Control tower a vital component at NAS Jax

With approximately 138,000 military and civilian aircraft flying in and out of the base annually, safety is the key factor in handling the day-to-day operations here. "Everything that we do is prefaced with safety. We don't do anything without talking about the safety issues first. When I have an E3 or E4 up in the tower running operations, the decisions they make could mean the difference between life and death," said Air Traffic Control Facilities Officer Lt. Dave Buston. So, it is imperative that everyone working here knows the Federal Aviation Administration and Navy guidelines pertaining to air operations."

To work in the tower or radar room, controllers are required to go through a series of qualifications before then man the numerous designated positions.

Tower supervisor AC1(AW) Michelle Scnitzler and tower chief ACC(AW/SW) Anterio Mack check the airfield lighting system.

"There are numerous qualifications that our personnel must train for. The first position they will handle when they come here after 16 weeks of Air Traffic Controller 'A' School, is the flight data controller. They are responsible for pulling flight strips that contain the aircraft's call sign, squawk (identifier for radar purposes), takeoff time, route and altitude after a pilot files a flight plan," continued Buxton.

"It is then passed on to the ground and local controller. The ground controller is responsible for everything on the airfield except for the active runway. This means all vehicles, aircraft and people. The local controller is responsible for everything in the sky within 5.3 miles of the base and the active runway. We also have a tower supervisor who is responsible for everything that goes on in the tower. They are required to know every position and how to handle any situation," he continued.

"In the radar room, we have five positions including two precision approach radar controllers, arrival controller, clearance delivery and the supervisor," explained Radar Supervisor AC1(AW/SW) Gregory West, who has worked here the past two years. "It took me a year to qualify as a radar supervisor but I really love my job and controlling airplanes. It really is the best job in the Navy."

AC3 Ian Shine checks the hourly weather status in the radar room.

After a controller learns every position in the tower and radar room, they can qualify as a facility watch supervisor (FWS), a position designated by the base commanding officer.

"It took me two years to qualify for this position. When I'm signed on as FWS, I am responsible for everything that goes on in the tower and radar branch. I am qualified to work in any position. It's challenging, but if you know the rules that govern us, things run pretty smoothly," stated AC1(AW) Michelle Coley.

"Our people are extremely talented. The mean age of our Sailors working here is about 24 and they have an incredible amount of responsibility. For an airman stationed here who qualifies as a tower or radar controller, it's a huge challenge because it takes a unique person to do this job and a lot of dedication. Some people never qualify. It's an ongoing process," added Buxton. "We probably have the best Sailors on the base working here because they train like they fight and they would fight like they train."

AC3 Ian Shine updates the weather chart for the day.

When a pilot arrives to file a flight plan, the coordinates are sent to in Hilliard, Fla. Once it is approved, the controllers here receive a flight strip with the coordinates. This information ends up with the clearance delivery controller in the radar room. The controller reads the information, checks to ensure all safety precautions are met and there are no aircraft in the general vicinity and sends them on their way. Information is communicated through computer switchboards and verbal communication through both the radar room and tower. The controllers are in constant communication with the pilots.

"We used to have a lot more aircraft here when the S-3s were around so it was more challenging trying to vector everyone in and out at the same time. But, things have slowed down here," added West. "I think our biggest challenge each day is dealing with the weather because you never know when a storm will come up. We constantly monitor the weather here."

"This is truly the best job in the world. No two days are the same. I am thrilled to come to work and experience the adrenaline rush. I think a lot of people think my job is stressful, but if you know the laws and know how to handle a situation safely, it's not stressful at all," stated AC2 Rusty Neesham.

Personnel in the radar room are constantly kept busy tracking the airfield.