Our History
| June 2006 | Airservices and the Australian Defence Force take an important first step towards integrated air traffic management across Australian airspace by opening a joint terminal control unit at Airservices Perth international airport facility for ATC services covering Perth, the Pearce RAAF Base and Jandakot general aviation airport.
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| Oct 2005 | Airservices Board endorses a major concept in air traffic control organisational reform known as Service Delivery Environment (SDE) with three separate streams of service – Upper airspace, East coast and Regional. SDE provides a national structure and service aligned to market needs and provides a more functional approach to ATC management. It will be phased in over three years.
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| Aug 2005 | A restructure of Airservices commences to prepare the organisation for growth, competition in air traffic management and aviation rescue and fire fighting services, rapidly changing aviation technology and to increase efficiency while keeping a clear focus on providing safe air navigation services.
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| May 2005 | Airservices Australia awarded International Air Transport Association (IATA) "Eagle Award" as a World Leader in the Provision of Air Navigation Services for the second time. |
| Nov 2004 | Airservices wins major contract to provide air traffic control services at six United States Federal Aviation Administration towers in the Pacific Region commencing Jan 2005. |
| Aug 2004 | After several months investigation, Airservices Board agrees to implement safety enhancements to the National Airspace System effective 25 Nov. |
| July 2004 | Airservices and the European Aeronautical Group (EAG) form licensing and dealership agreements on world-wide sales of aeronautical information products. |
| June 2004 | Rollout begins by Airservices of new high frequency radio transmitter stations across Australia to improve coverage and reduce interference. |
| May 2004 | The International Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO) meets in Australia for the first time, hosted by Airservices. |
| Mar 2004 | Board approved the acquisition and installation of Automatic Dependant Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) stations for upper level airspace aircraft tracking across Australia. |
| Feb 2004 | Trials begin in Australia with Boeing, Qantas and the Air Traffic Alliance on ‘tailored arrivals’ to reduce fuel burn and minimise noise on international flights. |
| Feb 2004 | Commencement of major risk review and assessment of NAS stage 2(b) changes of Nov 2003 by the Airservices Board. |
| May 2003 | Major technology upgrade of the Australian Advanced Air Traffic System (TAAATS) |
| Feb 2003 | Roll-on effect on aviation and world tourism from the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). |
| Nov 2002 | Introduction of the new National Airspace System (NAS) – stage one (Stage 1(a) Mar 2003; Stage 2(a) June 2003; Stage 2 (b) Nov 2003) |
| Aug 2002 | Partnership renewed with Solomon Islands Government for the provision of upper level airspace management over the next decade. |
| Jun 2002 | Precision runway monitor commissioned at Sydney airport. |
| Feb 2002 | Trialling of (aircraft-tracking) Automatic Dependant Surveillance- Broadcast (ADS-B) technology commences in Queensland. |
| Nov 2001 | Introduction of Reduced Vertical Separation Minima (RVSM) across Australia - reducing customer costs and aircraft delays. |
| Sept 2001 | World-wide downturn effect on commercial aviation and tourism following the terrorist aircraft attacks in New York and Washington . |
| Aug 2001 | Collapse of Ansett Airlines – significant effect on national air traffic control operations. |
| Apr 2001 | National Contingency Plan, providing backup air traffic control services in a breakdown situation, updated with customer airlines, Department of Defence and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. |
| Feb 2001 | Completion of transition to the new Australian Advanced Air Traffic System (TAAATS). |
| Jan 2001 | Average charges for airways services reduced by some $50 million for both domestic and overseas customers. |
| Nov 2000 | Chief Executive changeover from Bill Pollard to Bernie Smith, formerly chief operating officer, Commercial Operations, Airservices. |
| Sep 2000 | Sydney 2000 Olympic Games sets new records for number of air traffic movements in Australia |
| Mar 2000 | TAAATS officially commissioned. |
| Jan 1999 | Airservices Australia awarded International Air Transport
Association (IATA) "Eagle Award"
as a World Leader in the Provision of Air Navigation Services. |
| Jul 1997 | Aviation search and rescue responsibility transferred
to Australian Search
and Rescue (AusSAR) within the Australian Maritime Safety Authority
(AMSA). |
| Jan 1996 | New Sydney Airport Control Tower opened. |
| Jul 1995 | Civil Aviation Safety Authority established. Assumes
responsibility for aviation safety regulations; licensing pilots and
aviation engineers; and certifying aircraft and operators. |
| Jul 1995 | Airservices Australia established. Assumes responsibility
for airspace management; aeronautical information; communications; radio
navigation aids; aviation search and rescue; and airport rescue and
fire fighting services. |
| Jul 1995 | Civil Aviation Authority split into two separate government
bodies, Airservices Australia and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. |
| Feb 1994 | The Australian Advanced Air Traffic System (TAAATS) contract
signed by the Civil Aviation Authority with Thomson Radar Australia
Corporation (TRAC) and its parent company Thomson-CSF. |
| Oct 1990 | Two airline policy ends, aviation industry deregulated. |
| Jul 1988 | Civil Aviation Authority established. |
| Jul 1987 | Former departments of Transport, Aviation and Communications amalgamated to form the new Department of Transport and Communications |
| Jun 1986 | Federal Airports Corporation established. Assumes responsibility for management of seventeen airports in January 1988. |
| 1984 -85 | Independent review of the Two Airline Policy started |
| Dec 1985 | Contract signed with AUSSAT to make Australia the first country in the world to use satellite technology on a large scale for air traffic control. |
| Jun 1985 | 6933 aircraft registered |
| Nov 1984 | Report of the Independent Inquiry into Aviation Cost Recovery chaired by Mr Henry Bosch released (Bosch Report) |
| Jun 1984 | 441 government or licensed airports used by civil aviation in Australia |
| May 1984 | Department of Aviation established |
| Feb 1981 | Holcroft inquiry report into domestic airfares presented to Parliament |
| 1975-76 | Transfer of Department of Transport, Central Office staff from Melbourne to Canberra commenced |
| 1975-76 | Major Airport Needs of the Sydney Region (MANS) study commenced. Completed 1979 |
| Nov 1973 | Departments of Civil Aviation and Transport and Shipping amalgamated to form the new Department of Transport |
| Sep 1971 | Qantas introduces Boeing 747 aircraft |
| Jul 1970 | New Melbourne Airport at Tullamarine opened for international operations |
| 1966-67 | Trans-Australia Airlines and Ansett introduced DC9 aircraft commuter services |
| Apr 1965 | Sydney (Kingsford Smith) Airport redevelopment and expansion announced. Opens 3 May 1970 costing $26 million. |
| Nov 1964 | Introduction of jet aircraft into major domestic airlines - Boeing 727-100 |
| Jan 1963 | Contracts let for the extension of the north-south runway into Botany Bay at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) Airport |
| 1959 | Qantas introduces Boeing 707 jet aircraft |
| Conflicting demands for airspace lead to the formation of the Inter-Departmental Air Co-ordinating Committee comprising Department of Civil Aviation, Royal Australian Air Force and Royal Australian Navy, laying down principles for the best utilisation of airspace. |
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| Over 1000 aircraft registered. More than 10,000 flight crew licences |
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| 1955 | Adelaide Airport opened costing, just over £3 million |
| Dec 1954 | Trans-Australian Airlines introduce first turbo - prop aircraft to be used on an Australian airline service |
| Jun 1947 | 686 aircraft registered, an increase of 95 percent in twelve months |
| 1947 | Australian Government purchases all shares in Qantas Empire Airways, previously held by other interests. |
| 1946 | Decision made to develop Sydney (Kingsford Smith) Airport at Mascot as an international Airport |
| Aug 1945 | Australian National Airlines Act 1945 enacted, providing for the setting up of the Australian National Airlines Commission (Trans-Australia Airlines) |
| Apr 1940 | Trans-Tasman Service Commences (Auckland-Sydney) |
| Jan 1939 | Civil Aviation Board formally abolished |
| 1938 | State Air Navigation Acts passed in all States by adopting the Commonwealth Air Navigation Regulations as State law, came into operation |
| Nov 1938 | Department of Civil Aviation established. H.V.C. Thorby appointed first Minister for Civil Aviation |
| Apr 1937 | Meeting of State and Federal Ministers in Melbourne unanimously resolved that there should be uniform rules on matters of aviation safety. |
| Apr 1936 | Regulating and controlling of civil aviation transferred to a Civil Aviation Board responsible to the Minister for Defence |
| 1935 | Federal Cabinet decides that direct importation of foreign aircraft should be permitted under individual airport licences issued by the Controller of Civil Aviation |
| Jun 1935 | Australian Civil Air Ensign gazetted |
| 1931 | Civil Aviation Branch appointed a District Superintendent and a Senior Aircraft inspector in Sydney and an Aircraft Inspector in Perth |
| 1929 | Australia was granted its own nationality marking of VH. |
| 1928 | 180 landing grounds, 84 licensed pilots, 172 licensed ground engineers exist in Australia |
| Dec 1921 | Nine government aerodromes and five emergency landing grounds are in service |
| Dec 1920 | Civil Aviation Branch established within the Department of Defence. Branch begins functioning on 28 March 1921. Lieutenant Colonel H.C. Brinsmead appointed as the first Controller of Civil Aviation |
| Mar 1920 | Prime Minister Hughes writes to all State Premiers seeking referral of necessary civil aviation powers to the Federal Government under Section 51 (37) of the Australian Constitution |
