News Letter 1941 Jul-Dec - Air Force Historical Studies Office

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AERIAL TRAFFIC COPS GET TOGETHE'R
By Major A. B. McMullen
THE War, Navy and Commerce Departments, (the
latter including the Civil Aeronautics Board
and the Civil Aeronautics Administration) recently
indicated the ir interest and concern over air traffic
by the joint establishment of the Interdepartmental
Air Traffic Control Board.
Each agency has one member on this Board. Mr.
Earl Ward represents the Civil Aeronautics Administration,
Mr. E. N. Ellington the Civil Aeronautics
Board, Lieut. Comdr. John C. Crommelin the
Navy Department. The writer represents the War
Department --and at the present time is Cha Lrman of
the Board.
The Board has no executive authority. It acts
as a clearing house for not only air traffic problems
but reviews applications and makes recommendations
with respect to the use of the navigable
air space by other activities-osuch as artillery
firing training areas, searchlight and barrage
balloon training areas, the location of aerial
bombing and gunnery ranges, flight training
fields, etc.
During the recent expansion of the Army Air
Forces, tactical or training units have been located
on Municipal or Civil Airports, many of
which were airline terminals already faced with
serious traffic problems.
P-39's And Clbs Don't Mix
The officials responsible for the location of
these military units on civil airports realize the
fact that 300 MPH bombers and 400 MPH pursuit
planes cannot operate safely or efficiently from
fields also used by small aircraft of the Cub and
Aeronca class. Additional airports are, therefore,
being constructed largely with Federal funds
in these communities for private and commercial
flying. This procedure confirms an opinion I have
had for many years, namely, that more--properly
placed and better designed--airports would lessen
the need for regulations governing air traffic.
The air carriers and some non-scheduled civil
aircraft will, however, continue to utilize most
of these jointly occupied airports and it has become
necessary to provide a satisfactory means for
directing both civil and military traffic on--and
in the vicinity of--these air terminals.
At firs t g lance this wou Id not appear to present
any unusual problems, but War Department
regulations and the principles of military command
OCTOBER /9-11 11
prohibit the commanding officer at these stations
from delegating the responsibility for the safety
and operation of the planes in his command to an
employee of another department--particularly a
civil agency not familiar with the problems peculiar
to military aircraft operation. Therefore,
both military and Civil Aeronautics Administration
airport control personnel will be employed in the
same towers at these jointly occupied airports.
Airports Join Federal Network
The eM and the Air Corps are assuming the responsibility
for the operation of air traffic control
towers at 39 municipal airports as rapidly
as personne 1 and equipment can be obtained. Thus
a precedent has been established and the welding
of airport and airway traffic control with the
operation of both by the Federal Government has
taken a big step forward. Only those civil air.
ports that are occupied by Army or Navy tactical
or training units will be taken into the Federally
operated network at the present time.
Except during a military emergency determined by
the station commander, the Senior CAA Operator
will be in charge of the control of all traffic in
the airport control zone. When both civil and
military aircraft are involved, the CAA operator
will issue instructions to Army or Navy aircraft
only after consultation with the service operator.
Normally, Army and Navy tower operators will not
issue instruction~ to civil aircraft--and in no
case will Inst r.. ~ons be issued to civil aircraft
by service tower operators unless they hold a CAA
-Air Traffic Control Operator Certificate."
The commanding officer of the Air Forces station
may assume complete control and supervision
of the airport traffic control tower and all air
traffic within the airport control zone when the
mil itary s Huat ion demands such act ion. When such
control is assumed, the commanding officer shall
assume full responsibility for the safety of all
air traffic in the airport control zone. During
such periods, the eM control tower operator shall
~irect civil air traffic as requested by the commanding
officer.
Conditions To Be Determined
Just what military situations may arise which
will require the commanding officer to assume control
of air traffic in the vicinity of the airport
no one can predict at the present time. It is
possible that all traffic in the vicinity of the