Coll 5/25 ‘Air Route to India (Arab Coast): Landing ground at Bahrain; Bahrain Civil Air Agreement’ [‎36v] (72/1088)

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p n . Un ” 0, ' >s ?’* 1 nRT/ si ' te closer or, at least as close, to the centre
j. uairo as ^limoa can be found for development in the distant future tfrl
Tgz?*!? W -1* fyu** Ux~ M**tu*<
" cour3G "^ 0 ~ ollov/ is to conceive a lon^ term development
P an ior Almasa, introducing plenty of imagination into the design#
The plan desenoed above, namely, the construction of tv/o first class
runways m the form of extensions to and improvements of the Gristing North ^
boutn and 1TE-&! rum/ays, allied possibly with the re siting of the nee terminal
oui-ding^so as to serve them as efficiently as possible v/hon the-- are fully
developed, is based on expectations covering the next 10 - 15 years, although
i u rs no i^clainec^ o° be^particularly imaginative. It must bo emphasised that
le ayou* rhich is depictoa diagrammatically on the map attached is susceptible
of consxaerablo modification should this prove necessary on account of
en 0 ineeo.o.ng consiewrauions sucii as levels, drainage, etc. or on account of land
purchase difficulties that arc believed to e-Hst-
3.
ALfl-leTDRIA
1. The present staso of dOTClopmont of tho LAKE iCAEUJT land/r.iarine airport
project is as follows: - 1
(a) Mari ne bas e
n. Thc ^ etainin e are finished except for a final "seal". Although
xlooding ox tne lagoon has not yet talcen place, there is a certain amount of
’.vater in the bottom of it, in which masses of tall weeds have grown; it will be
necessary to remove these before flooding takes place preparatory to the
commenoeront of operations. The site selected for the slipway is ready,
although the work cf construction has yet to be commenced.
(b) Land ba se
. ?our ^nways f50 j'ards wide, arranged in the form of a star with a circular
perimeter track that does not serve their extremities, are finished and already
xn tise. by Misr Airways and R.A.P. aircraft. Construction is of sand-nix on a
stone xoundation. The sub-soil is alluvium. The perimeter track has already
collapsed at points where aircraft engines are normally run-up and has had to^be
reiniorced^with superimposed concrete slabs. Foundations for a new terminal
building sirdlar to that bearing completion at Almaza are in the process of being
laia.^ A direction finding (Adcock) radio station has been erected and is in useT
rsufic conorol is operated by Egyptian staff from temporary accommodation in the
building that houses the fire tender, ambulance, etc.
,^!? G i*irEt class from an operational point of view, and capable of
almos u limitless expansion by further reclamation of Lalce Mariut. The only
obstructions in the vicinity are a fey; chimneys and high buildings in the town
ox Alexandria which is Ivr - 2 miles distance to the North. Unfortunately, the
Norte s/est flightway has been so orientated that it contains the hirdiest
building in the whole town, namely, a hospital that sub-tends a sione of 1 in 50
Thas objection could be overcome by Judicious swinging and/or lateral movement
01 cue runway nef ore it is lengthened.
iwe main diificulty about the site is the insts.bility of the sub-soil It
is at present dangerous to leave the runways or the taywvmv;, even with a li-ht"
■t-win- engined communication aircraft, because the ground at the edges is so soft,
i-exore international air operations will be prepared to risk damage to their air
liners, as the result of their leaving runways and getting bogged, it will clearly
be necessary either for the runways themselves to be widened to, say, 300 ft. or "
alternatively, for consolidated shoulders, say, 150 ft. mde to be constructed on
each sioe 01 the paved runways as they stand.
2 .
Conclusion
^ Tae of developing Mariut as a staging post for international
urafiic operauea ooth by landplanes and flying boats, is v/orthj^ of the .most careful
consideration. The task of developing.tho land (and the marine) base to the size
exceptea to prove^ necessary for long and medium haul aircraft pperatloh' in the
x ture appears likely to prove both cheaper and simpler than it would be at Almaza.
Q.108092.