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
*Article - The Coming of Aeradio* NOTAM 6/1940 giving callsigns for Aeradio Stations
	< 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
Launceston/Western Junction: temporary Aeradio Station - 1938 permanent Aeradio Station - 1939 Nhill Aeradio - 1939 & 2009 Oodnadatta Aeradio - 1939 Darwin/Parap Aeradio station - late 1930s Read about Aeradio during the Second World War Cloncurry Aeradio station - 1940 Daly Waters Aeradio station - 1940s Halls Creek Aeradio - 1941-42 Hobart/Cambridge Aeradio - c.1940s Kempsey Aeradio and the Flood of '49 Sydney Aeradio - c.late 1950s Adelaide Aeradio cartoon - 1950 Bundaberg Aeradio 1954 Cocos Island Aeradio - 1955-57 The historic, surviving Aeradio Station at Hobart/Cambridge - 2011
FLIGHT SERVICE

	Bundaberg Flight Service Unit: 1973 1979 1986
Wynyard Flight Service Unit and read about the unique railway crossing - 1960s Devonport Flight Service Unit - 1975 Mildura Flight Service Unit - c.mid-1970s Melbourne Flight Service Centre - 1976 Charleville FSU - 1987 and now disused in 2001 The former FSU at Dubbo - 2007 - also used for a 6-month Unicom trial from December 2007 Below: Cover of a booklet about Flight Service training courses c.1978 showing the Central Training College (Henty House) Flight Service simulator (at the time Victorian airspace was simulated). The FSO on the far left is Kevin Carter, and the fourth FSO from the left standing and leaning forward is Dick Cantwell, both FS Instructors.


AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL
The history of *Air Traffic Control* - Part 1, Part 2 DCA pamphlet on The Air Traffic Control Service c.1950 Essendon ATC complex - c. early 1950s Runway Selection Diagram for ATC and aircrews - 1955 1956 Press Release concerning new ATC facilities 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 Departmental 'Information Paper' on The Use of Radar in Air Traffic Control - c.1980s 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. Photo of an Air Traffic Controller using a Signal Lamp - 2010 Read about Control Towers Part 1 (1937-1946), Part 2 (post-1946)
	Sydney/Mascot Tower No.1 c.1937

	Sydney/Mascot Tower No.2 & Control Building - c.1945

Sydney/Kingsford Smith's Tower No.4 - 1989 Sydney/Bankstown: Tower No.2 Tower No.3 under construction 1961 & as it was in 2010
	Adelaide/Parafield Ops-Admin Building, Passenger Terminal & Control Tower No.2: 1940 1948 1963 1971

	Adelaide/Parafield Control Tower No.3 - 2008
Adelaide/West Beach Tower No.3 - 2008
	Brisbane/Archerfield Ops-Admin Building, Passenger Terminal & Control Tower No.1: 1947 1957 (rare colour) c. late 1960s 1974 - Tower cab inside & outside 2006 - outside & inside

	Brisbane/Archerfield Control Tower No.2: under construction - 1974

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

	Melbourne/Essendon Towers Nos.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
Hobart/Cambridge Control Tower c. early 1950s - external & internal Photos and early history of Mangalore Tower - c.1950 Adelaide/West Beach Control Tower No.2 - 1956 & 2008 shortly after opening - 1957 Cocos Island Tower - 1955-57
	Melbourne/ Essendon Control Tower No.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: Tower No.2 under construction - 2010 Page 1, Page 2 construction continuing - 2011

	The Control Towers of Melbourne/Moorabbin: Tower No.1 - 1960 new cab - 1973 two Towers - 1978 Tower No.2 - 2000s

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

	Perth/Guildford Control Tower No.1 - 1960

	Perth/Guildford Control Tower No.2 & Fire Station: 1980 2010 2011 - demolition

	Perth/Guildford Control Tower No.3: construction c.1985

	The Control Towers of Darwin: No.1 - 1940s No.2 - 1950s No.3 - 1960s No.4 - 2000s
Devonport Control Tower and Terminal - 1965 Mackay Control Tower and Terminal, 1968 - outside & inside DCA Control Launch C.A.15 at Rose Bay - 1969 Inside Sydney/Kingsford Smith Control Tower - April 1968 The old Control Tower at Adelaide/West Beach - c. late 1960s Alice Springs Tower - c.1970s-2007 The old Tamworth Tower - 1968-1990s Rockhampton Tower - c.1970s 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

	The Proserpine 'Pie Cart' (Mobile Control Tower) - 1977

	A temporary Control Tower for the Birdsville Races - 1982
Mobile Control Towers - 1977, 2005
	Canberra Tower inside & out - 1976-2008
Rare photo of two Towers at Karratha (also the FSC/BO) - 1987
	Brisbane Tower No.3: the Tower's interesting foundations - 1980s 1998 outside, inside & aerial - 2006
Cairns Towers - 1959 & 2005 Albury Tower - 2007
	The remarkable story of Gove Tower
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 Sydney Area Control Centre 1956 showing the Semi-automatic Level Assignment Board Launceston Area Control Centre 1968 showing the Semi-automatic Level Assignment Board 'Bright Display' radar display system -1977 Aerial photo c.2003 showing the location of Melbourne's three Air Traffic Control Centres Melbourne Area Approach Control Centre - 1979 (Bright Display) Melbourne Area Approach Control Centre c.1980s (Bright Display) The 'new' Melbourne Area Approach Control Centre c.1988 (ATCARDS) Panorama of the Melbourne AACC - Nov 1993 (ATCARDS) The third Air Traffic Services Centre at Melbourne/Tullamarine (TAAATS) - c.1999-2000. OPERATIONAL CONTROL & BRIEFING Essendon Briefing 1948-49 & 1989 Moorabbin Briefing c.1970s Bundaberg Briefing - 1979 Flight Plan & route briefing pack for Ansett Electra VH-RMC, Melbourne-Sydney - 1966 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)
DCA Aero Commander 680E VH-CAY being loaded with Storepedoes, c.1967 Sea Rescue Kit - 1960s SAR stores dropping exercise involving a TAA Fokker F.27 - 1981 DoA Gulfstream 1000 VH-LTJ being tested for dropping SAR stores, c.1983 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