Laughlin students keep air traffic controllers busy

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Ryan Mattox
  • Air Force Print News
DEL RIO, TEXAS (AFPN) --  Just outside this small border town, with its low-key appearance and down-home lifestyle, Airmen control the Air Force's sixth busiest runway.

Airmen of the 47th Operations Support Squadron's air traffic control complex at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, operate in a unique training environment. They deal with student pilots, a shortage of air traffic controllers and flight safety concerns along the U.S-Mexico border.

Last year, air traffic controllers and student pilots generated more than 59,000 sorties from the base that is five miles north of the border. Laughlin pilots also racked up more than 89,000 flight hours, Chief Master Sgt. Zelda Montoya said. The chief is the squadron's chief of radar and approach control.

She said the complex, which consists of the air traffic control tower and the radar approach control facility, is also the fourth busiest in Air Education and Training Command with more than 258,000 aircraft passing through its air space annually.

The squadron manages the 47th Flying Training Wing's T-1 Jayhawk, T-6 Texan II and T-38 Talon trainers, as well as transient aircraft, and it assists with some aircraft that use nearby Del Rio International Airport.


Pilots buzzing above keep Laughlin air traffic controllers busy. They also create a hectic training environment for new air traffic controllers, the chief said.

Currently, there are 14 Airmen in various levels of training. But before they can become fully qualified and earn their five-level specialty badge, they will spend more than 11 months in training before moving on to handling live traffic without supervision, Chief Montoya said.

"We have a lot of training here -- not just for pilots but also for our air traffic controllers," Chief Montoya said. "We maximize every opportunity to train. However, because you have student pilots and air traffic controllers training here, that makes for an atmosphere where you have to be very alert."

Airmen train in the tower and the radar approach control facility using various radar simulators, classroom training, training videos and local computer-based training to meet their stringent training requirements.

Air traffic control journeyman Senior Airman Anthony Michels has more than three years on the job. He's adapted to the workload at Laughlin.

"I love this job. It's fun and intense because every single day is different and challenging and you have a lot of responsibility," the Airman said. "I take pride in knowing that I can do this job."

Master Sgt. Daniel Comer, the squadron's chief controller, has many more years of experience. He is responsible for dealing with manning issues, facility management and making sure air traffic controllers are sharp and have what they need to do their job.

On each shift -- at any given time -- there is a minimum of one watch supervisor and three controllers plus trainees in the tower controlling the movement of aircraft in and out of Laughlin.

"It's different here because it's a pilot training base. It's a high operations tempo. We have a lot of traffic, lots of student pilots in and out, there is a high turnover, and it's a unique environment to work in," Sergeant Comer said. "At a normal base, you are dealing with experienced pilots. But here you have new pilots, three runways, high volumes of traffic -- so the rules are unique."

The sergeant said that to work with pilots at the beginning of their career instead of after they have more experience gives controllers a different perspective here. The experienced controllers pass on what they know to the new ones.

The pilots appreciate that.

Capt. Erick Pacheco is one of those pilots. A T-1 instructor pilot, he flies with the 86th Flying Training Squadron. For him, life at Laughlin consists of balancing additional duties and staying proficient in the air, and maintaining his creditability as an instructor. Controllers help him achieve that balance.

"I think I've gained more self-confidence and situational awareness in a short amount of time here than I would have gained at a different assignment," Captain Pacheco said.

That's something for which he gives partial credit to the air traffic controllers. He also said flying at Laughlin is all about location and maintaining a good working relationship with air traffic controllers.

"It's a good location because it is centrally located, and it gives our students an opportunity to be exposed to different airspaces," he said. "And controllers do a good job controlling those three runways."