RAPCON replaces three-decades-old radar

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Samantha S. Crane
  • 366th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office
MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho --  Six years ahead of schedule, the 366th Operational Support Squadron Radar Approach Control team received its new radar system, which was up and running Feb. 19 here.

"We received the radar six years early and installed it in only four months," said Maj. Michael Olvera, 366th OSS assistant director of operations. "Previously, the best set-up time was one year."

To achieve the record set-up time, everyone had to pitch in.

"The team really pulled together to finish the project," said the major. "Everyone helped haul equipment to the new site and a lot of coordination was necessary to make it happen."

The Standard Terminal Automated Replacement, or STAR, radar system is a Department of Defense and Federal Aviation Administration initiative to develop a standardized terminal radar. It is a four-time redundant system; therefore all four components would have to fail before radar capability is lost.

The STAR system gets its signal from the GPN-20 Airport Surveillance Radar, which will be replaced next year. The GPN-20 uses both primary and secondary radar to provide air traffic controllers with the digital picture they use. While primary radar shows anything the GPN-20 picks up in the air, the secondary radar shows aircraft emitting signals.

New additions include the Airfield Automation System, or AFAS, which is used to keep the controllers updated on weather conditions, but also contains information on potential hazards, local places to land, emergency checklists, information that must be turned over between shifts and Air Force instruction manuals relating to the job.

Automation specialists helping controllers familiarize themselves with the new system are new with the Air Traffic Coach, which provides training to controllers.

"AT Coach is extremely realistic training," said Staff Sgt. Amanda Menkle, 366th OSS RAPCON controller and automation specialist. "It uses the same equipment used on the job. Before we could only train two people at a time, now we can train four."

While three controllers went through a six-week course to become automation specialists, other controllers received training to ensure they knew how to use the system. Each Airman who uses the system received between 14 and 80 hours of training. Before using the real thing, Airmen first received at least five hours of training on the AT Coach and their certification through a performance-based test. Even though so much more training was required and controllers had to work out of a mobile communications site during the transition, they consider it worth it.

"It's more accurate and a lot simpler than what we had before," said Major Olvera.

While the equipment used may be different, the job remains the same.

"We get people where they're going safely and as fast as possible," said the major.

To start the process off, pilots file a flight plan with the Airfield Management office to get put into the Federal Aviation Administration system, which provides RAPCON with information including the aircraft's call sign, altitude and speed. RAPCON then directs them to the training range. When they return, RAPCON takes over once again telling them where they can go and when they can land.

While the watch supervisor monitors the entire process, the approach and departure technician talks with pilots flying through the airspace over the base. The arrival technician advices pilots when to land before handing them over to Airmen in the tower for the final descent. The assist technician runs phone lines and provides an extra set of eyes and the coordinator relays information between the tower and RAPCON teams.

But before any of this could work, the RAPCON team had to overcome challenges they encountered while putting the system together.

"The fire suppression alarm system in the building automatically shuts off all power if there's a fire," said Chief Master Sgt. William Menhart, 366th OSS RAPCON chief controller, "but we can't have it shut off because we may still have aircraft to take care of."

To fix the problem, the team set their equipment to turn off only after the last person in the room pushed a button designed to shut their equipment down.

"Even if there is a fire, we stay until the aircraft are safely dealt with," said the chief.

Even with all the challenges that came with the system, in Chief Menhart's opinion, the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages.

"The biggest benefit is being able to maintain better radar coverage with up-to-date information," said the chief. "This is bringing us into the computer age."

With the previous equipment almost three decades old, the new equipment will take some getting used to, but Major Olvera doesn't believe it will be much of a problem.

"I think everyone's doing really well so far," he said.