FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1945
1945 - 0079.PDF
JANUARY IITH, 1945 FLIGHT Saint LandingSystem Airport Traffic Congestion Relieved by New Approach Control BASICHOLDINGPATTERN (Right) ovalFOUR times the present air traffic can be accommo-dated at airports by use of a control system developed by Capt. Samuel P. Saint, engineering pilot- American Airways, and the General^-Railway Signal Co.?" and demonstrated recently at La.Giiardia Field, New York, City, in the presence of 60 officials of the principal lines, the U.S. Army and Navy, and the Civil Aeronau Authority. By use of the system, fi\£ transport; simulated instrument lancing conditions, landings on a single runway in io ifiin. /\oj^t. JtfLofc than one hoar would be required, iptjtie s&me/opVpition under present procedure. ' Simplicity of operation of th\ nW^dfetorfn and absolute control over aircraftl movemen developments achievi system. This utilises a device resembling a are used in conjunction wi equipment in the aircraft for trie purpose of holding aircraft to levels separated by intervals of 1,000ft. altitude—the basic altitude separa- tion that has proved reliable during years of operation. The radio markers, however, are at-present located 3J miles apart and confine the altitude holding-pattern to a much smaller and more efficient area. An accompanying dia- gram shows thjp pattern for all altitudes of 2,000ft. and higher. The slide-rule-like instrument shown in the photograph is used for directing a pilot from his position at 2,000ft. in the holding pattern to a position over the outer marker at a pre- determined time for the final landing-approach. Spacing of flights on the final-approach path is done by simple e blacke holding on whichfly while broughtto 2,000ft. at .ute intervals,broken line a typical11 approach path the outerker, guided by controller. (Below) The Saintcontputor which takes care of drift. FINAL APPROACH, PATTERN OUTER MARKER SIGNAL FOR RIGHT TURN EVERYTHING UNDER CONTROL : The control room at La GuardiaField during the demonstration of the new landing system, when five air- craft were landed on one runway inside 17 min instructions to the pilots without disturbing the basic altitude separation between them. When an incoming aircraft has been brought down at imin. intervals from the 5,000, 4,000 and 3,000ft. altitudes, and is still flying on the holding pattern at 2,000ft., the procedure is changed for the final approach. The pilot is told by the controller that his p»*n ia clear and he then takes the shortest path to the outer marker that can be made with a normal turning rate. One such path is indicated by the broken line on the diagram. Upon arriv- ing over this marker, he reports to the con- troller and starts his final approach. The controller then gives the pilot a head- ing towards which to fly, and follows with two other signals—one when the pilot's path is clear for a descent to a level of 1,200ft. and the last when the aircraft ahead has landed and the runway is clear. This clearance signal is received before the pilot has passed the outer marker tm his final approach. When he is •over this marker, he reports that he is vacat- ing the i,2ooit. level and making a normal descent to the runway. » Saint's calculating computer is required by the controller in these final operations to take account of the effect of wind direction and velocity on the final-approach pattern, and its principles are to be incorporated in an auto- matic control system.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
