A Visit To The Control Tower Cab, Fisk, And A MOOCOW

By Robbie Culver

Before arriving aircraft at Oshkosh become the responsibility of the Wittman Regional Airport control tower, they are handled through the Fisk approach controllers, then handed off to one of the two control tower frequencies depending on the runway assignment for the aircraft. Fisk is where the tour of the air traffic system for AirVenture continued.

Facility at Fisk

 Each tower then brings the arriving aircraft into the pattern as required to fit traffic,and handles them until they land and clear the runway. There is no ground control at Oshkosh - the entire movement area is controlled by ground staff managing the flow around the airport.

Located in the sleepy town of Fisk, Wisconsin, on a small hill overlooking the approach corridor from Ripon, Fisk Approach is quiet and beautiful. For years, Fisk approach has been the domain of Ray Thyfault. Based at the Kalamazoo, Michigan airport when he is not working Airventure, Thyfault is referred to as a "walking encyclopedia" of aircraft, often able to spot and identify an aircraft well ahead of his peers. Accordingly, Fisk is referred to as "RAYCON" - short for Ray Control, a takeoff on TRACON and an inside joke for the controllers working Fisk. Adelman told the media representatives that when it comes to Fisk, "whatever Ray wants, he gets."

The saying with air traffic control is that as Fisk goes, so goes Oshkosh. Adelman stated emphatically that when Thyfault works his magic at Fisk, he makes the entire event go smoothly. One change implemented this year was the removal of the strobe light on the railroad tracks, and the addition of a large yellow balloon on a 100 foot high tether. When asked, Thyfault stated this was due to the strobe light being located in a location that brought the arriving aircraft slightly off course. He also revealed that the GPS waypoint FISKE is actually more than a mile off target. The FAA is working to resolve this.

Fisk Baloon

 Fisk's assignment is to deal with aircraft arriving at different altitudes and airspeeds, sort them out, assign them a frequency and a direction to fly, then hand them off to the tower. Two ongoing challenges are the differing airspeeds and altitudes, and aircraft misinterpreting instructions meant for another aircraft. Since the communication at Fisk is one-way, controller to pilot, it is up to the controller to convince the pilot of their errant ways and bring them back on course. Typically, the only feedback a controller receives is when they request an inbound aircraft to rock their wings to acknowledge their instructions. At Fisk, silence is golden.

The banter between the controllers was more evident, as only one team works Fisk, instead of the two in the tower. But that banter was offset by the professionalism and attention to detail that the controllers exhibit. Traffic was flowing in at a steady rate, and the tower called and requested a hold on inbound arrivals to allow for some departures. So, the controllers instituted the Green Lake holding pattern, and the aircraft above us began to orbit the lake.

And that's when the fun began overhead - while Theyfault was discussing operational procedures with us, he glanced up and noted a single engine Cessna approaching Fisk from the northwest - the wrong direction - at a 90 degree angle to the inbound arrivals, and behind the controllers working inbound traffic. Theyfault glanced back at the arrival flow, at the interloper, and quickly determined there was no conflict. The offender did not contact Fisk and was gone as fast as they arrived. Another morning at Fisk.

Departures are handled in a manner unique to Oshkosh, called look and go. In other words, they use their Mark I eyeball to determine when its safe to let a departure go. This requires the controllers in what are called "MOOCOWs" (Mobile Operations and Communications Workstations - we are in Wisconsin, after all) located adjacent to the departure end of the runway to visually clear the airspace required to fit the departure in, then wave frantically at the pilot to get them the heck off their runway before the next arrival literally seconds later. It's crazy to see in practice, but it works well.

Oshkosh 'Ground Control'

The MOOCOW was the final stop on our tour. Originally, we were to visit the MOOCOW after the tower, but a groundloop incident prompted a change in plans.

The taxiway was buzzing as aircraft lined up waiting to depart, and runway 36 was steadily receiving inbound aircraft, the Ford TriMotor, and a Breezy hopping rides. Three controllers worked from a platform adjacent to the taxiway, while one stood out at the runway and taxiway intersection directing aircraft with orange batons and the radio as required. The look and go operations were educational and entertaining to watch, as the controller at the runway would watch carefully, then emphatically urge the waiting aircraft to depart. Sometimes a bit more emphasis was required, and the controllers seemed to have no problem being creative as to how to get someone's attention.

MOOCOW's are operationally unique to Oshkosh, as is look and go, but the controllers at the spring airshow at Lakeland (referred to as "Oshkosh Lite" by Airventure veterans) have now implemented the MOOCOW with a more southern flair, calling it the GATOR.

Oshkosh MOOCOW

As we left the MOOCOW and the frantic activity at the runway's edge, I could not help but note that everyone involved seemed to be genuinely enjoying their work. Airventure is a huge team effort, but perhaps no one part of the Airventure experience is as critical as the fantastic team of Air Traffic Controllers assigned to the event.

www.airventure.org/atc