Incirlik's eyes on the sky: ATC keep mission on track

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jason Burton
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  With more than 31,000 aircraft movements a year, the 39th Operation Squadron air traffic control Airmen are an integral part of keeping air traffic flying in and out of Incirlik. 

One of the main goals of ATC Airmen is to enable aircraft to arrive and depart safely and smoothly. 

While ATC is one career field, it is broken into two categories; Airmen who work in the tower and those working in Radar Approach Control. 

"Air traffic controllers in radar approach control provide guidance to aircraft in our airspace," said Staff Sgt. Richard Gadek, 39 OS RAPCON watch supervisor. "We give safety alerts informing aircraft of other aircraft that could get close to each other and we also provide direction of flight." 

Tower personnel provide ground movement instructions to aircraft pilots, communicate with aircraft once it is within 10-15 miles from touchdown, and are also responsible for launching and landing the aircraft, he added. 

Incirlik's RAPCON, recently recognized as the 2007 United States Air Forces in Europe Radar Approach Control Facility of the Year, is responsible for airspace within a 50-mile radius of the base from 1,000 feet above ground to 28,000 feet, one of the largest such airspaces in the Air Force. 

Incirlik is also distinctive in another aspect; it jointly controls airspace with the host nation. 

"Incirlik is unique among all United States Air Force air traffic control facilities, due to jointly overlapping operations with Turkish controllers and aircraft in the same airspace," said Lt. Col. David Youtsey, 39 OS commander. 

Senior Master Sgt. Johnny Jesse, 39 OS RAPCON chief controller, said that ATC is different at every base. In fact, when an ATC Airmen arrives at a new base, they must be retrained and rated again before they are allowed to work unsupervised. 

"But we really are unique here because of the dual jurisdiction air space with the Turkish Air Force," he said. "Everything we do has to be coordinated with the Turkish Air Force and they coordinate with us as well." 

An important part of the joint-controlled airspace is knowing who controls which aircraft.
U.S. Airmen are responsible for all U.S. Department of Defense and North Atlantic Treaty Organization aircraft, while Turkish Airmen are responsible for Turkish military,  commercial and civilian aircraft entering Incirlik's controlled airspace. 

Whether working in the RAPCON or tower, ATC Airmen agree that achieving the joint mission at Incirlik is a goal reached only through teamwork. 

"The controllers in the RAPCON and the tower establish and maintain a close working relationship with their Turkish counterparts," said Colonel Youtsey. "This is vital to supporting safe flying operations, and contributes greatly to the local spirit of friendship and cooperation with our hosts." 

Sergeant Gadek said on a regular basis Turkish airliners, Turkish military, DOD and NATO aircraft enter Incirlik airspace from all angles and because of the communication flow, the joint mission is smoothly accomplished . 

"We have really good camaraderie and good spirits with our Turkish counterparts, especially our translators," said Sergeant Gadek. "This helps us get the mission done."