[Milsurplus] Air Navigation

[Brad Latta]

Group,
           I have a book called "American Air Navigation", by Charles Mattingly, Chief navigator Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corp, in 1944. The chapters are 1) Earth & charts; 2) Instuments
3)Dead reckoning (time, speed, drift, heading, track & weather conditions) 4) Radio Navigation
5)Celestial Sphere; 6)Air Almanac; 7)Time; 8)Aircraft Octant; 9)Position lines; 10)Stars & the Weather; 11)Special Procedures. 
In the special procedures chapter, if the navigator is entirely dependent on Dead Reckoning &
unsure of his position, a fixed square search procedure may be used to fix a position, taking into account a careful  estimate, forecast or double drift of the wind direction & speed. The other special procedures are 'running down a sun line' & latitude by meridian altitude. The only reference I could find to air pressure lines (isobars) was in reference to the weather. I guess if you can accurately estimate wind speed & direction, then 'dead reckoning' would keep you on a reasonable track. But 'dead reckoning' was used in conjunction with other navigation methods.
                                                                                                 Brad