Evening star., 1936-09-27
idly shifting in direction and strong
and gusty.
Width ~ Runvnvs

idly shifting In direction and strong
and gusty.
Width Of Runways.
Although the two paved runways
are to be 100 feet wide, the prepara-
ton of shoulders 200 feet wide on
each side will give q total area 500
feet wide, on which landings and
take-offs may be made In case of emer-
gency. The shoulders will be planted
with grass seed, and with heavy traffic
confined to the paved runways, 1t Is
believed a solid turf can be developed,
ending forever the dust snd mud trou-
bles which have plagued the airport
In the past.
The runway and shoulders will take
in virtually the full width of former
Hoover Field, from the Experimental
Farm boundary to the Goodyear air
ship hangar. At the Military road
crossing the shoulders will be extended
to width Of $50 feet, to provide q
more gradual slope for automobile
trafac crossing the runway.
THE maximum grade on the paved
runways will be less than one-hah Of
per cent" Reed explained. This
is far better than the minimum re-
quirements Of the Department of Com
merce, which allow up to 2 per cent
grade, although efforts are made to
keep within is per cent on air trans
port terminals"
The foundation material for the
Washington Airport runways Is
crushed Stag from the steel plants at
Sparrows Point, Baltimore. This is
treated with emulsif1ed asphalt. Sue
cessively, smaller courses Of Stag and
gravel, with asphalt treatments, are
being applied, and the finished surface
will be the equal of the finest asphalt
highways, 1t was stated.
New Type Equipment.
A new type of distributor Is being
used for the base course Of heavy ma
terial. This distributor is designed to
be attached to the tail end Of the dump
trucks, in which the material Is hauled
to the site. The heavy Stag is dumped
from the truck into hopper in the
distributor and Is distributed evenly in
any desired thickness through two
Y-shaped feed channels and large
"plow"
I'VE are using the most modern
equipment for the sake Of speed"
Reed said. This Is necessary be-
cause of huctuating wind conditions.
1t frequently becomes necessary to
abandon operations in one part Of
the field and move quickly to an
other so as not to interfere with
airplane operations, which, Of course,
are regrllted by the wind direction"
Areas which are being graded must
frequently be made ready within q
few minutes for landings and take
offs, which means that they must be
always in such shape that a few
passages Of grading machine, sprin-
kler and roller will make it available
for use
"On days when the wind shifts fire.
quently we have to step around at Q
pretty lively rate" Reed said.
Radio Controls Landing.
All landings and take-offs at the
airport are being controlled by radio
from the new airport control tower
under zoning system. The airport
has been divided into numbered zones.
and pilots are equipped with chart
showing the zones and are advised
by radio before arriving in Wash
ington just which zones are open foT
landings. The system has worked per-
fectly SO far, Solomon said, and Is
expected to serve throughout the con-
struction period, expected to con-
tinue until about mid-November.
The Military road phase of the
project has been inspected by Ar
lington County oficials and approved
by them, Solomon said. He pointed
out that Military road trafnc will
be accommodated throughout the con-
struction period and that the road
will not be closed at any time unless
by Government order. It will be nee.
essary, however, to move back the
existing trafic control lights and
chain barricades to the edges Of the
shoulders before the construction Is
completed. This will put the lights
500 feet apart.
Existing traffic regulations, author
lied by Congress under general su-
pervision of the Commerce Depart
ment, will remain in force after the
construction program, it was pointed
out. They provide a maximum $500
penalty for violations of the regula-
tions intended to prevent possibility
of collision between airplanes and
motor vehicles.