Radio navigation in Austria in the 1950s

Navaids: NDB, Range, ILS

For historical information only, do not use for navigation or aviation purposes!

The following list contains the aeronautical radio beacons that were active in Austria in the mid of the 1950s. All information is outdated and may not be used for navigational purposes.

It is difficult to compile a complete and consistent directory. Austria was divided into four occupation zones from 1945 to 1955 and there is hardly any information available on the radio beacons in the Soviet zone. But also in the three other zones and in the remaining areas there were many changes in the period under consideration due to the regaining of full sovereignty. These cannot be completely understood with the material available to me, so that this list mixes information from several points in time. The predominant part, however, refers to the period of occupation until 1955.

  • The Soviet airfields were mainly located in Niederösterreich. Only a few pieces of information are available here.
  • The US troops used the airfields of Linz, Salzburg and Tulln in the Soviet zone.
  • The English troops used the airfields Klagenfurt and Wien-Schwechat, but had given them into civilian administration at an early stage.
  • The French troops used the Innsbruck airfield.

In addition, there were small landing strips in Vienna, but they probably did not have radio beacons.

Radio beacons and airways in 1955

Radio beacons and airways, Austria, Innsbruck
Western part of Austria with the French military airfield Innsbruck (Source: DoD)
Radio beacons Salzburg, Linz, Vienna, Austria
Eastern part - The airfields Salzburg, Linz and Vienna Schwechat are still marked as military airfields. However, the airway from Graz to Vienna is straightened, compared to the early 1950s, so that it probably no longer passes through the Soviet occupation zone. Therefore, this map seems to represent the state shortly after the end of the zones. The continuation of airway 3 also remains unclear, which leads from Prague to the reporting point DRESSENDORF and apparently ends there. (Source: DoD)

Explanations

Abbreviations

approx.approximately
civcivilcivil operator
GPGlide pathGlide path transmitter
ILSInstrument Landing System(Approach and landing aid)
IMInner MarkerMarker beacon just in front the runway
kHzKilohertz(Unit for frequency)
LLocatorNon-directional beacon for the approach
LLZLocalizerLocalizer transmitter
LMMLocator Middle MarkerCombination of Middle Marker and Locator
LOMLocator Outer MarkerCombination of Outer Marker and Locator
mMeter(Unit for length)
MHzMegahertz(Unit for frequency)
milmilitarymilitary operator
MMMiddle MarkerMarker beacon
NDBNon-directional beaconNon-directional beacon on long or medium waves
NMNautical Miles(Unit for length)
OMOuter MarkerMarker beacon
PRMGПРМГ Посадочная радиомаячная группаSoviet / russian military instrument landing system
RSBNРСБН Rадиотехническая система ближней навигацииSoviet / russian military radio navigation system
SBAStandard Beam ApproachApproach system, Lorenz system, predecessor of the ILS
THRThresholdRunway threshold (most often with number of runway)
transf.transformedCoordinates were converted from a different reference system, therefore there may be deviations.
VARVisual-Aural Rnange
VORVHF Omnidirectional Radio Range
WWatt(Unit for power)
WGS84World Geodetic System 1984(geospatial reference system, GPS coordinates)

Directory


For historical information only, do not use for navigation or aviation purposes!

Bad Vöslau: Airfield


Soviet airfield Bad Vöslau, Austria
Sketch of the Soviet airfield Bad Vöslau from July 1952 - This map gives a good indication that radio beacons were also present at Soviet airfields in Austria: 1 = Outer radio beacon, 3 = Inner radio beacon (Source: CIA)

Graz: Thalerhof Airport (Nitter Air Base)


Graz: Locator (civ)
N4658 E01527 (approx.), 350°/1.0 NM to field Google Maps
GR, 329 kHz, 60 W
Operated on request.
Graz: NDB (civ)
N4655 E01528 (approx.), 350°/4.4 NM to field Google Maps
OEG, 290 kHz, 800 W

Innsbruck: Airport (Kranebitten)


Innsbruck: NDB (FAF)
N4714 E01125 (approx.), 127°/3.0 NM to field Google Maps
OEJ, 278 kHz, 1000 W
The direction 127° is probably the direction from the field to the beacon.

Klagenfurt: Airport (Annabichl, Möderndorf)


Klagenfurt: NDB (civ)
N4639 E01419 (approx.) Google Maps
OEK, 374 kHz, 1200 W

Linz: Hörsching Airport (Vogler Air Base)


Linz: Locator (US)
N4814 E01419 (approx.) Google Maps
LO, 301 kHz, 15 W
Linz: Locator (US)
N4814 E01413 (approx.) Google Maps
LI, 316 kHz, 15 W
Linz: NDB (US)
N4818 E01404 (approx.) Google Maps
OEL, 327 kHz, 400 W
Linz: Range (US)
272°/3.0 NM to field
OEA, 327 kHz
In 1950.

Salzburg: Airport


Salzburg: Locator (US)
N4748 E01300 (approx.) Google Maps
SZ, 315 kHz
Salzburg: NDB (US)
N4756 E01257 (approx.), 349°/9.0 NM to field Google Maps
OES, 382 kHz, 800 W

For historical information only, do not use for navigation or aviation purposes!

Vienna: Schwechat Airport (Wien)


Wien/Schwechat: Eureka (RAF)
Wien/Schwechat: NDB (RAF)
OEW, 408 kHz
Located at field. In 1950.
Wien/Schwechat: NDB (civ)
N4806 E01635 (approx.) Google Maps
WN, 325.3 kHz
Operated from 1 hour before estimated time of arrival (ETA).
Wien/Schwechat: SBA (RAF)
Runway 12:
Wien/Schwechat: ILS 12
OEW, 110.3 MHz
Operated during aerodrome times.
Wien/Schwechat: LOM 12
N4808 E01628 (approx.), 300°/3.9 NM to field Google Maps
WO, 378 kHz, 40 W
On test.
Wien/Schwechat: MM 12
120°/0.65 NM to THR 12
Dots Dashes, 75 MHz
Vienna Schwechat airfield on a map from 1950
Vienna Schwechat airfield on a map from 1950 - At this time, the field is used by the Royal Air Force (RAF). The circular symbol in the upper left is the beacon "OEW" on 408 kHz. (Source: DoD)

Tulln: Air Base (Langenlebarn, Brumowski)


Wien/Tulln: NDB (US)
N481926 E0160550 (WGS84, transf.) Google Maps
OEC, 358 kHz, 750 W
Wien/Tulln: Range (US)
N481850 E0160709 (WGS84, transf.) Google Maps
OEA, 256 kHz, 100 W
The four predefined courses to the Range were 089°, 179°, 269° and 359°.
Approach to Tulln Airfield, Austria, in 1951
Approach to Tulln Airfield by using the Tulln Range (1951) - The airfield is located in the Soviet occupation zone, but is used by US troops

For historical information only, do not use for navigation or aviation purposes!


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