avoided if possible.
Typical Problems Outlined.
One of the most interesting OF
the new airwayS from the stand
point of intermediate landing
field engineering is that from San
Francisco, Calf, to Seattle, Wash.
which crosses broad stretches OF
tule marshes, the fertile lower
Sacramento Valley, wild mountain
country which forms some Of the
most difficult flying area In the
Nation, and stretches OF broad
open country.
From San Francisco to Redding,
Calf, no particular difficulties
were encountered and fnterme-
diate fields were located at Con-
cord, Suisun, Capay, Williams and
Willows, in addition to which air
ports are available on the airway
at Corning, Red Bluff and Red
ding.
North of Redding, to Eugene,
Greg, however, the country Is
wild and forbidding, lying over
mighty mountain ranges, portions
of which often are covered by
Pacific Coast fogs.
The first field north Of Redding Is
located near Bayles, Calf, in the
steep-sided valley Of the upper Sacra-
mento River where the stream has
carved out bench of land long enough
to provide for landings up and down
the valley. There are IL acres avail
able between the Pacific Highway and
line On this tract 2,2o0-foot runway
| tapering in width from 100 to $50 feet
has been prepared at considerable cost
including the building Of . fiune 70
| carry of irrigation waters and the
building of heavy fences for keeping
out livestock which roam at viii In
this region.
Approximately 80 miles farther on in
the twisting and precipitoiis valley Of
the Shasta River near the base OF
Mount Shasta Is an intermediate field
which is being developed by the United
States Forest Service as q patrol plane
base.
Mountain Hemmed Field.
The next intermediate field is at
Montague, Calf. In q broad valley
| fringed with mountains rising more
than 5000 feet above the valley floor
A two-way landing strip half a mile
long and 400 feet wide has been pre-
pared at considerable expense by the
city and licensed to the Department OF
| Commerce as an intermediate field
Though not eligible for a good rating
this field Is OF great Importance, as 1t
| is on the southern edge of the highest
portion of the Siskiyou Mountains
which impose q formidable barrier be-
tween California and Oregon. Four
miles west Is the Yreka airport, which
has a runway half mile long by 500
/ feet wide, lying almost at right angles
to that at Montague, forming two legs
Of a four-way field four miles apart.
Ten miles north of Montague at
Hornbrook there Is a 23-acre field In .
little valley formed by the junction OF
| a small creek with the Shasta River
affording a two-way landing area 2,2OO
feet long and 500 to 600 feet wide
Ten miles farther north the Oregon
boundary is crossed on the summit Of
the Siskiyous.
Eight or nine miles north Of the
boundary is Barrons Ranch held, neal
Ashland, Ore. This Is q little two-way
field of Is acres on q bench OF land
formed by two of the forks Of Bear Greek
/ in the heart Of the toughest and most
forbidden country on this atrway. a
runway 1900 feet long and from SOC
to 430 feet wide has been prepared anc
boundary lighted. Trees had to be re.
moved from large area to provide ap.
proaches. This field Is regarded as Of
great Importance. despite its small size
Both this field and the one at Horn
brook are unusually above the low-lyins
when flying has to be carried on above
the fog At the same time they usually
are below the storm clouds which love-
| on Siskiyou summit and make th<
crossing hazardous.
Many Emergency Landings.
The Barrons Ranch field was useC
10 times in three months for emergency
landings and the Hornbrook seven time:
in little longer period.
Twenty miles beyond Barron's Is tins
Medford Ore, airport, the first airmal
stop north of Oakland. From Medfore
TO Portland the course Is over generally
descending country, the airway follow
ing Bear Greek and Rouge River VAL
leys to Grants Pass and then nortf
TO Roseburg over very rough country
which is frequently fog-bound. Begin
nign IL miles north Of Grants Pas
there is a series of ridges and valley
at right angles to the airway.
Two-way fields have been located IN
the valley of. Grave Greek, IL miles from
Grants Pass, and in the valley Of Cow
Creek, seven miles farther north. Ths
Grave Greek field contains but IA acres
providirg a landing strip 200 feet Ions
BY 900 feet wide. fanked by a hill,
highway and telephone line. Thu
Cow Creek field is even smaller, the
landing area being 1900 by 800 feet
hemmed in between a mountain wal
and Cow Greek, the area being cur
tailed by a road and Transmission line
Both fields. however, have been the
means Of saving lives in several emery
encies.
More area is available for fields or
the way north Of Cow Greek, drainage
problems being the most serious con-
fronting the engineers, owing to the
long rainy season, which tends TO cause
! dangerous softening. Of the fields.
Beacon Problem Solved.
Many OF the airway beacon sites be.
tueen Peddinp and Eugene We're eY.