Bill Grenier recently released his book "From Miles to Millions" and sent us this information -
Well in the first year of publication we have won a Bronze medal for that publication. Just a reminder that all proceeds go to aviation scholarships.
Sharon and I will be going to New York at the end of May to attend the ceremony and to pick up the medal. I understand there were over 6000 entries but of course the many categories reduce that to several hundred per category.
It is nice to know that the effort that goes into the writing and publishing is worthy of some independent review and acclaim. From the positive feedback I got from all of you, it seems it has been well received. My thanks to you all. SBN 978-0-9937764-0-3 www.billgrenier.com
Betty Draper sends another article from The Leader-Post issued January 18th., 1939
- Noise to tell flyers location.
"Squawking" area over Radio Range stations planned. Possible revision of part of the radio range system that guides Trans-Canada Air Lines planes across the continent was indicated by Commander C.P.Edwards, chief of Airways services of the department of transport at Ottawa, who was in Regina recently.
Instead of the "cone of silence" directly above the present range stations, which indicates to the pilot that he is over the range, "squawker" apparatus may be installed to give a definite sound signal or light a rad bulb on the plane's instrument board, commander Edwards said. "That cone of silence idea is very poor engineering" he said. "The pilot doesn't want something to stop happening... like the range signals... he wants something to start happening, like a squawk in the signals or a light on the instrument panel."
One such marker beacon... as the "squawkers" are called officially... has been built about 50 miles east of Vancouver, to indicate to the pilot that he has safely cleared the Rocky Mountains and can start coming down for the Vancouver landing." Those marker beacons are the real thing" Commander Edwards asserted. "They throw a definite sound signal, light a bulb, and do almost everything but play the national anthem. The pilot knows without a shadow of doubt that he is where he is, and can put his mind to other matters."
The squawkers throw an upward radio beam, spreading out and creating a beam 15 miles wide and three miles across at 10,000 feet. The type which may be installed on the regular radio range towers would be a little different... they would throw a cone-like upward beam, with the apex on the ground and at 10,000 feet provide a "squawk circle" about a mile in diameter right over the range station.
Present experimental plans call for possible construction of marker beacons only in the regions where obstructions occur, like the mountains east of Vancouver. After that, they may be extended to include all range stations. It took two years to adequately test any such new development, Commander Edwards said. All the new apparatus had to operate through every season twice to prove its dependability and to give pilots an opportunity to form a definite opinion as to their value.