Evening star., 1928-10-07

intermediate fields. 1t sees to the in
stallation Of radio beacons, lights. ra-
dio telegraph and telephone and wealth
er reporting stations All types OF nay1-
cation facilities are maintained and
operated, and Weather Bureau FORE
casts are adapted to the use OF airmen
and disseminated.
In the early days of air mail and
commercial flying which date back to
just after the World War, flying was
confined to daylight hours. Planes
made connections with trains at night.
turning over the mail for nocturnal
ride on the rails. Because economical
and efficient air service must be con-
tinuous regardless Of light or weather,
mammoth signal lights were installed
| in 1924 in the sections flown over by
the air mail and radio telegraphy was
adopted for dispatching planes and
communicating weather conditions,
T This airway alone, which had been
| lighted by the Post Office Department,
which was then operating the air mail.
included 90 intermediate fields which
had beacons and boundary lights, 6l2
electric and acetylene gas beacons and
II radio stations.
Weather COmplicates Flying.
In 1928 there are 1888 miles of air.
ways for night flying, 1,2S4 electric and
acetylene beacons. 256 intermediate
| fields, 910 miles of airways with inter-
mediate fields for day flying, 10 radio
weather reporting and communication
stations and additional telephone serv-
ice, Al upper air meteorological sta
tions and radio beacons. Airways to-
taling 1000 miles are scheduled to be
equipped for night flying in the next
year.
Taking care of these miles of lighted
airways Is not only a man-sized job. but
one requiring well trained men. When
an airway has been lighted it means
that approximately every 30 miles there
is an intermediate landing field. 1t
is outlined with lights and marked for
day flying, and an internally lighted
wind cone shows what direction the
wind is blowing. About 10 miles apart
even closer when the flying terrain Is
bad. are light beacons. Airways are
| divided into sections with mechanician
in charge Of each to guard over its
operation.
If a pilot had only to be concerned
| with keeping his direction and avoid
| ing mountain tops the establishment
| of elaborate marking and lighting sys-
| TENS would be the goal of an efficient
airway division However, 1t Is the
J weather that puts the comphcatloHs
into flying and it is considered that
| it is practically the only great him
drance Weather forecasting and the
| communication of this information Is
another mighty task.
It is the aim of the division over
seeing the airways to- provide weather
forecasts not only when airmen are
ready to take of, but to send advice
to them while in the air. BY means
of the radio beacon, aviators will be
warned of local storms, fogs and other
| adverse conditions. Not only Is
| weather information sent out by the
/ three radio beacons in operation, but
i with this aid pilots can always find
their bearings They do not need to
| see points on the ground, but only
the little indicator on the instrument
board. Giving such valuable assist
ance, it is not surprising that equip
ment for six more Of these aids to
aviation will be delivered in the Fall.
The fact that out of 100000 pounds
of mail carried during nine years only
a little over 1000 pounds were lost
shows that the policy of rated planes
and pilots, traffic regulations and regu-
larly established airways has much to
commend It, No doubt the creation
of clean cities will be another promoter
! of popularity for planes.