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NAVY NEWS, NOVEMBER 2009 19
● The Air Traffi c Control
tower simulator used for
training at RAF Shawbury
Life iin tthhe ggoldfish bbowl
LIFE in the ‘goldfish bowl’ – there’s an callsigns and squawks, heights and headings. It’s an interesting mix that start out together at – civvy, London Mil. There’s so much more going on.
Apache wanting to take off in front of you,
“Charlie Tango Delta Two Two, Cottam Tower, the ATC school – some junior officers are fresh from The job as a Leading Aircraft Controller on board is
a Hawk making practice approaches on the
roger approved, straight in approach, runway Two Dartmouth, some are experienced air crew moving more tactical, dealing with submarines, etc.”
runway, there’s a Hercules revving up to go
Five, righthand, QFE 1022...” on from flying themselves; the senior rates have He laughed: “Controlling at sea is a damn sight
on one side, and a train of fire trucks and
This cryptic code is carefully noted onto strips of served their time as Aircraft Controllers, looking after
easier than here or at a station.”
white paper that guard the intentions of the yellow
support vehicles waiting to race across
helicopters on the back of ships and watching over
And the arrival of HM Ships Queen Elizabeth
marks on screen for when the identifying radar the aircraft out on a mission, or arrive at the school
one runway to take up station by the
and Prince of Wales is driving forward a pressing
inevitably (for exercise) collapses. after a sideways jump from the warfare branch.
need for ATCs – the current carriers demand three
crash barrier. Then the emergency call It’s a stripped down language in use here –
comes in for the SAR Sea King... no wasting time on definite articles like ‘the’
“The ACs have greater challenges early on, but
or four, the future carriers will need up to 15 people
– terse commands deliver precise instructions
if you’ve got the aptitude and the gumption –
for the task.
Not to mention down in the bowels of
from controller to aircraft. (Although in
and you will need both – it is a way of really
PO Hollyoake stressed: “The future carrier will be
the Control Tower where there are lined
Shawbury the ‘aircraft’ are a team of
unlocking several avenues of advancement,” very much like a control tower at an air station but
up Talkdown, Director, Approach and
civilian ‘drivers’ who sit behind the scenes
said Lt Cdr Woolsey. on a floating platform.
Zone, each parcelling up different parts
piloting their fictional aircraft around PO ‘Mac’ McDougall commented: “To come up
“I’d advise anybody to come and give it a go. It
of the overhead airspace and the aircraft
computer screens.) here to do JATCC is a completely different world.
opens your eyes up.”
passing through, taking off and landing.
This is the realm of the military Air “It’s like learning a foreign language,”
Control at sea is totally different – at sea for all ■ Anybody interested in Air Traffic Control or
Traffic Controllers – men and women said PO Paul ‘Holly’ Hollyoake, one of
intents and purposes, it’s just you. Aircraft Controlling should contact their career
from the Navy and RAF train alongside the trainees undergoing the 28-week
“Up here there’s more interaction with other units manager or AFCO.
each other at RAF Shawbury near the Joint Air Traffic Control Course
Welsh border. (JATCC). “You’re subjected to aviation
And this year brings the strongest lingo from day one, so it’s part of the
presence yet of dark blue at the Central Air way of life here.”
Traffic Control School – in terms both of students The trainees are a mixture of senior rates and
and instructors. (Anyone would think that the future officers – as would be found in military control
carriers are coming...) towers. The instructors – all military or ex-military –
8dbZidAdcYdc
The recurrent theme at CATCS is being able also reflect this unconventional grouping.
to think in 3D. Although to be honest, that’s Lt Cdr Kev Woolsey is the Senior Naval Instructor
an understatement. Having seen the unfortunate at the school. He’s frank about what happens next
unspooling of one scenario during a big assessment for Naval people who train in Shawbury: “What
trial, you need to be able to add the fourth dimension this place is is an extended aptitude test for real
of time as well. controlling. It’s enough for you to say you’ve proven
There is a range of simulators at the site which yourself thus far. Now you’re ready to go off to do
recreate the tasks of ATCs in control towers at the real thing.
airbases around the world, as well as banks of screens “You can’t expect someone who wants to be a pilot
that flex the advanced ATC muscles of those who to fly a fast jet straightaway.

will go on to control military aircraft at civilian sites “This is one of those professions which you can
such as National Air Traffic Services control centre be responsible for an awful lot of things that can go
near Swanwick in Hampshire. wrong very quickly.”
2ESERVATIONENQUIRIES
And so, a flat screen of coloured lines is transformed “We need a grounded individual who responds
into a mental landscape of runways and hilltops, and well under pressure. After all, you are controlling
res@vsc.co.uk
shifting lines are tagged with a special language of aluminium tubes full of people.” -EMBERSHIPENQUIRIES
mem@vsc.co.uk
● Flyco on the future carriers is driving the need
/RVISITOURWEBSITEAT
for more air traffi c controllers within the RN
www.vsc.co.uk
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