The Road to Tacloban: Day Zero

After months of waiting, I am finally here! Tacloban Tower/Approach Control is my first facility assignment and honestly, I really don't know what's in store for me in the next couple of weeks. I am sure that the lecture will start soon and I have to review the local aerodrome procedures, the standard phraseologies and strip markings, and all the essential things I have learned during my ATC training last year.

Right now, I am staying at the quarters of the control tower. Life here is simpler than Manila, and I am loving every bit of it.

In Retrospect: Year 2013

Enlightened.

As the sun sets, the sky radiates beautiful red and orange rays. We always wanted our day to end up like that. But before witnessing such amazing phenomena, one must experience the harsh realities of the day - the searing heat of the sun, air pollution, and other distractions that would hamper one's activities. In the end, what matters most is how you overcome all of it. I'd still call it a beautiful day.

That is how I'd like to describe my year 2013. It was indeed the longest race I've experienced so far.

The Cessna 172 Experience

Inside the Cessna 172

Controlling air traffic at a particular facility (whether aerodrome, approach, or area control), is not a piece of cake. Before giving clearances, the ATC must be knowledgable about the local traffic procedures to ensure the safe, orderly, and expeditious flow of air traffic, the different aircraft performances, and a whole lot more. Pilots, on the other hand, rely on the voice of an air traffic controller before executing such actions.

But I've always wondered what it feels like to be inside the cockpit of an aircraft.

Tomorrow Is Always A Brighter Day

Tomorrow's a brighter day.

It's been a while since the last time we visited Plaridel Airport here in Bulacan. Unlike our previous visit, we are required to stay longer... at least three weeks (of course, we are still allowed to go home during our breaks, that is, if you're willing to sacrifice your time and EFFORT in commuting back to the metro, hehe).

The past few days were really tough. The whole country mourned after the gruesome images of of the Yolanda aftermath circulated the world wide web. It was tagged as one of the most powerful storm system generated this year. It had wreaked unimaginable havoc starting from the eastern Visayas region up to the northern Palawan region, where tens of thousands were believed dead and hundreds of thousands homeless in this ordeal. Not to mention that the primary road networks to the affected areas are impassable, making the delivery of the relief goods more difficult than it was anticipated.

The Radar Out Experience

Keeping the sky and ground safe 24/7

If you think you have already seen the whole scenario of the radar out last week, well... think again. The media have only reported the scenes from the airport terminals where thousands of passengers got stranded due to delayed and cancelled flights brought about by the radar outage. What I am going to share is my experience at the control tower.

When I was still an ATC Trainee, we were taught on how to handle unusual air traffic situations. During our dry runs in Approach and Aerodrome Control, our usual scenarios were always out-of-this-world - an aircraft reported heavy tailwind during the approach and executed a missed approach procedure, quasi-emergency due to the departing Kalayaan 1 (Presidential flight), and an aircraft over Manila declares an emergency. All of these happen in one air traffic situation. I deemed this situation to be absurd and it will never, ever, happen in real life. Because if it does, you are the luckiest person in the whole world. The gods must be damn crazy!

The outage last week made me realize that I was wrong. In air traffic, always expect the unexpected.

The Plaridel Tower Experience

Ramp of RPUX

We're almost done with our first OJT rotation and for our fifth facility, our group went all the way to Plaridel Airport in Bulacan. I still can't believe that we controlled LIVE air traffic and talked to REAL pilots through radio. I was really looking forward for this week to come. According to the previous groups, their Plaridel Tower experience was one-of-a-kind and exciting.

What Made Me Decide To Become An Air Traffic Controller?

Aviation

Back in our preschool days, our teachers would always ask us to fill out this statement: When I grow up, I want to be a/an ________. Most kids would have these answers: a doctor, a police, a firefighter, a nurse, a lawyer, a pilot, an engineer, or a scientist. And I bet no kid in the world would have this answer: to be an air traffic controller.

Most people think that the job of an air traffic controller is to just wave the neon 'fan' to guide the plane to its designated parking bay. No, that's not the job of an ATC. There is more when you enter the realm of air traffic.

It's The Final Countdown!

The Original Approachables

A lot of things had happened in the past few weeks, and this post is just an update about my not-so-awesome life outside my comfort zone. Heh!

 

A Weekend Of Everything That Flies

The Breitling Jets

And finally, the long wait is over. Watching gigantic balloons, parachutes, and European fighter jets flying above us was an experience worth remembering. Surreal, amazing, and exciting. True enough, FLYING is more fun in the Philippines!

No Turning Back

Now, the battle has just begun. After my short vacation in Davao last week... Oh wait, it wasn't really a vacation per se since I was soooo busy reviewing for our final examssss. Honestly, I did not expect that it would be THAT hard.