Vanderbilt Television News Archive

(Studio) Recent air collision prompts CBS to examine causes and cures of collision. Radar and transponders important Small planes don't carry transponders.
REPORTER: Walter Cronkite

(San Diego, California) 1 million takeoffs and landings supervised here. [Controller Jas, McCARTY - says radar inadequate. Lose some planes on radar. Some places we know we'll lose planes. 1 dead spot lasts for 13 mi. Can see them if they have transponder, Not much to do about smaller planes.]
REPORTER: Jed Duvall

(Atlanta, Georgia) 4th busiest airport. 12 near misses for 1969. [Controller - William CHURGMMAN - says limited radar coverage keeps some planes from being seen. Small aircraft can't be missed.]
REPORTER: Ed Rabel

(Denver, Colorado) [Controller Robert GREENE - says radar failed 6 or 7 times Thursday in 8 hrs. Can't see all planes on radar. Function varies according to weather and instrument power. Couldn't get 1 small plane this morning.] [Controller Ed HOLBEACH - tells of 1968 collision. Our controllers couldn't tell jet a small plane because couldn't see it.] [Federal Aviation Administration Regional Mgr. W.A. STEPHENS - says transponders needed for small planes. General aviation pilots will have to accept more control.]
REPORTER: Terry Drinkwater

(Studio) Controllers think they need more and better radar. NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) reported to have better radar than FAA. Controllers want more mile separation between major airports and smaller fields. If all planes had transponders, mid-air collisions would decrease
REPORTER: Walter Cronkite