The Good Olds
I remember a story that one of the DN FS guys related regarding the DN/AS F27 run that TN used to do, which would be around 1980.
Apparently it was the Captain's birthday and at Dark o'clock, when the F/O was doing the mandatory radio checks, the request went in to DN ground to wish the Captain 'Happy Birthday' on taxi. The name may have been Brian, but I can't remember for sure.
Anyway, the conversation went something like ' Darwin Ground TNQ ready to taxi.'
'TNQ, DN Ground, Happy Birthday Brian (if that was the name), clear to taxi runway 11 etc.'
DN Tower, TNQ ready'
'TNQ, DN Tower, Happy Birthday Brian, clear for take-off etc.
Change to arrivals: 'TNQ, Darwin Control, Happy Birthday Brian.'
And so it went all the way south, through DN FS, Katherine FS, Tennant FS and Alice FS.
Allegedly, the tower guy in Alice said 'Happy Birthday Brian, clear to land.' On ground, nothing was said, apart from callsign acknowledgement, as the aircraft taxied in - till the last moment.
Just before they shut it down, the guy on ground said 'And, oh, by the way, Happy Birthday Brian.'
Them was the days.