Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-19


The approaches to the Gravel
ly Point site are uneXcelled. There
are no distractions at any point
around the area which might be
a menace to aircraft. Toward
the river front, of course, there
are no obstacles of any character.
Upstream the nearest obstacle is
the railroad bridge, which is too
far away to interfere with any
plane coming in at even the fiat
test possible gliding angle. The
Virginia shore all along the site
is open and downstream there
will be water approaches until the
field is developed to its full 10000
feet of length, if this ever is done.
One Advantage in Delay.
There has been an advantage
in the delay in establishing an
airport here, from one viewpoint.
While Washington has been mark
ing time, the pioneering work in
airport design, construction and
equipment has been going on else
where. The National Capital may
take advantage of all this mani
fold experience as a guide in lay
ing out an airport which should
be a world model.
The benefits which have been
gained by delay, however, now
are being lost because of the i'm
possibility of building up any sort
of organized aviation activity
here. If there is much further
delay the city may suffer sorely
in the future. The various COM
mercial fields in the vicinity of
the city may serve some of the
special needs of the Capital, but
they cannot remove the necessity
for a Federal and municipal air.
port.
There now are in the vicinity
of Washington five private and
two Federal flying fields. The
first flying field in the United
States is at College Park, Md, 10
miles northeast of the center of
the city. At this field the Wright
brothers carried on experimental
work in 1909. The first flying
school organized by the Army was
opened there in 1911. There the
late Emile Berliner and his son,
Henry A. Berliner, carried on
their experiments with helicop-
tiers. The Post Office Department
operated it's first experimental air
route from the field in 1918 and
used the field until 1921. The De-
partment of Commerce and Bu-
reau of Standards also have used
the field for various purposes. and
the bureau now conducts radio
range beacon experiments there.
Marsh" Only Partly Reclaimed.
In 1917 a portion of Anacostia
Park was turned over to the Army
as a flying field. 1t has been in
use ever since under the name of
Boiling Field. The Navy has
taken over the river side of the
field for the Anacostia Naval Air
Station.
The marsh area composing Boil
ling Field was only partially re-
claimed, according to Edwin A.
Schmitt, assistant United States
Army engineer for the local Army
district. 1t never has been
brought up to the finished grade
and it's occupation by the Army
has prevented any substantial
filling. This has resulted in much
unjuStified criticism of dredge-
filled fields, and the conditions of
flooding and improper drainage
which have occurred at Boiling
Field could be entirely obviated at
Gravelly Point, Mr.. Schmitt holds.
Hoover Field and Washington
Airport are located on opposite
sides of Military road, between the
Arlington Experimental Farms
and the Washington Alexandria
road. They are the closest to the
heart of the city of all possible
airport sites, but are limited as
to size. They are doing the larg-
est sightseeing passenger flying
in the United States. They have
been the terminal fields for all air
transport lines except the airmail,
which have been established out
of Washington. Only one of these
lines now is operating-the Cliff
ford Ball Line to Pittsburgh and
Cleveland, which uses Hoover
Field.
Also Owns Virginia Tract.
Washington Airport has been
acquired by the Federal Aviation
Corporation and is being develop
ed as an air terminal field at a
cost of 100000. The company
also owns a 1,000-acre tract at
Hybla Valley, Va, near AleXan-
dria, which is to be developed as
general airport.
About IL miles northwest of the
center of the city, on the Rock
vile pike, is Congressional Air
port, which has been designated
as a beacon site and intermediate
field on the Department of Com
merce Washington Pittsburgh
airway.
Except for the Anacostia Naval
Air Station, Washington now has
no seaplane airport of any de-
Scription. Such an airport is a
vital necessity. Other cities which
have made the mistake of falling
to provide seaplane facilities are
now suffering from their lack of
foresight.
One Florida city, which devel-
oped a large airport inland, has
been forced to abandon the field
entirely and create another on the
waterfront. Cleveland, with one
of the country's finest airports,
several miles from the lake front,
now is developing seaplane
terminal on the shore and must
maintain two establishments.
Chicago is doing the same thing
and is operating an air taxi serv-
ice from it's landplane field to
the waterfront airport. Buffalo