SAMPSON AIR STRIP NEARLY MILE LONG

Elmira Sun Telegram September 27, 1953

ASPHALT IS APPLIED to the new landing field at Sampson Airforce Base near Geneva. 

The landing strip is across from the hospital area.  In the picture the spreader is shown laying asphalt, in 10 foot strips.  The roller follows close behind to prevent ridges forming between stripes.  When completed the air field will contain 108,000 square yards of pavement including air strip, parking and warm up aprons, roadways and taxi ways. (Sampson Air Base photo)

BASE WITHOUT LANDING FIELD LOSES DOUBTFUL DISTINCTION

by A/1c Malcom Currie

Sampson Air Force Base--Sampson will lose one of its unique characteristics early next year when its new air strip, located adjacent to the hospital base area, will be completed.  At present Sampson retains the dubious distinction of being the only Air Force base without a landing field.

Albert Barry, resident engineer of the New York Corps of Engineers, estimates that the strip itself, parking aprons and taxi ways will be completed by Jan. 1.

BEACON BUILDING READY

The homing beacon building, located near the dry firing range in Sampson's Hamilton area, has been completed at a cost of $11,000.

An area equal to 75 feet by 2800 feet has received asphalt covering.  Thirty-six inches thick, the actual landing area is composed of select base material and pavement.

In preparation for laying of base material contractors moved on half million cubic yards of earth.

C. I. Langenfelder and Sons Inc. of Baltimore, who were awarded the contract last December after a successful bid of $1,464,000, started preliminary work on the project Jan. 24.  The contract calls for clearing, grubbing, and paving the 5,000 by 150 foot area by the Baltimore firm. Runways, taxi-ways, warm-up aprons, parking area, roadways, gasoline storage, and night lighting are also included in the million dollar project.

Ardini and Pfau of Syracuse submitted the winning bid on $365,000 for construction of the operations building, receiver and transmitter buildings, and other necessary structures on the field. Construction of hangers is not specified under the present contract.

TO TRANSPORT WOUNDED

The airstrip was constructed primarily to (1) transport wounded men to Sampson's 1,000 bed hospital in the event of a war in Europe. (2) to provide proficiency training for pilot officers stationed here, and (3) to move trainees and supplies directly to and from the base instead of employing the present system which depends on Hancock Field in Syracuse.

With all present air operations for the base being conducted at Hancock Field, a problem of ground transportation between Sampson and Syracuse exists -- a problem which the new strip will alleviate.  After completion of the landing field, every air trip from Sampson will be lessened by some four hours.
The type of aircraft which can land at the new strip will be limited only by the length and width of the landing area, not by the type of air strip construction.