Despite its strange appearance this object hasn't arrived from outer space. Situated at the end of Station Road this is an Aircraft Control Beacon, according to the Ordnance Survey Explorer map 138. I don't know much about the workings or use of this piece of hardware and my usual channel, Google has totally failed to turn up anything useful. If by any chance you read this and can give me a reference for some information, I would be grateful, in the meantime it will remain a photograph with little detail to go with it.
Monday, 28 May 2007
Not a Flying Saucer
Despite its strange appearance this object hasn't arrived from outer space. Situated at the end of Station Road this is an Aircraft Control Beacon, according to the Ordnance Survey Explorer map 138. I don't know much about the workings or use of this piece of hardware and my usual channel, Google has totally failed to turn up anything useful. If by any chance you read this and can give me a reference for some information, I would be grateful, in the meantime it will remain a photograph with little detail to go with it.
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3 comments:
Tony,
I've always understood that it's something to do with guidance of aircraft on the main flightpath over the area - you will have noticed that large numbers of planes fly west-east over here, with the east-west route further south. The beacon presumably assists with this.
Now that aircraft have fitted SatNavs, the beacon will soon be obsolete.
It's an attractive shape, and can be used to alarm visitors by implying it's created crop-circles.
Tony, during an east wind the outbound flights to Germany and Eastern Europe and also to the Far East fly immediatley over my house after leaving LHR 10 miles away. As they approach me they make a tiny movement and line up to fly straight towards the beacon at Biggin Hill where some turn right towards yours. There's another at Detling.
Love seeing your "Spring Watch" Blue Tits. Greetings.
Thanks for chuckeroon. I wasn't sure whether civil aircraft were still using it. Do you know anything about the technology?.
Hi Anonomous, I hadn't considered SatNav, I guess that it has had a major affect on aircraft navigation.
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