t opside V olume 79 , I s s u e 1 P a ge 12
Aviation
Historic Aviation Scavenger Hunt Takes Mind off COVID for Auxiliary Explorers
article by William ‘ Bill ” Fithian , DSO-AV District Fifth Northern
During the early days of commercial aviation and air mail service , airplane pilots relied upon light beacons and massive concrete arrows on the ground to guide them across the country ; these lighted airways were known as the Transcontinental Airway System . The standard beacon stood on top of a 50-foot tower attached to a large concrete arrow , painted yellow and pointed in the direction of the course . Spaced about 10 to 20 miles apart along designated air routes these navigation aids were built by the Department of Commerce in the 1920s and early 1930s to promote air travel . In 1946 , at the high point of the lighted airways , 2,112 beacons operated along 124 airways in the contiguous United States , the District of Columbia , and Alaska . With the development of radio navigation and faster airplanes later in the late 1940s , the beacon network became obsolete . As a result , the beacons were gradually deactivated and the majority of them disassembled or demolished .
William “ Bill ” Fithian District Staff Officer - AV
“ Many of these beacon towers and giant concrete arrows are still out there to be discovered .“ Commodore-elect Joseph Giannattasio ( D5NR ) shared . “ The idea of actually finding a concrete arrow on the ground spurred me to check U . S . Geological Survey data sheets , analyze topographical maps , and use Google Earth to pinpoint the location of several beacon towers and concrete arrow remains within Auxiliary Districts Fifth Northern and One Southern .”
During the 2020 spring and summer months of the pandemic , most states declared a “ safer at home ” policy in an effort to curtail the spread of the coronavirus ; requiring most Coast Guard Auxiliarists to stand-down and abide by states ’ requirements . In the wake of the COVID-19 restraints , Giannattasio thought that searching for mysterious concrete arrows and peculiar metal towers in the countryside would be a challenging , and fun , quest for other members to do during the stand down and reduction of Auxiliary activities . A seasoned explorer , Giannattasio planned and organized an aviation related , social distancing scavenger hunt within his area and invited several members for the undertaking . A few intrepid Auxiliarists , as civilians , took to the skies , drove long distances , and hiked mountains seeking these early aviation landmarks .
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