Seaplane drivers can accelerate in a circle in order to get out of a small
lake. No rope to a central point is used.

Circular airfields were built to accomodate airships and blimps.
Lakehurst, NJ, where the Hindenberg disaster occured, still has a circular
field. You can see it from normal scheduled airliners traveling from DCA
to BOS as you approach the JFK VOR if you are sitting on the right of the
plane next to a window.



"Big John" wrote in message
news
CD

Many years ago (1920-1930) in a land far away. Bar stories told about
aircraft operating in SA. They would land in a jungle clearing and
when ready forTO would put a stake in the center of the clearing and
tie a rope to it. They then ran the rope out to bird and looped it
around the strut (or something). Pilot held the end of the rope so it
wouldn't come loose and started to accelerate in a circle.
As he got enough speed to lift off he would let go the rope and fly
away.

If not a true story made a good one to tell at the bar.

This not a one April story.

Anyone else heard this story and can confirm it????

Big John
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On Wed, 31 Mar 2004 16:18:52 -0500, Cub Driver
wrote:


Circular (or at least 360-degree) airfields were common at one time.
You put a stake in the center with a windsock on top. The aircraft
landing simply landed into the wind, wherever it was coming from.

Wu Chia Ba airport in Kunming used this arrangement before the
Americans arrived toward the end of 1941.

all the best -- Dan Ford
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