Evening star., 1931-06-21
CAPITAL IS FAVORED
! FOR AIR TERMINAL
Van 0rman FaVorS Base for
Ocean Travel in Wash
ington Area.

&c .stion " she proposed transat-
lanth airship terminal in the National
Capital area is strongly recommended
by Ward T. Van Orman, information
ally famous balloon pilot, In prelim-
mary meteorological survey for the
terminal which has just been completed
for the Goodyear-zeppelin Corporation.
A copy was received by the Washington
Board Of Trade.
After a year Of detailed study Of
weather conditions affecting airship OPP
Grafton, Mr.. Van Orman recommended
"that the locations of Richmond, Wash
ington and Baltimore be considered for
a transatlantic airship base and also
that Philadelphia be included as repre-
senting the most northerly point that
we can conScientiously recommend for
consideration"
So satisfactory were the meteorolog-
ical conditions at Hybla Valley. near
Alexandria, Va, the local terminal site
under consideration, that field en-
the International Zeppelin Transport
Corporation are making q detailed en-
gineering survey of the field. This
survey will show soil conditions Affect
ing drainage and the construction Of
an immense hangar and other struc-
lures, the amount Of grading necessary,
the availability of railroad transporta-
ton and cost Of constructing spur lines
TO the field and other physical factors
involved.
Better Than Lakehurst.
In submitting his meteorological re-
port, Mr.. Van Orman said: 1T should
not be inferred that ideal conditions
will be encountered 100 per cent of
the time in any section Of the middle
Atlantic Seaboard. However. from the
data herein presented, 1t will be seen
that in the desirable areas outlined
in this study, the best attainable con-
ditions will be encountered. BY using
the weather conditions encountered at
the Naval Air Station at Lakehurst,
N. j., as q standard Of comparison, It
IS apparent that the operating condi-
tons to be encountered at the proposed
locations of Richmond, Washington,
Baltimore and Philadelphia will be very
much better than those of Lakehurst."
In discussing temperature, which af-
fectS the lifting characteristics of air.
ships. Van Orman points out that an
increase In Summer temperature oc-
ours to the south Of Washington and
that the area to the north of this
Summer. In Winter the desirable area
would be south of Trenton, N. j., and
Harrisburg, Pa. y
Temperature range is of Importance
and for this reason location near the
seecoaSt is desirable as showing little
daily fiuctuation. Wind conditions
however, are not desirable on the coast
and SO a medium between wind and
temperature range must be struck
and. therefore, the desirable area
should probably include Philadelphia,
Baltimore and Richmond"
From the standpoint Of thunder
storms, he says, "a reasonable area"
Is between Trenton and Richmond. In
which 80 to 20 thunderstorms occur
annually.
All Factors Considered.
From the viewpoint of snowfall, he
indicates steady improvement of con-
dttions away from Philadelphia to the
south and southwest From the
standpoint Of rainfall, the most de-
siraole location would be in a zone so
to 100 miles from the seaboard, he
declared.
In the study of fog he found the
minimum fog area to be Richmond.
Washington and Philadelphia. Baiti-.
more, he said, lie a trife high in fog
frequency, but not seriously so. Costal
stations are poor
Wind velocity must be considered a
vital factor in the docking of airshins
and the study shows that the largest
number of docking days per year are
to be found in an area which includes
Baltimore and Washington and which
Is very close to Richmond" For davs
when docking is not possible, but when
ship may be moored to a mast the
desirable area includes Philadelphia,
Baltimore, Washington, Richmond and
extends on southwesterly.
In a chart showing the average per-
ctpitat1on, fog, thunderstorm and tenn
perature conditions, the best area In
cludeS Washington and Philadelphia,
Van Orman reports, Baltimore being
slightly handicapped by fog conditions
and Richmond by thunderstorms and
higher Summer temperatures. Another
chart covering all wind conditions also
includes Washington and Richmond,
with Philadelphia as a northerly limit
OF the desirable area.
THE desirable area based on aver
age wind velocity conditions along"
Van Orman said, would include Wash
tngton, Philadelphia. Baltimore and
Richmond. Low temperatures and
snow would limit the northern extent
OF the area to Philadelphia, while the
southern CUTOFF would occur south of
Richmond due to high temperatures
and thunderstorms.