Yay combat controllers...

JumperBones mantequilla

pretty neat stuff...

AMERICAS NEWS JANUARY 19, 2010, 1:19 A.M. ET

U.S. Team Directs Traffic in Crowded Skies

By MICHAEL M. PHILLIPS

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti?A Federal Express 727 and a giant U.S. Air Force cargo jet from Washington state were at an impasse on the taxiway, one trying to reach a parking spot while the other headed for the runway. U.S. Navy and Canadian rescue helicopters swarmed overhead. A Bolivian DC-10 had just landed, as had former President Bill Clinton in a red-white-and-blue Boeing 757.

But U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Don Travo's immediate problem on Monday afternoon was finding a place for a C-130 on final approach. "I can't get him in," Sgt. Travo shouted, before ordering the plane to swerve from its flight path and turn tight circles over Port-au-Prince until told otherwise.

Air Force special-operations troops control Port-au-Prince air traffic from a table next to the runway.
Less than a week after a powerful earthquake shattered the Haitian capital, Toussaint Louverture International Airport?the port of entry for millions of pounds in emergency aid?is chaotic but functioning. What was a dangerous aviation free-for-all in the disaster's immediate aftermath, with aid planes jostling for space on the single runway, is now being tamed by a small team of Air Force special-operations troops who control air traffic from a folding table set up on a patch of dirt beside the runway.

"We're trying to make order out of chaos," said Chief Master Sgt. Tyler Foster.

The airmen have guided more than 819 planes in as of Monday morning, including 171 on Sunday night. On Monday, a cargo plane, from Charleston, S.C., arrived with 39,472 bottles of water and 31,256 packaged meals.

The U.S. government has ordered that all arriving planes be issued landing slots before take-off, and that all aircraft arrive with enough fuel to circle for 90 minutes, land, depart and reach their next destination. "All operators are advised that fuel and other ground-support services may be unavailable," the order read.

Elsewhere at the airport, Haitian aviation officials, assisted by American and Canadian traffic controllers, now contact planes 30 or 40 miles out, keeping order as the aircraft head toward Port-au-Prince. When they are within 10 or 20 miles, the Air Force controllers take over to guide the aircraft onto the lone runway.

The airmen have been here since the evening after the earthquake, when they found that aid planes were landing randomly. They brought enough landing lights for the 10,000-foot runway, although the existing lights were still functioning. The control tower, however, was too badly damaged to be used. So the airmen put their table out next to the runway and, within 20 minutes of arriving, they began contacting airplanes with the message, "This is Port-au-Prince tower." They have been there since, working and sleeping in 12-hour shifts.

They landed about 50 planes that first night, and guided 35 or 40 to take off. There were only 10 parking spots by the main terminal, so aircraft stacked up quickly, blocking each other's movement in a tangle. Small planes are sent to park on grassy fields. Helicopters are restricted to one side of the runway so that they don't interfere with arriving jets.

At times, one airmen jumps on a motorcycle to escort arriving airplanes to the appropriate parking spots.

Still, there are moments when chaos overwhelms the control. When Mr. Clinton's plane arrived, it had to wait for a C-130 to back out of its parking position. "Come on?move," Tech. Sgt. Joe Hepler said, pounding his head with his hand.

During the early days, incoming pilots often demanded clearance to land, arguing that their cargo was the most vital. "Everybody seemed to be a priority," said Staff Sgt. Chad Rosendale.

To bring some order, there is now a written priority list, issued by the U.S. embassy on behalf of the Haitian government, which gives deliveries of water and food precedence over other supplies.

Technically, the runway isn't wide enough for the largest cargo planes, but in recent days, the airmen have accommodated huge Russian-built jets. "We've gone beyond what is allowed," Sgt. Rosendale said.

Federal Aviation Administration officials arrived Monday and conducted an assessment of runway conditions in anticipation of returning air-traffic control to civilian hands. The FAA is examining the possibility of bringing in a mobile control tower to replace the folding table, according to the Air Force.

FAA officials on the ground declined to comment.

Write to Michael M. Phillips at michael.phillips@wsj.com

source

DanielEtvs Trusted Member hank krakowskis

its very rare to find someone able to handle the physical side of Combat Contro... AND also be a good controller. I never met a combat controller who was very good at ATC. just sayin

MikeATC Retired FAA, NATCA Member Nashville TN

Those guys are doing a fairly good job with the tools they have, this again shows why the FAA needs a go team of controllers that can go into an area like this and start working traffic. NATCA tried to convince the FAA of this need after Katrina devasted New Orleans, but our suggestion was ignored with the comment that management has it all under control.

This airport has limited ramp space which is a huge problem, I was glad to see that some of the controllers took the initiative and started working as Follow Me Drivers to park aircraft for unloading. I really feel for these guys having to put up with VIP aircraft coming in for their photo op, and taking up valuable ramp space, let alone the security concerns that come with VIP's.

Rosstafari Daaaang. /X

I read something a few days ago about one of said VIPs complaining that they weren't able to get down their because, to paraphrase, "the Air Force is messing up the airport."

You just gotta shake your head...

Durden Trusted Member

We all can't be up to your standards. Give us a break man.