Originally Posted by
Allan L
Yep LBJ in 1966 and then late Dec 67 for Harold Holt funeral.
The E-W runway had been completed early '67 and was being used for training from about April onwards.
In fact QANTAS had made application (January '67) to use the E-W runway for commercial flights as of the 1st April '67, but this was rejected as DCA felt it would slow the completion of the N-S runway and construction of terminal buildings etc. They applied again (May '67) requesting to commence international flights at Tulla in April of '68, but again were rejected as it would hinder the completion of the terminals etc.
Edit to add: Not sure when the N-S runway was completed, but in Feb '67 the timetable was for completion of it and over 9 miles of taxiway by the end of that year.
Thanks for the info Alan -
as a side note I started with Mobil Oil at the JUHI depot in 1980 ten years after Tulla opened, the whole fuel system was behind the eight ball from day one as when the drome was drawn up the hydrants & gates where designed around the B707/ DC8's of the day, the 'Jumbo jets' where not originally catered for! At the international gates every second gate was decommissioned after a while, the hydrants where repositioned, much overtime was gained, oh the rorts where plentiful...lolol