Controlling traffic in skies over Mildenhall

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Dillon Johnston
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  (Editor's note: This is the first installment of a three part series on the RAF Mildenhall Air Traffic Control Tower and its diverse mission)



The air traffic control tower is a vital asset to any flying base. Making sure all inbound and outbound aircraft take off and land at the right time is essential to successful mission completion.

Every flying operation revolves around the air traffic control tower. The tower controllers clear aircraft for takeoff, ensure aircraft have enough space between them, coordinate with inbound aircraft to make sure they land safely and clear transient aircraft for short stays on base.

The people who work in the tower and visually guide aircraft to their landings are commonly known as local control.

"(Local control) usually visually separate aircraft by looking out of the windows, but in times of low visibility they utilize the tower display workstation - also known as the radar," said Staff Sgt. Jennifer Clark, 100th Operations Support Squadron Air Traffic Control supervisor. "Aircraft can only see what is in front of them, and it is 'local's' job to let the aircraft know what is going on all around them."

A controller is 100 percent in control when operating with radar, said Staff Sgt. Adaryl Twillie, 100th OSS Air Traffic Control supervisor.

"The pilots will do what you say when you say it, and there is no room for suggestions," Twillie added.

The tower's ability to coordinate and launch aircraft quickly is paramount to providing rapid refueling support and supplies to troops downrange when they need them. Being the only air refueling base in Europe, the RAF Mildenhall tankers must always be ready to perform a mission.

This requires the members of local control tower to be ever-diligent - especially the watch supervisor. As the person with the ability to override any command given if deemed unsafe, he or she bears the responsibility of everything that happens in the tower.

"Since the tower is open 24/7, the watch supervisors are expected to uphold all rules and regulations in the absence of leadership," Clark said. "They are the last line of defense in terms of safety and have override capabilities on all frequencies and land mobile radios."

Coordination with ground vehicles is also important. Keeping the runway clear ensures safe takeoffs and landings. Equally as important is making sure there is no wildlife on or around the runway. A bird can cause catastrophic damage to an aircraft's engine if it is sucked in, possibly costing the Air Force millions of dollars, or worse, the lives of the aircrew onboard.

By regularly scanning and monitoring the runway, controllers can quickly identify threats and dispatch the proper response units to deal with them.

By controlling the skies and runways of RAF Mildenhall and the surrounding area, air traffic controllers ensure successful mission completion. Through diligence and a keen eye, they keep the mission on track and the personnel who perform it safe.