Team Concept

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jared Duhon
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  Five Air Traffic Controllers recently won an Air Mobility Command-level award for averting an aircraft's collision with local wildlife at Dover Air Force Base, Del.

The Lt. Gen. Gordon A. Blake Aircraft Assist Award is an AMC level award that is awarded for any action taken by an air traffic controller or airfield manager that results in the safe recovery of an imperiled airborne aircraft or help given to an endangered aircraft on the ground.

"Our job as air traffic controllers is to take all the information about the airfield and relay it to aircraft, basically just keep them safe and informed," said Airmen 1st Class Paul Gary, 436th Operations Support Squadron air traffic control apprentice. "Safety of flight is entire job of the air traffic control community."

On Nov. 1, 2012, a C-17A Globemaster was cleared to take off. Moments after takeoff clearance was issued, a transient alert vehicle reported to ground control that two deer were headed towards the active runway. The information was then rapidly relayed to the local controller who, with quick thinking, canceled the aircrafts' take off clearance. The aircraft was able to safely stop in time.

"There were four Airmen in position, one training in local control and one in ground control and one person watching each of them and they did an excellent job in handling the situation," said Bethany Cox, 436th OSS air traffic control watch supervisor. "As watch supervisor I ensure all operations in the tower cab are safe. I also log all action while on the desk such as the incident that happened that day."

In situations where the trainers feel the trainee is in trouble, they will step in and alleviate the situation. But both Gary, training in local control, and Airman 1st Class Gregory Mack, 436th OSS air traffic control apprentice, training in ground control, were able to display competent use of knowledge and the swift handling of significant information which aided in saving human life as well as the two deer, ensuring the mission was not affected more than just a small time delay.

"It is a big deal where birds or wildlife are, because one bird can do a lot of damage to our aircraft," said Mack. "But even with that pressure I was able to keep cool because I knew that no matter what my decision was, no one would allow it to adversely affect the operations and help me understand why it was right or wrong."

According to David Curtiss, 436th Airlift Wing safety office bird and wildlife aircraft strike hazard contractor, there are plans to create a funnel with gates to safely capture and relocate the deer off base.

But no plan is perfect.

Reports of deer jumping eight-foot fences are not uncommon, as well as trees falling due to inclement weather or even land erosion from rain water and rivers. Making vigilance of this kind from all personnel involved in aircraft movement operations a constant task.

"It was nice to be recognized by AMC for doing something that we do a least 100 times a day, said Mack. "And that is ensuring that aircraft stay safe."