DEVELOPMENTS AT HAREWOOD

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27073, 23 June 1953, Page 7

DEVELOPMENTS AT HAREWOOD

COMPLETION FOR AIR RACE PROBABLE

WORK ON APRON AND LIGHTING SYSTEM

With only the apron in front of the control tower and hangars and the lighting systems for runways and taxiways left to finish, the extensions to Harewood airport should be completed in time for the arrival of the aircraft in the London-Christchurch air race in October. Much depends on the weather, for sealing does not normally begin until October with the coming of warmer weather, and a considerable area of the apron is only in the base course stages. If, as engineers hope, the weather is suitable in September the apron will be completed in time for the race finish. In any event it will be in usable condition by October 10. A good part of the lighting system has already been installed and some has been in operation for nearly two months. Thp rest should be completed within another two months. Both the 9000 ft main runway and the 5700 ft subsidiary runway have been completed and sealed, as have all the taxiways at present on the programme of development. Temporary approach lights are still in operation at the north-east end of the main runway, but at the other south-west end permanent installations are working. These permanent lights run 3000 ft out from the end of the runway proper in a cone down which the aircraft fly to land. Bars of eight lights at 1000 ft intervals have also been installed along this “cone” of approach lights. Permanent uni-directional and omnidirectional lights have beep set in the main runway, but are not yet in use. Switching gear and a control panel are still needed before these lights can be used. X em Porary omni-directional cone lights are still used on the north-west-south-east subsidiary runway. Weather Station Nearly Ready Apart from the actual airport extension work has been continuing on the meteorological radar station at Harewood. Two buildings have been erected—a hydrogen filling room and a transmitter and observation room—and the station is well on the way to completion. The station will provide high altitude weather reports essential for the operation of jet aircraft and will complete a chain of similar stations extending from Invercargill to Nandi in Fiji

Now that the huge piles of shingle between the main runway and the hangars have disappeared work at the airport would, at first glance, appear to have stopped, but a considerable amount of building is still going on. Underground cables are being laid up and down the length of the runways and taxiways and control panels and switching gear are being prepared for installation. Development has now reached the detail stage. Two Miles of Lights At present most of the work at tha airport is being done on the lighting systems. Temporary lights are being removed, the permanent installations connected and the whole complicated wiring system laid down. When work is completed more than two miles of lights will stretch in one straight line down the main runway and another shorter line will mark the subsidiary runway.

To comply with International Civil Aviation Organisation rules uni-direc-tional white lights will outline somewhat more than half the length of the runways and aviation yellow will point out the rest of the distance. This will apply for both ends of the runway so that most of the lights will show white from one side and amber from he other.

When it is completed the airport will be a blaze of multi-coloured lights. On the top of each high building red warning lights will burn. Above the water tower the rotating green airport beacon will flash and all along the runways and taxiways red, white, amber and blue lights will shine. All the taxiway and runway lights will be controllable in sections so that aircraft landing and finishing their run at one spot can be directed into the proper taxiways.