Evening star., 1941-09-28
Safety Socio
AtAirport, Told Of lis
Many Precautions
Manager Groves Points Out
Devices on Field Through
Cafes Gloss Wall

What is being done at the Ma
tons greatest and most modern
airport" to guard against accidents
was related to rs members and
guests of the Washington Safety
Society yesterday afternoon by Ma
tional Airport officials at luncheon
in the new restaurant overlooking
the flying field.
John Groves, the manager, was
able to illustrate his description of
the mechanical safeguards of the
field by pointing them out to guests
seated al tables which commanded
a view of the busy runways through
glass walls extending from floor 20
ceiling of the restaurant.
He explained that the huge new
field is bounded on three sides by
water. which affords safe approach
for airliners at a gliding angle of
1-foot drop to each 40 feet
The north and south runway,
about 1000 feet long, is being equip
DtQ Will SlOulINA dNiIc 4oNAAillNo 4Nl
blind" landings by instrument
when the visibility is zero, he said.
Red Neon Cross Gives Warning.
This equipment will enable pilots
flying blind" to put down their
planes almost exactly on a prede-
termined spot.
In night landings where the pilot
can see the ground he is warned
away from a runway in use by a
red neon cross which remains
lighted until green directional
arrow gives the all clear signal.
Floodlights along the runway
over which an approaching airplane
moves always are at the pilots back
and cannot blind him.
Once on the runway the pilot is
guided down side approaches to his
proper position on the ramp, Mr..
Groves explained, by rows of blue
border lights.
The modern control tower affords
vision to all sides and above. A
special glass has been used for sub
DUNG the rays Of the sun and wind
shield wipers keep the glass clear
in damp or stormy weather.
Elaborate Fire Precautions.
The control tower is in radio con-
tact at all times with approaching
and departing airlinerS. Mr.. Groves
said, as a double safety check on
the stop and go signals on the field.
Direct wires connect the control
tower with Boiling and Anacostia
Fields to guard against possible
conflict between commercial and
Army and Navy planes.
The airport now has its own fire.
fighting system, with a pumping
station on the river. A "deluge"
system of automatic fire sprinklers
protects the big hangar and will be
installed in the five hangers now
under construction. The system
will food any area on fire and also
automatically indicate the position
of the fire on control panel
The airport has its own fire and
crash trucks and a crash launch for
possible water rescues, all supplied
with the most modern emergency
equipment, Mr.. Groves said.
350000 Pay Dimes.
The airport now handles 1873
scheduled arrivals and departures
daily. with an average Of about 20
extra sections and 100 to 125 land
ings and take-offs of private or Gov
eminent ships.
More than 100000 spectators
have visited the new airport since
it was thrown open to the public,
Mr.. Groves said, and some $4,000
have paid dimes for admission to
the terrace overlooking the loading
ramps.
Mr.. Groves reported that in
creased traffic at the airport re-
Gently has brought it from the fifth
to the third busiest in the country,
trailing only the airports in New
York and Chicago.
Mr.. Groves was introduced by A.
c. Maher, the airport's safety engi-
neer and chairman of the Member
ship Committee of the local safety
society. H. V. Schneider, president
of the society and safety engineer
for the Capital Transit Co., presided
at the ladies day" luncheon.
What the airlines are doing to
protect passengers was related by
Barney Vierling, chief engineer Of
the PENNSYLVANIA Central Airlines.
He pointed out that airIners now
are equipped with four radios, max
ing it practically impossible for
them to lose touch with ground sta
tions or to lose their exact position
at any time while in fight.