AVIATION HISTORY, AUSTRALIA

Contributions From Australians To World Aviation

Airports And Flight Space Management 

In the unsettled period after W.W.1 there was little Government control over aviation development. The Civil Aviation Branch was formed in March, 1921, as part of the Department of Defense. The Air Navigation Act of 1920 authorized it's formation as a federal agency.
The following compares activity between 1921 and 1988 (approx.)

        Pilots' licenses (including flight crews)  50             64,000

        Ground engineers                             104              4,600

        Aircraft registrations                         56              6,800

        Hours flown (approximate)                 1,700            320,000

        Government Aerodromes                    9                440

        Staff                                              19             10,800

By the beginning of 1936 demands for more aerodromes and facilities to meet civil aviation growth had grown, such that the Civil Aviation Board (still under Defense) was formed with two sub groups, Operations and Ground Organization. However, in 1939 the Department of Civil Aviation (separate from Defense) was authorized. By 1939 radio direction finding was at 8 sites and there were 5 radio beacons and, since a severe DC2 crash in 1938, a significant activity to improve safety. All of these measures proved invaluable during W.W.2 when General McArthur set up his Pacific head- quarters in Cairns, Queensland and air travel increased dramatically. In December, 1972, the labor government merged Civil Aviation with Transport to form one department; but in 1982 this was reversed and the name became Civil Aviation Authority in 1988 and restructuring followed. Later, in 1995, it was split into Air Services Australia and Civil Air Safety Authority.