Coll 5/85 ‘Airfield at Dharan for U.S.A.A.F.: Proposal to construct new airport at Bahrain (Hamala)’ [‎35v] (71/522)

BASRAH - MARG-IL
APPENDIX C
DC 88050/1
18
The following information was supplied by the Chief Airport Controller to the
Port of Basrah Directorate, Mr. J. Malcolm, and B.O.A.C. Station Superintendent,
Mr. Ryan.
1. Air Traffic Control
1.1 General
Air traffic control in common with the other technical services, is the
responsibility of the Port Directorate. This has resulted in the establishment
of an efficiently run, and adequately staffed approach and aerodrome control
organisation. Control for the aerodrome and flying boat alighting area is
exercised from one control tower situated centrally between and immediately
adjacent to both. The control launch, manned by B.O.A.C., controls final
approach and take-offs of flying boats, and is in lamp signal liaison with
the tower. VHP i^/T liaison will very shortly be introduced (the equipment
is expected daily). VHP R/T is also to be fitted to the load-in van.
Continuous watch is kept, and present movements average 20 daily. There are
nc R.A.F. personnel on the aerodrome. So far, no steps have been taken
towards implementation of the area control for the Basrah Plight Safety
Region recommended at Cairo, but future planning takes into account this
international responsibility.
1 .2 Personnel •
There are 1+ watch keeping control officers under the supervision of
the Chief Airport Controller who is directly responsible to the Port
Directorate. The control officers are Iraqis, but their educational
background is of a relatively high order. A well planned system of
promotion on experience and merit has achieved a team of efficient
controllers, all with several years experience’in control. They have
functioned continuously through the war on a civil basis. The B.O.A.C.
Station Superintendent states that pilots comments on control are invariably
favourable. I confirmed this with B.O.A.C. crev/s passing through. The
control launch crews similarly spoke well of the liason with the tower.
PICAO procedures and documents are circulated to the control staff, and are
the basis of the system followed. The airport Controller recognises that
the staff will need to be augmented to meet future commitments, and a
suitable pool for recruiting exists in the form of experienced clerks who
have been working in the tower in conjunction with the control officers.
Languages in use are English and Arabic.
1 .3 Accommodation and Equipment
The control tower is of sound basic design permitting unobstructed
360° vision of the circuit. Half the main runway and the touch down
point of runway 13 are, however, obstructed by a hangar. To overcome this,
aircraft movements in the ’blind* sector are co-ordinated by a lead in van
(to be fitted with VHP R/T) and there is very little increased hazard on
this account. The tower is well equipped, with the exception of li/T,
At present 6140 K/cs. is used, but it is hoped to supplement this with
VHP R/T on 120.5 mcs. and 116.1 mcs. in the near future. (See Tels. report.)
An efficient system of airfield lighting is installed and control is from a
master panel in the tower. Other equipment is as follows:-
Portable directional signalling lamp.
¥ind speed and. direction indicator.
Pyrotechnics.
All control communications between the W/T station and control are passed
over the teleprinter with checking by direct telephone. QPE t s are passed as
necessary from the meteorological observer in a room immediately below the
tower.