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
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
Read about The Coming of Aeradio
- Part 1, Part
2
Photos of Launceston/Western Junction:
See a photo of Nhill Aeradio - 1939
Read about Aeradio during World War II
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
Photos of Bundaberg Flight Service Unit -
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 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
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
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 #2 -
Photos of the Brisbane/Archerfield Ops-Admin Building, Passenger Terminal & Control Tower #1 -
Photo of a primitive early post-War 'Control Tower' in New Guinea - c.late 1940s
See a photo of all three Essendon Control Towers - c.1955
See Essendon Control Towers - Late 1940s-Early 1950s & in a rare colour shot
Photos of Type 276 experimental Aerdrome Control Radar and associated Daylight Plotter - 1950s
Photos of Hobart/Cambridge Control Tower c. early 1950s - external & internal
Photos and early history of Mangalore Tower - c.1950
Photos of Melbourne/ Essendon Control Tower #3 (present Tower) -
The Control Towers of Darwin -
The Control Towers of Melbourne/Moorabbin -
< Download a short history of Moorabbin Airport & Control Tower by clicking on the icon at left. (260 KB .pdf file)
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
Photos of Port Moresby/Jacksons, Papua, Control Tower c.1971 - inside and outside
Photos of Mobile Control Towers - 1977, 2005
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 #3 -
Photo of Cairns Tower - 2005
Photos of Albury Tower - 2007
Photo of
Adelaide/West Beach Tower - 2008
AREA & APPROACH CONTROL
Photos of:
-
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
The Domestic Flight Plan Form & flight plan approval - 1990
TRAINING
Melbourne Air Traffic Control Simulator Instructors, c.1992.
For radar, go to the Communications & Navigation index
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.
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