Loran is the principal means of navigation for the aircraft used on 

 ice observation flights and a usual procedure is to take loran readings 

 every 5 to 10 minutes. In previous years this procedure has proven 

 to be satisfactory and would have been satisfactory this season except 

 for the fire at the loran station at Battle Harbor, Labrador, on 2& 

 February, as result of which loran rates 1L3 and 1L4 went off the air. 

 On 21 March they were placed back in operation with reduced power. 

 During the period they were off the air, great difficulty was experienced 

 in navigating the aircraft with the accuracy required for ice patrol 

 work. After the two rates were back in operation with reduced power 

 it was possible to navigate with gi-eater accuracy. It wasn't until 13 

 July after the ice patrol had been terminated that rates 1L3 and 

 1L4 were back on the air with full power. 



ICE CONDITIONS IN 1950 



JANUARY 



Few ice reports were received in January and consequently very 

 little is known about the general movements of ice in the Grand 

 Banks area for this month. -The first report of ice in the area came 

 from a flight made by the United States Coast Guard Air Detach- 

 ment, Argentia, Newfoundland, on the 21st of January. On that 

 date the outer limits of drift ice were from Fogo Island to 49°45' N ., 

 53°30' W., to Cape Bonavista. Only 7 days later on the 28th of 

 Januar}' the U. S. C. G. C. Chincoteague reported continuous field ice 

 from approximately 53°00' N., 51°00' W., to 49°00' X., 51°00' W. 

 A slow easterly and southerly movement of the drift ice continued 

 for the remaining 3 days of the month until on 31 January the outer 

 limits were defined by a line from Cape Bonavista to 49°40' N., 

 49°o0' W., to 50°00' N., 49°50' W. 



During this month, three ice observation flights were made by the 

 United States Coast Guard Air Detachment, Ai'gentia, Newfoundland, 

 on the 21st, the 22d, and 31st. The flights of the 22d and 31st scouted 

 the southeastern, eastern, and northern portions of the 100 fathom 

 curve in the Grand Banks area to determine if any ice or icebergs had 

 been carried mto threatening positions by the Labrador Current. 

 From the results of these two flights it was concluded that there was 

 no immediate menace to trans-Atlantic shipping. 



It is estimated that no icebergs came south of 48° N., during the 

 month of January. Distribution of pack ice for the month of January 

 is shown graphically in figure 2. 



FEBRUARY 



The easterly and southerly movement of drift ice continued in 

 Februar}^ approximating a rate of 5 miles per day daring the first 

 week. Accompanying this movement there was a southward drift 

 ofi" the east coast of the Avalon Peninsula. By the 9th of February 



