ENGINEERS CONFER

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 44, 21 February 1930, Page 16

ENGINEERS CONFER

VALUABLE PAPERS

CIVIL AVIATION

(By I'elegrapa.—Preaa Amocuuion.)

DUNEDIN, 20th .February,

Th greater part of the morning session, to-day of the annual conference of the New Zealand Society 0... Civil Engineers was devoted to discussion on a paper presented by Mr. I<\ J. Jonca, M.V.0., 1.5.0., on".the subject "The Economics of Railway Transportation as Applied to New Construction." This paper was prepared for the annual meeting in Christchurch last year, buttime did not permit of a discussion on it on that occasion.

Mr. J. S. L. Deem (Wanganui) delivered an address in the afternoon oh "Civil Aviation and Air-port Design." The speaker said that the problem of providing terminal facilities for air travel was a comparatively now one to the civil engineer and one perhaps not fully appreciated by those upon whom the responsibility rested. It behoved them as a profession to keep, in-touch with all phhases of the development. The prediction was rapidly being realised that; a city without an air-port would be: as much behind the times as one without a railway station.

J The limit of Usefulness of the modern aeroplane, said Mr. Deem, seemed to be fixed only by the number of places that could be provided for landing and taking off. The speaker referred to the various aspects of air-port design and the formation of runways and landing surfaces, atmospheric influences, etc., and said that in the light of their present knowledge it was perhaps difficult to lay down definite specifications for air-port' development. Investigations and experience had yet to decide what was the most desirable length and width of runway, the permissible slope on runways, and any other part of the field, the rapidity of drainage, colour of runways, as affecting night flying, and the unit pressures which surfaces of runways should withstand. They might ultimately find that landing grounds would be provided on the roofs of city arid station buildings, the 'planes flying to some convenient airport to refuel, etc. . ,

Mr. Deem, with the aid of the blackboardj illustrated his points with regard to the formation of runways and the layout of aerodromes.

Several other papers were read by members.

Mr. G. T. Murray, the new president for tho year, was installed by tho outgoing president in a brief speech, and took the chair amidst loud applause. Mr. Murray said he would do his best to deserve the high honour which had been conferred on him. Dunedin was tho city of his birth, and tho eitywhere he commenced to learn tho rudiments of his profession, and he appreciated the honour the more because he had received it ift his old home town.

The conference concluded its sitting late this afternoon.