During the 400/411 Squadron jet era (1948 to 1958) when the units flew the Vampire, T-33, and later the F-86 Sabre, a carefully designed letdown chart and procedure was used by all jet pilots. The procedure allowed pilots to return to the Downsview airbase in marginal weather (IFR) with limits permitted as low as a 500 foot ceiling and a one mile forward visibility.
The procedure used the CKEY radio station tower as a beacon which was 8.7 miles east of the air base. All procedures started over Lake Ontario near Whitby and up to four aircraft, in formation, could letdown together. The leader used the aircraft’s ADF (automatic direction finder) to accomplish the entire letdown.
