Evening star., 1937-05-23
By Alice Rogers Hager.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND, MUNICIPAL
AIRPORT.

AIRPORT.
r vERE on the fiat, green fields OF
Indiana have been going for
ward for the last six weeks
L Il tests of the German system
of blind landings for planes, now in
active use in leading foreign airports
ranging from Croydon. Templehoi
and Zurich to Toxic and Cape Town
Known as the Lorenz instrument
landing system, manufactured in Ber-
lin by subsidiary OF the Interna-
tional Telephone g. Telegraph Corp, it
was brought to this country by that
American-owned organization to be
demonstrated to our airlines.
Friday, a week ago, group OF
assorted experts, including radio men
Government engineers, representatives
OF the Army, Navy and Coast Guard
and leading pilots gathered to exam
inc the equipment, fly in the specially
equipped Douglas of American Air
lines. and hear DR.. E. Kramer, the
systems developer, discuss its highly
technical advantages. The 1ndianap-
oils Airport was chosen because of its
excellent, unobstructed terrain.
Out of that demonstration fresh
interest has been aroused in the whole
subject of blind landing. or instru-
ment approach, as alrmen prefer to
call it-fresh interest, that is, in the
public mind, since experiment and
test work has never ceased on the part
Of either the Government or the air.
lines since its inception by the
Bureau of Standards in 1927 and
1928.
This is one of the curious histories
OF modern invention, one of those
convincing annals of the interrelation
OF thought that follows a proven
need. 1t is particularly local his
tory since it began in Washington,
used adjacent territory as part of its
testing ground, and has continued to
focus much of its somewhat tangled
career here in the Capital. 1t has
particular public appeal, both for its
more adventurous phases and for its
possibilities as vital safety measure
in transport flying.
WHEN the day comes. and that
appears now to be fairly close,
that planes carrying passengers can
come down through fog or any other
condition of practically zero visibility,
onto selected spot on given airport,
and set their wheels upon solid
ground with completely satisfactory
results, a new era of air travel will
have arrived. Whether, with the
exception of icing temperatures and
closed-in ports, holds few terrors now
for our sturdy modern craft. and ice
ing hazards (Which today are simply
not there because the airlines stay on
the ground when they maintain,
modernize the Federal airways accord
ing to the Weu-defined program that
has been presented to Congress and
for which it seems now to be willing
to appropriate some 100000. and
point OF mechanical efficiency of
which we are at present capable
Which, Of course, means simply the
tunping-of point for further improve
ment and invention.
Our curious history began 10 years
ago when 1t began to appear that the
primary needs Of flying were being
taken care of. Col. Robert Young,
director Of the aeronautics branch of
the Department Of Con1merce-the
section that was to become the Bureau
OF Air Commerce-decided that the
next step should be made in approach
methods and equipment. The Gug-
genheim Fund was then in existence
and its directors decided to provide
the money. Cooperation of the Bu-
reau of Standards was secured as the
research agent. The Air Corps gave
equipment assistance and assigned
Lieut.. Jimmie" Doolittle as chief
pilot. 1t was agreed that the Air
Corps was to establish at Mitchell
Field, Long Island, a main beacon to
lead pilots to the vicinity and that
the Bureau Of Standards would put in
runway and marker beacons. In July,
1929, the installations were finished
and shortly after that Lieut.. Doo-
little made the first landing in a
hooded ship. Only q visual type Of
indicator was used. very simple one
on the planes instrument panel
IN THE meantime. at College Park,
Md. the Bureau OF Standards had
assembled similar equipment for
other tests, and the Bureau of Air
Commerce (still as the aeronautics
brarch) had decided to take an active
part. BY 1881 small plane had been
equipped with instruments and M. S.
Boggs was assigned as pilot and j. L.
Kinney as check-pilot. It was found
that considerable rehnements of the
system would have to be made
because Of the smallness of the air.
port, which had for Its longest run
way a stretch Of 1000 feet 100 feet
wide. This mean. that the finest pre-
cision work would be necessary. There
was also tall tree near the boundary
which bothered the pilot a great deal
As he was continually expecting to
come in with a bouquet Of greenery
on his undercarriage. The tree was
finally eliminated and some 100 blind
landings were made successfully in
spite of the limitations Of the field.
At this point 1t seems meet to intro
duce the deus ex machina of the
piece, who, in common with many
other distinguished Government SCI
entists, Is extremely loath to accept
personal credit however much that
credit Is due. In the parlance of the
aviation industry. he is known as "the
daddy Of blind landing" but on official
publications he describes himself
quite simply as H. Diamond. The
system for which he was really
responsible, although he had able
assistance, especially from his CO.
worker, F. w. Dunmore, is known as
the Bureau OF Standards radiobeacon
and receiving system"