Controllers keep aircraft moving

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Brok McCarthy
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFNS) --  Air traffic controllers here manage the base's runway that never rests, averaging 5,100 takeoffs and landings a month, or approximately 200 each day. 

Members of the 379th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron are responsible for anything within the base's air space, which extends out in a 5-mile radius from the center of the airfield and 3,000 feet above sea level. 

The tower here has at least three people on duty at all times including a ground controller, local controller and watch supervisor. 
 
"We ensure the combat operations for the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing aircraft are completed," said Master Sgt. Kraig Chapman, the 379th EOSS tower chief controller, who is deployed from the Air Force Flight Standards Agency in Oklahoma City. "We ensure aircraft are on time so they can transport what they are delivering, whether that be cargo, combat support or (munitions). 

"As an aircraft approaches, the local controller visually acquires that aircraft, ensures the runway is clear of any aircraft or vehicular traffic that could impede its landing, and then clears the aircraft to land," said Sergeant Chapman, a native of Sand Springs, Okla. "Once the aircraft lands, it is turned over from the local controller to the ground controller, who taxi's them to park or to the ramp, wherever their location might be." 

The watch supervisor is ultimately responsible for everything that occurs in the tower, including making sure both controller positions are always filled. 

"One of the more unique things about being in a control tower is the watch supervisor is always in control," Sergeant Chapman said. "It doesn't matter that I'm the senior air traffic controller, the second I work in one of the positions up there, I work for the watch supervisor." 

Controllers work eight-hour shifts to ensure Federal Aviation Commission and Air Force standards are met. However, during that time, controllers rarely get an opportunity to leave the tower. Lunch is brought to them and they need to have permission from the watch supervisor and have someone cover their position before they can leave to even go to the bathroom. 

Normally, controllers will switch positions every so often to keep them fresh and focused. 

"They are basically tied down to the facility for eight hours without leaving," Sergeant Chapman said. "We try to work three or four hours in one position and then switch it up to give them a different perspective on what's going on." 

One of the most difficult things about working in the tower is it can go from being slow one second to having four or five things happening the next. Things can get especially tense if an aircraft declares an in-flight emergency; however, air traffic controllers are trained to function efficiently. 

"When an aircraft declares an emergency, they have priority over everything else that we do," Sergeant Chapman said. "We continue to work our other traffic as normal to try and get as many aircraft in before the emergency comes in, just in case it shuts down the runway." 

He said the ground controller will use the crash phone to inform all necessary agencies, including airfield management, crash control, the medical group and command post. The controller also stays in constant contact with the fire chief, even after the crash phone is hung up, to make sure he is aware of every detail that's happening. 

When air traffic controllers first arrive on station, they are required to be "rated," or certified to function on their own. The reason for this is every runway is different and has different parking areas and ramps. Tech. Sgt. Ramon McQueen, air traffic control training and standardization NCO in charge deployed from Robbins Air Force Base, Ga., said it's important controllers are familiar with the local airfield so they can operate safely. 

"Normally on deployments, you try to get controllers spun up as quickly as possible," Sergeant McQueen said. "We have the training set up for 10 days, but we normally get it done in three days, because everyone knows when they come here, what they're here for." 

Until they are rated to operate safely by themselves, an individual who has already been checked out will stand over the controller's shoulder to ensure no mistakes are made, the Tyler, Texas, native said. Once a controller is rated, he can function in both the local- and flight-controller positions. 

"In air-traffic control, there is rarely a second chance," Sergeant Chapman said. "Once you make a decision, it's done and you have to make do with what you just did. Our goal is to make sure no bad decisions are made. 

"Our controllers are fantastic," he said. "It's a very high visibility job and this is the first deployment for many of them, but they do a great job."