Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-10
WEATHER RAD|OED
T0PEANES HOURLY.
lew ork.Cleveland AirWay
Gives Report on Fields
and Conditions.

By WILLIAM L. MACCRACkEN.
Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Aero.
nauticS.
One of the most important and, as
yet, uncomfortable features affecting
the reliability and safety of air trans
rortation is weather.
Lights, emergency landing fields and
ether aids are occasionally OF no avail
in thick weather, since they may be
totally obscured In a very short interval
of time because of a sudden change In
weather conditions. Since weather con-
ditions are uncomfortable, the next best
solution to this problem is to furnish
comprehensive information concerning
weather conditions.
An entirely new system of weather
communication service is now In opera
ton along the New York Cleveland Air
way which promises the degree of safety
required by air transportation and also
permits wide application.
Such timely information as accurate
weather and, field condition reports
along this route is made available to
any airport, airplane, landing field or
individual within 100 miles of the New
Cleveland Airway who cares to
tune in with a radio receiving set
This information Is being broadcast
by radiotelephone once each hour, be-
ginning on the hour, on frequencies
between, BIS and $50 kilocycles.
Weather Varies Greatly.
The weather between New York and
Cleveland probably is subject to more
changes and probably is more severe
than In any other part of the United
States. In order that timely and accu-
rate weather information viii be avail
able for broadcasting, the department
has established, in cooperation with
the American Telephone and Telegraph
Company, a teletype circuit between
New York and Cleveland with instru-
rnents installed at important weather
observing points along this section Of
the airway.
The installations have been or short
" will be made at the following To-
cations: Newark Airport, Newark, N. j.;
Anyways Communication Station and
Weather Bureau Office at Hadley Field,
New Brunswick, N. j.; Northampton,
Park Place, Numidis, Sunbury, Winkel-
bleck, Pa; Anyways Communication
Greenwood Club, Brookville and Mercer,
Pa; Parkham, Ohio; Always Commu-
nication Station and Weather Bureau
Office, Cleveland, Ohio.
Weather observers located at these
points collect weather data and start
teletyping 20 minutes before each hour
as follows: General condition, such as
clear. heavy rain or freezing; ceiling
height in feet; visibility in miles; wind
direction and velocity in miles at hour,
temperature and barometric pressure,
together with any remarks such as Sc
we're thunder storm or snowfall five
inches.
Teletype Gives Forecast.
This information is placed on the
teletype and 1t appears simultaneously
at all the points given above. Begin
ming on the hour, the Anyways Commu-
nication Stations at Hadley, Bellefonte
and Cleveland begin broadcasting this
information, even though 1t has not
all been received, The information also
point at Cleveland, where it is examined
and short forecast prepared.
This forecast is placed upon the tele-
type and it appears at all points men
toned above, and upon conclusion Of
the weather information, broadcast by
the Always Communication Station,
this short forecast is also broadcast.
This service furnishes q very COM
plete picture of weather conditions
along the airway, and those interested
can follow the movement Of storms on
a sector of bad weather and plan the
movements of aircraft over the route
accordingly. One of the most impor-
tant features of this system is that 1t
furnishes very important information
to airports and fields of the established
airways, particularly small fields where
weather information would not other
wise be supplied.
Any one may obtain this informa-
ton on radio receiver adjusted to the
315-350 kc. band. It will also serve an
unlimited number of aircraft flying
this route.
Weather Every Hours.
The plan of the department is to
furnish all information which these
planes may need so that it will be un.
necessary for the various pilots to ask
for such information. The information
Is broadcast to all interested, thus
eliminating the necessity for individual
service.
The weather collecting service men,
toned above, of course, supplements
the regular weather reports gathered
by the Weather Bureau Throughout the
United States each morning and eve
ming
These reports viii be supplemented
by secondary net of weather reports
gathered at intervals of three hours
from critical points in the vicinity of
the airway route. f
The above system has the advantage
that, after taking of, the pilot receives
hourly reports on landing conditions, as
well as Weather Bureau forecasts. II
landing at the pilots destination be-
comes impossible, reports on inter-
mediate fields along the route and al
ternate terminal fields permit the pilot
to land safely and await more favorable
weather.
The operations manager of the air
transport company has the privilege of
following weather conditions closely
and advising the pilot en-, route regard
ing his judgment of conditions and
transmitting such orders as are found
necessary for the proper protection of
the interests of the transportation
company. ...-. :
Arrangements made for motor or rail
transportation Of passengers and mail,
II landing is ordered at field other
than the terminal, can be: communi-
Gated to the pilot so as to provide for
the comfort and safety of the pas
Sengers and expediting the mail.
GERMAN COMPANY PLANS