In a holding pattern

Corporal Sean Seery, a member of the Air Traffic Control Detachment in Baghdad, conducts security tasks. Photo by CAPT Kate Noble

By Andrew Stackpool and CAPT Kate Noble

THE Air Traffic Control Detachment at Baghdad International Airport (BIAP) will remain deployed until at least May.

The Government announcement follows a turnover of personnel in January. The majority were support services personnel but a small number of ATC personnel were also rotated.

The extension of service follows delays in the completion of training of Iraqi civilian air traffic controllers and to the refurbishment of electronic and communications equipment at BIAP’s control tower, according to Defence Minister Robert Hill.

The Coalition Provisional Authority is managing the transition of air traffic management from military authorities to trained Iraqi civilian controllers. After their training in Jordan they will receive on-site training in Baghdad and ADF personnel will be needed to ensure the transition to civilian airspace control is as smooth as possible.

Since deploying to Iraq in May last year the ATC Detachment has processed more than 100,000 military and civilian aircraft movements at BIAP; the equivalent of the third busiest airport in Australia.

While continuing to provide vital air traffic control services, the recently arrived RAAF personnel are coming to grips with conducting a high-profile job in a foreign environment.

Detachment OC Wing Commander Scott Winchester said that although incoming staff were initially awed by the size of the airport and number of units based there, the transition occurred smoothly.

“The detachments that preceded us have developed a great reputation among other coalition members operating in the area and we’re determined to maintain that reputation and the excellent working relationships they’ve established,” he said. “We’re also planning and looking forward to the transition of services from a military service to a civilian one, which will be a real milestone in terms of reconstruction here.”

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