THE MICHIGAN DAILY
University Uses Airport
For Research Projects
By MICHAEL KRAFT
Although any large University's
physical plant contains a variety
of facilities, it seldom owns an air-
port.
Nor is the airport usually one
of the nation's major terminals,
serving a large metropolitan area
and more than 400 planes a day.
The University's ownership of
Willow Run Airport began in 1947
when it was "purchased for one
dollar from the War Assets Ad-
ministration.
In buying the 1,916-acre airport,
the University gained numerous
facilities for research in aeronaut-
ics and other fields. The airport
itself has been leased to the Air-
lines National Terminal Service
Company.
Groups Maintains
The groap formed by seven ma-
jor airlines using Willow Run, lo-
cated 32 miles from downtown De-
troit, pays the cost of maintain-
ing the air terminal and landing
field.
In this way, the field is kept
falling into disrepair and would
be ready for use in a national'
emergency. Floyd Wakefield, Uni-
versity supervisor of Willow Run
explained.
As part of the purchase agree-
ment, the University is required to
maintain the airfield and return
it to the government if the land-
ing field becomes necessary for na-
tional defense.
Entirely self-supporting, the air-
port receives no funds from the
government. Additionally, revenue
from the airlines group and con-
tract research pays maintenance
and operational costs of Univer-
sity facilities at Willow Run.
The research projects are pri-
marily those that, because of space
limitations, could not be handled
on campus.
Facilities have ranged from a
supersonic wind tunn'el, which has
since&been moved to North Cam-
pus, to the Lake, Hydraulics Lab-
oratory where waves are sent
crashing against models of har-
bors and breakwalls set up in,two
large tanks.
Even the airport itself forms a
vast laboratory as the landing and
taxi strips undergo a daily pound-
ing from heavy aircraft. The his-
tory of every slab of pavement has
been recorded by members of the
civil engineering department, pro-
viding a detailed account of how
pavement will stand up under
known conditions.
Several military research pro-
grams are also being conducted at
the airport, including "Project
Michigan," a five-million-dollar
project on battle area surveillahce.
Computers Kept
Also at Willow Run are the Uni-
versity's electric computers and
research programs on deicing of
aircraft wings, flight of missiles
and chemical processes.
Besides the variety of research
proejcts there is a radar station
used for tornado tracking.
The airport was built primarily
as a test field for B-24 Liberator
bombers assembled at a nearby
Willow Run bomber plant. The
construction of the airfield was
considered a marvel of speed and
engineering skill for graders first
began work on July 23, 1941 and
the last paving was laid Dec. 4.
The 280 acres of concrete pav-
ing in its aprons and runways
covers seven times-the area of the
original University campus.
HEART OF THE CAMPUS--With the General Library in the background, the Diag provides
tral meeting place for students and is usually a much busier scene than shown above.
By Breakfast on Weekdays and in the Afternoons on Sundays.
VARIOUS SERIES PRESENTED.
Lectures Major Part of School Year
discussing philosophy, and Prof.
Andre Cailleux, of the University
of Paris, a geologist.
In addition to celebrating the
200th anniversary of Alexander
Hamilton's birth, two offhers have
been invited, Prof. Broadus Mit-
chell of Rutgers University and
Harold C. Syrett, who will speak
on "The papers of Alexander
Hamilton."
In a set-up like this, that brings
in renown speakers from the far
corners of the world, a large fi-
nancial progra must be main-
tained ind well regulated.
The chief problem is to see that
no one department is slighted or
shown, favoritism.. This is accom-
plished by a careful budgeting of
funds and a close evaluation of
the lecturer offered.
The money for all of the lec-
tures comes from a central fund
set up in the regular University
budget,
A request is made by the Eng-
lish department, as an example,
through their particular repre-
sentative, who could be either the
departmental chairman, or just
an appointee to handle their end
of the program.
He directs his requests to Uni-
versity President Harlan Hatch-
er's assistant, Erich A. Walter,
suggesting that the English de-
partment sponsor this man as a
participant in the non-resident
lectures.
Operating independently, the
Journalism department sponsors
about 10 lectures each year. This
is another realm worthy of in-
vestigation for students interested
in hearing top quality speakers.
This program, instituted in
1948, has featured many greats,
including Walt Kelly, inventor of
Pogo. Others of equal merit have
spoken in these 'University Lec-
tures in Journalism."
In addition to their attendance,
the lectures are open to the pub-
lic without charge. The money
comes from funds set up by the
literary college.
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