Just helping a friend

Members of the 1st Combat Communications Squadron prepare to plug in a mobile tower to take over air traffic control at Spangdahlem Air Base while communication is established at the new a multi-million dollar ATC facility. Three teams from the 86th Air and Space Communications Group recently helped get the new tower online by providing hardware and software installation. (Photo courtesy of the 86th Air and Space Communications Group)

Just helping a friend: Ramstein comm units plug in new Spangdahlem ATC tower

Published Dec. 16, 2008
By Capt. Carlos Rivera
1st Communcations Maintenance Squadron

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany -- Teams from the 86th Airlift Wing's 1st Communications Maintenance Squadron and 1st Combat Communications Squadron recently headed over to Spangdahlem Air Base to help move air traffic controller operations into Spangdahlem's recently-completed $7 million air traffic control tower.

Airfield and radar systems special maintenance teams from the 1st CMXS, alongside the 1st CBCS's Mobile Air Traffic Control Tower team, were called in to maintain uninterrupted airfield com while ensuring a smooth transition between the old and new locations. The teams specialize in emergency restoral, removal, installation and repair of air traffic control systems.

The nine-person mobile tower team worked directly with the 52nd Fighter Wing's Airfield Systems shop to get a temporary ATC tower up and running in preparation for the transition to the base's new multi-million dollar facility. Four hours after arrival, they were set up and training Spangdahlem's controllers to use the mobile tower during the crossover. While the mobile tower was in use, the equipment had a 100% uptime rate, conducted a total of 710 sorties, and processed six in-flight emergencies.

During the ten day project, the 1st CMXS Airfield Systems Team reinstalled more than $500,000 dollars worth of communications equipment, including the enhanced terminal voice system and air traffic control radios. The team also installed a software upgrade to the ETVS to make the system more user friendly, trading the antiquated hard drive system with a new desktop computer.

Meanwhile the 1st CMXS Radar Systems Team removed and reinstalled the digital bright radar indicator tower equipment, a system designed to give controllers a view of the airspace around the installation.

The project was finished ahead of schedule and saved the Air Force more than $60,000 in contractor fees.

"The SMT's knowledge and experience was instrumental to the new tower cutover success," said Master Sgt Jeffrey Dawson, Spangdahlem's 52nd Communications Squadron ATC and Landing Systems Section Chief. "With their help, we completed the project on time and under budget."