Best Of The Web: Why Not Circular Runways? - AVweb

This same proposal was floated in the 1960s in Flying magazine–again, from a British source.
In addition to the problems of a curved runway and constantly changing crosswind components, consider trying to land in low visibility–the runway lights curve away from the aircraft. It’s bad enough trying to DRIVE in low visibility, can you image a touchdown speed of 120 knots on a curved runway and a half mile visibility? How about the lack of approach lights–AND lack of PAPI lights?
This thing comes from Britain–the place that practically INVENTED low-minimum landings–can you imagine landing in very low visibility and ceilings, no PAPI lights, no “autoflare”–no precision extended glideslope?

No thank you–file this one with “flying cars”, battery powered airplanes–some ideas NEVER die!

P.S.–on the GOOD side, how about takeoffs? It would offer an unlimited runway for takeoff–“Tower, BA ****–we’re a little heavy today, how about once more around the track?”