Solving the difficult problem of landing on a roof

Not much more that flight was actually invented, people soon started imagining a very possible future of regular personal flights.

Of course, it wouldn’t be that easy to commute for work using an airplane in a big city, and in 1919 nobody invented yet an airplane that could “rise almost vertically from the ground”, (since the first helicopters dated back to the 30’s).

So how to solve this important architectural and infrastructural issue?

An article by Carl Dienstbach, on the June 1919 issue of Popular Science Monthly explains how the solution by Mr. H.T. Hanson is, really, at hand: “He would build the platform in the form of a circular, high-banked track — a track that would be constructed of light but strong iron gratings, so that sun and air would still find their way to the streets below.”

Once landed: nothing easier than use one of the big elevators contained within the buildings upon which the circular runways rested, park the airplane and start a new work day at the office.

We discovered this amazing retro-vision on the always inspiring “Paleofuture – the future that never was”, which just moved from the old address to the Smithsonian. Take a read and upgrade the bookmark.