Berlin Air Safety Centre

The Berlin Air Safety Centre (BASC) was established by the Allied Control Council's Coordinating Committee on 12 December 1945.

The BASC was one of two Four-Power Authorities to continue functioning following the onset of the Cold War, the other being Spandau Prison, which ceased operations following the death of Rudolf Hess on 17 August 1987.

The Soviets, in attempt to mitigate being out numbered,[citation needed] had both a controller and interpreter on duty until its closing on 31 December 1990, following the lapse of Allied responsibilities in Berlin.

The BASC coordinated air traffic in and out of Berlin and was responsible for air safety in the three corridors established in 1946 as well as in the Berlin control zone, the airspace within a 20 mi (32 km) radius of a pillar located in the cellar of the Allied Control Authority building.

Tensions reached an understandable high during the Berlin Airlift in 1948–49, during which many fights broke out among controllers, though the success of the campaign was in large part due to the coordination carried out within the BASC.