Evening star., 1938-10-02
A|RWAYPROGRAM
NEARCOMPLET|ON
Lines Go Into Winter With
Many Improvements,
Noble Reveals.

Many improvements,
Noble Reveals.
The 100000 Federal airways mod
ernization and expansion program
which was begun year ago Is nearing
completion and the Nations air trans
port lines will 60 into winter operations
with the aid of a greatly augmented
and improved system Of airways navi-
gational equipment, Edward J. Noble.
chairman of the Civil Aeronautics Au-
thority, announced.
Many new radio stations, beacon
lights, new-type ultra-high frequency
stations and intermediate landing fields
being added almost daily.
Typical Of the new construction II
the new combined radio range, COM
munications and marker beacon sta
ton now being completed for the Ma
tional Capital adjoining the Mount
Vernon highway south Of Hunters
Point, Va. This station will replace
the existing radio range station at
Hunters Point and the airways radio
communications station at Silver Hill,
Md, providing continuous radio range
service which need not be interrupted
for weather information.
Program Wide in Scope.
When the program reaches compile.
tion, at the end of January, Mr.. Noble
said, the Federal airways system will
have been completely modernized and
improved by the addition OF 181 simul-
taneous radio range stations; 80 loop
| type ranges, 100 cone of silence mark.
ers, 81 fan-type markers, 1000 miles Of
teletype circuits and a number Of land
ing fields, beacons and other airways
aids.
The teletype weather communities
tions system extension already has
been completed, Mr.. Noble announced.
This extension increased the system
Of 1000 miles Of circuits, bringing the
total to 2l,790 miles, covering all Of
the 48 States with the exception Of
Maine, New Hampshire and South
Dakota.
Eigthy-one new simultaneous radio
range and communications stations of
the vertical type, which permit sig
nal and voice broadcasts at the same
time, are being erected at points in 81
States. 1t is this type Of station which
is being considered here. At the same
time SO old-style non Instantaneous
radio ranges are being converted to tho
simultaneous type.
Voice or Signal Type.
In addition, 80 ranges Of the medium
and low-powered loop type are being
installed, which permit signal and
voice broadcasts independently Of each
other. In using these ranges. the pilot
merely throws switch, which changes
his frequency from voice to signal, as
he chooses.
"One of the most important items tn
the modernization program and an
innovation which will have . most
important bearing on safer aerial navi-
cation has been the installation Of
ultra-high frequency cone Of silence
markers at all the new vertical radi.
ator stations and at 1S Of the mod
erni1ed stations" the c. A. A. an.
nounced. One Of the markers Is . part
Of the new local station.
The cone OF silence marker Is 75-
megacycle radio transmitter which
sends vertical beam up into the cone
Of silence which exists directly above
any radio range station. It transmits
a signal which gives the pilot positive
assurance that he is passing through
the cone Of silence and therefore Ii
directly above the station, q vitally
important fact to him in case Of q
bad-weather instrument approach to
the airport. At the same time the
marker beacon causes q small red
light to flash on the instrument board
as q double check on the airplane's
position.
Fan Type Markers.
The airways modernization program
also calls for installation Of II ultra.
high frequency radio markers Of the
fan type, which not only help to
simplify control but indicate ground
hazards to airmen flying above or
through clouds as accurately as light
houses tell mariners the positions Of
hidden reefs.
Eleven Of these fan-type markers
already are In operation, one Of them
at Herndon, Va, to serve the local
area. This type marker Is fixed at
points where airplanes report to the
traffic control tower when approach
ing an airport. 1t gives an interrupted
signal in the pilots earphones and
flashes red light on his instrument
panel. The fan marker is used to as
sist in safe and orderly control Of
trafic at busy airports, particularly
for instrument approaches in thick
weather. The airport control tower
can instruct pilots approaching on In
struments to remain at the fan marker
station, instead of forcing him to rely
on the radio range marker In the
immediate vicinity of the airport ~
known-fxed point.
Expenditures Spread Out.
The distributions Of expenditures
for the airways system during the
past year shows graphically the vastly
increased importance of radio In the
operation Of the nations air transport
system. In 1882 more than half Of
the total airways expenditures were
for airways lighting and intermediate
fields. OF the 81 100000 appropriated
for the current fiscal year, $4,000, 900
is being spent for radio and communi.
cations and only $2,000,000 for other
ground aids.
while it is still too early to form