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Beginning in the 1930s, visual guidelines for navigation were replaced by the four-course radio range station system. The radio range station emitted a directional signal, forming four beacons aligned with a compass, each defining a course. Pilots listened to the radio receiver and followed the radio beams from station to station along a particular route. This system had a total of 378 stations before becoming phased out during the 1950s
NASM.2005.0001
United States. Civil Aeronautics Authority
bulk 1940
Barbara Walsh, Gift, 2004
0.12 Cubic feet ((1 flat box))
National Air and Space Museum Archives
This collection consists of sixteen charts that were part of the production process for four-course radio range routings. As the routings shown are outside of the original airway system developed in 1930, it is assumed that these charts represent a substantive expansion of the airway system, rather than a simple updating of existing infrastructure. The following areas are represented in Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and Louisiana: Big Spring; Corpus Christi; Abilene; El Paso; Dallas, Ft. Worth, San Antonio; Fort Worth; San Antonio; Houston; Birmingham; Tampa; Atlanta; Miami; Mobile; Jacksonville; Shreveport; and New Orleans.
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
No restrictions on access.
Southern Four-Course Radio Range Charts, Accession 2005-0001, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Navigation (Aeronautics)
Aeronautics, Commercial
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Charts