The Berlin Blockade (24 June 1948 – 12 May 1949) was one of the first major international crises of the Cold War. During the multinational occupation of post–World War II Germany, the Soviet Union blocked the Western Allies' railway, road, and canal access to the sectors of Berlin under Western control. In response, the Western Allies organized the Berlin Airlift to carry supplies to the people of West Berlin, a difficult feat given the city's population. Aircrews from the United States Air Force, the British Royal Air Force, the Royal Canadian Air Force, the Royal Australian Air Force, the Royal New Zealand Air Force, and the South African Air Force flew over 200,000 flights in one year, providing to the West Berliners up to 8,893 tons of necessities each day, such as fuel and food.
The history of the Berlin Airlift is sufficiently known. However, unknown are the facilities and procedures of air traffic control to ensure this operation at all. The Digital Aviation Library provides digital copies of the flight manual, the so-called Combined Airlift Task Force Manual. It's the only flight manual that exists in Europe, and it might be very interesting for everyone, who is interested in history, aviation history and ATC. Because the flight operations covered the whole Western Europe area, the radio navigation maps for all airports are reproduced in this digital copy. Furthermore, the digital copy contains the navigation procedures for the use of the Ground Controlled Approach radar system (CCA) and for the Visual Aural Range (VAR). You can download the CALTF Flight Manual as a PDF document.
Berlin Blockade and Berlin Airlift Routes and Procedures (ATC)
Author: Headquarters Combined Airlift Task Force US Army
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