RADIO BEACONS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 64, 16 March 1936, Page 5

RADIO BEACONS.

"BLIND APPROACH." | INSTALLATION IN ENGLAND. LONDON. The first "blind approach" equipment at a British airport has just beer installed. It is at Heston Airport, or the Great West Road. It is the Lorcnz system, now in list at Templehof aerodrome, Berlin, ant some other European stations. It con sists of two radio beacons placed alonj the greatest runway of the aerodrome One is about two miles and the otlie: about 1200 yards from, the boundary Each sends out a constant radio call sign which is picked up by t\ic pilo when flying towards the aerodrome. When flying purely with the help o instruments in fog or low cloud, he cai plot a compass course direct to the sid of the aerodrome on which the beacon are situated. When over the distan beacon, lie will pick up its signals descend to about 800 feet, throttle baci the engines and begin to glide. Another Signal. The pilot will be gliding straight fo the aerodrome boundary. When passin over the second beacon another signa from it will indicate to him his distanc from the aerodrome. By continuing tli glide, he can rely on his sensitive alti meter which registers his height abov tlie ground. Badio messages from th aerodrome will warn him of any change in barometric pressure and he can cor rect his altimeter accordingly. When a few feet from the surface tin pilot can "flatten out" to land —knowing there are no obstacles ahead with wliicl he might collide. The "blind approach" equipment will in time enable air liners to reach "*e' r home stations in practically all but ie thickest of fogs.