Smooth skies, Air Traffic Controllers keep base's traffic flowing safely

Published Aug. 6, 2010
By Staff Sgt. Patrick A. Harrower
60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Controlling the airspace around the largest host wing in the Air Mobility Command may seem like a highly stressful job, but the Airmen working in the air traffic control tower here rely on training and teamwork to complete the mission.

"I don't find the job stressful at all. As long as everyone is up to date on their training, this place runs very smoothly," said Tech. Sgt. Jessie L. Green Jr., 60th Operations Support Squadron tower deputy chief controller.

With roughly 3,300 aircraft continuously arriving and departing on a monthly basis, the Airmen who man the control tower are held to rigorous training guidelines to ensure safety and operational readiness.

Apprentice controllers train every day to gain experience and knowledge so that one day they can obtain their full tower certifications and work without a trainer plugged in behind them.

Some Airmen are already certified and are there to keep their training up to date. Airmen from the 615th Contingency Response Wing work rotations in the tower to provide additional support.

"Both wings benefit from the team effort," said Master Sgt. Brett Alvord, 60th OSS tower deputy chief controller. "The Airmen from the CRW get to keep proficient with their training and the 60th gets more flexibility with the extra manning."

Proficiency in the tower can be favorable when the Airmen are faced with the task of thinking quickly and making decisive actions to adapt to the frequently changing conditions.

Controllers are challenged to constantly calculate and recalculate altitude, speed and distance to ensure the proper separation exists between aircraft.

"The best part of the job is the quick tempo and the challenge to operate in a constantly changing environment," said Sergeant Green.

To maintain coverage on the ground and in the airspace around them, air traffic control is conducted in two different environments within the tower.

"Radar controllers operate in a semi-dark workspace and never actually see the aircraft they are controlling. Each aircraft is represented by a 'blip' on the radarscope," said Sergeant Alvord.

Surrounded by windows, the controllers on the upper floor of the tower manage the airspace visually.

There are multiple controllers watching different aspects of the flightline and the air around it. Each station monitors a specific area and the watch supervisor oversees everything they do.

The watch supervisor is usually the highest-ranking controller with the most experience. They are responsible for the overall safety and efficiency of tower operations.

With a strong force of experienced air traffic controllers guiding plenty of eager young apprentices, the mission of the AMC's largest host wing is carried out smoothly and safely on a daily basis. Airmen utilize their training and focus on teamwork to keep Travis running smoothly.

ATC