Transient Air Operations, F-18 Flights in Tucson

  • Published
  • By Capt. Stacie N. Shafran
  • 355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  Around noon on Feb. 2, Tucsonans observed transient Navy F-18s pass above the city. These jets were from Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego, Calif.

Generally referred to as transient aircraft, there are times when Department of Defense aircraft pass through Tucson's airspace, using both D-M and Tucson International Airport to accomplish their missions. Normally they are passing through, landing to refuel, delivering cargo and passengers, or as these aircraft were doing, performing practice instrument approaches to satisfy mandatory training requirements prior to departing to their next location.

"The site and sound of these unfamiliar aircraft may have caught the attention of base and local citizens, but they were in complete compliance with Department of Defense aviation guidance and Federal Aviation Regulations" said Lt. Col. Kevin Blanchard, 355th Operations Support Squadron commander.

Between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., three F-18's flew over the city. Two jets arrived between 9:10 and 9:15 a.m. and departed between 9:40 and 9:50 a.m. Two F-18s, one returning from earlier that morning, arrived between noon and 12:15 p.m. and departed between 12:40 and 1 p.m. Each was a single aircraft upon arrival into the Tucson Approach Control airspace.

During their approach into D-M, the F-18 pilots executed a type of approach that requires the assistance of a specially trained air traffic controller. The jets each flew a precision approach radar (PAR) approach. For this type of approach, air traffic controllers use a radar guidance system designed to observe each aircraft's position and then issue instructions to the pilot to keep the aircraft on course and glide path during final approach to the airfield.

"All DoD instrument rated pilots need to fly a certain number of instrument approaches to remain current in their rating," explained Colonel Blanchard. "D-M has a PAR and the specially rated air traffic controllers required for PAR approaches, which makes us somewhat unique as many PARs in the US have been decommissioned and replaced by GPS and ILS approaches."

As such, transient aircrews are able to get valuable, syllabus required training, by flying approaches at D-M. In return, Davis-Monthan's air traffic controllers benefit greatly from the transient traffic.

"Our controllers are required to establish a rating and maintain currency as a PAR controller," said Colonel Blanchard. "When airfields are established in deployed locations, it's easier to install and certify a mobile tactical PAR system than it is to install and certify a complete instrument landing system (ILS). Therefore, from a combat readiness standpoint, we need to have controllers who can perform PARs because they will be called upon to do them at deployed locations with austere airfields."

While passing through, transient aircraft must adhere to local flight procedures, to include the rules set forth by the DoD. Every eight weeks the DoD Enroute Supplement is published and it provides DoD pilots with data and flight procedures for U.S. military air operations.

For example, transient aircraft are allowed one overhead approach when they check into the air space. "If they request more than one approach, permission must be obtained from the 355th Operations Group commander," said Senior Master Sergeant Michael Murdock, the 355th Operations Support Squadron's chief controller.

They are also only allowed to fly these approaches between certain times and not on weekends or holidays.

In addition to civilian and commercial aircraft, Tucson's airspace is home to several DoD and Homeland security aircraft.

Davis-Monthan Air Force Base is home to A-10s, C-130s, and HH-60s, while the 162nd Fighter Wing of the Arizona Air National Guard, located at Tucson International Airport, is home to F-16s. D-M is host to flying operations from Air Force Materiel Command, the National Guard Bureau and U.S. Customers and Border Patrol. Aircraft also fly in and out of D-M for the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group, to be stored, regenerated or preserved.

D-M hosts the National Guard Bureau's Operation Snowbird, which, organized through the 162nd ANG, is a program that allows northern-tier air guard units to remain current in their training despite harsh weather conditions at their home stations. Additionally, the program supports Coalition and sister services to prepare for world-wide deployments. Less recognized, D-M hosts U.S. Customs and Border Patrol flight operations supporting counter drug and illegal alien enforcement throughout southern Arizona.