Australian Air Traffic Services 1933 - 1960

[n4gix 4,947]

While browsing one of my 'hobby' web forums, I ran across this website that is a history of the development of the Australian Air Traffic Services from the earliest years:

http://www.airwaysmuseum.com/Index air traffic services.htm

There are a number of fascinating photos, videos and other articles that together are quite fascinating!

[mabe54 17]

Talking about flying by "the seat of your pants" and "on a wing and prayer", Thanks.

Cheers,

 

[John_Cillis 2,406]

In 1980 I spent an evening with two girlfriends I met in Connecticut, plus one of their boyfriends, a cool doctor, helping to rebuild the New England Air Museum at Bradley Intl airport near Hartford CT, which was damaged by the Windsor Locks Tornado.  Earlier they had paid for me to go up in a six place Piper Cherokee near Mystic Ct, after we had visited the Aquarium there. 

While we were at the air museum we walked out near the main runway, and saw a 747 take off right over our heads, the noise was amazing and breathtaking.  Then we walked back towards the museum and watched two A10's taxi by, that was impressive.  The airport patrol came to pay us a visit, but did not question us once they realized we were with the museum.  Later that night, they took me home (I had spent the previous night sleeping in the two girls home but they did not molest me, lol, since they both had boyfriends). 

I had come down ill with a bad sore throat, they took me to a bar where I had Sherry to help curb the pain, the only time I ever had it in my life.  Then they took me to their doctor boyfriend's office where he gave me a free liquid antibiotic after diagnosing me with a bad throat infection.  That antibiotic did the trick, he knew I had to fly home to SFO the next day and did not want me to suffer with ear problems on the non stop UAL 747 flight.  I remember having a beer at JFK while I looked at the New York skyline in the distance before my early evening flight was to leave. 

On the flight home, somewhere past the Mississippi, I saw a line of thunderstorms to the north and never saw such beauty in my life.  The lightning would spark in one cumulonimbus, and as if the clouds were talking to each other, each successive cloud would light up for fifty or sixty miles.  Those two days in a row of flying, one in the GA Cherokee the other in the 747, were among the most sublime real life flying experiences, other than my lessons as a light sport and trike pilot, that I ever had, all sparked from my night helping at an air museum.

I recovered quickly from my illness, thanks to a free doctor's visit.  Years later, in 1997, my wife's uncle in Mexico, also a doctor, prescribed me antibiotics for a similar infection, the last one I ever had.  Since it had to be given once by injection, my father in law, trained in giving injections, gave me the shot.  He and my wife laughed since he pretended to be a mad doctor, we thought it was funny but in two days my infection was wiped out, again he knew I had to fly home so the antibiotic was urgent to prevent ear problems on the long flight from Zacatecas to Denver, then on to Phoenix.

Years later we repaid my in laws kindness by paying for them to enjoy time with us in Puerto Vallarta.  That was a funny trip because my wife first flew down with my daughter to my in laws in Zacatecas.  My daughter did not know I was going to surprise her by meeting up with my in laws, her and my wife in Vallarta.  I could only get a few days off from work, so I flew down by myself and they took my daughter back to the airport and she was so "yiddle" they just gave her some excuse for the trip.  I came out of customs where they had her waiting, they distracted her then whispered "who is that?".  I heard her shout "DADDY!" and she ran about ten feet and jumped up into my arms, lol.  I do not think my spine has ever recovered but it was worth it as we drove in my in laws car back to the Riu Vallarta, a wonderful all inclusive resort, where my wife and in laws and daughter were staying.  Later, on our flight home, our flight was almost cancelled by a mechanical issue.  A young airline mechanic who worked for another airline, who wanted to dead head on our full flight, volunteered to help.  I heard the pilots ask him if he was certified to help with the warning light issue, and he said he was.  I told my wife not to worry, we would soon be off, and we were, the mechanic was rewarded as promised with a seat back to Phoenix.

John