Airfield atc

[Frederic Mason]

Hello Chaps;
I do not recall reading about any sort of Airfield Air Traffic Control procedures for active war front airfields? Sure there is some on the various training airfields, but what about the combat airfields? How was what may have been pretty busy and confusing flight patterns sustained at the front fields?

Does anyone know or recall what these control patterns amount too? The only item I recall is a comment by Eddie Rickenbacker that he always tried to fly some circle pattern close to the ground when he let down from higher altitudes, to get his eyes accustomed to the depth perceptions at ground level.

Of course any such pattern would account for the winds directions. But what types of patterns and where were they applied? Perhaps takeoffs were marshaled over a point on the way to the front? Perhaps the returning a/c patterns were relegated to the airfield side farthest from the front? How far away, how high and not above the field were patterns flown?

Any comments on wartime front ATC?

Cheers; FM

[MikeMeech]

Originally Posted by Frederic Mason

Hello Chaps;
I do not recall reading about any sort of Airfield Air Traffic Control procedures for active war front airfields? Sure there is some on the various training airfields, but what about the combat airfields? How was what may have been pretty busy and confusing flight patterns sustained at the front fields?

Does anyone know or recall what these control patterns amount too? The only item I recall is a comment by Eddie Rickenbacker that he always tried to fly some circle pattern close to the ground when he let down from higher altitudes, to get his eyes accustomed to the depth perceptions at ground level.

Of course any such pattern would account for the winds directions. But what types of patterns and where were they applied? Perhaps takeoffs were marshaled over a point on the way to the front? Perhaps the returning a/c patterns were relegated to the airfield side farthest from the front? How far away, how high and not above the field were patterns flown?

Any comments on wartime front ATC?

Cheers; FM

Hi

Probably not all that you want but 'The US Air Service in World War 1', Volume II, by ed. Maurer Maurer, page 357 -359, has some drawings of formation take-offs and forming up over an airfield.

Mike

[Frederic Mason]

Thank you Mike;
I will check out the data in the Maurer set. It is surprising that there is not more such data in the records on such a practical activity. Guess once the wheels were off the grass, it was everyone for himself. The devil take the hindmost.