Application of the Decca Navigation System as an Approach and Landing Aid

This paper is a report on a joint Bell-Bendix-Decca program to investigate the problems of flying a helicopter in remote areas under instrument flight conditions with presently available machines, the Decca navigator system, and other sensory equipment. The approach and transition phase to a remote landing spot under instrument conditions was of particular interest and present information displays were found to be unsuitable. During the development program a system was built, tested, and demonstrated that would allow complete instrument flight, including precise navigation along any desired flight path and ils type approaches to any desired landing spot in an area covered by the Decca navigation system. The program results clearly indicated that: 1) Flight in remote areas under zero-zero conditions is possible today. 2) The Decca navigation system is an excellent navigation, approach, and landing aid for helicopter instrument flight. 3) Unsatisfactory information displays are most responsible for the limited helicopter instrument flight operations possible today. Research programs to develop integrated displays must be continued.