Mr 'Traffic' has done his research....Thankyou Mr T...
The 'original' CTA was in the form of 'air corridors' along busy airways, usually with a base of FL245 - TCTA - although there were a lot lower in the 'J curve' of course.
I served mostly in WA, so that's what I remember the most.
Most 'comms' were with FS on FS freqs at the time and positions were 'relayed' to ATC, via 'internal comms'.
e.g. There was a CTA 'corridor' between Port Hedland, Broome and Darwin, but if the two usually 'conflicting' FK.28's of the same company restricted their climb to FL200 ex Derby for 'Kunners' to 110nm Derby, then they were outside this corridor, and could climb as they pleased after 110nm Derbs....Some did, and some didn't...but we showed it to them on the charts of the time anyway....It did save 'restrictions' on the following aircraft, and presumably, some $'s...
Similarly, Ze 'Concorde' caused many an 'upset' between ATC and FS....when the upper level of CTA was the 'impossible' alt. of FL400......
On climbing thru FL400, he became 'OURS' - he was OCTA!!
The local MET asked me to req. part 3 of the next pos. over the Bight at FL 650, (Weather report - wind and temp - and he did 'with gusto'..!
A particular Perth and 'famous' operator had a request from ATC Perth approach to have Concorde' transferred 'early' to ATC freqs, on descent into Perth from the SW, and the response was "He's OCTA until 28DME on that track, so unless you have severe 'traffic' I'll give him to you at 30DME Perth" - troo story....
(Back Beam of the Rwy 24 LLZ of the time....)
And so the 'rivalry' continued....
ATC = Officers, usually ex RAAF in the 'early days'.
FS = 'Other Ranks' often ex RAN comm / radio ops / techs of the time.
(Sometimes referred to as 'smellies' as we manned the many 'Briefing Offices' (BO)
However Dick et al, you will all be very pleased to know that many an FSO crossed over to 'The Dark Side' when you got rid of FS, because...... ??
Cheers
