As an octogenarian senior, my past is now part of history...... Hopefully the following info interests others.

This page displays photos I had of the past. The black and whites are not mine. In the late 1950's and 1960's I flew an aerial photographer that made his photos below of the Calgary airport available to me. I worked on the Calgary airport at the time and have been in all the itemized locations. I added information pertaining to the facilities that the arrows point to.

I put this page together until such time as I put CYYC history into a Video. The video is now available on the video link and I will be removing this page when I get time.

Why did I add the header-photo of a Piper J3, Harvard AT6, Dehavilland Beaver DHC2 and one of the old Calgary ATC Towers? They are all old Warbird aircraft, part of aviation history and I spent many hours flying these 3 and years working in this Tower.

Calgary International Airport

(early-1960’s).

The information below is related to the above photo and should give this photo meaning and historical information for those interested. 

The Information of mine is accurate as over the years from 1959 I worked on this airport. Before and during the time of this photo I was at and in every one of the locations and facilities indicated.

The top of this photo is true North. The sequence of numbers may be difficult to follow but it simplified it for me to document.

Arrows # -

1 - Start at the lower left .... Millot's Service Station. Gas-Bar and mechanical servicing. 

Owned by three brothers, Ted, Jack and Bob. Bob was a pilot in Calgary and only worked at the service station when needed. 

2 - Calgary Airports second Fire Hall located on the SW side of the airport. #1 Fire Hall (arrow #18) was on the SE side of the airport. It became inadequate and was dismantled. 

3 - Texaco building. Aircraft refuelling for local and itinerant aircraft.

4 - British American (BA) building (west side). Aircraft refuelling for local and itinerant aircraft.

5 - Calgary International Airport (CYYC), second Terminal Building.

The first Terminal building in YC, (see arrow #12) was on the SE side and outgrown but still in use today for company aircraft.

6 - Location for all the future airport maintenance equipment. Building was completed shortly after this photo. vehicles.

7 - Future location for the ATC Tower # 3. The first ATC  tower in YC was on top hangar #1.

The (arrow # 13), the second tower is on top of the terminal building (arrow #5) at the time of this photo.

8 - The first Radar Antenna installed at Calgary International Airport. Airport and Area Surveillance Radar (AASR-1)

9 - Both Arrows, left and right, point to two chicken farms.

10 - The RCAF Reserve was downsizing their base at Calgary Airport by removing most of their structures at the south east  side of the airport. 

Arrow # 10 RCAF building was the Airmens-Mess, it remained and taken over by the Calgary Flying Club for airport social events.

11 - British American (BA) building (East-Side), aircraft refuelling for local and Itinerant aircraft.

12 - Was the original Airport Terminal Building. It became inadequate with the increase in air-traffic. At the time off this photo it belonged to Chinook Flying Service, aircraft training and air-charter.

13 - Hangar #1 was the first of the 4 RCAF hangars inline, all built during the WW2 era. At the time of this photo it was owned by Foothills Aviation and Gateway Aviation. They also leased out space and hangared other company aircraft. Gateway Av was the YC Cessna deaklership and a branch of Gateway at the Edmonton airport. Foothills Av was a charter Co.

This hangar also had the first ATC Tower built on the top, north corner. It was replaced by the tower on top of the second Terminal building (arrow #5). Later this hangar with aircraft burned to the ground.

14 - Hangar #2 at the time of this photo was owned by Trans Aircraft, the Piper Dealer for Alberta. Hangar space was also leased out to other corporate oil companies that had aircraft. This hangar and aircraft burned to the ground.

15 - Hangar #3. (… actually there is some discrepancy in this numbering as recorded during this era, but I won’t get into that now). Later this hangar was known as United Aviation and leased out hangar space for aircraft storage and maintenance. Later this hangar and aircraft burned to the ground.

16 - Hangar #4 remained with the RCAF Reserve at the time of this photo. In later years it was acquire by Kenn Borek Air and at this time still is.

17 - The arrow pointing up is the Calgary to Edmonton Highway # 2. Now known as Barlow Trail due to the relocation of Highway #2 to Deerfoot Trail.

The arrow pointing down is also the highway #2 to Edmonton. Which is 48th Ave. McKnight Blvd. It connects at the intersection just off the right side of this photo. At a later date due to the close proximity to the threshold of runway 34 to the highway, this portion of the highway was diverted as it is mapped now.

18 - The Firehall for the airport crash equipment was originally owned and operated by the RCAF and located across the ramp from the RCAF Hangar. At the time of this photo they had just relocated the building with new equipment to the SW side of the airport and now and the Fire Hall is owned and operated by the City of Calgary.  

19 - RCAF Administration office. Later sold to Alpine Helicopters.

20 - RCAF Military Drill-Hall for marching, training and displays during inclement weather. Shortly after this photo the Calgary Air Museum took over the facility. It has gone through many name changes and I believe it is now "The Hangar Flight Museum."

21 - RCAF Guard House. As this was RCAF property there were gates continuously monitored by military police for civilians entering this area of the airport. I never saw it but I was told they had a jail cell in the back of the building for unruly trespassers and / or visitors to this military base.

22 - The Calgary Flying Club (CFC) hangar. Taxiway access was between hangars #2 and #3. The CFC was relocated not long after the opening of the Springbank airport and a two story hangar built.

Calgarys First Airport Terminal Building…

The photo above was taken before 1957, which was the date the new terminal on the south-west side was built and available to move into. This building was then occupied by Chinook Flying Service, which provided Charter, Flying Instruction, Aircraft Rental and Aircraft Maintenance.

Arrow #…

#1 … Is the original Calgary Airport Terminal built in the WW2 era and available to Airlines. The attached tower was never used as an ATC Tower.

On Airside adjacent to the Ramp is an Observation Platform. The aircraft parked on the ramp are TCA's Lockheed Lodestar L18’s. The smaller aircraft lower-centre appears to be a Lockheed Electra L10.

Trans Canada Airlines (TCA flew these two models in that era.)

The Tower on the north side was never used as an ATC Tower. When I worked in this hangar (flying) the tower was for Radio equipment for the buildings use to communicate with these older Airlines. When Chinook took over, the tower was used for storage of office documents, equipment and aircraft parts.

#2 … In that era this hangar was referred to as Hangar 1. It was occupied by Gateway Aviation the Cessna Dealers and Foothills Aviation aircraft charter, maintenance and storage.

The Tower on the corner of this hangar was the first ATC Tower on the CYYC airport.

#3 … This small building housed the Auxiliary Diesel Motor to Generate electric power to the Terminal Building hangar when the Cities electric power failed to the Terminal building. Later Chinook Flying Service gutted it and used it as a Test-Stand for test running rebuilt aircraft engines.

#4 … This building was a garage for inside storage for all the Terminal ramp-equipment.

This Terminal building is one of the few hangars and buildings on the Calgary airport still in use today.

This second Terminal Building opened 1957. 

This photo was taken early 1960's. These parking circles had just been painted and TCA's DC8's just started flying in Can. I started controlling in the above ATC Tower in 1959.

Arrow #...

1 - Two windows on the left is the Airport Managers (APM) Office. Window on the right is the APM’s Receptionist desk. When the new Terminal was built at the North end of the airport, Transport Canada Air Services Inspectors opened a branch in this office until the building was 

2 - Window on the left is the Trans Canada Airlines (TCA), Chief Pilots office. Window on the right is the TCA radio Dispatch office.

3 - Five windows 2nd floor is the "Radio Range" (RR) Office. Later renamed to “Air Radio” (AR). Later renamed “Flight Service Station” (FSS), for flight-planning.

4 - Three Baggage Doors are available to all Airlines using the Terminal, then transported to the carousel, arrow #12 ground floor.

5 - 2nd floor Weather Department with Pilot Weather Briefing and Forecasters Office.

6 - Two windows on the left, (3rd floor), is a small room for the Radio Frequencies and Telephone Tap Recorders. Three windows on the right is the ATC Unit Chiefs (UC) Office.

7 - Air Traffic Control Tower (ATC-TWR). No Radar in the Tower back in that era. However, the radar itsitsitsitsitsitsitsitsitsitsitsitsitsitsitsitsitsitsitsitsitse and the radar room was one floor down from the Tower. (see arrow #10)

8 - Multiple Bays for Airport and Airline Vehicles to be maintained. 

9 - Is assigned to the Aircraft Refuelling Co that has the yearly contract to refuel Airlines. Also available for multi use by other agencies when space is available.

10 - Terminal Control Unit - (TCU), IFR with Radar. Located 3rd floor behind the UC’s Office.

11 - First floor ground-level north-side, baggage and cargo storage.

2nd floor, many single Roomette rooms with beds for Airline aircrew layovers.

12 - First floor ground level south side, Baggage Carousels for arriving passenger pickup.

2nd floor above, a small Cocktail Lounge with entertainment.

13 - Emergency Electric Power Plant during Power Failures. With outside power grid behind the CALGARY Sign.

14 - Main Entrance and Exit to the Terminal Building. (Off-Airside).

15 - Theodolite Observatory. The Weather Observer exits the building one floor below the tower, walks the full length of the rooftop to the small room with the Dome on top. He then fills a Weather Balloon with Helium and releases it outside. He then re-enters the room, opens the Dome and uses the Theodolite to follow the ascent of the Balloon as it raises many thousands of feet. The observer determines the upper wind direction and speed from this maneuver.

Also, from this position the Observer releases another larger Balloon and monitors its ascent which continuously transmits the Temperature and Dew-point at the various altitudes, back to the Observers monitoring station gauges.

16 - Employee Vehicle Parking. Public parking is out of frame on the left side of the Employee Parking area.

17 - First Floor at Ground Level is a Restaurant. 2nd Floor above is Dinning room with small dance floor and a small Band-Stand.

18 - The complete attached building is Canadian Customs and Immigration.

19 - Staircase from ground level to the upper Observation Deck on Airside. Waiting passengers can exit the side door under the CALGARY sign, follow the pathway beside the building and ascend the staircase to the viewing area.

20 - The large black circles are the designated aircraft parking areas. Now that we are into the jet age, spilt Jet-Fuel raise havoc with asphalt, so the black is the appropriate paint added to the circle protecting the underlying asphalt from spilt jet-fuel. 

The photo below was taken late 1950's

Another viewing angle.

Arrow #…

#1 … RCAF Hangar #4. Mid to late 1960’s the RCAF Reserve disbanded on the Calgary Airport. Hangar now occupied by Kenn Borek Air. 

#2 … United Aviation Hangar #3. Aircraft Maintenance and Storage. Burned to the ground. Shell Oil built a Hangar on the site.

#3 … Trans Aircraft Hangar #2. Piper Aircraft Sales. Aircraft Maintenance and Storage. Burned to the ground.

#4 … Hangar #1. Gateway Aviation, Cessna Dealer. Foothills Aviation, Aircraft Charter and Maintenance. This was the first ATC Tower on the Calgary Airport. Tower moved to the second Terminal building 1956 / 57. Hangar burned to the ground.

#5 … Aircraft Instrument Repair shop.

#6 … Ben Franklin Aircraft Engine Overhaul shop.

#7 … RCAF Drill Hall. Now The Hangar Air Museum.

#8 … RCAF Guard House and Security gate Entrance. This and the building beside it was Taken over by Alpine Helicopters.

#9 … Calgary Flying Club until they moved to SpringBank Airport about 1970.

#10..  The previous original Terminal Building. Time of this photo taken it was Chinook Flying Service with Flying School, Aircraft Charter, Aircraft Maintenance. The attached tower was never used as an ATC Tower.

#11.. Boyd and Fielder Refuelling. British American (BA) AvGas and Jet Fuel.

#12.. RCAF Airmen’s Mess Hall. Late 1960’s Calgary Flying Club took over the building as their social club with a cocktail lounge.

I hope you enjoy looking back on the history of the

Calgary Airport. 

I will be adding more historical airport photos shortly. Either on this page or the  "Aerial Photo" page.  Link above.

You may be interested in these 2 Links of mine below, that will take you to my...

Aerial Photos

at the

University of Calgary / Glenbow Museum

(There are over a thousand of them so plan on lots of time)...

• https://digitalcollections.ucalgary.ca/CS.aspx?VP3=DamView&VBID=2R3BXZ7D1MS5U&PN=1&WS=PackagePres&FR_=1&W=1121&H=671

Also my... 

Youtube Channel

(Historical Aviation Videos)...

• https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC63VhyiR7MHMe6NhVpgQG4g/videos