FAA History Lesson -- February 20

From the FAA Historical Chronology, 1926-1996...

”Feb 20, 1956: CAA and the Air Force announced a joint study under Air Navigation Development Board auspices to evaluate the use of Air Defense Command (ADC) radar for civil air traffic control purposes. The evaluation included use of a microwave link to remote radar information between an ADC installation at Rockville, Ind., and the CAA ARTCC at Indianapolis, a distance of some 50 miles. This was the first use of a microwave link to transfer radar information between distant points for air traffic control. (See Nov 16, 1956.) “

I don’t know what I can say about all this. Most people couldn’t understand how I could work the airspace near Charlotte, NC -- from Atlanta, GA -- in 1986, much less in 1956. The FAA is full of technical wizards. I talked to a few on a regular basis back when I was a safety rep. They always made me feel dumb. They were always helpful and kind but if they ever got into technical details they would quickly leave me behind. It’s a good thing they were on our side.

Don Brown
February 20, 2008