In 1930 West Australian Airways operated an Adelaide / Perth
service using 16 seat DH66 Hercules aircraft. The enroute stops were at Ceduna,
Forrest and Kalgoorlie. Forrest was used for overnight accommodation.
The Forrest hanger roof was fitted with a Sperry beacon. A
similar beacon at Loongana, 70 miles away, was visible across the desert. Also
available at Forrest was a rotating electric floodlight with a beam that could
be seen at Cook, 115 miles away. This was used for emergency night landings.
[Job 1991 P.162ff]
The August 1940 Adelaide to Sydney Aviation Strip Map still
showed beacons. The Goulburn beacon revolved at 6 rpm while the Cootamundra
beacon spun at 7.5 rpm. This map also showed some radio broadcast stations [BS],
which could be used for radio compass navigation.
Forrest still has a night beacon listed for present day use.
[ERSA 25 March 1999].
