While commemorating the centenary of aviation in Malta one has to highlight some milestones attained during these past 100 years.

These include: the first flight that took place in Malta on February 13, 1915; the first Maltese pilot to obtain an aviator licence in 1916; the mass engagement of 789 Maltese into the Royal Air Force in 1918, only few days after the RAF was formed on April 1, 1918; the first seaplane base shed and slipway built in 1916 at Kalafrana; the fact that 18 Curtiss seaplanes were assembled at the Admiralty Malta Dockyard during 1916 and 1917; the inauguration of the first airfield in Malta – RAF Ħal Far in 1928, and the establishment of our national airline, Air Malta in 1974.

But for most people, the biggest and most important milestone in Maltese aviation took place on April 1, 1979, when the government took over full responsibility for all the civil and military air traffic services and Luqa airfield operations from the British Forces.

Up to the 1972 defence agreement with Britain, the Maltese government had nothing to do with the airport operations and Malta flight information region (FIR) apart from the terminal building management.

Airport operations were taken care of by the RAF and the Malta flight information region was under the control of the British authorities who subcontracted its management to International Aeradio Ltd (IAL). Aviation was up to then a reserved matter. Airfield services were maintained by air ministry Maltese civilian employees with the British Services.

The Dingli radar calibration team in 1987.

According to the 1972 agreement between Malta and Britain, by 1979 the Maltese government was to be in a position to manage on its own all Malta’s civil aviation responsibilities. To this end the British were obliged to train the necessary air traffic controllers to operate the Malta terminal area, which until then was managed by RAF controllers.

The FIR was taken over by the Maltese government and IAL continued to cover air traffic services on behalf of the government through the subcontracting arrangement with the British government.

Participants in a radar course in Rome in the mid-1980s.

Between 1972 and 1979 all IAL employees, except one or two, were Maltese, both at area control operations and technical sections. At the same time the Department of Civil Aviation was given more responsibilities, including the full operation and control of Malta’s FIR, the management of the Malta air terminal, the construction of the new runway and new passenger terminal and air services agreements and aircrew certification and aircraft certification and registration.

On March 31, 1979, the government was to take full responsibility and operations of all aviation in Malta and its FIR, that is, the air traffic services for the terminal area and airfield, both operations and technical services.

The main problem was the additional responsibilities related to the terminal area, which included the operations and maintenance of the Luqa air traffic control tower and the related radar, navigational aids and communications and other ancillary services such as the fire and rescue services, the electrical, mechanical and civil engineering, and the meteorological services.

We are reaping the fruit of the sacrifices and hard work those pioneers in Maltese aviation made to keep Malta’s only airport and airspace operating against all odds

The biggest challenge for the government was the air traffic control services as some of the civilian controllers trained by the British to maintain these services after 1979 did not accept the conditions of work offered by the government and the main bulk of RAF (Malta) radar, navigational aids and communications technical personnel opted to transfer to the RAF (UK) to seek full service pension. Some of the ex-IAL controllers also opted not to join the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA).

DCA aerial riggers installing an antenna on a replacement VHF omni- directional radio range (VOR) system in Gozo in 1991 to replace the 1960 ex-IAL VOR.

To solve the air traffic controllers problem, the area control centre was moved and amalgamated with the air traffic control tower, so all air traffic controllers were in the same place. This was done in mid-February 1979, a technical challenge which was undertaken by the RAF (Malta) technical personnel in collaboration with Maltese technical personnel from ex-IAL who were already managed by the DCA since 1972.

As there were only about seven ex-RAF (Malta) technical personnel experienced on the ex-British radar, navigational aids and communications, some of the ex-IAL technical staff also moved to the control tower engineering section.

In addition, as early as October 1978, the government engaged a number of apprentices as part of the Extended Skills Training Scheme and also student workers as future engineers.

The systems and equipment left by the British in 1979 ranged from vintage items from the early 1950s to the most modern, which dated fromthe mid-1960s.

The risks and challenges faced by the engineering personnel in March 1979 were considerable considering the problem of non-availability of spare parts to maintain this equipment due to its age, and that most parts were of a military nature and thus not readily available on the open market. This problem was not limited to the electronic section, but also applied to electrical and mechanical engineering, especially the up­keeping of the obsolete fire tenders and special motorised equipment such as runway sweepers.

The ex-RAF Plessey AR1 approach radar used at Luqa air traffic control tower between 1972 and 1996.

On April 1, 1979, the government had over 700 specialised personnel in the DCA who mainly were civilians, with the key positions and the air traffic control personnel being engaged in the Armed Forces of Malta for obvious reasons. Most of these had to endure personal sacrifices by downgrading their status and standard of living as both the RAF and ex-IAL personnel were getting better salaries and conditions of service than those forming part of the Maltese civil service. The air ministry civilian employees also saw their pay package dwindle as most of them were originally engaged as corps employees and later were gradually given employment with the DCA.

This important episode of Maltese history, when all air traffic control services were for the first time being provided by all-Maltese personnel, would not have materialised and been successful, were it was not for the dedication, teamwork and loyalty towards the nation by each and every one of these personnel, despite the hardships they had to experience.

Today we are reaping the fruit of the sacrifices and hard work those pioneers in Maltese aviation made to keep Malta’s only airport and airspace operating against all odds to the highest international standards.

Major Tony Abela is chairman of the Malta Air Traffic Services Ltd. He has been involved with air traffic services in Malta and abroad for the past 54 years.