Construction of Perth International Terminal – 1985. Photo credits: Perth Airport, CAHS, Phil Vabre and Geoff Goodall ReferencesĬAHS.
1970: New Interim Area Approach Control Centre (AACC) style console commissioned in the 1962 tower.1969: ‘Adjunct to Procedural Approach’ provided by radar controller at Kalamunda.1960s: Runway extensions occurred to accommodate jet aircraft.When the Tower first opened, area and approach control (all procedural) was done from the Tower, in addition to aerodrome control. 1962: A control tower and fire station was built as Perth Airport prepared for the 1962 Commonwealth Games.1952: Military buildings were adapted to civilian needs-Qantas opens air service from Sydney to Johannesburg via Perth, Cocos and Mauritius.1946: The first control tower was built using steel girders and located approximately where the Qantas Domestic Terminal is now.1942-1944: A simple timber-framed single-storey ‘control tower’ was built.
Together with ATM Service Manager Bruce Dowdall, air traffic controller Phil Vabre and former air traffic controller Geoffrey Goodall, the following detailed timeline was pieced together: The chronology of significant dates showcases how technology and infrastructure have changed over the years. The Perth Airport (which was previously known as Guildford Aerodrome in the late 1930s) and the Civil Aviation Historical Society (CAHS) have shared with us historical images featuring the many faces of Perth Tower.Īs with any story, a timeline is an important source of understanding history. The simple wooden, single-storey tower has long been replaced, most recently by an 80 metre tower opened by then Prime Minister Bob Hawke in 1987. Perth Airport and its air traffic control tower have had many transformations over the past 80 years.