EARLY FLIGHTS
Centuries before we put a man on the moon, or sent the space shuttle into space, man was trying to fly. Most of these flights were unsuccessful and we can rest assured that the pilots of the "AEROPLANES" were much more concerned about their own survival or flying too close to the sun than about the possibility of flight delays, congested holding areas or collision with another aircraft.
The first flight by man occurred on October 15, 1783 with manned balloon flights. Since there were also few of them, and since their speeds were so low and the threat of collision was minimal and, indeed, that the balloons were often not in control by their pilots, it was hardly sensible that anyone on the ground should try to control them.
Modern aviation must start in December 1903 at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina with the flights of the Wright Flier. These flight were of very short duration, 12 seconds at low altitudes and speeds. Hardly of any concern in terms of Air Traffic Control.
The first flight of a "Flying Machine" in Canada was on February 23, 1909. J.A.D. McCurdy, a Canadian, made the first flight at Bras d'Or Lake, Baddeck Bay, Nova Scotia. His aircraft, the Silver Dart, had been built by Dr. Alexander Graham Bell who had been carrying out experiments with kites since 1907. Once again however, this flight was a similarly non-impressive event in terms of Air Traffic Control.
It is interesting to note that in 1909 "aerodrome" meant a "flying Machine". Webster's Practical Dictionary defined "aerodrome" as "a name proposed by Langley for a flying machine and used for his first model".
Canada lacks historical data on aviation prior to 1915: as F.H. Ellis comments in Canada's Flying Heritage, "one reason for the dearth of historical data on the pioneer period of Canadian Aviation is that until 1915 there were no flying fields in the country where organizations could be formed whose records would furnish historical data".
THE PIONEERS
A "Flying Field" refers to a field used for early experimental, exhibition, or passenger flying during the ten years following McCurdy's first flight at Baddeck in 1909. These fields fell into four main groups: cow pastures (often with cows!), race tracks, polo parks and exhibition grounds. In essence, the early flying field, then, was a good-sized meadow, rough and dusty with a poor grade of grass. There may have been some high-gabled frame buildings along one side. There was usually some sort of primitive wind-direction indicator, but few, if any, surfaced runways, no lighting, no traffic control to worry about and no weather bulletins. Just a field! It suited the age of aviator goggles and riding jodhpurs.
Most people regarded aviation as a pastime for experimenters and daredevils. In this period, anyone with a mechanical aptitude could design, build and fly their machine without any type of test or possessing any type of license. Without regulation or certification, people began to build and quite regularly fly (crash) their machines. It is no wonder that potential investors in this new industry were fearful of spending their capital in such a fledgling and risky undertaking.
In spite of this climate of fear and distrust, aviation pioneers began to demonstrate the usefulness of their primitive flying machines. As early as 1911, the first mail was carried by air. Each month of the War 1914-1918 saw a constantly increasing demand for more aircraft-first for observation, then to fight off enemy observation planes and, finally, for bombing military objectives. The Royal Flying Corps established their training bases in Canada to enlarge their field of recruitment and supplement UK overcrowded training establishments. Camp Borden, Leaside, Armour Heights, Desoronto, Mohawk and Beamsville were all active flying training schools with Toronto University as the main Ground Training Centre. None of these flying schools had any method of control nor was any ATC requirement deemed to be necessary. Indeed, during the conflict, the need for concentration on military efforts prevented any developments toward a system of control.
RULES OF THE AIR
NOTE: - The following rules were promulgated in the Great War.
Don't take the machine into the air unless you are satisfied it will fly.
Never leave the ground with the motor leaking.
Don't turn sharp when taxiing. Instead, have someone lift the tail.
Never get out of the machine with the motor running until the pilot relieving you can reach the controls.
Pilots should carry hankies in a handy position to wipe off goggles.
Writing on the steps, wings, or tail of a machine is prohibited.
In case the engine fails on takeoff, land straight ahead regardless of obstacles.
No machine must taxi faster than man can walk.
Do not trust altitude instruments.
If you see another machine near you, get out of the way.
Before you begin a landing glide, see that no machines are under you.
Hedge hopping will not be tolerated.
Pilots will not wear spurs while flying.
If an emergency occurs while flying, land as soon as possible.
PRE WW2 CIVIL AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL
The establishment of any control of Air traffic defaulted to the United Kingdom as their air space was smaller and the country had been relatively unscathed due to WW I.
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INTERNATIONAL BACKGROUND
The first rules for prevention of collision between aircraft were prescribed by the International Commission for Air Navigation (ICAN) held in Europe in 1922. This Commission was charged by the League of Nations to prescribe some method of control for the increase in aircraft flights which were the result of the phenomenal expansion of aviation engendered by WW I. The "General Rules for Air Traffic" prescribed by this Commission included the following:
Rule #1:
"Every aircraft in a cloud, fog, mist or other condition of bad visibility shall proceed with caution, having careful regard to the circumstances of the case."
Rule #2:
"Risk of collision can, when circumstances permit, be ascertained by carefully watching the compass bearing and angle of elevation of the approaching aircraft. If neither the bearing nor the angle of elevation change, such risk of collision will be deemed to exist."
Rule #3:
"The term 'risk of collision' shall include all risks of accident due to undue proximity of other aircraft. Every aircraft that is required by these rules to give way to another to avoid collision, shall keep a safe distance, having due regard to the circumstances of the case."
The expansion of Air Transportation in Europe after WW I had brought with it a need for uniformity in air law and flying regulations. After all, international air transportation would have been seriously impeded if each nation had adopted their own peculiar and non-standard air travel laws. By the adoption of the rules laid down by the ICAN convention, civil aircraft of each contracting state were then permitted to fly into and over the territory of the other contracting states in accordance with standardized rules laid down by the Commission.
AIRPORT CONTROL REGULATIONS
Typical of the airport rules that were placed in effect by ICAN were as follows:
At public aerodromes, the landing area was divided into THREE zones. For an observer facing up-wind, the zone on the left was reserved for departures and the zone on the right for landings, while that of the centre was a neutral zone.
The right-hand zone was indicated by a starting flag, and the left-hand side of the landing zone by a T displayed on the ground. The neutral zone lay between the two signal flags.
An aircraft, when landing, was required do so in the left hand part of the zone reserved for that purpose, but leaving clear on it's left any other aircraft which had already landed.
An aircraft taking off was required to do so in the right-hand part of the zone reserved for that purpose, but leaving clear, on it's right, any other aircraft taking off or about to take-off.
Any aircraft which landed was to immediately taxi into the neutral zone or to the boundary of the landing space.
FLIGHT PUBLICATIONS
By the ICAN convention, pilots were required to have detailed information as to the special regulations of each of the states over which they wished to fly. The British Government was the first to publish the forerunner of Flight Information Publications (FLIPS). These comprised a Standard Rule book (No. 1) and Special Requirements for each Country (Numbers 1 through 29). Each handbook covered a number of considerations such as:
Control of Aviation;
International Regulations;
Entry/Exit Corridors;
Prohibited Areas;
Defined Air Routes;
Custom Arrangements;
Aviation Safeguarding Service.
Included was a general map of each country, showing corridors, obligatory air routes, customs stations and any prohibited areas. Large scale maps were also included.
AVIATION SAFEGUARDING SERVICE
Most European states operated a Safeguarding service which was available to all pilots. This service included meteorological reports, radio communications (mostly radio-telegraph using operational "Q" symbols) and some direction-finding facilities. Owing to the many European languages, pilots conducted practically all communication via telephones and land-lines through use of code groups (three letters beginning with "Q"), having a pre-determined meaning based on international agreement. See Appendix A
EUROPEAN AIRWAYS
The countries of Post World I Europe had no established civil airways. The routes followed by the international air carrier services established after WWI became established routes through continued use but did not receive approved governmental designation until much later. The basic system of navigation was by radio-direction finding (D/F) by the pilot in the air.
Updated: November 23, 2004