In the earliest days of aviation a unique and practical navigation system was devised that greatly aided the aviators of the time. This simple but effective system, mostly for night use, was a series of lighted beacons placed on the higher mountain tops that identified an airway track running generally east and west. Aviators would simply visually observe these beacons and were able to traverse the airway in a safe manner. Several of these lighted beacons were near the Cumberland area. A lighted white rotating airways beacon was located on top of Evitts Mountain just south of the Mason-Dixon Line in the same area as the present red obstruction light. It was located to the west of the present Rocky Gap State Park and Lake Habeeb. Airways beacons were positioned 10 to15 miles apart for navigational use at night and in poor weather. In good weather it was often possible to see the next sequenced beacon while passing one along the identified route. Each beacon had an identifier letter that was visible when over the beacon by observing the red light flashing that sequenced its identifier letter in Morse code.
The currently existing obstruction light tower located on Evitts Mountain. This site, just south of the Mason-Dixon Line, is where the airways beacon described above was located.
Researching a 1930’s government World Aeronautical Chart, Harold Armstrong found that flying from Washington northwest to Pittsburgh, PA on the airway that Beacon #1 was located in the vicinity of Herndon, VA. Beacon # 1 was identified by a W (dot, dash, dash – using Morse code). Other beacons along the airway were as follows: Near Leesburg, VA. was Beacon #3 identified as V (…-), Beacon #4 was near Brunswick, MD and was H (….), the Martinsburg, WV beacon was K (-.-), Beacon #8, near Route 522, was D (-..), Paw Paw, WV was #9 G (–.), the beacon on Green Ridge Mountain was #10 near Flintstone, MD and was M (–), Berlin, PA. was #12A and identified as U (..-), Rockwood, PA #12B was V (…-), Jones Mills #14B was H (….), Mt. Pleasant, PA. #15 was R (.-.), and finally Herminie, at Pittsburgh # 16B, E (.).
These lighted beacons were known as the ‘Lighthouses of the Sky’. They were called a lighted airway. The airways eventually consisted of 1,841 beacons that covered areas from New York City to Salt Lake City. Originally illuminated by gas, the lights converted to electricity as it became available to even the remote areas of the system. The only lighthouse known to still exist is located on Rich Mountain, five miles southwest of the Elkins, WV Airport. The original system was from Washington, DC west bound and, on this routing the beacon near Elkins signaled that westbound aviators were clear of the treacherous Appalachian Mountains.
Airways beacons flashed two white flashes, whereas beacons identifying an airport flashed one white and one green. It was possible, in post WW II, to view the airport beacon that identifies the Cumberland Airport from the Evitts Mountain Airways Beacon. The white and green flashes indicating the location of a lighted airport, was a good sign for any aviator traveling during night time hours.
The lighted airway system is a relic whose usefulness has long ago passed into aeronautical history. This simple system, however, served early aviators well as they had little else to assist them when navigating the mountainous terrain at night.
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Wings Over Cumberland 