Keeping command of the skies

Helping maintain order in the skies between Dallas and Austin – especially in the Central Texas region around Fort Hood is both a mission and a calling for Mark Vick and Aristotle Ponder, two air traffic controllers who work to help ensure safe flights.

Vick, who is the chief air traffic controller, and Ponder, who is a senior controller, have combined experience of more than 50 years. They recently spoke about their responsibilities at a May 4 meeting of the Gatesville Lions Club.

Vick was already an experienced air traffic controller when he came to Fort Hood in 1993. Ponder came to the U.S. Army post a few years later, in 1998.

Their purview extends to 60,000 feet, and several miles around the military installation. That also includes keeping an eye on the former President George W. Bush's ranch in Crawford, which was dubbed the Western White House when Bush served as president from 2001 to 2009.

When Bush was president, any authorized craft that wandered into the restricted airspace were quickly challenged by U.S. fighter pilots, who were able to notify air traffic controllers and others concerned with the words, "target acquired" within seconds, Vick said.

While things have changed in the little over 13 years since Bush left office, helping keep an eye on air traffic remains a vital job. Another area that is closely watched is the nuclear power plant at Glen Rose.

These days, those who have that responsibility are doing so in an upgraded facility, thanks to a $5 million grant that was received for remodeling and improvements.

Fort Hood has a joint-use regional airport. Not only the Army, but other branches of the U.S. military frequently visit Fort Hood, and military from friendly nations also come to Central Texas for training exercises.

"The Dutch can fly over here and train cheaper than they can in their own country," Vick said.

While their job can be demanding, Vick recommended young people who are coming out of high school and are unsure what career path to choose should consider becoming air traffic controllers.

"You can make $180,000 a year after five or six years and there's early retirement," Vick said. "You get paid while you are training on the job. Retirement age can be at 50 – or any age after 25 years of service. For that reason, you have to be 31 or younger to start training. Mandatory retirement is at age 56."

There are an average of more than 1,000 takeoffs and landings that the Fort Hood air controllers monitor daily, Vick said. Controllers work eight to 10 hour shifts, and are prohibited from working more hours than that on a daily basis.

In addition to Gray Army Airfield, with its airplane traffic, Fort Hood also has Hood Army Airfield, used by Army helicopters. There is also Killeen-Fort Hood Regional Airport, used by civilians.

Among the memorable and unusual landings at Fort Hood was the space shuttle, which was piggy-backing on another aircraft at the time, Vick said.

"I compare routes in the area to highways in the sky," Vick said

One of the interesting things that air traffic controllers encounter is that their license is only good for the facility where they work. If they want to work at another airport, "you have to go through training all over again. Of course, you know the basics, so it's not quite like going it through the first time again."

That initial training takes 156 days over a nine-month period, Vick said.

One of the things complicating security these days is the presence of a variety of drones. Except for approved military drones, other drone flights are prohibited within a certain radius of Fort Hood. In fact, there is even a chip embedded in drones that render them inoperable if they are flying too close to Fort Hood or other restricted areas.

While some people have the knowledge to bypass that security restriction, authorities are able to quickly determine that those trying to circumvent security protocol are up to no good.

"There are systems that are used to detect drones," Vick said.

Asked how many aircraft are based at Fort Hood, he said there are about 230, which is expected to increase to about 500.

"In the 1990s, there were 540 aircraft based at Fort Hood," Vick said. 

There are also about 200 to 300 military UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) and every unit at the post will be receiving smaller UAVs to use.

"Some are the size of a bee or a bird," Vick said.