ATC: Keeping the skies safe

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Chad Strohmeyer
  • 374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan -- --  Imagine you're a pilot. You've been flying for several hours, you radio down to the tower and request permission to land, but nobody answers...

This is what pilots would have to deal with air traffic controllers didn't exist.

The 374th Operations Support Squadron air traffic control tower and radar approach control are committed to ensuring the safety of pilots and aircraft, whether they are taking off or landing.

"Our role as controllers is very important to the safety of aircrew," said Staff Sgt. Bryan Bentley, 374 OSS air traffic controller. "If we didn't exist, pilots couldn't safely get off the ground."

In addition to advising pilots on the ground, they also ensure the mission flows smoothly in the air.

"The tower is responsible for five nautical miles of airspace around Yokota," said Bentley. "It's our job to ensure all aircraft know about each other, so they can operate safely within the airspace."

"The tower handles aircraft in the immediate vicinity then turns them over to RAPCON," he said. "RAPCON controls 60 nautical miles of airspace around the base."

Controllers are split up in to two roles: tower and radar. The two units work together two ensure all aircraft takeoff, fly and land safely.

"Our job in RAPCON is to coordinate for arrivals at specified distances and to keep the tower aware of aircraft before communications are transferred," said Senior Airman Willie Pruitt, 374 OSS radar approach controller. "If communication is broken or sidestepped, a good day can go bad fast."

Controllers go through extensive training to handle all possible stressful scenarios.
"ATC is training, training and more training," said Master Sgt. Adriana Hickman, 374 OSS chief controller. "Regardless of your skill level, the possibility of getting kicked out of the career field exists throughout your entire career."

There are many who wash out during technical school, added Hickman. But because on-the-job-training is a different experience, many are washed out during the eight to 13 month process of OJT at their first duty station.

ATC is very difficult, and according to Hickman, it requires dedication from each person.
"Being an air traffic controller is not something everyone can do," said Bentley. "You have to have confidence in yourself that you can handle any situation. Lives depend on us to make the right decision."