Pilots Discuss Safety In Air

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30406, 3 April 1964, Page 16

Pilots Discuss Safety In Air

"Th« Press" Special Service AUCKLAND, April 2. Aircraft should be built strong enough to withstand the force of collisions with birds and to meet likely turbulence without having to change speed.

This was one of the recommendations adopted at the annual conference of the International Federation of Airline Pilots’ Associations held in Manila at which the New Zealand association was represented by the president, Captain R. T. Mounsey, the vice-president, Captain A. G. Vette, and Captain D. Gale. The conference had discussed airworthiness.

On the question of air traffic control of supersonic aircraft. Captain Mounsey said it was agreed that some equipment was necessary for integrating the machine Into the subsonic flight pattern.

There was also a need to reduce voice communication to save time and to introduce some automatic method of sending information.

Captain Mounsey said there was a growing problem of visual landing aids for aircraft operating with a

200-foot ceiling and half a mile visibility. The pilot needed to know his position instantly in relation to the runway threshold. It was agreed that approach lighting should be increased in its cover and should define the position of the threshold. The association opposed the ground control of aircraft by radar, which was not considered a substitute for a proper navigation system. It was only an effective monitoring aid. Some method for positive identification of aircraft by ground radar was considered necessary.

Captain Mounsey said at present a machine had to manoeuvre for identification purposes, but a signal system had been developed. For all-weather service the association considered that an electronic picture of an airfield should be superimposed on the windscreen for landings. “Only when it is proven that the display faithfully depicts the references the pilot requires to make a manual landing can the auto-pilot be allowed to conduct an automatic landing.” The association has been invited to meet in New Zealand to coincide with the opening of Mangere airport.