Evening star., 1934-01-12
European Cities Much More
Advanced Despite Smaller
Traffic.
ONLY GOVERNMENT SEAT
WITHOUT FEDERAL AID
London, Berlin and Paris Have
Elaborate Fields-Rome to Get
100000 Fund.

WdIU Ol dll lIle great WOTlQ CdplLdlS
economically and is one of the few
capitals of the world which does not
boast great civil air terminal owned
and operated outright by the Federal
or city government or financed in
whole or in part by government.
Although air transport service at
Washington Airport is heavier than
that at any of the most famous Euro
pean airports, according to compare
tive figures obtained by Federal Of
ficials here, this is the only large capi-
tai city for which reports are available
which has had no Federal or municipal
lid in establishing an adequate air ter
minal.
Washington Airport, moreover, is by
far the smallest airport used as civil
air terminal by any large world capital
city. An area equal in size to the
whole of Washington Airport could be
Topped off many of the airports of
Europeon capitals without disturbing
normal operations.
The three most famous European
airports- Bourget, at Paris: Croy-
don, at London, and Tempelhof, at
Berlin, are government projects and
are perhaps the most elaborate and
completely equipped air terminals in
the world.
Italy Gives 100000.
Italy has appropriated 100000 to-
ward the establishment of the new Lit
torio air terminal at Rome; the Port
of Amsterdam operates the famous
Dutch airport, Schiphol and Denmark
operates the Statens Lufthavn for its
capital, Copenhagen.
France has provided for Paris one
of the worlds most widely known air.
ports, lie Bourget, scene of the close of
Lindbergh's flight to fame and of many
other notable flights and the hub of
European air transport lines.
LIE Bourget has a landing area of
400 acres, extending 5000 by 5,400 feet
and is exclusively commercial. The
| property originally was used for mill
| tary purposes and the airport was
| Government aid is granted in the form
of direct subsidies to cover operating
costs and supply added facilities
In effect. lie Bourget is municipality
operated. it is reported. Five hundred
] people are employed by the field or by
| the companies operating there and gov
| eminent barracks are provided TO house
| those who wish to live there.
! LIE Bourget boasts 20 modern hangers,
complete with repair shops, all heated
The hangers and buildings are of steel
and masonry construction, ranging in
size from 120 by 80 feet to 180 by 1l0
| feet. The field is elaborately lighted for
night flying. Bus and street railway
lines connect the field with the city.
| Cement walks. drives and beautiful
| landscaping make the airport highly
attractive place.
Tempelhof Huge.
| Tempelhof at Berlin formerly was a
| drill ground for the Kaisers troops. 1t
was turned over to the municipal gov
ernment to operate and condition in
| 1918. The portion now in use measures
4,600 by $500 feet and the remainder,
measuring one by two miles, has been
set aside to be added to the airport as
occasion demands. This great area
provides emergency landing fields on
three sides of the airport proper.
| An underground tunnel and tramline
| provide fast service to the airport build
| ing, which houses customs officials, a
restaurant, post Office, offices, airport
! officials and air police. The hangers,
steel and masonry, measure 800 by 100
| feet. Underground fueling systems, a
thorough system Of ground signals and
the most complete lighting for night
| operations make the airport one Of the
most completely equipped in Europe.
Tempelhof is operated by company
| with capitalization Of SITE, 900 Reich
marks, of which 2,765 900 was provided
by the City of Berlin, 100000 by the
German state and 100000 by the
Free State of Prussia.
London's Croydon, dedicated in May,
| 1923, formerly was an old flying field,
| lIcaT for for VaYinllS aerial
operations. but which was outgrown.
The British air ministry is responsible
| for the improvements which have made
Croydon one of the leading world air.
ports.
The old buildings were torn down
or moved and an area 1000 feet square
was thoroughly drained and condi-
| toned A splendid administration
building, four large hangers, shops,
| hotel. customs offices, immigration Of
fees, waiting rooms, ticket offices, tele-
graph and telephone Offices, a branch
post office, express office and quarters
for the operating companies were pro-
vided. The hangers, of concrete and
steel each measure $50 by $50 feet and
| are equipped with overhead. .cranes and
| the most up-to-date appliances.
Most recent of the big European
capital airports is the Littorio at Rome,
built in nine months with federal aid
and operated now by Campagnia
Nazionale Aeronautica, nationwide
group of aviation enthusiasts A hotel
and stadium are parts of the plant,
| which attracts an average week end
attendance of 5000 visitors. The air
port is on the Tiber, with a Seaplane
dock available. The hangers are Of
two-story type and the airport, exclu-
sive of the stadium and recreation
areas, measures 5000 by $500 feet.
Schiphol Operated by City.
Schiphol, at Amsterdam, is operated
under the directorate of the Port Of
Amsterdam, the costs and upkeep be-
| ing borne by the municipality The
| burgomaster and city alderman are
members of the board in charge. The
landing area measures $500 by 2,700
| feet and a hotel and restaurant are
part of the equipment.
Statens Lufthavn, at Copenhagen, is
controlled by the federal government
and is operated through port man.
agement. The operating expenses are
betrayed by the government. The air.
port measures 5000 by 2,700 feet and
land is set aside for ultimate expan-
sion to 5000 by 1000 feet.
The present available area at WASH
ington Airport comprises only about 80
acres, Military road cutting OF the
81 acres of Hoover Field. By the ut
most expansion, 173 acres can be made
available. The airport, in addition to
its small size, is low, subject to flood
ing, muddy in wet weather and dusty
in dry Military road and its traffic
constitute an ever-present menace and
serious accidents there have been mar.