Plane Facts: Instrument Flying

First instrument flight:September 24, 1929

Site:Mitchel Field, Long Island, N.Y.

Pilot:Lt. James Doolittle

Plane:Consolidated N-2 (biplane similar to Stearman)

Altitude data:Kollsman Altimeter

Altimeter feature:Barometric setting (a first)

Attitude data:Sperry Artificial Horizon

Directional information:Sperry Directional Gyro

Instrument approach equipment:Audible Localizer

Method of simulated IFR:Hood covered entire front-seat position

Outside conditions:Clear, visibility unlimited

Length of flight:15 minutes

Instrument time logged by Doolittle:15 minutes

Number of instrument approaches:1

First autopilot: 1912

First successful autopilot flight:1914

Inventor:Lawrence Sperry

First practical autopilot:1930

First coupled autopilot (navigation integration):1947

Platform:Consolidated C-54

Length of flight:Transatlantic

Inventor of first coupled autopilot: Bill Lear (yes, that Bill Lear)

Honors for invention:Collier Trophy, 1949

First artificial instrument approach system:Four-course range, 1929

First development of VORs: 1937

Widespread implementation:1946

Number of VOR stations worldwide:Approximately 3,000

Number in the U.S.:957

Anticipated number in 2025:637

Reason for keeping VOR:Backup in case of GPS outage

Legacy of VORs:Namesake for Victor Airways

First development of long-range nav: LORAN 1940

Accuracy of first LORAN installations:Tens of miles

Introduction of LORAN aviation navigators:1970s

First ILS (lateral and vertical guidance):1939

First installations:Six airports, 1941

First successful ILS approach:Pittsburgh, 1939 (DC-3 in a snowstorm)

First distance-measuring equipment (DME):1948

Development of radar surveillance:World War II

Implementation of radar approaches:1951

Microwave Landing   System (MLS) adopted: 1980

Advantages of MLS:Customizable approach and glide-slope paths

FAA’s abandonment of MLS:1994

Reason for abandonment:Satellite-based approach systems

First precision GPS approach equipment:Garmin GNS 480, 2004

Number of satellite-based approaches, U.S. airports:Approximately 19,000

Airports served by at least one satellite approach:Approximately 12,000

Number of satellite approaches at non-ILS runways:Approximately 1,800

Number of GPS approaches with vertical guidance, U.S. airports:3,748

Number of WAAS approaches at non-ILS airports:1,064

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