Air Force helps control Aceh's skies

By CPL Simone Liebelt - filed 28 January 2005

The Air Force is assisting their Indonesian counterparts in managing the busy skies over Banda Aceh during one of the world's biggest humanitarian relief efforts.

Eight air traffic control (ATC) officers from No. 44 Wing, and two support personnel from No. 1 Combat Communication Squadron, were deployed to the region as part of Operation Sumatra Assist. Two ATC officers have since returned to Australia.

They are controlling around 300 helicopter movements a day, to help keep track of the massive volume of air traffic coming into the remote province, which has been transformed into an air operations hub since the tsunami.

44WG Detachment Commander Squadron Leader Phil Owen recalled the moment they arrived on January 6.

"On stepping off the plane all of your senses were assaulted. Aircraft noise, helicopters overhead, people and stores everywhere, smoke drifting from burning rubbish, the heat and humidity, it was almost like a scene from Apocalypse Now," he said.

"We were initially overwhelmed, but the need to get ourselves organised and the hard work we had to do to get ourselves set up meant that we had little time to dwell on it."

With the airfield control towers damaged by the earthquake that triggered the tsunami, the ATC detachment set up in a makeshift tower, and within 24 hours, were allocated control and coordination of all helicopter operations in and out of Banda Aceh.

"It was remarkable that any air traffic control services were being provided because conditions in the makeshift tower were atrocious [due to the effects of the tsunami]," SQNLDR Owen said.

"Our controllers quickly got into the swing of helicopter ops, despite the fact that it was not the type of operation we expected and it was not something that anyone had seen or done before.

"It is a testament to the training and adaptability of military air traffic control officers that we were able to take to this unfamiliar style of operation as if we had been doing it all our lives."

As well as handling helicopter movements, they temporarily provided control services for the military tarmac to try to get as many aircraft into the small airfield as possible.

"After a slow start and some language barriers we got things moving along quickly, and I believe, made a significant difference to the flow of aid into the airfield," SQNLDR Owen said.

"We are now controlling around 300 helicopter moves in a 13-hour day, which is similar to the rotary traffic levels the Baghdad controllers experienced in a 24-hour period.

"Our Indonesian colleagues are controlling about 100 to 140 fixed wing moves a day, so we liaise very closely with them to ensure that rotary wing and fixed wing operations are segregated and the safety of helicopter ops are assured."

He said while the deployment has been physically and mentally draining, it has been rewarding for all members involved.

"Everyone agrees that they feel privileged to have the opportunity to be here and be able to physically help with the disaster relief.

No one wants to leave until the job is done and morale is high.

"We would agree that the initial physical conditions have been the most challenging and some members have been exposed to the conditions away from the airfield, which for them, has been very confronting.

But the most rewarding experience is knowing that you are making a difference and positively contributing to the massive aid effort."