SKY-HIGH WEATHER

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 177, 22 April 1919, Page 4

SKY-HIGH WEATHER

WORLD REPORTS FOR AIRMEN.

Wonderful schemes for quickly and accurately feeling the pulse of the upper air are being introduced by the Meteorological Section of the ltoyul Air Force. Without such information, supplied authoritatively every few hours from numerous stations throughout the country, commercial flying would be faced with difficulties.

K.A.F. box-kite .carrying delicate instruments will shortly be flown from the sterns of Atlantic liners on various routes between England and the United States. It is expected that the kites will Bo up to a very great height and that information of incalculable value to prospective Trans-Atlantic aerial pilots will be obtained. Already nearly 50 standard meteorological observation stations, each manned bv 2 officers and 8 men, carefully trained in flying as well as meteorological duties, have been erected throughout the British Isles. Information from these will shortly be available for all commercial flying depots. Weather reports will be exchanged with international stations on the world's great aerial routes. General weather reports covering large areas have been found of no use to pilots,, as in the unper air conditions change every few mile 6.

Variouß types of free and kite balloons, guns and' aeroplanes are used in making the airmen's weather reports. To measure the fepeed of the wind above the clouds phosphorous shells are fired to a great height at stated intervals. An aeroplane tnen flies along the course of the burst 1 shells as they drift with the wind, the pilot noting from his stop watch the time it takes for his aeroplane to pass between them. The exact speed of his machine beins known, as well as tho time between the firing of each shell, the nilot is able to calculate the rate of travel of the artificial s'moke clouds.

Small balloons are used to measure the wind speed beneath the clouds, but kite balloons for .barometrical readinss are sent to a height of 15.000 feet and over.

A world wireless service is being started to give information from evevv R.A.F. observatory. Otlie'' countries are about lo do tlie same. Tim Dominions nre exonerating e.loselv with the R.A.F. to ennlile flyimr services to work, with the greatest efficiency.