Let Your Ears Have Wings

Australian Aviation Proudly Presents Part Three of Our Exclusive Series Explaining the Fascinating World of Airband Monitoring

The Inertial Navigation System, or INS, as used in Qantas Boeing 747-238Bs, is decidedly smaller than some radio communications receivers, and possibly even tinier than the HF set you are using to listen to aircraft on shortwave! INS is a very sensitive instrument. There are three mounted in every Qantas 747, with one being used operationally, and the other two as backup units, should the primary INS unit develop any kind of failure. Maintenance and checking of the INS units has to be done in absolutely dustless, spotless conditions.

The INS units are completely self-contained when in operation, and have astounding navigational accuracy, surpassed only by the Omega navigation system. INS does not depend on the principle of ‘bouncing’ radio signals off ground stations or the reception of bearing information from radio navigation beacons, to find its way around the world. All INS needs to know is the LATITUDE and LONGITUDE of the following places to begin navigating:

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