8/8/10 Listen to an ICAO recording of the 'new' 1956 phonetic alphabet (thanks Maurice Austin for digitising it). Photo of the 'new' Control Tower at Archerfield under construction and an aerodrome diagram from 1974. Replaced our photo of Qantas B707 VH-EBD on the inaugural Australia-Tahiti service in 1963 with a better scan and updated the text slightly (thanks Maurice again). Reorganised and re-named the Airworthiness & Manufacturing index. Photo and air mail cover from the inaugural Australia-USA Boeing 707 Service - 1959. Photo and history of Departmental Beech V35A Bonanza VH-CAG (thanks Ian Mackenzie). Read the story of the Proserpine 'Pie Cart' - 1977 (thanks Don Muir).

21/7/10 Rare image and history of DCA Tiger Moth VH-CAH (thanks Ian and Daryl Mackenzie). Download a 1930 W.A.Airways brochure On Airways Magic Carpet Across Australia (thanks Maurice Austin). Terrific colour photo of the first Control Tower at Perth Airport - 1960 (thanks John Havercroft & Reg Adkins). Photo of Captain R.J. Chapple, last captain of the Douglas DC-4 VH-ANA Amana. Journal clipping about the new Air Mite lightweight VHF radio - 1949 (thanks Maurice Austin). Details of the internal layout of the Light Weight Air Warning radar, DCA's first experimental ATC radar. The text of a eulogy for CAHS member & Airways Museum volunteer, the late Lindsay Wise (thanks Maurice Austin).

20/6/10 Added an image of the Civil Aviation History Mural that decorates the entry hall to the Airways Museum, plus roll-over captions for the depicted people and objects (thanks Maurice Austin for the scan). Don Muir has provided us with some great memories of life in Archerfield Tower in the 1970s to go with our existing photos (thanks Don). Photos and history of Perth/Guildford's second Control Tower and Airport Fire Station. Aerial photos of Perth/Guildford from 1980 (thanks Geoff Goodall). Replaced our colour photo of DCA HS125 VH-CAO at Adelaide with a better scan (thanks Maurice Austin). More photos and history of DCA DC-3 VH-CAO (thanks John Hopton). Photos and history of AeroPearl flight inspection King Air VH-FII 'Auscal 1' (thanks Gordon Reid). Added some new information to our page on Melbourne Area Approach Control Centre (AACC) c.1980s thanks to former Melbourne ATC Peter Chadwick. Photos and history of the Bellini-Tosi MF DF system, Australia's first standardised radio navaid (thanks Roger Meyer). Photos of the Great Flood of 2010 at the Airways Museum (thanks Maurice Austin). Revamped part of our Virtual Tour of the Airways Museum.

11/4/10 Updated information about the Rosenbauer Panther Ultra Large Fire Vehicle (thanks Mark Parsons). Added a new 1964 photo of former CAB DH60 Moth VH-UAE, Australia's longest-registered, airworthy aircraft, and also replaced our contemporary photo of it with a new and better one (thanks Bob Neate and Geoff Goodall). An example and exaplanation of 'dealer's marks' for aircraft registration. The exciting life of 'Betsy the mobile VOR', including a downloadable story from DCA News 1973 (thanks Graham Stevenson). Added the programme for our first Film Night of 2010 on Friday 7 May.

9/1/10 Added the Meeting Programme for 2010. Added location maps to many pages that relate to more out-of-the-way sites. Photos and a terrific contemporary description of West Australian Airways' new hangar and hostel at Forrest, built for the Perth-Adelaide air service in 1928 (thanks Geoff Goodall, Susie McGough, Fred Niven & Reg Adkins). Australia's first pilot-interpreted radio navaid - the Aural Radio Range (thanks Roger Meyer). Andrews Spiracone HF antennas at Broken Hill - 2009 (thanks Ray Farmer). Certificate of Airworthiness for Departmental Fokker 28 VH-ATG - 1977.

21/11/09 Photos of standard VAR beacon installations at Hobart and Mangalore. Download a history of airport lighting Lights in the Night (thanks Graeme Wrigley). New, atmospheric, photo of CAA HS125 VH-JFT. We have identified the Flying Unit personnel in our photo of VH-ATG (thanks Geoff Robinson). Photo of the surviving former Aeradio building at Nhill (thanks Ken Watson). Aerial photo of the Qantas hangars at Brisbane/Archerfield c.1935.

11/10/09 Mystery solved! Our mystery photo is the Gash Birdplane. Photo of the temporary 'Control Tower' for the Birdsville Races - 1982 (thanks J. Taylor & Jim O'Meara). Photos of Canberra Tower, inside & out - 1976-2008 (thanks Brian Hetherington). The spectacular and unique Cowes VAR (thanks Roger Meyer). New colour photo of Dept of Aviation Beech V35 Bonanza VH-CAE (thanks Graeme Wrigley). Listen to Jack Russell's recollections of doggos (night shifts) in Essendon Tower c.1950 (thanks Jack & Maurice Austin).

1/9/09 Listen the early phonetic alphabet in action in Essendon Tower in an excerpt from an interview of Air Traffic Controller Jack McCubbin by Norman Banks of radio station 3AW c.1950 (555 KB MP3 file - thanks Maurice Austin & Dave Pridmore). Listen to some recollections of life in Essendon Tower: ATC Training c.1945 (Don Charlwood - 718 KB MP3 file) & Toilet Facilities (Jack Russell - 1.84 MB MP3 file) (thanks Maurice Austin & Dave Pridmore). Brought our list of Controllers, Directors-General and Heads of Civil Aviation up to date (thanks Vicki Huggins, Sue Quinn & Jan Fish). Added a new photo of John Milton, former Melbourne Flight Service Manager (thanks Vicki Huggins). Added a photo of the interior of the Nhill Aeradio Station - 1939. Added a new colour photo of DCA Fokker Friendship VH-CAV (thanks Roger McDonald). Consolidated links to all our Aeronautical Maps & Charts under the Flying Operations Index.

2/8/09 Photo of Melbourne Flight Service Centre - 1976 (thanks John Milton). Biography of John Milton, former Melbourne Flight Service Manager (thanks Vicki Huggins & John Milton). Replaced our b&w in-flight shot of Dept of Aviation Fokker F.28 VH-ATE with a colour version. Rare complete Flight Plan and briefing pack for Ansett Electra VH-RMC operating Sydney-Melbourne in 1966 (thanks Barry Bell, Maurice Austin, Barry Maclean & Fred Niven). Added a section of High Altitude Chart 2, covering Sydney-Melbourne - 1968. Biography of Ansett-ANA Captain Jason Hassard MBE, second highest time pilot in the world with 36,000 hours. (thanks Barry Bell & Maurice Austin). Replaced our photo of Departmental DH37 G-AUAA at Normanton with a better scan. Added a new photo of CAB DH50 G-AUAB (thanks Stephen Barnham). Replaced our shot of the Rose Bay Flying Boat Base Passenger Terminal & Control Office c.1939 with a better scan.

28/6/09 New photo and updated history of Darwin's strange water tank/Control Tower No 2 (thanks Martin Eadie). Updated history and photo of former Departmental F.28 VH-ATD at Saskatoon, Canada, as TU-PAB (thanks Matt Willems and David Eyre). Download a 1938 article New Guinea Gold by Sidney Howard - the remarkable story of the early days of aircraft in the New Guinea goldfields. Added an index of the CAHS collection of Oral History Recordings. New photo of Department of Aviation Gulfstream G1000 VH-LTJ. We have identified the Aeradio Operator in our 1950s position report movie clip as Ken Munro (thanks John Milton, Brian Sullivan & Ken Cross). New photos showing DCA's rare Percival Q.6 VH-ABY in its wartime camouflage, plus a lot more of its history (thanks Allan Betteridge for the photos, Geoff Goodall for his diligent work in Archives, and Maurice Austin for digitising the images).

9/5/09 Read about the temporary Control Tower at Fitzroy Crossing for the visit of Princess Margaret in 1972. Also, photos of DCA Merlin VH-CAM, used to drop off DCA personnel at Fitzroy Crossing (thanks Geoff Goodall). Extending our coverage of the 1919 England-Australia Air Race, we have a new photo of Vimy G-EAOU in its shelter at Adelaide Airport in the early 1960s (thanks Maurice Austin). We also have the full story of the Vimy's epic flight to Australia available as a download in a 1938 article The First to Australia by H.G. Castle. Updated our information on DME(A) with a 1995 sticker promoting the shut-down of the system. Also, a photo of an early analogue DME indicator manufactured by AWA.

5/4/09 Completely updated material on the 1919 England-Australia Air Race: Vimy G-EAOU then and now, and the crew. Photos of Rockhampton Tower & associated Terminal and Operations building c.1970s. New photo of, and information about, DCA Victa Airtourer VH-CAP (thanks Roger McDonald). Aerial photo of Essendon aerodrome - c.1930. Matthews Aviation Airco DH4 G-AUBZ in front of their hangar at Essendon - c.1928-30 (thanks John Hopton for some of the info).

1/3/09 Photo of Merlin III VH-SSL (ex DCA VH-CAM) returning to Essendon on bushfire-support work in Feb 2009 (thanks Gordon Reid). Read Frank Yeend's biography (thanks Frank Yeend & Ian Leslie). New photo of Airservices Australia's flight inspection IAI Astra VH-FIS (thanks Ken Watson). Details of Brisbane Control Tower's interesting foundations. Photos of Adelaide's second Control Tower in 1956 & 2008 - now demolished (thanks Maurice Austin). Added some more information to our page on Doppler VOR (thanks Ian Jager). Updated our information on the T52 'conventional' VOR (again, thanks Ian Jager).

28/1/09 Added the CAHS & Airways Museum events programme for 2009. Aerial photos of Perth/Maylands aerodrome just before it closed - 1961 (thanks Geoff Goodall). Photo and history of Departmental G1000 VH-LTK (thanks Roger McDonald). Photos of Department of Transport Merlin IIB VH-CAJ (thanks Michael Austin & Roger McDonald). Read Frank Yeend's recollections of investigating the crash of Viscount VH-RMI at Winton in 1966 (thanks Frank Yeend and Ian Leslie). Photos and history of VH-RMI (thanks Lindsay Wise, Maurice Austin & Fred Niven). Recent photo of the first Rosenbauer Panther ULFV for Melbourne Airport ARFF being delivered in the new yellow-green colour scheme. Read about the Henty House Tea Trolley (thanks Maurice Austin for the scanning).

25/11/08 Added some notes about disabled access to the Museum and also public transport/pedestrian access. Photos of former DCA Aero Commander VH-CAW as she is today. Download a 1950s De Havilland Australia booklet Aircraft Manufacturing Activity in Australia. Photos of Essendon Airport Fire Service on exercise - 1959. Photo of the former staff quarters at Karumba Flying Boat Base - 1965 (thanks Alan Fraser & Maurice Austin). Added more information to the first page of our series on Karumba Flying Boat Base and revised the remainder.

10/11/08 Photos of Melbourne Airport's 2005 runway widening to take the Airbus A380. Photo of the first Qantas A380 landing at Melbourne - Sep 2008.

27/9/08 Photos of Parafield Control Tower as it is today. Also, updates and corrections to the history of this building. Photo of Port Lincoln's passenger terminal with Chartair's Dove VH-MJD in front in the late 1960s and also the aerodrome layout in 1968 (thanks Geoff Goodall and Eddie Coates). WAA's historic hangar at Perth/Maylands in 1931 & 1976 - also their Vickers Viastra VH-UOM (thanks Grahame Higgs and Geoff Goodall). New and better scan of WAA's original hangar at Maylands flooded in 1926. UK export weight schedule for Auster J.1 Autocrat G-AIBP/VH-ASI - 1951. Photo and interesting history of CAB DH60X Moth VH-UPU (thanks John Hopton). Updated our history of the first Australian Bonanza, VH-CWR (thanks Paul Murray).

31/8/08 Photos of Launceston/Western Junction Aeradio - the temporary Station in 1938 and the newly-constructed permanent Station in 1939. Added a photo of Ansett's first airliner - Fokker Universal VH-UTO c.1936. Photo of Adelaide/West Beach Control Tower - 2008.

13/6/08 Read the fascinating story of how Australia influenced the world in the selection of the INTERSCAN MLS (thanks Prof. Brian O'Keeffe). Photos and history of the remarkable Gove Tower (thanks Martin Eadie for the photos and Ian Jennings for the memories). An ARFF Firefighter in action c.1990 (thanks Mick Shanahan & Chris Quinn for the info). Photo of DCA Cherokee C VH-CAF (thanks Peter Kelly and Geoff Goodall). Two pages of aerial photos of Archerfield in 1965 and 2007 (thanks Will Heitbrink and Julian Adams; and Maurice Austin for digitising some of the images). Photo of, and information on, the T73A Doppler VOR (thanks Ian Jager for some of the info).

15/6/08 Read the story of the detective work behind finding and identifying 'new' bits of wreckage from the accident involving ANA DC-4 VH-ANA Amana on 26 June 1950, plus the new information thus deduced about Amana's final moments in Amana - One Small Piece of Jigsaw (thanks Grahame Higgs). Photos and description of the Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI) system. Photos of the current Moorabbin Tower. A downloadable short History of Moorabbin Airport & Control Tower (thanks to Warren Sparrow, MB TWR's long-time Boss). Photos and history of fromer Departmental HS125 VH-JFT. Updated the CAHS Film Catalogue, which is now a downloadable .pdf file (thanks Maurice Austin and Brian Surtees). The Domestic Flight Plan Form & flight plan approval - 1990 (thanks Alan Betteridge).

17/5/08 Aerial photo of Sydney/Mascot aerodrome - c.1930. Photo inside the fourth Sydney Tower - 1989 (thanks Grahame Bateman, Rock Crawford & Phil Coxsedge for identifying the people). More photos of Alan Cobham's DH50 en route to Australia - 1926 (thanks Frank Long). Newspaper story on the controversial allocation of registration VH-SEX - 1969. Deputy Director-General of Civil Aviation Edgar Johnston's equator-crossing Certificate aboard the ill-fated ANA DC-4 VH-ANA Amana - 1947. New photo of the experimental MLS antennae at Melbourne Airport - 2007. Much improved scan of our photo of Avro X VH-UMI Southern Moon at Sydney/Mascot c.1930-33. Charles Ulm disembarking from the Southern Cross at Brisbane/Eagle Farm after the trans-Pacific flight - 1928.

22/4/08 Added the programme for our first Film Night of 2008. Letter from the Controller of Civil Aviation to Kingsford Smith and Ulm re the need to change the registration markings of the Southern Cross. Improved our Departmental Aircraft main index. Reorganised the DCA Drovers to their own index page. Revamped our coverage of CAB Monospar VH-UAZ, including new photos (thanks Geoff Goodall). More recent history of former DCA DC-3 VH-CAN (thanks Kevin Smith, Ron Cuskelly & Peter Layne). Aerial photo of Dubbo Aerodrome: also photos of the former Dubbo Flight Service Unit, which is once again in use for a Unicom trial.