Dobbins' New Beacon Gets Busy

From Armed Forces Dispatches

The new air-traffic-control tower at has experienced an eventful first month since coming online Aug. 1:

• The tower directed seven C-130s from the 165th Airlift Wing in Savannah that to avoid Hurricane Irene and was prepared for further flights of evacuating military aircraft. Dobbins served as a hub for hurricane evacuations because Irene stayed well east of the Atlanta area.

Pilots from the 165th were due to fly the C-130s home Sunday.

• The tower played host to congressional staffers Aug. 12.

The members of various Georgia congressmen’s staffs had breakfast at the base before touring the new 88-foot tower.

• The celebrated the new tower with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Aug. 9.

Guests at the Aug. 9 ceremony included:

• Kennesaw Mayor Mark Mathews.
• Maj. Gen. Thomas Moore, the commander of the Georgia Air National Guard.
• Col. Heath Nuckolls, the 22nd Air Force’s chief of staff.
• Shan Hooper, vice president of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, which uses Dobbins and thus relies on the tower.
• Pam Younker, the chairwoman of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce's Honorary Commanders Association.
• Douglas Davidson, the president of contractor New South Construction.
• Matthew Armstrong, the president of D&N Electric.
• David Luke, a vice president with architecture/engineering firm Merrick & Co.

The new tower not only sets controllers higher and extends their field of view at the base, but it also offers technological advancements to meet the needs of the busiest sector of air traffic in the world.

“With Lockheed Martin greatly expanding the C-130J program over the next three years and a continued active military mission, the need for effective air traffic control at Dobbins will remain critically important,” said Col. Tim Tarchick, the 94th Airlift Wing’s commander.

During an open house, people got to ride in the elevator to reach the expanded control cab atop the tower.

The also has added space for offices, equipment rooms and a training area for newly assigned controllers.

The old tower was 40 years old and 60 feet tall, contained less than 2,400 square feet, and lacked an elevator.

“This process didn't happen overnight,” said Clarence Miller, the airfield operations manager. “It was a culmination of several years of hard work that brought us this state-of-the-art facility.”

Airman 1st Class Chelsea Smith, Brad Fallin and Cheryl Pellerin contributed to this report.