Forum Home
PC World Chat
 
Thread ID: 143959 2017-05-24 23:04:00 Auckland Airport on Foggy Days Roscoe (6288) PC World Chat
Post ID Timestamp Content User
1435659 2017-05-24 23:04:00 Many flights were postponed or cancelled this morning at Auckland Airport because of the fog .

The first thing that I think about that is that in the Second World War some clever person worked out how to land planes in zero visibility . So why can't planes land in fog in the 21st century?

The second thing is that, on the news, they said that although many flights were postponed or cancelled, international flights were not affected . Why is that? Do the international planes have some sort of navigation that national aircraft do not have?

Thanks for your help .
Roscoe (6288)
1435660 2017-05-24 23:30:00 Do the international planes have some sort of navigation that national aircraft do not have?

Yes. Top-of-the-range ILS landing systems require both the airport to invest in the technology, AND the carrier to invest in the tech on their aircraft avionics to work with the signal from the ground.

Generally it's worth the investment on international aircraft, maybe not so much on equipment used for hour-long domestic flights.

Generally. Poke around and you'll find exceptions, as always.
allblack (6574)
1435661 2017-05-24 23:35:00 Thanks for that, allblack. That was something that I did not know. Most interesting. Roscoe (6288)
1435662 2017-05-24 23:40:00 Thanks for that, allblack. That was something that I did not know. Most interesting.

All good. I don't know my RAM from my ewe's, but aviation I can handle :)
allblack (6574)
1435663 2017-05-24 23:50:00 in the Second World War some clever person worked out how to land planes in zero visibility.

From what I read, they used to ignite drums of petrol along the runway. Could you imagine them doing that today?:clap

Ken
kenj (9738)
1435664 2017-05-25 00:40:00 The first thing that I think about that is that in the Second World War some clever person worked out how to land planes in zero visibility . So why can't planes land in fog in the 21st century?

Even before WW2, think 1930s . Those clever Germans were streaks ahead of the Brits and US when it came to HF and UHF . It was probably only the development of the cavity magnetron into a high power device that gave us the edge eventually .

. wikipedia . org/wiki/Lorenz_beam" target="_blank">en . wikipedia . org

. wikipedia . org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Beams" target="_blank">en . wikipedia . org
Terry Porritt (14)
1435665 2017-05-25 00:58:00 The first thing that I think about that is that in the Second World War some clever person worked out how to land planes in zero visibility. .

In WW2, a few lives lost in aircraft was a common thing .
In war lives lost all the time, big risks were often taken. Plenty killed or injured in takeoff/landing crashes in WW2 .
1101 (13337)
1435666 2017-05-25 03:02:00 Even before WW2, think 1930s. Those clever Germans were streaks ahead of the Brits and US when it came to HF and UHF. It was probably only the development of the cavity magnetron into a high power device that gave us the edge eventually.

en.wikipedia.org

en.wikipedia.org

Thanks so much for that, Terry. Very interesting indeed.
Roscoe (6288)
1435667 2017-05-25 03:09:00 in the Second World War some clever person worked out how to land planes in zero visibility . So why can't planes land in fog in the 21st century?
.
They can . And sometimes do .

But it's a safety thing . Better not to, watch a few episodes of Air Crash Investigation and you'll learn all about it .
pctek (84)
1