Ford Radio Beacon Station

8 artifacts in this set

This expert set is brought to you by:

The staff at The Henry Ford

In 1926, Henry Ford’s engineers developed a radio beacon that helped to guide the flight of aircraft over long distances, and during bad weather. This collection relates to the history of the original radio beacon station—once installed at Ford Airport, now on display inside Henry Ford Museum.

Detailed Description

Radio Goniometer Used at Ford Airport, circa 1927

Goniometer

The radio beacon may be Henry Ford's most important contribution to aviation. Early pilots depended on landmarks, preventing reliable navigation in bad weather. Ford's engineers developed a radio beacon that simultaneously transmitted the Morse code letter "A" (dot-dash) in one direction and the letter "N" (dash-dot) in another. The pilot steered until the separate signals merged into a steady hum.