Evening star., 1940-05-27
Radio-ControIled
Seadrome Lights
Demonstrated
Markers Also Give
Approaching Flyers
Direction Of Wind

The first public demonstration of
radio-controlled seadrome lights was
given yesterday at the Anacostia
Naval Air Station for Civil Aero
nautics Authority ofllcials, naval
officers and members of the National
Aviation Forum.
Bobbing and rolling on the choppy
Anacostia River off the air station,
the four rubber doughnuts were COM
binations Of lighthouses, fadio sta
tions and runway markers.
The contact lights were developed
Jointly by the Westinghouse Electric
& Manufacturing Co. and the Fire
stone Tire & Rubber Co. with
assistance Of c. A. A. engineers.
The new water beacons are be-
lieved to be the best combination of
q battery operated light, safe float
and an economic light control. The
new markers are designed to outline
seadrome areas in the same manner
that landing field runway lights are
used.
Manual Lighting Eliminated.
The new departure is the radio
control which eliminates manual
lighting OF the markers. From the
land base the operator ''broadcasts"
to the markers which in turn pick
up the radio signal through small
whip antenna and, by actuation,
the lights are turned on.
Each unit has an individual
receiver powered by a battery and
control equipment for the fiuorescent
lamp. The portable units demon
strated yesterday weighed about 81
pounds. An additional type has been
developed which is larger and is de-
signed for permanent anchorage.
Rubber floats are used so that
collision with plane or boat will
not damage the marker or the ship
hull. The float is inflated in the
same manner as an automobile inner
tube and to considerable degree
resembles it.
Give Direction of Wind.
AS a new feature, the markers can
be lighted individually or in groups,
thus giving an incoming pilot the
direction of the wind. Three lights
of different color are used in each
string along the landing way. Two
red lights are stationed at one end
and two green ones at the other end
with the intermediate lights golden
hued. Dependent on the wind di-
rection, an end light is 'radioed on"
first and then. later. the others are
Illuminated down the line, thus
showing the wind direction as well
as outlining the runway.
The steady burning contact lights
will operate for so days of five
nightly one-hour periods, it was
claimed Flashing warning beacons
would last $500 hours before the
need of new power, it was said
c. A. A. tests indicate the lights
were visible from three to four miles
away under reasonably clear weather
conditions.
Further Tests Planned.
Further tests, under simulated
flight conditions, will be conducted
shortly at Langley Field, Va, 1t
was said yesterday.
Among C. A. A. officials witnessing
the demonstration were c. I. Stan
ton, director Of the Bureau Of Fed
eral Airways: r. c. Galley, chief OF
the technical development division;
F. H Grieme, assistant chief Of the
airport section; j. G. Pearson, light
ing engineer of the airport section;
B. NJ. Dulin, manager Of the San
Francisco Airport Department, and
A. B. McMullin, chief Of the airport
section.
The demonstration was conducted
by w. w. Rodgers, F. G. Harlow, E
T. Morris, R. w. Gemmell, John
Sengle, w. U. Dent, F. G. Mabry
! w. A. Pennow and w. c. Norvell of
| Westinghouse. and Ralph J. Failor
of Firestone, who described the new
DEVELOPMENT.