Eyes on the sky: air traffic control Airmen keep birds flying

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Matthew Hubby
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  The mission of Dover Air Force Base, Del., is to deliver cargo downrange to the service members deployed there. Everything from bullets to beans flows through here, and is packaged up on pallets and shipped out to area of responsibility. In order for this to be accomplished, aircraft must safely land and depart from the base.

The air traffic control tower, and the 436th Operation Support Squadron air traffic controllers, oversees the aircraft that transit through Dover AFB every day. Training for air traffic controllers begins at their technical school at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., where they spend 72 days in academic courses before being sent to their first duty station to undergo up to a year or more of on-the-job training in order to become fully qualified.

"The OJT training is so much better than technical school. You are talking to [real pilots and] real aircraft and that really does make the difference. You have to be able to multi-task and focus on the situations in front of you," said Airman 1st Class Sabrina McRobie, an air traffic controller with the 436th OSS.

What does it take to be an air traffic controller? According to Airman 1st Class Iron Hiraldo, an air traffic controller with the 436th OSS, air traffic controllers need a lot of courage and determination, as well as an open mind and thick skin.

"When we are directing traffic, it's like guiding blind people. When pilots are using their instruments to land we have to tell them where the obstacles are located and help them avoid them by giving them directions," said Hiraldo.

By being self-motivated and able to think quickly under high pressure, air traffic controllers are able to keep aircraft safely separated in the sky, and issue safety alerts when required.

"Training is the hardest part of air traffic control," said Staff Sgt. Rachel McDaniel, tower watch supervisor with the 436th OSS. "Learning air traffic terminology is like learning a whole new language. Everything you learned in school is null and void when it comes to full sentences. We speak in direct, precise terms that pilots and vehicles operators understand. For some people, it takes some time to adjust to breaking the habit of speaking in full sentences."

Air traffic control can be a challenge, as no two days are the same, and controllers must respond quickly with an ever-changing environment. The high-stress environment and pressure to perform prepare them for when lives are in their hands.

"To me, after being an air traffic controller for the past nine years, it's still my biggest accomplishment. I am proud of what I do on a daily basis. Every day we're keeping people safe and delivering aircraft to support the mission. It's not something I ever dreamed of doing when I was younger, but now it's something I can't imagine my life without," said McDaniel.