Aviation

The Incredible Story Behind the Two Gravestones Embedded in the Savannah Airport Runway

Few of the many passengers who fly in and out of Savannah/Hilton Head International airdrome every year notice 2 peculiar rectangles lying within the middle of the runway. What seem initially look to be patches from repair add the tarmac are literally the headstones of Richard and Catherine Dotson — the sole famed graves to be embedded in an airdrome runway in the world.

According to Consumerist The Dotson family used to own some the land upon which the airport now sits. There had once been a family cemetery containing dozens, maybe 100 or more graves, on the land.

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Then with the outbreak of World War II, the military took over and expanded on a fledgling municipal airport, and created Chatham Field on the land. They needed to pave over the cemetery in order to create the east-west runway, and ultimately relocated almost all of the bodies buried on the old Dotson farmland.

That is, except for four people — the Dotson couple, and two men, John Dotson and Daniel Hueston, both of whom passed in 1857, 20 years before Catherine Dotson died. Richard Dotson passed away in 1884.

So now the Dotson graves are marked, not with headstones, but with slabs embedded in the pavement of the runway.

Aviation

Airbus and French Aerospace Firms Growing Exports from India

In a significant move to bolster its supply chain, European aerospace giant Airbus has announced plans to ramp up component sourcing from India, tapping into the country’s vast opportunities.

During a press briefing in New Delhi on October 7, CEO Guillaume Faury emphasized the strategic importance of India within the Airbus supply chain, highlighting the company’s robust network of over 100 suppliers in the region.

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Faury, who also serves as Chairman of the French Aerospace Industries Association (GIFAS), noted that there are abundant prospects for collaboration between Indian and French aerospace companies. Leading a high-level delegation from GIFAS, comprising more than 60 companies and over 100 representatives, Faury aims to foster deeper partnerships and enhance business opportunities between India and France.

“We will continue to grow our sourcing of components,” Faury stated, forecasting a doubling of component sourcing approximately every five years over the next decade. This stable growth trajectory underscores Airbus’s commitment to deepening its ties with India.

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Currently, Airbus holds an impressive order book of around 8,600 aircraft and anticipates producing about 770 planes this year. This ambitious production plan aligns with the expected surge in India’s domestic air passenger traffic, projected to reach 300 million by 2030, according to Union Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu.

During the briefing, Naidu also highlighted the substantial investments being made to develop India’s airport infrastructure, with $11 billion allocated for this purpose. The government plans to develop 200 additional airports over the next 20 to 25 years, significantly expanding the current count of 157 airports, heliports, and waterdromes. By the end of 2025, the number of operational airports is expected to reach 200.

“The potential for partnership between India and France is immense,” Naidu remarked, further reinforcing the collaborative spirit that Airbus and French aerospace firms seek to cultivate in India.