Airport

Croydon, terminal airport for London. Time, 6:30 a.m. The Meteorological Bureau is astir early. Experts gauge the direction and velocity of the wind at various altitudes by observing the movements of the balloon through a theodolite. The bureau is in constant touch with local and foreign meteorological centres and can advise aircraft by radio at all times of conditions prevailing along their routes. These are indicated by means of a key table on a weatherboard in the main hall. A small plate, changed every hour, indicates the exact state of the weather at the last report. Handley Page, 42-seater, operating on the southwest continental route. Fokker XII, London to Rotterdam, with connections to cities in northern and eastern Europe. Early morning inspection. While the cleaners are at work, a searching examination is carried out by an expert staff of inspectors and engineers. The mobile tanker, filling up in readiness for the day's work, exemplifies the latest advance in refuelling. By delivering fuel to aircraft on any part of the ground, a considerable saving in time is effected. Certified for 24-hours' service, the Handley Page is towed to the embarkation point to take aboard her complement of freight and passengers. A tiny auxiliary motor starts each main engine in turn. Cargo consigned to Cairo, Baghdad, Singapore, Surabaya, and Brisbane. Letters, postcards, newspapers for Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. Tow permit to Imperial Airways liner to leave customs area. KLM liner from Holland is working to a timetable, which permits only a short stay at Croydon. While passengers and cargo are being discharged and a fresh load taken aboard, the mobile tanker refuels her where she stands. Two-hundred and ten gallons in three minutes, and the Dutchman starts on time. Lufthansa Junkers. Swiss Air Douglas. From the time an outgoing liner leaves the ground, radio communication is established with Croydon. Approaching Croydon from the south, a Handley Page 42 wishes to find her position. Hello, Croydon. Hello, Croydon. Imperial X Denmark calling. Position, please. Over. Hello, Imperial X Denmark. Croydon answering. Switch on your transmitter for half a minute. Over. The machine's bearing from Croydon is found on a goniometer by tuning out the transmitter hum. At the same time, operators at Lympne and Pulham are finding the machine's bearings from their stations. These bearings are then passed to Croydon, and all three correlated on a special map. Hello, Lympne. Hello, Pulham. Your bearings, please. Croydon, 119 degrees. Lympne, 168. Pulham, 183.5. Five miles east of Dungeness. Hello, Imperial X Denmark. Croydon calling. At 12:15, your position was five miles east of Dungeness. Over. Inward-bound aircraft, national and international, converge from all points on Croydon. Periodically, a liner is completely dismantled, her wings and engines taken away for minute inspection and renewal of any worn or doubtful components. After removing such accessories as magnetos, carburettors, etc., the cylinders are carefully lifted, followed by the pistons. The removal of the front half of the crankcase leaves bare the crankshaft, which is extracted, complete with piston rods, these being detached later. Every component, as it is taken down, goes through a cleaning process to remove every particle of dirt and old oil. This precaution lays bare any flaw or weakness to the keen eye of the inspector. When the cylinder has been thoroughly cleaned and examined, the next process is to grind in the valves. Possibly new valves or valve seats have been recommended. For it must be remembered that these engines have flown 50,000 miles, or more, since last they were opened up for examination. This is a slow process calling for meticulous care. At the end of the renovation process, the cylinder must be as new. But as a further precaution, it returns to the hands of the inspector. The crankshaft, stripped of its piston rods, goes through the same cleaning-off process, for the slightest crack or flaw here would wreck the whole engine in a moment. Every angle of the intricate crankcase goes through the same process. No flaws being apparent and bearings in good condition, the component parts of the crankshaft are reassembled. As it is through this shaft the engine transmits its 550 horsepower direct to the propeller, revolving at 2,000 revolutions per minute, the greatest possible care is exercised over its final examination. Each of the component parts having been passed or replaced, they are gathered together, and the process of re-erecting the whole engine is proceeded with and the order of dismantling reversed. Back in the hangars, the riggers put the final touches to the reconditioned machine. The engines are back in position, the propellers go home, final inspection on the wings is completed, and another day's work is done.