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Aviation History
1946
1946 - 0425.PDF
FEBRUARY 28TH, 1946 CIVIL AVIATION FLIGHT 221 Informal Radar Conference Applying Wartime Navigational Aids to Civil Aviation : European Delegates at London Discussions REPRESENTATIVES from most European countriesmet in the conference room at the Ministry of CivilAviation last Monday in order to begin a fortnight ci discussion on radio and radar navigational aids and their application to international civil aviation. The latest . types of radar equipment, which have been on the '' top ^Secret" list throughout the war, were on view, and tech- ^ioal lectures and films demonstrated to the delegates the secrets of our wartime navigational developments. The object of the conference, as Sir Robert Watson-Watt, who is Scientific Advisor on Telecommunications to the Air Ministry, later explained, was primarily to afford those European countries which were less favourably placed than ourselves during the war an opportunity to bring their know- ledge of radio and radar up to date. Arrangements were made for delegates to see, in operation, the various types of radio and radar navigational aids which are now available, and to gain experience of their value under flying conditions. Subsequently there have been full opportunities, during this second week of the conference, for the delegates to compare notes on the equipment which they have seen demonstrated. It is hoped that these informal dis- cussions between the delegates, and the opportunity to compare the latest radar aids with the navigational needs of the countries which they represent, will do much to ensure co-operation between European countries on this matter, which is of such great importance to civil aviation generally. It will also help them to prepare for formal conferences such as those convened at the request of P.I.C.A.O. in Dublin next week, and in Paris shortly, at which efforts will be made to standardise international flying practices and navigational procedure. The countries which accepted invitations to attend the Lord Winster welcomes the European delegates. conference were Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Egypt, Eire, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Iraq, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Rumania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, U.S.S.R., and Yugoslavia. How- ever, a few of the delegates were unable, owing to adverse weather, to reach London in time for the first three or four days of the conference. In addition to the acceptances, three countries sent observers, namefy, Canada, Newfoundland and the United States. Only two coun- tries declined the invitation. They were Poland and Portugal, and their declination was on the grounds that they had np suitable available dele- gate. Comprehensive Programme The first two days of the conference were occupied by papers given by the Ministry of Supply and Aircraft Pro- duction on Gee, Loran, Rebecca, Babs, the Consol and the Decca navi- gation systems, A.C.R., and Com- munications for Civil Aviation. There was also a paper b ' the Ministry of Civil Aviation on "Special Problems of Airfield Control." The papers were well illustrated by films and slides. The remainder of last week was spent by the delegates at R.A.F. station Bassingbourn, where various aids were demonstrated in actual fly- ing conditions by R.A.F. Transport Command aircraft. Opening remarks were addressed to the conference by Sir William Hildred, the Director-General of Civil Aviation, who pointed out that the purpose of radar technique was to give a degree of regularity to civil aviation which we certainly had not yet achieved. The conference was officially opened by Lord Winster, who welcomed the delegates. He said that civil aviation had a very important part to play in overcoming the wartime destruction of communication systems, particu- larly in Europe. However, an obstacle in many parts of Europe was the lack of adequate ground services. Great advances had been made in radio and radar development during the war, and it was now possible to withdraw the veil of secrecy and to disclose an '' em - barrassment of riches" in the modern radio field which made it very difficult to select the developments which were most suited to the needs of civil aviation. Lord Winster pointed out that the international talks during this conference were only of an exploratory nature, and were to be regarded as informal, but he hoped that they would go far towards the pro- vision of a framework for European regional standardisation, and would thus be the forerunner of the later international talks under the auspices of P.I.C.A.O. Sir William Hildred(left) and Sir Robert Watson-Watt werethe other two speakers at theopening meeting of the conference.
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