8 JaxAir NeWS, NAS Jacksonville, Thursday, March 2, 2006


ABH3(AW) Steffano Hurtado, director plane handler in the transient line division,
places the blocks on the tires of an E-2 Hawkeye aircraft.I


AC2 Ryan DiDominicus monitors an approaching aircraft on a precision
approach radar inside the NAS Jacksonville Air Operations Radar Room.


Tucked away in the northeast
 corner of the base lies what
 many consider the largest,
most diverse and complex depart-
ment aboard the base.
 Air Operations (Air Ops) is a vital
link to warfighter readiness and to
the global war on terror. Consisting
of seven divisions and employing
more than 200 Sailors. Department
of Defense iDoD) civilians and con-
tract personnel, this complex organi-
zation fulfills a myriad of tasking for
NAS Jax and the Navy.
 Ai# Ops operates and maintains
two airfields: a Class III B airport
provides a full service passenger ter-
min.l with cargo handling services,
as w ll as providing, transient and
detachment aircraft support.
 Additionally, it operates a boat-
hous6 that maintains five boats that
provide search and rescue (SAR)
training, SAR Swimmer School
training support, security response
and provides assistance to the
Jacksonville Sheriff's Office arid the
U.S. Coast Guard.
 "We are a large department with
several divisions, but one strong
team," remarked Air Ops
Department Head Cmdr. Ted Carter.
 Every action that a division takes
can and often times does affect
another division. We, as a team,
strive to work together to be in sync
with one another as we fulfill our
mission while always keeping safety
a top priority," he continued.
 "My goal has always been to work
as one team military and civilians
side-by-side in order to enhance
our professional capabilities and
maximize warfighter support," he
added.
 One of the busiest divisions within
the department is Air Traffic Control
(ATC), which operates the radar air
traffic control center, ground control
approach, air surveillance radar sys-
tems and flight and ground tower
functions. As aircraft travel through
the NAS Jax air space, military air
traffic controllers (ACs) monitor
each plane and constantly relay
instructions to the pilots using com-
puter switchboards and verbal com-
munication in both the radar room
and the control tower.
 According to ACCS Tim Altman,
the mission of the ACs assigned to


Aircraft Refueler Rick Durrance (right) assists AME2(NAC)
William Franklin of VP-16, with the connection of the fuel hose.


EN2(SW/AW) Charles Perez of the NAS Jax Air Operations
Department Boathouse Division performs a daily inspection of
the functional, operation and equipment readiness of the boats
stored and maintained at the boathouse.


See AIR OPS, Page 9


Federal Aviation,Administration Aircraft Licensed Mechanic Jim Lentini of the
NAS Jax Air Operations Airfield Facilities Division replaces an engine on an E-2
Hawkeye of VAW 120 out of Norfolk, Va.