The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has made available on its website the complete library of the iconic aviation safety publication—Aviation Safety Digest.
The 150 editions of the famed ‘crash comic’ span from 1953 to 1991, and include special editions on human factors, agricultural operations, visual flight and wake turbulence – to name just a few.
Speaking at the Civil Aviation Historical Society’s Airways Museum at Essendon Airport to officially launch the online editions, ATSB Chief Commissioner Greg Hood said this remarkable collection now preserves such an important part of Australia’s aviation safety history.
“Produced by our predecessor over 38 years, the Aviation Safety Digest provided valuable information and advice to help promote aviation safety in Australia,” Mr Hood said. “Australia has been at the forefront of transport safety for many years. It is important that we preserve and display our history, and this online library is an important historical record of aviation safety in the country.”
Chief Commissioner Hood personally thanked Ross Robotham, who scanned every page of each issue, and Research Fellow at the Civil Aviation Historical Society, Dr Peter Hobbins, who made the issues searchable.
“Without the diligence of Ross and Peter, it would have been impossible make this valuable aviation safety resource publicly available,” Mr Hood said,
“Making the collection of the Aviation Safety Digest available online is a wonderful example of the collegiate nature of Australian aviation.”
Esma Job, widow of Macarthur Job, who was the first full-time editor of the digest, said she was thrilled to see her late husband's work preserved online for everyone to see, now and in the future. 'Mac', as he was known, authored 64 issues of the digest over 14 years.
The online library of the Aviation Safety Digest is available on the ATSB website. www.atsb.gov.au/aviation/aviation-safety-digest (PDF reader required)
Read about the history of the Aviation Safety Digest on the Civil Aviation Historical Society and Airways Museum's website: www.airwaysmuseum.com/Aviation Safety Digest.htm