WA FSU's
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WA Flight Service Units
As a former FS officer I can confirm that there was a FS unit at Broome and yes it was there until Jan 1971 when Dixie Goodard closed it. I worked with him in Port Hedland during 1971-2. He died around 1988. Other WA units were Wyndham (closed in 1977 when the unit transferred to Kununurra). I worked in ADKU from 1978-81. Derby managed Broome airspace via a VHF link. Wittenoom was operating when I first arrived in Port Hedland but closed around mid 1972 and the officer moved to Karratha - I think it was only a AFIZ (20-30 nm radius). There was an Aeradio Unit at Halls Creek in the early 1949-53 period. I think old Norm Valentine was the last OIC, before he moved to Wyndham.
This is a great site for old and bold pilots and FS staff. Rgs
This is a great site for old and bold pilots and FS staff. Rgs
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I think that Port Hedland was a Flight Service Centre (FSC) rather than a Unit (FSU) in the 1980's. I think Hedland was one of the FIRs before the consolidation started to the two current FIRs in Australia.
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Them's were the days
I'll toss a few names into the pot for posterity...
I was in Derby 85 to 87, ex SY FSC, then to WP and RK before moving to the dark side of ATC.
Our boss was John Apps, Chris Philbrick was a supervisor, Graeme Spong (who died of a heart attack whilst I was there), Hugh and Linda Barker, Peter Brooks, Anita Siebert, Chris Boycott, Peter Hobson, Peter Kleinhanss, Bruce Bergholtz, Yogi (can't think of his name), Marcus Kube, Dave Guerin, Bruce Bebbington, Noel Embury (I think) and a couple of others that I can't quite remember at the mo'.
I do vividly remember listening to the HF and hearing Mal Billet up in KU with that high pitched squeaky voice that he had ;-)
I was in Derby 85 to 87, ex SY FSC, then to WP and RK before moving to the dark side of ATC.
Our boss was John Apps, Chris Philbrick was a supervisor, Graeme Spong (who died of a heart attack whilst I was there), Hugh and Linda Barker, Peter Brooks, Anita Siebert, Chris Boycott, Peter Hobson, Peter Kleinhanss, Bruce Bergholtz, Yogi (can't think of his name), Marcus Kube, Dave Guerin, Bruce Bebbington, Noel Embury (I think) and a couple of others that I can't quite remember at the mo'.
I do vividly remember listening to the HF and hearing Mal Billet up in KU with that high pitched squeaky voice that he had ;-)
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The Complete List of Aeradio/FSUs in WA
As of 1 Oct 1963, the Aeradio units (later to be known as Flight Service units after 1965) in WA were:
Albany: Aerodrome Flight Information Zone (AFIZ) SFC/3000ft AMSL
Broome: Flight Information Zone (FIZ), later to become known as Flight Information Areas (FIA); Derby was only an AFIZ at that time
Carnarvon: FIZ
Cocos Island: FIZ
Derby: AFIZ SFC/3000ft AMSL
Forrest: AFIZ SFC/3000ft AMSL
Geraldton: AFIZ SFC/3000ft AMSL
Kalgoorlie: FIZ
Meekatharra: FIZ
Port Hedland: FIZ (no control tower and no FSC then)
Wittenoom: AFIZ SFC/3000ft AMSL
Wyndham: FIZ
Prior to '63, there were also Aeradio units located at Glenroy Station (Air Beef Scheme), Halls Creek, and Onslow but these all closed before that date.
The Broome FSU was closed in '71 and Derby was expanded to assume Broome’s FIA functions, an FSU was established at Karratha (AFIZ SFC/5000ft AMSL) sometime around 1972/73 to support the increased air traffic servicing the Hamersley railway and mining operations at Tom Price and Paraburdoo, the Wittenoom and Forrest FSUs closed in ’72 and ‘73, the Albany FSU was closed in ’74 and the Wyndham FSU was decommissioned and its functions transferred to the newly established FSU at Kununurra sometime around 1977.
After 1985, with the advent of satellite communications capability all remaining FSUs were slowly consolidated into the Perth FSC under the Integration, and Modernisation of Air Traffic Services (IMAS) project which was completed sometime around ’95.
I’m a bit hazy now on some of the dates, so quite happy to be corrected.
Albany: Aerodrome Flight Information Zone (AFIZ) SFC/3000ft AMSL
Broome: Flight Information Zone (FIZ), later to become known as Flight Information Areas (FIA); Derby was only an AFIZ at that time
Carnarvon: FIZ
Cocos Island: FIZ
Derby: AFIZ SFC/3000ft AMSL
Forrest: AFIZ SFC/3000ft AMSL
Geraldton: AFIZ SFC/3000ft AMSL
Kalgoorlie: FIZ
Meekatharra: FIZ
Port Hedland: FIZ (no control tower and no FSC then)
Wittenoom: AFIZ SFC/3000ft AMSL
Wyndham: FIZ
Prior to '63, there were also Aeradio units located at Glenroy Station (Air Beef Scheme), Halls Creek, and Onslow but these all closed before that date.
The Broome FSU was closed in '71 and Derby was expanded to assume Broome’s FIA functions, an FSU was established at Karratha (AFIZ SFC/5000ft AMSL) sometime around 1972/73 to support the increased air traffic servicing the Hamersley railway and mining operations at Tom Price and Paraburdoo, the Wittenoom and Forrest FSUs closed in ’72 and ‘73, the Albany FSU was closed in ’74 and the Wyndham FSU was decommissioned and its functions transferred to the newly established FSU at Kununurra sometime around 1977.
After 1985, with the advent of satellite communications capability all remaining FSUs were slowly consolidated into the Perth FSC under the Integration, and Modernisation of Air Traffic Services (IMAS) project which was completed sometime around ’95.
I’m a bit hazy now on some of the dates, so quite happy to be corrected.
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divingduck
and
"Yogi" aka Mike Saunders
Others who might have been there at the time were the Slades (Tim and ??), Colin Jeffrey, Brian Jackson, Terry Burt, Mark Rick, Patricia Plunkett.
Yogi (can't think of his name)
...and a couple of others that I can't quite remember at the mo'
Others who might have been there at the time were the Slades (Tim and ??), Colin Jeffrey, Brian Jackson, Terry Burt, Mark Rick, Patricia Plunkett.
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divingduck
I remember Mal Billet well - altho I never met him.
Having spent many long nights flying around WA - more often than not Mal's high pitched squeaky tone was the only readable HF station.
I remember Mal Billet well - altho I never met him.
Having spent many long nights flying around WA - more often than not Mal's high pitched squeaky tone was the only readable HF station.
Last edited by Desert Duck; 9th Jan 2013 at 02:30.
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Port Hedland was an FSC, used to take somebody's airspace at night, forget who. Maybe Derby, but that airspace went to Perth soon after I got there, which should have made it a FSU maybe, but it was open H24.
Was there 1989 to when it thankfully closed in 1991. Was asked if I would extend there is the closing was delayed. Not for a minute
Had a nice time there, but what a dump! And I went there from Meekatharra!!
Crew at Meeka while I was there: Chris Downey, Blue Sawade, Graham Webster, Tracey Smiley, Peter Garamy, Chris Boycott, Deb and Dave Powell and the highly esteemed Jack Kleinhanss.
Crew at Port Hedland will remain secret to help them forget
Mal was very clear on the HF, but a bit like an ice-pick in the ears if you had your volume up to hear a faint aeroplane and he piped in...
Was there 1989 to when it thankfully closed in 1991. Was asked if I would extend there is the closing was delayed. Not for a minute
Had a nice time there, but what a dump! And I went there from Meekatharra!!Crew at Meeka while I was there: Chris Downey, Blue Sawade, Graham Webster, Tracey Smiley, Peter Garamy, Chris Boycott, Deb and Dave Powell and the highly esteemed Jack Kleinhanss.
Crew at Port Hedland will remain secret to help them forget
Mal was very clear on the HF, but a bit like an ice-pick in the ears if you had your volume up to hear a faint aeroplane and he piped in...
Last edited by Spodman; 12th Jan 2013 at 22:56.
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A general question regarding Aeradio units. I'm a meteorological researcher and I'm trying to work out the link between Aeradio and met-people. I hunted for photographs of Aeradio offices, and there are some, but I can't find any that had meteorological enclosures. Many Bureau field offices are at the same location as most of the AR locations. Does anyone have knowledge of whet changed and when?
Cheers,
Bill
Cheers,
Bill
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Try the good folk at the Civil aviation Historical Society. See Airways Museum / Civil Aviation Historical Society for contact details.
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Twin Pioneer
Would that be the one off the side of the Koolan Island strip?
I was one of the Perth FSOs that took over Canarvon and Meeka etc. as they closed. Before that I was in Mount Isa not long before it closed. Only 3 years before as a newly graduated FSO I was told I had a job for life because we were the HF specialists. It was sad to see the remote units close and then the job itself disappear
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Twin Pioneer
Would that be the one off the side of the Koolan Island strip?
I was one of the Perth FSOs that took over Canarvon and Meeka etc. as they closed. Before that I was in Mount Isa not long before it closed. Only 3 years before as a newly graduated FSO I was told I had a job for life because we were the HF specialists. It was sad to see the remote units close and then the job itself disappear
Kaz
