Catalogue description Civil Aviation Radio Advisory Committee: Correspondence and Papers

The Civil Aviation Radio Advisory Committee (CARAC), was the child of the Air Radio Advisory Committee (ARAC), set up in 1942 by Sir Robert Watson Watt to consider the post-war application in the field of civil aviation of radio equipment developed during the war years, to formulate the civil requirements and to make proposals for the standardisation of radio equipment for use in transport aircraft. In 1945 ARAC, still under the chairmanship of Sir Robert Watson Watt, was taken over by the newly formed Ministry of Civil Aviation. Watson Watt was subsequently appointed Telecommunications Adviser to the Minister. The membership of the Committee at that time was purely departmental.

The terms of reference of the Civil Aviation Radio Advisory Committee were as follows:

• to advise on the best course of action to be taken by the responsible authorities to ensure that Civil Aviation shall reap the fullest benefit from radio research, development, production and application
• to co-ordinate UK participation in international and Commonwealth conferences dealing with radio for Civil Aviation
• to guide as appropriate the work of the CERCA Central Office.
• to report, as necessary, to the Minister of Civil Aviation.Operators PanelTo meet the demand for continuing facilities for discussion of common operational problems between the users, the operators, industry and the Government Departments concerned

At the end of the War Sir Victor Tait who until then had represented the Air Ministry on CARAC, retired from the RAF. In order that the Ministry of Civil Aviation should continue to benefit from his long experience and valuable advice on telecommunication matters, he was invited to serve on the Committee in a personal capacity. Later, when the Airline Corporations and the Radio Communication and Electronic Engineering Association (radio industry) were offered membership of CARAC, he represented the scheduled operators. He ceased to be a member when he retired from BOAC in 1957.

In 1948 the following three sub-committees were formed:

• Research and Development Panel; designed to meet the requirements of the Ministry of Supply for a technical panel to co-ordinate the work of the operational research sections and the development programme of the research establishments concerned.

• Industries Panel. - designed to meet the requirements of industry for a committee of experts to consider problems of common interest to the radio industry and the government departments concerned with radio for civil aviation.

• Operators Panel. - designed to meet the demand for continuing discussions on common operational problems between the users, the operators, industry and the government departments concerned.

Later in 1948 the Radio Communication and Electronic Engineering Association (RC & EEA) were admitted to membership of CARAC itself. Consequently it was considered that the need for an Industries Panel had largely disappeared and, in 1950, both the Industries Panel and the Research and Development Panel were dissolved. The Operators Panel remained in being but has not met since 1950. In 1947 Air Vice Marshal Sir Conrad Collier succeeded Sir Robert Watson Watt as Chairman of CARAC. In 1948 Air Chief Marshal Sir Frederick Bowhill became Chairman followed in 1950 by Sir Alfred LeMaitre.

The membership of the Committee included the following organisations:

• Main Committee
• Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation
• Air Ministry
• Ministry of Supply
• General Post Office
• British Overseas Airways Corporation
• British European Airways
• Radio Communication and Electronic Engineering Association
• Operators Panel
• Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation
• Ministry of Supply
• Radio Communication and Electronic Engineering Association
• International Aeradio Ltd
• British Overseas Airways Corporation
• British European Airways
• British Air Line Pilots Association
• British Independent Air Transport Association
• Guild of Air Pilots & Air Navigators
• Royal Aero Club
• Radio Officers Union