Air Traffic Services Index

Air Traffic Services Index
	With the development of commercial air services (and radio) in the 1930s came the need for a supporting ground organisation. This need was reinforced by the tragic losses of the first ANA's Avro X Southern Cloud in 1931, Airlines of Australia's Stinson VH-UHH in 1937 and the second ANA's DC3 Kyeema in 1938. At first marine radio stations were used for communication with aircraft, but soon a dedicated air traffic services organisation was established, one that continues to play a vital role in safe air transport today.
GENERAL

	< Read the ANA brochure *Flying With an Ear to the Ground* c.1948-49

	< View a 1956 slide show about Air Traffic Control
Read about Coastal Radio Stations in the Early Days of Communications With Aircraft Download a Movie Clip: A Position Report, 1950s-style The Phonetic Alphabet - Old & New Read about the 'Q' code Australian Company Radio Callsigns A list of Unit and equipment acronyms used on this site
AERADIO
Read about The Coming of Aeradio - Part 1, Part 2
	< Read about *The Early Days of Aeradio on Lord Howe Island*

	< Take a tour through a typical Aeradio station - 1939

	< Look around Karumba Aeradio & Flying Boat Base - 1938
Photos of Launceston/Western Junction: temporary Aeradio Station - 1938 permanent Aeradio Station - 1939 See a photo of Nhill Aeradio - 1939 & 2009 Read about Aeradio during World War II Cloncurry Aeradio station - 1940 Daly Waters Aeradio station - 1940s Halls Creek Aeradio - 1941-42 Read about Kempsey Aeradio and the Flood of '49 See a photo of Sydney Aeradio c. late 1950s See a photo of Bundaberg Aeradio 1954
FLIGHT SERVICE

	Photos of Bundaberg Flight Service Unit: 1973 1979 1986
Photos of Wynyard Flight Service Unit and read about the unique railway crossing - 1960s Photo inside Devonport Flight Service Unit - 1975 Photo inside Mildura Flight Service Unit - c.mid-1970s Photo inside Melbourne Flight Service Centre - 1976 Photo of the former Flight Service Unit building at Charleville - 2001 Photos of the former FSU at Dubbo - 2007 - also used for a 6-month Unicom trial from December 2007
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL
Read about the history of *Air Traffic Control* - Part 1, Part 2 Read a DCA pamphlet on The Air Traffic Control Service c.1950 View the Essendon ATC complex - c. early 1950s See a Runway Selection Diagram for ATC and aircrews - 1955 Read a 1956 Press Release concerning new ATC facilities See a photo of the 1967 ATC Standardisation Meeting Examine a chart showing the extent of controlled airspace and radar coverage - 1967 Read some ATC humour from the Melbourne AACC Quote Book 1977-81 and the Launceston ACC Quote Book 1981-89 Read a Departmental 'Information Paper' on The Use of Radar in Air Traffic Control - c.1980s Read an essay on Air Traffic Control surveillance systems, including the difference between Primary and Secondary radar AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL CAREERS
	< Read a recruiting brochure - c.1964

	< Read a recruiting brochure - 1979
Look at ATC salaries and career structure - 1981 TOWER CONTROL Read about the Signal Square Photo of an Air Traffic Controller using the Aldis signalling lamp and Very flare pistol - late 1940s. Read about Control Towers Part 1 (1937-1946), Part 2 (post-1946)
	Photo of Sydney/Mascot Tower c.1937

	Photo of Sydney/Mascot second Tower & Ops/Admin/Terminal building - c.1945

	Photos of Adelaide/Parafield Ops-Admin Building, Passenger Terminal & Control Tower number 2: 1940 1948 1963 1971

	Photos of Adelaide/Parafield Control Tower number 3 - 2008

	Photos of the Brisbane/Archerfield Ops-Admin Building, Passenger Terminal & Control Tower number 1: 1947 1957 (rare colour) c. late 1960s 1974 - Tower cab inside & outside 2006 - outside & inside

	Photo of the Brisbane/Archerfield Control Tower number 2: under construction - 1974

	Photo of a primitive early post-War 'Control Tower' in New Guinea - c.late 1940s

	Photos of Melbourne/Essendon Towers numbers 1 & 2: outside c.late 1940s inside c.1940s (Includes links to downloadable audio files!) the Type 276 experimental Aerdrome Control Radar and associated Daylight Plotter - 1950s outside c.1956 Photo of the Essendon ATC complex c.early 1950s
Photos of Hobart/Cambridge Control Tower c. early 1950s - external & internal Photos and early history of Mangalore Tower - c.1950 Photos of Adelaide/West Beach Control Tower #2 - 1956 & 2008
	Photos of Melbourne/ Essendon Control Tower number 3 (present Tower): all three Essendon Control Towers - c.1955 c.1956 inside - 1963 new console - 1967 inside - 1971 outside - 2002-2008 - includes a 3D image! outside - 2010

	The Control Towers of Melbourne/Tullamarine Airport: a second Tower under construction - 2010 Page 1, Page 2 construction continuing - 2011

	The Control Towers of Melbourne/Moorabbin: original Tower - 1960 new cab - 1973 two Towers - 1978 current Tower - 2000s

	< Download a short history of Moorabbin Airport & Control Tower by clicking on the icon at left. (260 KB .pdf file)

	Photo of Perth/Guildford first Control Tower - 1960

	Photos of Perth/Guildford second Control Tower & Fire Station: 1980 2010 2011 - demolition

	The Control Towers of Darwin: #1 - 1940s #2 - 1950s #3 - 1960s #4 - 2000s
Photo of Devonport Control Tower and Terminal - 1965 Photos of Mackay Control Tower and Terminal, 1968 - outside & inside Photo of DCA Control Launch C.A.15 at Rose Bay - 1969 Photo from inside Sydney/Kingsford Smith Control Tower - April 1968 Photo of the old Control Tower at Adelaide/West Beach - c. late 1960s Photo of Tamworth Tower - c.early 1970s Photo of Rockhampton Tower - c.1970s Photos of Port Moresby/Jacksons, Papua, Control Tower c.1971-73 - inside and outside
	Read about the temporary Control Tower at Fitzroy Crossing for the visit of Princess Margaret in 1972

	Read about the Proserpine 'Pie Cart' (Mobile Control Tower) - 1977

	Photo of the temporary Control Tower for the Birdsville Races - 1982
Photos of Mobile Control Towers - 1977, 2005
	Photos of Canberra Tower inside & out - 1976-2008
Rare photo of two Towers at Karratha (also the FSC/BO) - 1987 Photo inside Sydney/Kingsford Smith's fourth Tower - 1989
	Photos of Brisbane Tower number 3: the Tower's interesting foundations - 1980s 1998 outside, inside & aerial - 2006
Photo of Cairns Tower - 2005 Photos of Albury Tower - 2007
	The remarkable story of Gove Tower
Photo of Adelaide/West Beach Tower #3 - 2008 AREA & APPROACH CONTROL Photos of: Essendon ACC c.1946 showing the 'Rodoniscope' Essendon Arrivals/Approach 1947 Essendon Area Control Centre - Late 1950s, 1967 (colour) Read about The Semi-Automatic Level Assignment Board Photo in the Sydney Area Control Centre 1956 showing the Semi-automatic Level Assignment Board Photo in the Launceston Area Control Centre 1968 showing the Semi-automatic Level Assignment Board Photo of the 'Bright Display' radar display system -1977 Aerial photo c.2003 showing the location of Melbourne's three Air Traffic Control Centres Photo of Melbourne Area Approach Control Centre - 1979 (Bright Display) Photo of Melbourne Area Approach Control Centre c.1980s (Bright Display) Photo of the 'new' Melbourne Area Approach Control Centre c.1988 (ATCARDS) Panorama of the Melbourne AACC - Nov 1993 (ATCARDS) Some photos of the third Air Traffic Services Centre at Melbourne/Tullamarine (TAAATS) - c.1999-2000. OPERATIONAL CONTROL & BRIEFING Photos of Essendon Briefing 1948-49 & 1989 Photo of Moorabbin Briefing c.1970s Photos of Bundaberg Briefing - 1979 Flight Plan & route briefing pack for Ansett Electra VH-RMC, Melbourne-Sydney - 1966 The Domestic Flight Plan Form & flight plan approval - 1990 TRAINING Melbourne Air Traffic Control Simulator Instructors, c.1992. For radar & messaging, go to the Communications & Navigation index
AVIATION SEARCH AND RESCUE (SAR)
Photo of DCA Aero Commander 680E VH-CAY being loaded with Storepedoes, c.1967 Photos of a SAR stores dropping exercise involving a TAA Fokker F-27 - 1981 Photo of DoA Gulfstream 1000 VH-LTJ being tested for dropping SAR stores, c.1983 Photo of loading SAR stores aboard a Departmental G1000 Try the link to AusSAR on our links page. Back to the main History Menu If this page appears without menu bars at top and left, click here