As early as 1919, the federal government, through the Army department, was publishing publications which aided pilots in locating and using airfields across the United States. By 1920's the Airways Section of the Office of the Chief of Air Service in Washington, D.C. was publishing the Aeronautical Bulletins. These bulletins greatly aided pilots in their flight planning, but much of the information provided was second-hand, and often erroneous. Pilots were often forced to rely on their own notes, or to make phone calls ahead along their intended routes to see if an airfield really was still open and operating.
By the early 1930's as airport operations became more established, and
regularly-scheduled commercial flights became more routine, the Aeronautics Branch of the
Department of Commerce began publishing the Airway Bulletin series. this was a
revision of the earlier series updated and improved. The new publications were
divided into two series:
The series was divided as follows:
- Airway Bulletin No. 1 - General Airway Information
- Airway Bulletin No. 2 - Descriptions of Airports and
Landing Fields
Airway Bulletin No. 1 - General Airway Information
This bulletin and it's companion publication Airway Bulletin no. 2
superseded the earlier Aeronautical series. But, like the previous series, it was
published in loose-leaf format to permit easy use in the cramped cockpits of the
day. The General Airway Information portion of the series provided detailed
information pertaining to the established airways which criss-crossed the United States.
The publication provided 2 different graphical depictions of each airway:
- one showing beacon lights, airports, and landing fields
- one showing Department of Commerce radio facilities
Cleveland-Detroit (beacon/airfields)
(click here for larger image)Cleveland-Detroit (radio facilities)
(click here for larger image)
In addition to the airway information, the pamphlet included information on:
- How the Federal Airways system worked
- Lighting at Airfields
- Air Markings
- Aeronautical Beacon Lights
- Hazardous Flying Areas
- How Radio Aids Functioned
- Weather Service and Communication Stations
- How to use Wind Roses
Finally, it provided a comprehensive description of the meteorological conditions which a pilot can expect to encounter in the 48 States.
Airway Bulletin No.2 - Descriptions of
Airports and Landing Fields
This publication (first published in 1932) became the definitive source of airfield data for pilots, and eventually evolved into the Airport/Facility Directory which is published today by NOAA & the Department of Commerce.
The introduction to the bulletin provides a clear and concise description of the included information:
"Herein are set forth descriptions of all airports and landing fields in the United States of record with the Aeronautics Branch of the Department of Commerce. The types of landing facilities described include municipal and commercial airports; Department of Commerce intermediate landing fields [ed. airmail emergency fields]; marked auxilary landing fields; Army airdromes [sic] and naval air stations.
The airports and landing fields are presented alphabetically by States and the descriptions thereof have been standardized to facilitate reference and use. While the descriptions do not include all details to be found at the airports and landing fields, they were prepared with the thought of furnishing the outstanding essential facts which are desired by airmen contemplating flights to airports and landing fields with which they may be wholly or partially unfamiliar.
In cases where hangar space, personnel for servicing, aviation fuel, and minor or complete repair facilities are available, the term "Facilities for servicing aircraft" is used. Where only limited service may be obtained, that which is available is listed.
In addition to the airports and landing fields described in this bulletin, there are about 1,000 fields upon which landings may be made and of which the Aeronautics Branch has record but these are not included in this publication for the reason that they are constantly changing in character due to the alternation of crops and for other reasons. However, information on any of these fields may be obtained from the airway bulletin section of the Aeronautics Branch.
With its companion publication, Airway Bulletin No. 1, General Airway Information, this bulletin supersedes the loose-leaf airway bulletins published by the Aeronautics Branch in the past. The two new airway bulletins have been arranged to include the subjects previously covered by the loose-leaf sheets and much additional information.
Both bulletins will be revised as conditions dictate and in the meantime changes and developments in the subject matter presented in the two publications will be announced in the Air Commerce Bulletin, the semimonthly publication of the Aeronautics Branch, which may be obtained regularly without charge upon request."
Airway Bulletin No.2 was published bi-annually and offers an interesting perspective of the development of airfields over time. The following descriptions of Oroville Airport near San Francisco (beginning with a description from the Aircraft Yearbook of 1920) from 1932, 1936, and 1938 respectively offer such an example:
In 1920:
Emergency Landing Field No.106 (known as Riley Field); very large field; 2,600 by 1,500 feet; rough surface; supplies in town; 50-foot circle; located 4 miles south of town; west of Southern Pacific Railroad; one lone tree at north end. Prevailing wind, north-south; altitude 200 feet.
AFD 1932:
Oroville.--Riley Airport, auxillary. Two and one-half miles S. of city, and just S. lake and cemetary. altitude, 205 ft. irregular 80 acres, sod, sloping to N. and S.E. natural drainage; two landing strips 2,000 feet NE./SW. and 1,600 feet NW./SE., both 150 feet wide. Pole line to S. Small hangar. No servicing facilities.
AFD 1936:
Oroville.--Oroville Airport, Municipal. Three miles SW. of city; one and one half miles W. of Feather River, on S. side of State Highway. Lat. 39'28"; Long. 121'36". Alt. 200 feet. Rectangular, slight slope, artificial and natural drainage; two runways, 3,100 feet NW./SE., 3,500 feet NE./SW., both 300 feet wide. Trees to N. No servicing.
AFD 1938:
Oroville.--Oroville Airport, Municipal. Three miles SW. of city; one and one half miles W. of Feather River, on S. side of State Highway. Lat. 39'28"; Long. 121'36". Alt. 200 feet. Rectangular, slight slope, artificial and natural drainage; two runways, 3,100 feet NW./SE., 3,500 feet NE./SW., both 300 feet wide. Trees to N. No servicing.
Compare these descriptions with the modern version from an Aiport Facility Directory dated 1996. Not that much has changed:
Oroville Muni (OVE) 3 SW UTC-8(-7DT) N.39'29.27" W121'37.32" San Francisco
192 B S4 Fuel 80.100LL TPA-992(800) H-2A, L-2G
RWY 01-19; H6000x100 (ASPH) s-60, d-80 MIRL IAP RWY 01: P-line
RWY 19: PAPI(P2L)--GA 3.0' TCH
RWY 12-30: H3540X100 (ASPH) S-25 RWY LGTS (NSTD) 0.5% up NW
RWY 12: VASI (V2L)--GA 3.0' TCH 35'. RWY 30: VASI(V2L)--GA 3.0 TCH 32' road
Airport Remarks: Attended 1600-0100Z Rwy 12-30 NSTD MIRL 25' from pavement edge
As can be clearly seen in the early examples, the information provided was often questionable. Yet with each revision the data appears to have been updated with more accurate and reliable sources.
