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February 2007:
SRC began its tenth Winter-over season for Antarctica.
February 2007:
SRC ICE Team hiring continues.
Air Traffic Control Services
There are about 25 -30 Scientists deploying throughout the operating season involved in various science projects that are approved and funded by the National Science Foundation. Surprisingly, it seems that for each scientist that goes to Antarctica, between 25 and 30 non science related people must also deploy to support this effort.
As a valued supporter of the National Science Foundations Antarctic effort since 1997, SRC has
deployed Aviation Forecasters, Weather Observers, Aviation Electronics Technicians and Air Traffic Controllers
yearly. This comprises a team of about 50 people, 16 of which are Air Traffic Controllers. These controllers,
6 full time SRC employees and 10 part time or seasonal (Oct – Feb), start the preparations for Antarctic deployment
in March each year. These preparations include, but are not limited to, the writing of ATC operations and
training manuals and the ongoing recruitment process for the 10 seasonal controllers required for deployment.
Additionally, coordination with all other agencies within the United States Antarctic Program and Foreign
Governments is completed to ensure that their needs are being met.
In July of each year, the 10 seasonal controllers and a couple of alternates are brought to Charleston for 3 weeks of intense training on the unique ATC procedures (Non Radar) used in Antarctica. During this training cycle, controllers are evaluated and tested to determine their abilities to adapt to this type of ATC. Upon completion of training, these controllers return home and await deployment, usually in early Oct.
Once deployed to Antarctica, controllers are divided between the Control Tower and McMurdo Center for training.
The Control Tower consists of 2 functions, Local Control and Radar Final Control. During the majority of
the deployment cycle the weather is beautiful and flight conditions are perfect, except for being cold and windy.
Local controllers provide traffic information to arriving and departing aircraft and watch the runways for Foreign
Object Debris (FOD). This FOD has taken many shapes in Antarctica ranging from aircraft parts falling off aircraft
to seals and penguins, the latter of which posses quite a problem for aircraft arriving or trying to depart. They are
not easily removed. You can’t just call a truck to go out and pick it up. Coordination must first be completed with
the science community to ensure the safe and non-disruptive method to be used for their safe removal. These scientists,
many of whom have little or no knowledge of how airports operate, may not interpret the urgent nature that the
Air Traffic Controller is attempting to convey to them. Never mind about the exhausted aircrew that has been in
the aircraft for the last 8 hours, is running short of fuel, and patience, holding over the airport while all of this
takes place. Woe be it for the Local controller who failed to see these adorable creatures first appear in the area of
the runways and did not take the immediate action necessary to avert undue delays to aircraft.
The second “Tower” position is the Radar Final Controller or “PAR”. This is usually reserved for when the weather is not cooperating and inbound aircrews can’t see the runway of intended landing. Basically a PAR approach can be described as a “talking navigational aid”. The controller has a Radar presentation showing the exact location of the inbound aircraft with reference to the ground, distance from touchdown, and the centerline of the runway. This information is broadcast over the radio to the pilot and instructions issued (turns and descent adjustments) to place the aircraft in the optimum position for landing if the runway ever becomes visible and a landing attempted.
McMurdo Air Route Traffic Control Center (Mac Center) is responsible for providing Non Radar Air Traffic Control services to all aircraft operating in an area roughly the size of the United States. This control is accomplished either with time or altitude. Some of the users are: U.S. Air Force C-17’s, U.S. ANG LC-130’s, Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130’s, South African Air L-100’s, Qantas Air Lines B-747’s, and Air New Zealand B- 747’s. Flights between New Zealand and Antarctica are coordinated through Auckland Center. Flights between Australia and South Africa and Australia and Antarctica are coordinated with Melbourne Center.
Additionally, the center provides approach control services to all aircraft within 100NM of McMurdo. Aircraft are issued descent instructions, Instrument procedures to be flown to the airport, and the type of approach to be flown to the runway.
The last function provided by SRC to the NSF is the development of all Instrument Procedures. This includes TACAN approaches, GPS Approaches, TACAN and GPS based departures, Microwave Landing System approaches, PAR approaches, Minimum IFR Altitude Charts, and Arrival procedures. In total, approximately 70 Terminal Instrument Procedures (TERPs) are developed and Flight Checked by the Federal Aviation Administration annually.