Civil and Military Air Traffic

In March 1957 the 1820th AACS Group reported an average of 10 civil flights per day. Complete records on the traffic in 1957 no longer exist, but other reports mention 96 civil and 631 military flights on one day, 4.839 IFR training flights above 20.000 feet in April, 5.277 in May and 4.919 in June, an overall number of about 65.000 flights annually for 1957.

Typical traffic situations occurred mainly during the morning hours up to 1200 hours, during afternoon hours after 1330 hours and in the early evening hours until 2300 hours local time, all normally lasting for two to three hours in duration. The normal split between general (GAT) and operational (OAT) air traffic during those years was 80 % for OAT and 20 % for GAT. This relation remained unchanged for a long time and began to differ significantly for GAT as of 1967, which rose to 60% in 1968, mainly due to the military flights now often conducted without any air traffic service provision or under Non – ATS military radar stations. In 1968 over 100 different civil airlines operated in the upper airspace. Military traffic was originated mainly by USAFE, GAF, GNY, RAF, RCAF, BAF, RNAF, RDAF, FAF and the IAF. During 29 May 1967, for instance, 54 flights were under control and in radio contact with Rhein UAC within a 15 minute period, handled by two controllers only.

Read More:
German Air Traffic Control During The Cold War
The Story of Rhein Control
Vol 3, The Operation of ATC in South Germany's Upper Airspace 1957-1977
https://www.amazon.de/dp/1536994391