Essendon
Control Tower - late 1960s | |
In contrast to the earlier green-painted metal console, this console was wood with pale off-white laminate working surfaces. The bench top was perspex and reference data could be posted on a 'roller-blind' arrangement underneath - the three metal disks controlling the rollers can be seen on the edge of the console facing the camera. The communications circuits were now on modular racks that could be changed much more easily than the previous built-in circuits. The
working positions had changed a bit too. On the left was still the Surface Movement
Controller (SMC) with the aerodrome lighting tell-tale. In the middle sat the
Coordinator (COORD), responsible for coordination with Approach, which was now
radar-based and done from a new Centre up the road at Melbourne/Tullamarine, and
on the right was the Aerodrome Controller (ADC). This console notably has a radar
display, which was mainly used for monitoring the traffic disposition - separation
was (and is) still primarily visual or procedural. Click here to see the 1956 console. Click here to see the Tower as it is today. (Photo: CAHS collection) Back to the main Air Traffic Services index | |
|