GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- Every
week Capt. Chris Hawkins instructs two to four different pilots in Global
Air Traffic Management System, or GATM, upgrade training.
He has to pack his bags, kiss his wife and kids
goodbye and prepare himself for yet another trip to Hickam Air Force Base,
Hawaii. It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it.
The KC-135 is constantly undergoing upgrades. The
latest in a long list of navigational upgrades is the installation of the
GATM system found in almost all commercial aircraft.
Captain Hawkins, 911th Air Refueling Squadron here,
and Capt. James Wilson, 912th ARS have the unique responsibility of
training the rest of the base pilots in the use of new equipment. GATM
computer systems, in short enable the pilots to “talk” to air traffic
controllers without a radio.
“There are so many aircraft flying right now that
radios are becoming increasingly clogged,” said Captain Hawkins.
The remedy – get rid of radios.
GATM is a giant “instant messaging” system. An
air traffic controller can now talk to several different aircraft
simultaneously; whereas before they could only talk to one aircraft at a
time.
The system not only allows controllers and the
Tanker Airlift Control Center to better communicate with pilots in the
air, it also helps to control air traffic.
“It’s [amazing] how the amount of air traffic
has increased in recent years,” said Captain Hawkins.
Due to high operations tempo, more aircraft are
being tasked every day to fly numerous hours. But military aircraft aren’t
the only ones flying; commercial aircraft have to fly in the same
airspace.
“The GATM System helps control and manage that
system a little easier,” said Captain Hawkins. “Aircraft need space,”
he said. “Increased aircraft means less space for the aircraft to fly
in. Since we can’t create more space we have to make the distance
between aircraft shorter so more aircraft can fit in the same amount of
space. GATM uses computers to regulate and manage the ‘closing of the
gap.’”
Right now, a KC-135 needs a certain amount of
airspace. With the GATM System, the goal is to have two or three aircraft
fit into the same amount of space ordinarily occupied by one aircraft.
The upgrade to the GATM System also lends some
subtle aesthetic changes to the aircraft. A GATM-equipped aircraft has an
extra monitor on the control panel, more computer systems, antennae, a new
transmitter fin on the belly of the aircraft and satellite wires on the
top of the aircraft.
It also has a new joystick–like controller on the
armrest of the pilot and copilot seats.
“This new controller helps us navigate through all
the menus the new system has,” said Capt. Jeff Roper, 911th ARS.
Soon all KC-135s will be upgraded to GATM systems,
and all pilots will need training. Pilots are required to get numerous
ground hours in the GATM simulator here. Along with the simulator hours
they must also attain a week of computer based training on the subject.
Pilots have not completed their entire GATM training unless they spend one
hour in a data link environment. A data link environment is an environment
where the aircraft reports directly to air traffic control through a data
link. The closest data link environment is in the Pacific and the closest
base in the Pacific is Hickam.
“We spend a lot of time in the air going back and
forth to Hawaii,” said Captain Hawkins. “Soon this system will be in
all Air Force aircraft. I’m just glad that I can be a part in bringing
everyone up to speed.”