AIDS TO AIR SAFETY

Evening Star, Issue 26067, 3 April 1947, Page 7

AIDS TO AIR SAFETY

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH PLANNED DISCUSSION IN HOUSE OF LORDS (N.Z.'P.A. Special Correspondent.) (Rec. noon.) LONDON, April 2. > The Ministry of t Civil Aviation is to establish a special Scientific Committee on radio aids for civil flying. Making this announcement in the House of Lords, Lord Nathan said that Sir Robert Watson-Watts would act as a consultant to the committee and would appoint a scientific adviser “of the highest professional emin-, ence.” Lord Nathan said that he had accepted the assistance of the radio industry to develop long-term plans for the application of radio aids to civil air navigation. A commission had also been to the United States to explore fog dispersal methods in use there. Lord Cherwell said he understood that there was one station in California which had reduced fog dispersal methods to a cost of £2O for each aircraft using the field. An extra sixpence in the pound on airways fares would cover the cost of installing this system in Britain. Replying, Lord Nathan said the ultimate object was to develop a single aid that would provide a satisfactory service, over both long and short distances. None of the aids presently available were sufficient to fulfil that double requirement.