1939-07-15 — Page 5

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THE CHINA MAIL, JULY 15, 1989.

'SHOW ME THE WAY TO GO HOME---ROBOT

Imagine yourself sitting in the The pilot is able to sit back and pilot's cockpit of an aeroplane listen to the programimes trans- 2,000ft. up listening to the "Lam-mitted, confident in the knowledge beth Walk," or any other popular that the music is taking him nearer dance tune, and knowing that home on his true course and that gradually the music is bringing his "Robot" installation will you nearer to your home rect any tendency of his machine to aerodrome.

"stall" or be thrown off course by bumps or bad weather conditions.

cor-

Sounds strange, perhaps, but it is happening every day. Not on all The flight between London and planes, but, for the time being on Paris has frequently been made re- one experimental plane, and per cently by means of the musical haps soon on many planes on re-home finder. As yet, however, it gular air services.

has not been found possible to land A keen aviation inventor has a machine by this means. A few found, after years of experiment-miles from the home airport-it is; ing with the object of producing necessary for the-huinam · pilot to the perfect "Robot" pilot, how to rouse himself from his lethargy ultilise the wireless programmes and take over the controls for land- as a direction finder.

ing,

SURE OF TRUE COURSE The pilot, on his way back from a trip to Paris say, tunes in his "Robot" pilot to the National pro- gramme. The special device with which his "Robot" is fitted at once picks up the course of the wireless waves, which automatically act as a home finder.

FRESH CLUE IN CAR GANG HUNT

There was an important develop ment in the Scotland Yard search for the headquarters of the Lon don "chain" gang of smash-and- grab raiders, which has carried out nearly 30 raids in South-west Lon don..

Following a raid on a sub-post office in Green-lane, Morden, the search has been. intensified in the Clapham district, as a result of new information. For some time special watch has been kept in this area by the police.

The high-powered American car used by the raiders was seen in the back streets of Clapham shortly after the raid on the post office.

STOLEN IN HAMSTEAD The car; which is capable of a speed of 180 m.p.h., was stolen from outside a house in Hampstead early the year.

It has been seen several times at night by police patrols, but its powerful acceleration has always enabled it to elude the police cars, which cannot exceed 80 m.p.h.

The police believe they know the

.

PILOTS IMPRESSED

Experienced pilots on the air lines are greatly impressed by the invention. One who has crossed the English Channel several thou- sand times by the ordinary method of piloting told me yesterday that the system would relieve very con-' siderably the fatigue of the pilot on long distance flights, "It enables the pilot," he said, "to pick up a course from any wireless station that may be in operation irrespec- tive of what that station may be transmitting at the time.

“When: I tried it a few days ago I was able to so back and Ignore the controls while B.B.C. music brought me home."

Other aviation experts are ap. plying themselves to the problem of landing aircraft in fog. One of the latest ideas is the employ- ment of television. One experi- mental device of this kind gives the pilot not only an image of the ground on which he wishes to land, but shows the name of the aerodrome, barometer and other in formation. Radio beams keep the pilot at the correct gliding angle when landing.

SALE OF FAKE A.R.P. BADGES

Sale of miniature copies of A.R.P. badges is causing concern to local authorities in various parts, of Bri- tain:

that is believed

these miniatures are purchased and worn by people who have not offered their services for A.R.P. work, but

It