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JBSA News
NEWS | June 22, 2016

12th Operations Support Squadron keeps aircraft flying at JBSA-Randolph

Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Public Affairs

At Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, hundreds of thousands of aircraft landings and takeoffs occur each year and the unit responsible for coordinating the large volume of air traffic is the 12th Operations Support Squadron Airfield Operations Flight.

The functions of the 12th OSS Airfield Operations Flight include air traffic control of incoming and departing aircraft and the maintenance, inspection and safety of the airfield, the runways and airspace surrounding JBSA-Randolph.

Lee Sims, 12th OSS Airfield Operations Flight chief, said the unit consists of 32 members, including 20 air traffic controllers, airfield managers and other personnel. The controllers coordinate air traffic at both the east and west flightline runways and the airfield managers are responsible for making sure the runways are safe for aircraft to take off from and land on.

“The airfield operations flight is responsible for taking care of all flying operations on the base,” Sims said. “We are responsible for the airfield itself – all the runways, taxiways, parking ramps, making sure we have a safe environment for aircraft to taxi, lines, signs and lighting. Anything that has to do with the movement of aircraft we are responsible for.”

With two runways, each with its own control tower, JBSA-Randolph has an average of 200,000 aircraft operations per year, takeoffs and landings, Sims said. Aircraft operations include T-38C Talon, T-6A Texas II and T-1A Jayhawk aircraft at JBSA-Randolph, as well as aircraft that fly in from other military installations.

Sims said JBSA-Randolph is the only installation in the Air Force to have two control towers.

“Based on the type of operations we have here, Randolph is actually the busiest airfield in the Air Force,” Sims said. “We have maintained that position over the last five years.”

The airfield is in operation from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Friday, with extended hours for night operations when required and twice a month on weekends for cross country training aircraft returns.

Jerry Molina, 12th OSS airfield management operations manager, said his airfield crew conducts inspections of runways, taxiways and lights in the morning before aircraft operations begin at 7 a.m. and periodic inspections during the day. The inspections range from checking to make sure there are no hazards or obstacles on and around the airfield to checking on grass height and runway markings.

Any problems that are spotted at the airfield are referred to the 502nd Civil Engineer Squadron.

If an aircraft emergency occurs, including an engine or landing gear malfunction, Molina said the airfield crew alerts several JBSA-Randolph units, including JBSA Fire Emergency Services, the 12th Flying Training Wing, 902nd Security Forces Squadron and flight safety.

Geren Fawver, 12th OSS airfield manager, said the airfield crews check the airfield pavement to determine if it is strong enough for any aircraft that will use it and is not overstressed.

Keeping the airfield maintained and safe is important to the flying training mission at JBSA-Randolph, Fawver said.

“The airfield and airspace is our students’ classroom,” Fawver said. “We’ve got to maintain it so it’s safe and ensure the students have the proper environment to accomplish their training.”

Sims said air traffic control crews are responsible for the safe, efficient and expeditious movement of aircraft, including emergency helicopters that may have to fly through JBSA-Randolph’s airspace to take patients to area hospitals.

Air traffic control crews are qualified to work at both the east and west flightline towers. The east tower controls air traffic for the T-38C and T-1A aircraft and the west tower for T-6A aircraft. Crews rotate between the towers every two weeks.

Air traffic control crews consist of a controller-in-charge, who oversees the entire crew and makes final decisions on landings and takeoffs; ground controller, who communicates with aircraft not on the runway; local controller, who talks to the aircraft on the runway and in the air; and flight data controller, who coordinates with the San Antonio International Airport on aircraft going out of JBSA-Randolph airspace and is the go-between for the local and ground controllers. 

Gary Thompson, 12th OSS air traffic manager, said on very busy days at JBSA-Randolph there can be an average of 94 aircraft takeoffs and landings per hour.

Sims said air traffic controllers in the 12th OSS are mostly civilians who are Air Force veterans or retirees who received their training in technical school and passed a Federal Administration Aviation test to earn their certification.

Thompson said the average experience of an air traffic controller in the 12th OSS is 28 years, with an average of 9.5 years working at JBSA-Randolph.

Robert Calderon is a retired Air Force service member who has been an air traffic controller for 30 years.

“Every day is different,” Calderon said. “I like the challenge and dynamic of it. You’ve got to make decisions, you’ve got to make them quickly and you got to get them right because people’s lives depend on us and that is the challenge. Our job is to make sure the pilots go home safely to their families at the end of the day.”

Christina Casey was the controller-in-charge June 15 in the East Tower. She said she acts as a second set of eyes in the control tower and helps coordinate emergency helicopters coming into JBSA-Randolph air space or Cessna planes that are used to monitor the natural gas pipeline surrounding JBSA-Randolph.

“This position is a heavy responsibility,” Casey said. “It can get intense, and it requires focus, knowledge of facilities and air traffic rules.”

Sims said he is grateful to members of the 12th OSS for the work they do.

“I can’t express how blessed I am to have these professionals,” he said. “I am completely in awe of them.”