CITY AIRPORTS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 903, 21 February 1930, Page 18

CITY AIRPORTS

ENGINEERS DISCUSS DETAILS CONFERENCE CONCLUDES Press Association DUNEDIN - , Thursday. The greater part of the morning session today of the annual conference of the New Zealand Society of Civil Engineers was devoted to discussion on a paper presented by Mr. F. J. Jones on “The Economics of Railway Transportation, as applied to New Construction.” Mr. J. S. L». Deem (Wanganui) delivered an address in the afternoon on “Civil Aviation and Airport Design.”

The speaker said the problem of providing terminal facilities for air travel was a comparatively new one to the civil, engineer. . The prediction was rapidly being realised that a city without an airport would be as much behind the times as one without a railway station. The limit of usefulness of the. modern airplane 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 airport design and the formation of runways and landing surfaces. Investigation and experience had yet to decide what was the most desirable length and width of runways, the permissable slope on runways and any other part of the field. They might ultimately find that landing grounds would be provided on the roofs of city and station buildings. Several other papers were read by members. Mr. G. T. Murray, the new president for the year, was installed by the outgoing president in a brief speech, and took the chair. The conference concluded its sitting late this afternoon.