Comments by Bruce Wellman
CANADIAN FORCES AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TRAINING UNIT, CORNWALL
Thus, on 1 April 1979, the ATC Company, under authority of NDHQ Org Order 5.2.5 01/06/79 became the Canadian Forces Air Traffic Control Training Unit (CFATCTU) supported from CFB Kingston under the auspices of Training Systems in Trenton, Ontario. The name had to be changed from that of a school as the Ministry of Transport, quite rightly, did not want a School within the Air Traffic Services School.
While Tower training, GCA training and Terminal Control training was unique to the RCAF, the School did carry out combined courses in VFR Tower training. By 1982, however, some problems had arisen, and the two schools separated their training. Also in 1983, CFATCTU became a unit of Air Command, although still supported from CFB Kingston. In 1984, however, with the inception of 14 Training Group and the switch to CFB Ottawa as support unit, CFATCTU assumed its proper place in Air Command. In 1986, a review of training, inspired by high failure rates on Officer courses, prompted a change in training philosophy and the Officer courses were rewritten, allowing for a smoother training progress. This has improved training success for both IFR and VFR courses thus helping to alleviate shortages in the field.
The old GCA unit at CFB Borden was judged uneconomical to move but no plans had been made to replace it with a new simulator at Cornwall. After two years of no GCA training, the shortages of AirTCon 161s were becoming alarming and from 1981 until late 1982, Precision Approach Controllers received their initial Surveillance radar training at Cornwall with two weeks of Precision training at the United States Navy Air Traffic Control School at Memphis, Tennessee.
Meanwhile, Sgt Dale Campbell and Warrant Officer Elphick of CFATCTU had been spending many days working with Norpak Company in Ottawa and a new Precision Radar simulator was finally designed, purchased and installed at Cornwall in late 1982. It is interesting to note that in the fall of 1979, NORPAK was the sole simulator source recommended by ATC to provide the proper simulator for CFATCTU. However, the engineers and "purchasers" did not believe that ATC personnel had the "necessary expertise" to select such a simulator, and the Senior staff stated it had to go out to tender. Accordingly, it was let to tender by the Department of Supply and Services. In 1982, these same people evaluated four proposals and guess what? - NORPAK won the contract at a substantially higher price than had been asked as sole source in 1979 and, of course, only two years later.
In 1990, 14 Training Group was again disbanded, and once more CFATCTU reported direct to Air Command Headquarters. In 1990, a national shortage of controllers in Canada has caused many military controllers to seek employment with Ministry of Transport and an increase in officer training was again required. Presently, discussions are underway to explore the possibility of Ministry of Transport Air Traffic Controllers providing all ATC Service to the Air Element. Time will tell what decision will be reached in this regard.
The inception of the Stone House Mess, thanks largely to the efforts of Captain Jack Garbutt into the Military ATC organization and the perception of the mess as the "HOME OF MILITARY AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL" has helped mould a strong professionalism to the Air Traffic Control Branch. This should continue with the help of the Military Air Traffic Control Association. Hopefully, the Stone House Mess will remain for many years to come.
LCol EH Decaux 1979-1982
LCol EB Wellman 1982-1986
LCol PR Hussey 1986-1989
LCol RM McDonald 1989-1992
LCol WH Travis 1992-1995
LCol GJ Arajs 1995-1999
LCol HE Kennedy 1999-2001
LCol JD McConnel 2001-2003
Maj JE Maunsell May 2003-Aug 2003
LCol JGS Bédard 2003-2005
Updated: February 18, 2005