White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1931-06-11
Columbia Gorge Airway TO Be
Lighted by Large Beacons

A lighted lane for aircraft, so miles
in length, running through a deep gap
between mountain walls and heavy
forests, is now ready for airmen to fly
at night, between Portland, Ore, and
Pasco, Wash, on the Salt Lake City
Seattle airway Bounded on two sides
by the walls of the Columbia River
Gorge, on the bottom by the Column
bia River and the floor of the gorge
and frequently on the top by fog, this
passageWay, which at times is virtu-
ally tunnel, yet is the most desir-
able aircraft route through this sec
ton of the country.
Combined with the difficulties of
terrain and forest was that presented
by fog which frequently blankets the
surrounding area, and at times the up
per portion of the gorge, making it I'M
practical to route the airWaJ over the
top of the gorge. The lower part OF
the gorge, however, is usually swept
by winds which keep it free from fog
and thereby enables airmen to cover
could not be undertaken.
When the fogs form in the upper
part of the gorge, which frequently
result in 250-foot ceilings, the beams
from the regular long range revolving
beacons are blotted out. Therefore, a
special system of low altitude lights
was developed by the Anyways Division
of the Aeronautics Branch for in
stallation at prominent points on the
walls of the gorge, marking an air
lane free from distractions between
Cape Horn, IS miles east of Portland,
Ore, and Lyle, Wash, so miles fur
Their east.
Airway electric flashing code bea-
cons are mounted at 81 sites on both
sides of the gorge at prominent loca-,
lions so that airmen need only follow
the course outlined by the two lines
of light in order to fly safely through
the gorge. Green lights are on the
Washington side of the gorge and red
lights on the Oregon side, to provide
proper orientation by airmen passing
between red and green lights.
Two 3OO-millirneter Always code
beacons are installed at each site, one
being in use nightly and the other
functioning as a reserve unit which is
put into operation automatically upon
failure of the service beacon from
either the burning out of lamps or
power failure. The reserve units are
operated from storage batteries, which
are kept charged by means of trickle
chargers connected with the service
line.
Each of the service beacons is equip
ped with two 250watt 110-volt lamps,
and the standby units are provided
with 36-watt, 6-volt bulbs. Both SER
vice and reserve beacons, the latter
when in operation, flash on one
second-on and one-second- pro-
gram.
In order to provide comemrcial cur
rent for all of the side lights, it was
necessary to contract for approximate
ly Is miles of pole-line extensions.
Rights of way through standing timber
had to be purchased and many of
the poles had to be set in rock.
Two more lights to complete the
system are being installed, one at the
western extremity of the gorge, and
the other at the eastern end.
D. Beck, Grant County commission
er, was visitor in White Bluffs last
Friday. He was here in connection
with the improvement of the VAIL.
uke- Beverly road. On account of a
lack of funds, Mr.. Beck said, only
maintenance work will be done this
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