mostlytossas
GAAP precedures were introduced in the late '70's and the carriage and use of radio was well and truely the norm by then. For your information, the same training aircraft are still in use today as were being used in the '70's, Cessna's 150, 152, 172, PA28-140, 151 and 161's. There are a number of later technology aircraft (plastic) now used as well but all them, then and now exhibit similar performance numbers.
Never had flags waved at me (whilst civil flying) but have certainly responded to light signals (following a radio failure). Infact no-radio circuits were practised as part of civil pre solo training.
Have a chat with Nancy Bird if you want to find out what it was really like learning to fly at Mascot from Charles Kingsford-Smith.
Your reasoning for GAAP procedures is alittle off the mark, perhaps even fanciful. GAAP procedures were introduced in responce to increasing traffic volumes and an attempt to provide additional runway capacity from the exsiting infrastructure. I seem to recall the introduction of contra-circuits happened at the same time.
tipsy