SAFER FLYING IN DOMINION

Southland Times, Issue 23651, 28 October 1938, Page 8

SAFER FLYING IN DOMINION

SCHEME FOR USE OF RADIO PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES TAKEN (Special to The Times) AUCKLAND, October 27. A statement that the precautionary programme set in motion by the Government with the appointment last year of a special Aeradio Committee would make commercial, military and private flying as navigationally safe as anywhere else in the world was made last night by the Postmaster-General, the Hon. F. Jones, in an interview with The New Zealand Herald by telephone from Wellington. Mr Jones said he could not comment upon the reasons for the disaster to the Douglas air liner in Australia, but in New Zealand the steps which were in train had as their object the prevention of such accidents, and it was felt that they could not occur in New Zealand under the system at present in operation and being developed.

BEAM METHOD NOT FAVOURED It was not proposed to operate a radio beam from one landing-ground to another, said Mr Jones, but rather, to rely upon the direction-finding equipment, approach beacons, and radio telephony and telegraphy. Incidents in the United States, where the beam method was widely used had caused the committee to distrust this system. It had been found that the beam could be broken, for instance, by conditions in a mountainous area, and accidents had resulted. Neither he nor the committee believed there was any necessity for a beam system from landing-ground to landing-ground throughout New Zealand.

NO INSTALLATIONS YET MADE “With the direction-finding „ and other equipment we are obtaining,” said Mr Jones, “there is no reason why any aeroplane should get lost in New Zealand. We have already spent thousands of pounds and are spending many more this year upon equipment to make flying safe in New Zealand, and much careful attention has been given to the whole matter. I am confident that the Government is making air navigation in New Zealand perfectly safe.’ The principle of the approach beacon, said the Minister, was much the same as that for the radio beam from one station to another. It was a beam which operated from 25 to 30 miles from a landing-ground and gave pilots a radio track to come down on their approach to the ground. It was proposed to install these beams in the more difficult areodromes in the Dominion and also at those others where it was considered desirable. No installations had yet been made, but rapid progress was being made with the obtaining of equipment.