How They Operated The Airlines 1950

From the old lighted airways in existence in 1924, between Chicago and Cheyenne, Wyoming, The Civil Airways of the 50’s expanded into a vast network of interlacing airways, over 40, 000 miles in length in the 1950’s.

The Federal Airway system is the responsibility of the Civil Aeronautics Administration. The CAA operates over 48,000 miles of airways,

The way the system was set up was to assure a smooth and safe flow of air traffic along the airways. The airways are designated by a color and number. The four color designations were GREEN, AMBER, Red, and BLUE, in order of their traffic priority. The number was assigned according to the geographical location of the airway.

An aircraft flying along a Green airway has traffic priority over any aircraft on an AMBER or RED airway. An aircraft flying along an AMBER airway has priority over any aircraft on a RED or BLUE airway, but in turn must wait for a priority clearance. The first letters of the airways form the GARB which makes an easy way to remember the traffic priority.

Sounds simple enough!

The GREEN and RED airways run east and west and the AMBER and BLUE run north and south.

RADIO BEACONS ON AIRWAYS

They were actually started in 1924. They were located on tower structures between 50- 105 feet high.

But in 1950 there 320 radio range beacons, or stations, located along the airways at intervals of approximately 100 or 200 miles. These were commonly referred to as the BEAM. These stations serve as the center line of an airway. The legs of these stations are projected along the airways and make up the invisible radio highways along which all the controlled air traffic moves.

In addition to their navigational function these stations also broadcast weather and other pertinent information.

By 1950 the conventional radio range stations will be replaced by the new VHF Omni directional type radio range, which is still in use today. They estimated by 1955-56 the airways system would be complete with the new VHF Omni Range.

THE TRAFFIC CONTROLL 1950

The way air traffic was controlled back in the old days is quite an interesting method. To provide the pilots of the aircraft flying enroute along the airways with the latest weather, traffic and emergency information, there were over 400 airway communications stations. They were identified with names such as “Chicago Radio”, Dallas Radio”, “and New York Radio” These stations were spaced along the airways at intervals so they were able to provide current information.

These stations were tied into a network of teletype circuit covering 220 weather reporting points.

These stations also played a very important part in the control of traffic along the airways. Traffic instructions were relayed from the AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTERS to the planes en route near the zone of control of each station. IN the same manner they act as the go between the pilots requesting a route change on his flight plan while enroute. They also took all the position reports were the crew calling their attitude, time of passing etc.

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTERS

These centers, referred to from their beginning as ATC, are the heart of the entire air traffic control system, REMEMBER we are talking about controlling many aircraft without the use of radar separation.. Quite an amazing feat when you think about it.

These controllers kept traffic flowing efficiently and rapidly without collision…Well most of the time.

The flight progress board or frames as they were known back in the 50’s were the non radar controller’s eyes in the sky. Each three foot high vertical rack is called a “FIX” which is usually made up of 20 flight progress strips. So many fixes make up a “Sector” and so many sectors constitute a center. This huge board on which these strips were mounted runs the entire length of the room.

Each of these fixes represents radio fixes, or airports along the airway. Each of the sectors is manned by a controller and 1 or 2 assistants who kept busy marking data on the individual strips, and telephoning or receiving calls from the control tower, airway communications stations, and the other agencies having or desiring pertinent flight information.

It is amazing when you think of what air traffic control does in this day an age. Imagine this, the practiced eye of theses controllers watched the fixes and sectors enabling them to visualize the over all traffic situation ion their sector for as much as two hours ahead. Can you imagine the head ache you would have doing this?

The flight strips were arranged in chronological order, starting at the bottom of the board with the first flight to arrive over a particular fix, the next flight in second position, and so on.