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Air Advisors, Honduran Air Force develop ATC curriculum

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Lesley Waters
  • 615th contingency Response Wing public affairs
TEGUCIGALPA, HONDURAS --  The 571st Mobility Support Advisory Squadron and Honduran Air Force have partnered together in developing an air traffic control technical curriculum for the Honduran Air Force air traffic controllers.

The MSAS air advisors, part of the 615th Contingency Response Wing and based out of Travis AFB, Calif., are participating in a month-long mutually beneficial forum for the exchange of ideas between the U.S. and Honduran Airmen via interactive seminars and hands-on applications in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

"The value of building partner capacity mission to the U.S. Air Force is priceless," said Lt. Col. Joseph Sanchez, 571 MSAS commander. "Not only will our air mobility experts hone their air advisory skills and receive certifications for this role, but they will also have the opportunity to learn new approaches to air mobility and exchange ideas with other Airmen who may have a different perspective."

The entire ATC course covers 33 days of academic training and static scenarios. The subjects include ATC fundamentals, control tower fundamentals and practical application.

"I am working with three new ATC trainees who will forward deploy to the eastern portion of Honduras in the near future," said Tech. Sgt. Aaron Carrillo, 571st Mobility Support Advisory Squadron ATC air advisor. "I am also sharing my instruction techniques with the more experienced controllers, who in return are sharing with me their techniques."

Carrillo has integrated English into the curriculum, since it is essential in the aviation-world. During the practical applications, Carrillo shared ideas both in English and Spanish, by using the terminology ATC controllers use on a daily basis to include - "cleared for take-off," "go around" and line up and wait."

"I have an excellent interpreter in Staff Sgt. Angle Ortega who is my safety net, but he allows me to actively learn the Spanish language," said Carrillo.

Ortega, 571 MSAS air transportation air advisor, works with Carrillo as his translator and said he has gained a better of the other career fields, how they operate and affect his job.

"We are getting to know not only how the Honduran Air Force operates as a unit, but we are also working with its future leaders," said Ortega. "As we continue working with Honduras other Central and Latin American countries, we will continue building partnerships and forging friendships."

The MSAS is part of the Air Mobility Command's Building Partner Capacity mission and supports 12th Air Force's (Air Forces Southern) continued engagements in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility of Latin America and the Caribbean.

"Through the MSAS we are able to build stronger international air force cooperation, interoperability and mutual support," said Honduran Air Force Capt. Jose Ramon Tercero Aguilera, radar maintenance. "When a crisis or contingency operation occurs in the future, we are better prepared to respond together."