(USA) Interesting FAA data

Martin Gregorie wrote:
Interesting airport numbers from the FAA's NASR datamabase:

I've read about an experimental circular runway being built in the USA
- how many runways should it be counted as in this database?



hmmm. perhaps 3.14?

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Martin Gregorie wrote:
Tuno wrote:
Interesting airport numbers from the FAA's NASR datamabase:

I've read about an experimental circular runway being built in the USA
during the '20s or '30s:
- where it was
- does it still exist
- how many runways should it be counted as in this database?

Enquiring minds want to know.


Likewise, I've read 'somewhere' of the same circular runway concept
being made and tested, as well as an account by one of the pilots chosen
to take off and land on it.

Unfortunately, I can't lay my hands on the reference (boo hiss). Can't
remember where it was (SW USA, I seem to remember), or when, but I seem
to remember a picture of a 'Douglas SkyRaider-like' plane on the upper
banking (imagine the upside down circumferential bits of a frisbee, from
level through 25-degrees or so of banking).

I also seem to remember: 1) the pilot reporting nothing fundamentally
concept-killing was discovered during the tests...though certainly
re-thinking the concept of 'airport' would've been necessary, and,
making the requisite access tunnels for interior road access would add
to initial costs, and 2) reference to it eventually being torn up.

IIRC, crosswinds weren't an issue during their tests...

Workable circular logic???

Rgds,
Bob W.

Martin Gregorie wrote:
Tuno wrote:
Interesting airport numbers from the FAA's NASR datamabase:

I've read about an experimental circular runway being built in the USA
during the '20s or '30s:
- where it was
- does it still exist
- how many runways should it be counted as in this database?

Enquiring minds want to know.


Likewise, I've read 'somewhere' of the same circular runway concept
being made and tested, as well as an account by one of the pilots chosen
to take off and land on it.

Unfortunately, I can't lay my hands on the reference (boo hiss). Can't
remember where it was (SW USA, I seem to remember), or when, but I seem
to remember a picture of a 'Douglas SkyRaider-like' plane on the upper
banking (imagine the upside down circumferential bits of a frisbee, from
level through 25-degrees or so of banking).

I also seem to remember: 1) the pilot reporting nothing fundamentally
concept-killing was discovered during the tests...though certainly
re-thinking the concept of 'airport' would've been necessary, and,
making the requisite access tunnels for interior road access would add
to initial costs, and 2) reference to it eventually being torn up.

IIRC, crosswinds weren't an issue during their tests...

Workable circular logic???

Rgds,
Bob W.

Banking would not have a whole lot to do with it after
losing flying speed. The turn would be cause by the
rudder's acting against the wheel and blowng the tail
around-- if you can keep the tail wheel off the ground.
A little bit of bank would probably be helpful but
there would be no need to get the wing tip close to
the ground unless there is a really big cross wind.

At 16:18 03 January 2008, Chris wrote:
On Jan 3, 10:16=A0am, Martin Gregorie
wrote:

I've read about an experimental circular runway being
built in the USA
during the '20s or '30s:

Speaking of which, I've been wondering how easy it
would be to land in
a curved field. Is there much special technique to
landing on a
curved field with trees on the sides? I suppose the
biggest challenge
would be to touch down at the right spot tangent to
the curve and keep
the right bank angle in through the pattern all the
way to the stop.

Suppose somebody could try it on a big square field.

Not dragging the inside wing would be the biggest challenge,
maybe a
high wing glider like a K-8 would be easier.

Chris

One technique I've heard discussed is how to land on a center pivot alfalfa
field. The thought expressed was to plan to land crosswind on the downwind
side of the circle so the crosswind helps the glider make the turn to follow
the lane between the pivot arm wheel tracks.


"Nyal Williams" wrote in message
...
Banking would not have a whole lot to do with it after
losing flying speed. The turn would be cause by the
rudder's acting against the wheel and blowng the tail
around-- if you can keep the tail wheel off the ground.
A little bit of bank would probably be helpful but
there would be no need to get the wing tip close to
the ground unless there is a really big cross wind.

At 16:18 03 January 2008, Chris wrote:
On Jan 3, 10:16=A0am, Martin Gregorie
wrote:

I've read about an experimental circular runway being
built in the USA
during the '20s or '30s:

Speaking of which, I've been wondering how easy it
would be to land in
a curved field. Is there much special technique to
landing on a
curved field with trees on the sides? I suppose the
biggest challenge
would be to touch down at the right spot tangent to
the curve and keep
the right bank angle in through the pattern all the
way to the stop.

Suppose somebody could try it on a big square field.

Not dragging the inside wing would be the biggest challenge,
maybe a
high wing glider like a K-8 would be easier.

Chris

On Jan 3, 2:13Â*am, Tuno wrote:
Interesting airport numbers from the FAA's NASR datamabase:

Â* FacilityType Â*Count
Â* AIRPORT Â* Â* Â* 12641
Â* GLIDERPORT Â* Â*34

Interesting statistics. I guess that you have lots of glider
operations at what the FAA classify as "airports".

UK figures, from the last BGA table of annual club statistics
(published each year in our magazine Sailplane and Gliding) a

92 BGA Clubs. In terms of sites, these consist of:

26 at airfields with other flying activities
66 operate from their own site (they own or rent the site and are the
prime operator at the site)

Ian Strachan
Lasham Gliding Centre
(yes, we bought the site!)

Interesting statistics. I guess that you have lots of glider
operations at what the FAA classify as "airports".

There are a number of airports shown on the charts as gliderports but
listed in the database as airports. Crystal (CA), Adelnto (CA), and
Pleasant Valley (AZ, aka Turf Soaring) among them. I'm curious how
many others there are.

btw my first set of numbers were incorrect. Should be:
AIRPORT 13903
BALLOONPORT 15
GLIDERPORT 35
HELIPORT 5683
SEAPLANE BASE 526
STOLPORT 87
ULTRALIGHT 147
Total 20396

2NO