Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-01-08
Air Traffic Control


The article, New CAA Air
Trafiic Systems Is Monument
to Tragic Crash" in your
December Is issue. contains
misinformation and mislead-
ing statements.
The very first contention
that there is a new CAA air
traffic system" is untrue.
It's identically the same one
today that was functioning
properly at the time OF the
Grand Canyon collision. No
new equipment has been de-
vised or installed that will
eliminate the possibility Of
a recurrence" as your article
states. It's the same general
type OF equipment that's been
in use all along. All that the
public hysteria over that ac-
cident did accomplish was 70
get the extra $4,000. 900
appropriated. in the mistaken
opinion that this appropria-
ton would automatically and
forever-more preclude a re-
clirrence of the Grand Cam
yon accident.
The $4,000 900 has been
helpful. because both Con-
gress and the Department Of
Commerce (which hacked
away at the CAA's budget for
more Of the standard airways
facilities) got blown right out
Of the water. once the
screams went up following
the Grand CANYON collision.
The hysteria in high Govern
ment circles was something
to behold.
What's specifically been
done in the vicinity OF the
crash? They've rush d
through a new airway be-
tween Daggett, Calf. and
Pueblo. Colo. which enables
pilots to use three new radio
range stations that weren't
there before. Nothing new;
just three more OF the hun
dreds OF similar stations that
have been operating for years
throughout the United States.
The pilots of those two i'll
fated airplanes had ready ac-
cess to identical facilities just
a few miles to either side of
their course. They chose to
fly in that uncontrolled
airSpace themselves.
Your writer's statement
that, at the time OF the Grand
Canyon collision. "air COM
munication was possible only
in specified airlanes" is I'M
true. Both those Inflated
airlinerS were we'll within
communications range OF
several ground stations at the
time they collided.
Max Karant,
Vice President. Aircraft
Owners and Pilots Asso-
citation.
Editors Note: Reader Ka-
rant equates new" with diff
ferent." II Is true that radio
communication In aviation is
not new. but 1t has new appli-
cations. The new system dis
cussed in The Stars article
involved several OF these. Mr..
Karant makes no distinction
between the radio commune
cation available at the time
OF the crash. which consisted
for all practical purposes
solely OF radio-transmitted
weather information of reg
ular airways. and the present
set-up providing traffic con-
troll directions everywhere in
the country for attitudes over
$4,000 feet. There is a vast
difference. Radio-radar sta
tions, now serving as air route
traffic control centers. use
radio and radar as their prin-
cipal control media. The pri-
mary subject Of the article
was the direct radio commu-
nication between these CEN
tiers and any UliF-VHF RAJ
dio equipped plane. This is
new. Mr.. Karant is correct in
that the planes in the Grand
Canyon crash we're in range
of several ground stations,
but that is rather misleading.
The stations that were within
range of the planes were
weather advisory stations.
They we're not equipped or
authorized TO issue any posi-
ton advisories or traffic con-
troll instructions. according TO
the CAA. But starting April
/, the air space where the
accident occurred will be
within range Of a ground con-
troll center operating for al
titudes as low as $4,000 feet.
This also will be new.)