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#1
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interstate runnways?
OK, This sounded a little strange to me, but during lunch today with some
co-workers, someone asked if I knew of some rules regarding interstate construction. They had heard a bit of trivia that claimed that an interstate highway must have sections that are straight, level, and long enough for a plane to land(at least 1 mile they thought.) I had never heard of such and was wondering if anyone here knows what they were talking about? c |
#2
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zaphod wrote:
OK, This sounded a little strange to me, but during lunch today with some co-workers, someone asked if I knew of some rules regarding interstate construction. They had heard a bit of trivia that claimed that an interstate highway must have sections that are straight, level, and long enough for a plane to land(at least 1 mile they thought.) I had never heard of such and was wondering if anyone here knows what they were talking about? http://www.snopes.com/autos/law/airstrip.asp |
#3
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zaphod wrote: OK, This sounded a little strange to me, but during lunch today with some co-workers, someone asked if I knew of some rules regarding interstate construction. They had heard a bit of trivia that claimed that an interstate highway must have sections that are straight, level, and long enough for a plane to land(at least 1 mile they thought.) I had never heard of such and was wondering if anyone here knows what they were talking about? This question used to be batted around on a fairly regular basis in the newgroups. The upshot was that just about everybody has heard about this bit of trivia, but no one could come up with any official source for it. It appears to be an urban legend (at least for the U.S. Interstate systems). In some european countries, major highways were designed to accomodate military aircraft for use in war time. John Galban=====N4BQ (PA28-180) |
#4
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"John Galban" wrote in message ups.com... zaphod wrote: OK, This sounded a little strange to me, but during lunch today with some co-workers, someone asked if I knew of some rules regarding interstate construction. They had heard a bit of trivia that claimed that an interstate highway must have sections that are straight, level, and long enough for a plane to land(at least 1 mile they thought.) I had never heard of such and was wondering if anyone here knows what they were talking about? This question used to be batted around on a fairly regular basis in the newgroups. The upshot was that just about everybody has heard about this bit of trivia, but no one could come up with any official source for it. It appears to be an urban legend (at least for the U.S. Interstate systems). In some european countries, major highways were designed to accomodate military aircraft for use in war time. Switzerland is one country in particular. |
#5
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"Chris" wrote:
"John Galban" wrote in message ups.com... In some european countries, major highways were designed to accomodate military aircraft for use in war time. Switzerland is one country in particular. The same is true for Germany. European highways tend to have the lanes for both directions very close to each other, unlike the US ones with a wide grass area in the middle. In Germany, you often have small bushes (to block oncoming lights) between two guard rails. But on some straight stretches of Autobahn, the middle ground between both directions has been filled in with concrete, and the guard rails there can be disassembled. If you know what you are looking for, it is quite easy to pick out these "ad-hoc runways" as you drive along. Another giveaway: there is never a brigde or cables running across the highway, for obvious reasons. Greetings, Markus |
#6
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They're known as ALARS - Alternate Launch and Recovery Strips, and were a
specific design in several countries which had a concern about being able to operate from areas other than their main bases after a major invasion/air attack. They were considered a strategic imperative to be able to defend the country after the Soviets had taken out all the main base runways. Germany and Switzerland have already been mentioned; Korea is another one. They were often located near main bases to reduce the travel from the main base support facilities to the ALARS. You could tell you were driving on an ALARS because there were very wide shoulders at either end for servicing and arming the aircraft as well as parking after missions. If you knew what to look for you could also identify the barrier installation locations across the road. Ones I specifically have seen were outside the main gate at Ramstein and on Highway 1 in Korea, all of which were decommissioned in the mid-90s. In ReFORGER (Return of Forces to Germany, a major NATO exercise held every couple of years during the Cold War) the USAF and Luftwaffe used to exercise from them routinely during the 70s and 80s (I believe, though I have nothing other than memories of old photos to back that up). Shawn "Markus Voget" wrote in message ... "Chris" wrote: "John Galban" wrote in message ups.com... In some european countries, major highways were designed to accomodate military aircraft for use in war time. Switzerland is one country in particular. The same is true for Germany. European highways tend to have the lanes for both directions very close to each other, unlike the US ones with a wide grass area in the middle. In Germany, you often have small bushes (to block oncoming lights) between two guard rails. But on some straight stretches of Autobahn, the middle ground between both directions has been filled in with concrete, and the guard rails there can be disassembled. If you know what you are looking for, it is quite easy to pick out these "ad-hoc runways" as you drive along. Another giveaway: there is never a brigde or cables running across the highway, for obvious reasons. Greetings, Markus |
#7
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zaphod wrote:
OK, This sounded a little strange to me, but during lunch today with some co-workers, someone asked if I knew of some rules regarding interstate construction. They had heard a bit of trivia that claimed that an interstate highway must have sections that are straight, level, and long enough for a plane to land(at least 1 mile they thought.) I had never heard of such and was wondering if anyone here knows what they were talking about? c I don't think most of the interstates in PA meet this, or could meet this, requirement even if it were true! :-) Matt |
#8
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Don't need most to meet it, just a few remote sites.
Matt Whiting wrote: zaphod wrote: OK, This sounded a little strange to me, but during lunch today with some co-workers, someone asked if I knew of some rules regarding interstate construction. They had heard a bit of trivia that claimed that an interstate highway must have sections that are straight, level, and long enough for a plane to land(at least 1 mile they thought.) I had never heard of such and was wondering if anyone here knows what they were talking about? c I don't think most of the interstates in PA meet this, or could meet this, requirement even if it were true! :-) Matt |
#9
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"Matt Whiting" wrote in message news:nImre.812 I don't think most of the interstates in PA meet this, or could meet this, requirement even if it were true! :-) Doesn't matter. Nebraska and a couple of other plains states can make up for all the rest! :-) |
#10
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John Gaquin wrote:
"Matt Whiting" wrote in message news:nImre.812 I don't think most of the interstates in PA meet this, or could meet this, requirement even if it were true! :-) Doesn't matter. Nebraska and a couple of other plains states can make up for all the rest! :-) That's a fact. Driving across states like Nebraska, Kansas and others puts me to sleep ... on a motorcycle no less in the case of Kansas! :-) I'm not making this up, just ask my wife who was riding with me. Matt |
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