FAA Installation

[Speedbird1]

While strolling yesterday by the Brooklyn shoreline in Bay Ridge I saw a strange installation on a pier not far from the VZ Bridge. It had what appeared to be 3 solar panels angled upwards, a small box painted gray and a small antenna. The box had the FAA logo. What could this be?

[PhilDernerJr]

Could be weather equipment, which is placed in various parts of the city for the local airports.

[Speedbird1]

You must be right; the logo on the installation appears to show the NOAA rather than the FAA logo. I forgot that the FAA logo includes a green globe which this did not have. I thought it was the PONAE Waypoint but that point is about half mile away in the Narrows Channel. Incidentally, is there any physical evidence of an FAA Waypoint? Is there any kind of beacon or antenna? Do waypoints such as PROUD, GRENE, or VERGE emit a beep of any kind? How do aircraft know when they are flying over a beacon, marker, or waypoint? As a non-pilot, I have no idea.

[HPNPilot1200]

You must be right; the logo on the installation appears to show the NOAA rather than the FAA logo. I forgot that the FAA logo includes a green globe which this did not have. I thought it was the PONAE Waypoint but that point is about half mile away in the Narrows Channel. Incidentally, is there any physical evidence of an FAA Waypoint? Is there any kind of beacon or antenna? Do waypoints such as PROUD, GRENE, or VERGE emit a beep of any kind? How do aircraft know when they are flying over a beacon, marker, or waypoint? As a non-pilot, I have no idea.

Intersections rarely have an associated marker beacon unless they exist on the final approach course of an instrument approach procedure (middle marker, etc). They are simply points in space.

In regards to identifying when flying over an intersection, the intersection is simply where two VOR radials meet; hence "intersection." Aircraft without GPS equipment must tune/identify the two VHF nav receivers to the VORs that the intersection exists on and twist the OBS to the appropriate radials. Once the CDIs (course deviation indicators) on both nav receivers center, the aircraft is over the intersection. With GPS, it becomes a whole lot simpler because the GPS database contains all intersections and allows a direct course to an intersection or series of intersections.

http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/982/iapils16hpnon0.jpg

In the above image, you can see how FARAN intersection, on the ILS runway 16 final approach course at White Plains (HPN) is the point at which the IGN (Kingston) 199º radial and the CMK (Carmel) 286º radial meet.

Hope this helps,

[Speedbird1]

Thanks. I can't get it into my head that there are probably no physical indications of waypoints or markers on land. The exception is probably VORs. I think that all VORs are actual installations as opposed to OMs, Waypoints and fixes.

[adam613]

Thanks. I can't get it into my head that there are probably no physical indications of waypoints or markers on land. The exception is probably VORs. I think that all VORs are actual installations as opposed to OMs, Waypoints and fixes.

A VOR is by definition an actual installation; A VOR is an actual piece of hardware. If the hardware isn't in place, there's nothing to depict on a map.

You should fire up the flight training section of Microsoft Flight Simulator if you're interested in this stuff. It'll give you a basic education on navigation and some of the terms that get thrown around. (That's how I learned about this stuff...)

[HPNPilot1200]

Thanks. I can't get it into my head that there are probably no physical indications of waypoints or markers on land. The exception is probably VORs. I think that all VORs are actual installations as opposed to OMs, Waypoints and fixes.

To extend what adam mentioned, NDBs and OMs (more formally referred to as LOMs) are also actual installations, but much harder to spot. The antennas are much smaller and not easily distinguishable from the air (especially LOMs which are very small antennas).

[DHG750R]

The only NDB I could see nearby is the Bridge (OGY/414) which by the VFR chart looks like its on or very close to the Marine Park Bridge..

http://skyvector.com/#24-15-3-2690-3167