Air navigation

Air navigation came into existence alongside with air traffic. It had a humble beginning, but in a little more than 50 years has come today's extensive aircraft industry, a vast network of global airlines.

In the early days of flying, serious accidents often occurred because men were not thoroughly familiar with the new medium of transportation.

Today pilots are familiar with the construction of the aircraft, its controls, and its limitations. Competent instructors are available to give this information as well as to give actual flight instructions. The manuals are based not only on sound theory but also on long experience. They should be obtained and carefully studied.

The directing of aircraft from one place to another is the science of air navigation.

In fair weather and during daylight, it is usually not difficult to fly from one place to another by visual reference to landmarks noted in the charts. In bad weather and in the hours of darkness, the usual landmarks are often lost to view. Even the airport of the destination may be closed.

If air transportation is to function safely and with any degree of regularity, some aids to navigation, including instrument landing facilities, must be made available.

With the installation of instrument landing systems at principle terminals, and with other equipment such as radar and radar beacons, we may confidently expect that air transportation soon will become independent of all but the most severe weather conditions.

Дата добавления: 2015-07-11