ground-controlled-descent

Flight Lieutenant Basil Deveraux meets Alan, a young officer newly posted to a highly technical RAF unit responsible for operating an experimental radar-based landing system called Ground Controlled Descent (GCD). Deveraux introduces Alan to the vast airfield, the largest runway in the world, and the challenges of landing damaged aircraft safely, emphasizing the importance and novelty of the GCD system. The chapter ends with Alan reflecting on a formative childhood memory involving Miss Hadley, signaling a major turning point in his life.

This chapter details a critical test of the Ground Controlled Descent (GCD) system for aircraft landing, which fails due to radar echo confusion between two planes, leading to a near-accident. The team analyzes the failure, identifying the need for a unique electronic marker to distinguish the tracked aircraft's radar echo from others, and begins designing a technical solution. The narrative also highlights the practical challenges and teamwork involved in developing and refining advanced radar control systems.