Special Radar For Whenuapai Drome

Northern Advocate, 10 January 1948, Page 2

Special Radar For Whenuapai Drome

WELLINGTON, Sat. (Sp.) Special radar equipment costing £39,000 is being tested at Whenuapai Aerodrome. If the tests are successful it will enable the highest payloads to be carried with safety on long distance flights. With the increase of commercial aviation ,it had become necessary for meteorological services to be able to advise fliers and flying organisations about the upper winds over wide sections of the globe. In the operation of the flyingboat service between Australia and New Zealand the payload and fuel load were carefully balanced after discussion with the meteorological officer on the current weather situation.

At present the operating height of most commercial aircraft is about 10,000 feet, but in the near future, when aircraft begin to operate more generally at from 20,000 ft to 30,000 ft and above, the need for accurate meteorological information will become even more important, as hign winds, often in excess of 100 miles an hour and extending over considerable areas, are not uncommon at these altitudes. Weather Forecasts

.WELLINGTON, Sat. (P.A.) —Good two 03- three-day forecasts would be the best contribution the Meteorological Office could make to primary production. said the Government Meteorologist (Dr M. A. F. Barnett). Most of the staff available were occupied full-time on actual forecasting, whereas it was desirable that each should be able to devote a portion of his time to specialised study of problems particularly affecting New Zealand. With that would come development of a “further outlook.”