Airmen Control New International Airport

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Cody Chiles
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Airmen from Tyndall Approach Control provided critical operational support for the new Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (ECP) by creating new air traffic control routes and procedures.

The airport authority plans to open the new airport May 23 and Airmen from the Tyndall Approach Control facility will control the airport's daily arrivals and departures.

"Currently, air traffic into the Panama City-Bay County Airport (PFN) encompasses 60 percent of the traffic we control," said Master Sgt. Kevin McGarry, Assistant Chief Controller, Tyndall Approach Control. "The rest are military aircraft."

"The opening of the new airport is a huge deal for Bay County and it is going to be a big deal for us as well. All of our procedures are changing and our traffic load is going to increase," said Master Sgt. McGarry. "We are excited for the new airport and the opportunity it will bring to Bay County."

Tyndall is responsible for 4,500 square miles of airspace that spans over Tyndall, Port St. Joe, St. George, Dog Island, Apalachicola, Carrabelle, Sandy Creek, Blountstown, Panama City and multiple air strips on Highway 231.

"The new airport will be approximately 10 miles northwest of the current Panama City Airport and will be in the confines of our airspace," said Master Sgt. McGarry. "We have held several meetings over the last year-and-a-half with the Federal Aviation Administration and general aviation communities from Jacksonville, Pensacola and Birmingham to discuss route and procedure changes and any issues that could arise with the opening of the new airport," he said.

"Our Non-Commissioned Officers and Airmen have played a huge role in creating air traffic control routes and procedures for this new airport" said Chief Master Sgt. John Sawyer, Chief Controller, Tyndall Approach Control. "We have been in lock step with the FAA, Airport Authority, Southwest Airlines, Delta Airlines, and Robinson Aviation Air Traffic Control Services throughout the planning process."

As a part of this plan, Tyndall's Approach Controllers are training on simulators loaded with the new routes and procedures to familiarize themselves with the changes and to prepare for the increase in air traffic.

"Some of the procedures will be more difficult but we have been practicing them. The day the airport opens everyone will be ready to go," said Master Sgt. McGarry. "We typically take control of the aircraft when they are approximately 30 miles from the airport and from there we monitor, prioritize and vector them in safely."

Emphasizing safety as a top priority, Master Sgt. McGarry said, "We have a very good mid-air collision avoidance program that stresses hot spots, training routes and Military Operations Area (MOA). This helps aviators to know to avoid certain areas and to ensure aviators are talking to us on the radio to get important flight instructions and traffic alerts."

The current Panama City Airport is expected to remain available from May 23 to July 3 to support the general aviation community's transition; however, the air traffic control tower there will close and the airport will be designated as an uncontrolled airfield.

To alleviate safety of flight issues and help with air traffic deconfliction, Master Sgt. McGarry has asked that all general aviation pilots arriving at and/or departing from the Panama City airport between May 23 and July 3 contact Tyndall Air Traffic Control at (850) 283-2900 to be assigned a beacon code and a suggested route of flight prior to departure.

Notices to Airmen (NOTAMS) regarding airspace and flight path changes resulting from the opening of the new airport can be found at https://pilotweb.nas.faa.gov/PilotWeb/ and will be posted at the Panama City Airport prior to the closure of the air traffic control tower there.