Photo By Staff Sgt. Tony Simmons | U.S. Marines with Marine Air Control Squadron 1, Special Purpose Marine Air Ground...... read more read more
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UNDISCLOSED LOCATION- U.S. Marine air traffic control communications technicians with Marine Air Control Squadron 1, Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force – Crisis Response – Central Command, built an Automated Terminal Information System in the Central Command area of operation.
An ATIS is a tool used at most airports by air traffic controllers to loop a broadcast about runway information and weather reports to incoming pilots.
Without an ATIS on hand, the ATC Marines were given a challenge from their command to build the device from the ground up, using only their knowledge and parts they could find.
To create a circuit board, they tore apart broken telephones for transistors and wires, and then used a white plastic foam dining tray to plug electrical pins into as a solid base for the circuits.
“In order to broadcast the message we made an antenna out of pieces of wood, 5-50 cord, and a thick telephone cable,” said Cpl. Kenneth Kelley, an ATC communications technician with MACS-1, SPMAGTF-CR-CC. “We have been told by pilots that they receive the message around 89 nautical miles away from the runway.”
Using a headset from an old video game system and a ham radio program downloaded from the internet, the technicians recorded themselves saying cloud coverage, temperature, wind speeds and which direction the aircraft needs to approach the runway.
“The broadcast is really important for incoming pilots,” said Cpl. Tasha E. Myatt, an ATC communications technician with MACS-1, SPMAGTF-CR-CC. “They cannot land their aircraft without knowing the weather conditions on the runway.”
When the ATC Marines with SPMAGTF-CR-CC needed an ATIS, they were challenged to create one using knowledge, teamwork, and spare parts. They now have the capability of keeping pilots informed of any runway conditions.
| Date Taken: | 03.30.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 04.05.2015 07:27 |
| Story ID: | 159155 |
| Location: | (UNDISCLOSED LOCATION) |
| Web Views: | 74 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Overcoming the ATIS Hiatus: MACS-1 Marines Start from Scratch, by GySgt Terika King, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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