Hooven Radio Compass

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Hooven sold his design to the Bendix Company, so Bendix Radio Compass is synonymous with Hooven Radio Compass. It was the forerunner of today's Automatic Direction Finder (ADS).

The Hooven direction finding receiver was installed on top of the fuel tanks on the starboard side just behind the cockpit bulkhead. It was gone by February 1937.

"A Bureau of Air Commerce inspection dated November 27, 1936 describes a Bendix Radio Compass "rear of copilot's seat in cabin" (as shown in the photo). Hooven later alleged that Earhart ditched his system for a more primitive system in order to save weight. His claim is corroborated by photos that show that the distinctive faired-over loop of the Hooven system disappears in early 1937 about the same time the loop first appears. The Bureau of Air Commerce inspection done when the airplane came out of repair on May 19, 1937 makes no mention of a second receiver." Ric Gillespie, 28 February 2009 Forum.

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