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Aviation History
1951
1951 - 1204.PDF
FLIGHT, 22 June 1951 CIVIL AVIATION . . . DECCA N.W. BRITISH CHAIN INAUGURATED THE latest extension to the Decca Navigator system, the North-West British chain, was officially inaugurated on June 7th (as briefly recorded in Flight of June 15th) by Air Chief Marshal Sir Frederick Bowhill, C.B.E., K.C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., master of the Honourable Company of Master Mariners. With the master station sited at Kidsdale in Wigtownshire, the red station at Clanrolla in Northern Ireland, and the green and purple stations respectively at Low Buston, Northumberland, and Neston, Cheshire, the new North British chain extends the coverage of the existing system to embrace the whole of Ireland, the North-Western Approaches, Scotland, the Shetlands, and the northern waters of the North Sea. The inauguration ceremony was conducted aboard the motor vessel Royal Iris as the ship proceeded seaward down the tortuous channel from the port of Liverpool, and in his speech Sir Frederick Bowhill said: "Since in my career I have filled the dual role of mariner and airman, I should like to touch oh the use of Decca in the aviation sphere for, with the coming opening of the South- West British chain (due to be completed toward the end of this year), we shall have a highly accurate aid to navigation, not only over our coastal waters and approaches, but also over the great majority of our internal air routes, which will meet the require- ments both of the high-flying jet aircraft and the low-flying helicopter." Sir Frederick then went on to speak of the Decca Flight Log, which, he said, would not only tell the aircraft commander where he was on a form of map presentation, and what track he had made good, but would also be of great value to air-traffic control in safely achieving high movement-rates in the busy areas. Of the reliability of the Decca system, Sir Frederick said that during the past year notified breaks in the transmission of the English chain had totalled only 96 seconds. He went on to speak of the Track Guide and Integrated Track Range, developed by the Decca Navigator Company to meet the peculiar navigational requirements of aircraft flying along over- seas routes. The Integrated Track Range, he said, had been tested on aircraft of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, and showed promise of becoming a most useful facility on our overseas air routes. A system which provided navigational assistance both to marine and air transport and which, further might help Britain to solve certain current air-traffic control problems was of the greatest use to the nation, continued Sir Frederick. Other countries were also becoming aware of the advantages provided by the system; a chain would be operational in Germany by next autumn, with siting so arranged as to meet, as far as possible, both aviation and marine requirements; the French, he understood, had also started erecting a chain, which would be ready next year. "I am convinced that our next aim should be so to extend BRITAIN'S SPOKESMEN : Representing the United Kingdom's viewpoint at the fifth session of the I.C.A.O. assembly held in Montreal last month We (left to right, front) Mr. J. E. Keel, head of delegation; Mr. J. ai delegate; (rear) Miss E. J. Stoker, secretary to delegation; Mr. I. V. Pugh, delegate. 747 Decca coverage that it embraces the arteries of sea and airborne trade from the Hebrides and the Baltic to the Barbary coast and the Levant," concluded Sir Frederick Bowhill; he then declared the chain officially open. Sir Norman Guttery, K.B.E., C.B., Deputy-Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, then made a broadcast to all ships, notify- ing them that the chain was fully operational and was approved by the Ministry of Transport for navigation. Incidentally, in the final report of the Communications Division at the Fourth Session of the International Civil Aviation Organ- ization (held recently in Montreal), the recommendation is made that "an operational evaluation of the Decca Navigator system be actively pursued in order that its suitability for inclusion in standards and recommended practices may be determined." It is further noted that "in view of the existing and projected chains in Western Europe, and in view of the experience of the system which is being gained there, the operational evaluation would be facilitated if it took place in the Eumed region." The report also mentioned that the Division had noted the advanced stage which had been reached in the development of short-base variants of the Decca Navigator system, which development will produce lower-cost installation giving tracking or, alternatively, tracking and ranging facilities in those localities where the full system could not be economically or operationally justified. BILINGUALISM AND AIRLINE SAFETY /"GROUND-STAFF shortages in South African Airways, and " their alleged connection with present Government policy— referred to in these pages some weeks ago—were discussed last week in the South African assembly. The Minister of Transport, Mr. P. O. Sauer, was questioned by Opposition members about resignations among the staff and the effect they might have on operational safety. The Ministers replied that every precaution to ensure safety was still being taken. "We understand that a large number of the staff, including highly-placed men, have resigned," said one Opposition member. "If so, the standard of maintenance might be affected. Has the incidence of emergency landings increased in past months ? Are the Airways short of pilots, or are the staff required to fly longer hours than normal?" Mr. Sauer admitted that the ground staff was not up to strength, but pointed out that this was not the first time it had happened. The establishment of ground staff should be 855, but the present number was 734. As far as he knew, there had been no increase in the number of emergency landings. He denied that it was a strict requirement that all members'of the staff must be bilingual. The general policy for employment by the South African Government is that both English and Afrikaans are required, but if there is a shortage of staff, anybody will be recruited, whether he is bilingual or not. This particularly affects immigrants. BREVITIES THE first of the two Comets being built for Canadian PacificAir Lines will operate on the 5,200-mile route from Honolulu to Sydney, Australia. Alitalia introduced on June 6th a new fortnightly service on their Rome-Buenos Aires route. * * * To improve the exterior lighting of aircraft and provide an extra safeguard in navigation, United Air Lines are testing a high- intensity rotating red light on one of their DC-6 Mainliners. * * * G/C. Stuart Campbell, R.A.A.F., Australia's Director of Air Navigation and Safety, has been appointed aviation adviser to the Siam Government by I.C.A.O. * * * Meteorological stations serving West German airports are now again managed by Germans. The last three outstanding were those of Hamburg, Dusseldorf, and Wahn airports. They were re- turned to German hands on June 1st. * * * Mr. S. M. A. Bannister has been appointed private secretary, and Mr. W. A. Penn, assistant private secretary, to the new Minister of Civil Aviation, Lord Ogmore. Mr. K. J. Willoughby is private secretary to the Permanent Secretary. * * * Work has now begun on the 400ft extension to the west end of Prestwick Airport's main runway which, when completed, will provide a usable length of 7,000ft for aircraft taking off to the east. The secondary runway is now in use again after resurfacing. \ a.
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