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Aviation History
1932
1932 - 0620.PDF
FLIGHT, JUNE 24, 1932 Air>r>nt>F Tljyul r NIGHT FLYING AT HESTON >rpIRWORK, LTD., in conjunction with Chance Bros., Ltd., staged £"~Aj| a demonstration of a new method of landing by night at Heston Zy 'II Airport on Friday, June 10. The system used is quite new in this country, although it is fairly well known in the U.S.A., and it has been evolved by Chance Bros, in collaboration with Mr. Nigel Norman, who has recently returned to this country after an extensive tour of the various American airports. in effect the scheme provides a movable shadow in the beam of a fixed floodlight which can be kept on the pilot as he is landing, thereby obviat ing any dazzle or glare and making it possible for him, if need be, to land directly into the light. One of the first advantages which accrues from this system is the fact that it enables one fixed floodlight to be used regard less of the direction of the wind, and thereby eliminates the complication and trouble entailed by using a mobile floodlight which has to be towed round the aerodrome as the wind changes. The lamp at Heston is mounted some 15-20 ft. above the ground in front of the control tower, and this elevation above the aerodrome ensures that small inequalities of the surface will not cause awkward shadows. The lamp itself is one of Chance Bros.' Third Order floodlights of approxi mately 800,000 candle-power, with an optical system consisting of a dioptric lens of 17 refracting elements having a diameter of 1,000 mm. and covering 180 deg. in azimuth. The lens is fitted into the usual ven tilated mild steel body closely following lighthouse practice, as has many times been described in FLIGHT. The 10-kw. lamp has a double flat grid filament, and its mounting enables replacement to be made quickly, while the two filaments being arranged in parallel permit of one continuing to function should the other fail, thus obviating sudden extinction of the light, and danger should an aircraft be landing at the time. ARTIFICIAL DAYLIGHT : A magnificent photograph showing the perfection to which British engineers have brought the science of lighting aerodromes. It will be seen that the area illuminated extends to the boundary fence. (FLIGHT Photo.) 572 WITH A SHADOW-BAR : The Chance floodlight mounted in front of the control tower at Heston. The bar is seen swung to the right of the photograph. (FLIGHT Photo.) Above the roof ventilator of the flood light is mounted a tripod which carries a bearing supporting a vertical shaft. This shaft extends upwards to the upper plat form of the control tower, where it is fitted with a hand control. Attached to this shaft is a light frame carrying a vertical
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