PREPARATIONS for full time flying at Royal Air Force Wittering continue as the Station’s new radar was declared fully operational on Tuesday 2nd December 2014. Earlier this year, Air Traffic Controllers at Wittering were given the all clear by the Royal Air Force Standards and Evaluation Team (STANEVAL) from RAF Shawbury to control aircraft movements within visual range of the airfield. On Tuesday 2nd December, after weeks of testing and calibration, engineers signed off the new Watchman radar and handed the equipment into the permanent care of the Station’s Ground Radio Maintenance Section. The new radar gives RAF Wittering controllers the ability to safely control aircraft far beyond the Station’s visual circuit and is a milestone in RAF Wittering’s preparation for the arrival of flying squadrons early next year. The STANEVAL team scrutinized the training and safety processes used to give the controllers hands-on experience of the local airspace and radar control room before awarding ‘Terminal Control Zone’ endorsements to four controllers on the 17th November. Warrant Officer Simon Sherwin said; “Air traffic management is more than just equipment; safety is always at the forefront of what we do. The four of us have proved to STANEVAL that we have the knowledge and experience to safely manage the aircraft in our airspace.” Controllers in the tower generally manage aircraft within airfield visual circuit, but their colleagues in the radar room control aircraft many miles beyond and can provide a service to pilots in poor weather when the ground or other aircraft can’t be seen. The radar was assembled by the Royal Air Force’s 90 Signals Unit based at RAF Leeming, whilst construction firm Morgan Sindall, under contract to Babcock Dyncorp, built the radar tower. Technical and project management was provided by the Air Defence & Air Traffic Systems Team at RAF Henlow, which is part of Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S). Group Captain Damian Alexander, Station Commander at RAF Wittering, cut the turf in a ceremony which marked the beginning of the radar installation in May 2014. He said; “Not many Station Commanders return their Stations to airborne operations, and I’m very lucky to have watched RAF Wittering grow in capability as we approach full time flying.” Group Captain Alexander continued; “RAF personnel, their civilian counterparts and contractors, have all worked very hard to bring us to this stage. It’s a genuine step forward for the Station, and one that increases our contribution to Defence.”
Posted on: Thu, 04 Dec 2014 11:13:23 +0000
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