FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1909
1909 - 0636.PDF
OCTOBER 16, 1909*. A USEFUL SIGNALLING SYSTEM. ALL those who were fortunate enough to be present at the historical Rheims Aviation Meeting, are unanimous in expressing their appreciation of the systematic manner in which it was conducted; and by no means the least important among the many well thought out details was the excellent system of signals by which spectators were kept au fait with the progress of the meeting. Our diagrams, which are taken from the official programme, illustrate the signals employed. Fig. 1 is a general view of the flagstaff with its horizontal spars, and shows the system on which the various signs were displayed, conveying, by reference to the programme, Signalling Flagstaff. / 9 6 • A a B •O O 8 c * FIG. 1. Signals indicating Event (see Column A of Flagstaff). LaJ Grand Prix. Speed Prize. Circuit Prize. Gordon-Bennett Elimi- nating. Passenger Prize. Height Prize. Gordon-Bennett Cup. Mechanicians' Prize. FIG- 2. particulars of what was going on. Each of the spars refers to one competitor, and the signals suspended therefrom are read as follows:—The two-colour signal (under A) indicates the event (see Fig. 2); the double signal, B, denotes, by means of a classified list, the particular machine in flight. This list we do not reproduce, as it is purely a matter of combining these signs for any meeting to identify any number of competitors. The single signal under C, is one of ten forming Fig. 3, and denoting specific messages to the public. Lastly, the three-sign signal to the left of the flagstaff in Fig. 1, under D, represents a three-figure code number (for figures refer to Fig. 3) which permits an almost unlimited number of messages to be signalled. A large selection of. information was thus tabulated in the programme, giving causes of stoppages, velocity of wind, &c. &c. It is, of course, quite unnecessary to- reproduce the entire code list, but the following examples Signal. O # Q A • D• • Code No. 1 2 3 4 S 6 7 8 9 0 Meaning of Signal (see Column C of Flagstaff). Record beaten. Bad start or bad finish. Good start or good finish. Stoppage without accident. Call for mechanics. Machine touched ground, or False turn at post. Secret official signal. Annul preceding signal. FIG. 3. serve to indicate its variety: 126 (the example shown in the diagram), two passengers on board. Others were:. 114, 40 kilometres flown; 129, 70 metres altitude; 179, propeller being replaced; 196, arrival of the President of the Republic. The messages given in our tables are, of course, only examples, and any variations in Masthead Signals. Black White Red No flight. Flight probable. Flight in progress. FIG. 4. these could, of course, be devised. At the mast-head, as most of our readers know, there was kept flying throughout the Rheims week, a red, white, or black flag, visible at a good distance, denoting whether flight was in progress or otherwise, as shown in Fig. 4. " Flight " Copyright Photo. The "Street" at Shelibeach, being the aeroplane sheds of the rapidly growing colony of flyers at the Aero Club's flying grounds in the Isle oi Sheppey. The white patch in the foreground is not water but shells. 640
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
