New-York tribune., 1919-06-17
Radio Expert Explains How
Ocean Fliers Managed
to Steer Direct Course
Through Storm and Fog
Clifden Wireless Aided
Craft Kept Headed Toward
Station by a Direction
Finder Invented in War

How did Captain Alcock navigate his
aeroplane across the Atlantic Ocean
through more than a thousand miles
of fog and sleet so successfully? How
was his navigator, Lieutenant Brown,
able to steer the machine to the exact
point in Ireland that the two airmen
had announced as the terminus Of
their flight?
These are the two questions which
were the subject of much speculation
among airplane manufacturers and
pilots here yesterday.
There is not one chance in million
O; being able to reach the destination
with such accuracy by the ordinary
instruments of navigation" said
Grover C. Looming, manufacturer Of
Americas leading monoplane. "Un-
der the weather conditions experienced
by Captain Alcock tho airplane should
have been miles out Of it's course.
"His story of the flight shows that
winds were experienced first from the
northwest and then from the south
west. With the fog and sleet that
prevailed it was impossible for the
navigator even to estimate the drift
caused by these winds. His ordinary
means of navigation were useless
Some special apparatus must have been
used by Lieutenant Brown that en-
abled him to navigate so successfully
There is no question that the Wick
ers biplane was equipped with such ap-
paratus, according to a radio expert
who has just returned from service
with the British Air Force. The ap-
paratus was the British navy's wireless
direction finder, invented by Captain
Chandler.
The apparatus installed on the Vick~
ers biplane, according to this expert,
was built into the wings of the ma
chine. 1t was absolutely independent
of the other wireless apparatus. The
loss of the wind driven generator early
in the flight did not affect the direc-
tion finder.
The apparatus is one of the secrets
of the British government, and was
first used just before the armistice
was signed. In this case it was in
stalled on the "Big Ack" biplanes-the
machines built by the Armstrong
Whitworth Company.
The direction-finding coils we're built
into the wings, so that when the ma
chine was pointed toward any wire
less station signals would be received
from that station. Should the machine
veer to the right or left signals would
Immediately cease recording on the re-
ceiving apparatus.
The main object in the uevelopment
of this apparatus was the bombing of
German cities at night. Any German
city having a wireless station would
be selected $or bombardment, and as
ing out news it would unconsciously be
directing the airplane toward it.
So simple in operation is this appa-
ratus that wireless operator is un-
necessary. 1t is also unnecessary for
the pilot to understand the signals
being sent out. AS long as he hears the
signals in his telephone headgear he
knows he is heading directly toward
the wireless station chosen.
This, according to the expert, is
exactly what occurred in the Vickers-
Vimy bomber's flight across the Allan
tic. The Clifden wireless station is the
largest in Ireland, and is in constant
communication with Glace Bay, in Can
ada. The Vickers crew throughout their
voyage would be able to hear this sta
ton, and thereby keep their machine
directed toward it, and so overcome the
effect Of the side drift caused by the
winds. This explains why the ma
chine finished it's remarkable voyage
right over the tremendous aerials Of
the Clifden station.