New Radar For Airways

Chronicle (Levin), 9 December 1948, Page 10

New Radar For Airways

The Gouncil for Seientilie and Indus-. trial Keseareh radio physicists are experimenting with radar equipment which Will enable the position of all aireraft in flight over Australia to be pin-pointed at any time, says the Sydney Sun. ' ' * . ' . If a type of equipment suitable for ; use in commerci.al aireraft can be:de; veloped, it is expected the Civii Aviatioii Department will order its installation. - . • : • Long-range radar was used during the war, but it lias uot been adapted yet for commercial use.' Weight of the military equipment is so great that its installation in ci-vil aireraft would substantially reduce their payload. ' '- ' Civil aviation authorities said tliat Australia would be the lirst country in the world to use distance. measuring equipment (DME), oue of the most modern flying sal'ety -deviees. - *■ DJME shows the pilot, on, a sjJeedo-meter-like dial on his instrument panel, ; how far he is from ground stations along the route lie is flying,* but it does . not indicate to the- controller at a n aerodrome where the aireraft1 is. ' Its range is from oue to 120" miles. Other flying safety deviees whieh "the Civil Aviation Department hopes to instal at major aerodromes and in civil aireraft include: — Aerial radar (indi-' cates to a pilot his position "in reiati'on to an aerodrome. Kadius is 15 or 20 miles), and high frequency communication svstems unalfected by static. : Tlio Civil Aviation Department pi'oposes to order 95 sets of DME and to instal 85 sets at Australian aerodromes ( and in aireraft. Cabinet has approved a £5,000,000 a'ir navigation aid programmc which will take four years to complete. Thirtv new "lix" stations will be 111 operation by next June. * / _ ..