Hey Geeks/PCDU Guys!

I just listened to PCDU episode 9 (trying to catch up) and wanted to correct something that Rob had said. You were all discussing the combination of civilian and military controllers in Australia, and asked how that worked here in the US. First of all, when military aircraft are flying in the National Airspace System over the Continental United States, they are being handled by civilian ATC centers. They might be communicating via UHF radio instead of VHF, but they are speaking to the same controllers. An exception to this might be while inside an active Military Operations Area (MOA). I’m not 100% sure on this one, but I believe that when the MOA is ‘cold’, it is controlled by civilian controllers in the controlling facility. When it is ‘hot’, all aircraft (civil and military) in that airspace are controlled by military controllers. Like I said, I’m not completely sure on this one, but I think that’s the way it works.

The thing that Rob said which I take issue with was his comment about a joint-use airport needing to be controlled by military ATC in the tower. This is not the case everywhere. Most notably where I’m from (Houston, TX) is Ellington Airport – formerly home of the 147th Fighter Wing (now the 147th Reconnaissance Wing), an Army National Guard Helicopter Squadron, and I believe a US Coast Guard Air Station. This is also home to a civilian flight school, sees a lot of business jet traffic, is Houston’s home of the Collings Foundation (with a F-4 Phantom and an A-4 SkyHawk), has a squadron of Oklahoma ANG F-16’s stationed there to patrol the airspace over the Johnson Space Center, is home to NASA’s training fleet (T-38’s, a WB-57, the Gulfstream space shuttle simulator, and frequently sees the Super Guppy come in), and at one time had airline service (a Continental Express shuttle that ran back and forth to IAH on the other side of town). Not only is the tower at this airport staffed by civilians, but it’s not even an FAA tower – it’s a contract tower. They do a great job of handling the wide mix of aircraft and most certainly do not sit there ‘not knowing what to do’ when a flight of F-16’s come in to make their overhead break and land.

Look into the Mid-America Airport/Scott AFB outside of St. Louis, MO in Belleville, IL. That is also a joint-use airport and I believe the tower there is civilian-staffed as well.

Aside from that, it was a great show. I enjoyed hearing all of you banter back and forth and converse in real time.

Er, does that mean that Rob is really my father???