Air Force One "Missed" Approach

[cranford84]

I found it amusing that the missed approach "due to weather" made several mainstream news outlets.  Anyone else pulled the feed from KBDL and listened?  I find it interesting.

[cranford84]

Here is a time compressed verison of the conversation AF1<->Bradley Approach

[bjen9337]

Do they allow civilian ATC guys to handle AF1, or do they require military/SS personnel?

[martyj19]

Do they allow civilian ATC guys to handle AF1, or do they require military/SS personnel?

I listened to it the next day.  Pretty routine.  AF1 asks to deviate around weather, it is approved, they ask to come back to intercept localizer, it is approved, they report they are missed approach.

It was amusing that the controller's clearances were along the lines of "whatever you want, guys".  The other piece of drama is the aircraft that is holding and starting to run low on fuel and this is made worse by the major chunk of extra time that the missed will take.

The same controllers staff the facilities that would normally staff the facilities.  if AF1 is landing at a military airfield, they get military controllers.  If they are in airspace that is owned by Center or a TRACON or a civil Tower, they get those controllers.  I read recently after the First Lady go-around that they have supervisors work the traffic though.

This is all as it should be because controllers are checked out by the controller equivalent of a check pilot on the sectors that they work.  This ensures that they are familiar with the airspace and the routes and the procedures that apply to it.  I would not want a controller giving me vectors if they don't intimately know what the nearby obstructions and minimum vectoring altitude for my position is.  Also remember there is plenty of other traffic on the frequency that needs to be controlled at the same time.

[cranford84]

Yup Martyj19, pretty much right on.  They fly around pretty much like any airliner out there, AND- they use VHF communication, thus our ability to evesdrop.  (As opposed to UHF we used for military- at least back when I did AF Flying).
And Yes- probably was a very senior/experience controller.  Very professional, even temperment- obviously comfortable regarless if its AF1 or American Eagle.
Here was my take that I emailed to my flying buds:
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WTF?  700 Overcast and Air Force One misses the approach?  Apparently this was national news.  The media reported that “Due to weather, Air Force One had to go missed approach yada yada”.    ATC recording (edited version attached) tells a different story.  This controller was NOT asleep.  On 4 different occasions, he tries to help this guy out.  Not exactly what the recording says literally, but I interpret it like this:

“Air Force One- you sure you are looking at the correct approach plate?”

“Air Force One- You want a LEFT turn?  Are you lost?  You will never make that turn in a 747.”

“Air Force One- I can see on radar that you have obviously flown through the localizer.  Are you going to claim that you intercepted the localizer?”

“Air Force One- Yes, you did claim it, but I see otherwise.  I am going to try and help you save face and vector you back on to the localizer you dumb ass.”

I left one little blurb in there I thought was funny: “All you vehicles and aircraft moving around over there stop moving before the Secret Service shoots you.”  Otherwise all the extraneous BS has been cut out.  Thus, this recording is not real time.
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The guy that was running low on fuel eventually has to divert with his passengers to Albany.  So much for our being "green".  Not a dig on this President specifically- they all do it- it is a neccessary evil I guess.  I'm just sayin', you know?  In this case, he was on his way to speak at commencement for Coast Guard Academy, so be it.  Go Coasties.  However, you think DOD or SS is going to reimburse Commuter for that fuel?  Fat chance.  It's all just one of those things- crapple- it happens- whatever.  I  do however get a kick out of the mainstream media making "news" out of it (and not very accurate news- but- in this case- they reported the crapple they were fed.  but don't claim to be an "aviation journalist" if youre not going to dig.)
Would love to have been a fly on the wall for the debrief on this flight though!

[rpd]

Supervisors are not working the sector, just plugged in and monitoring.  Whoever is on position when AF1 shows up works the aircraft.  Not necessarily a more experienced controller at all.

FAA ATC certifications are done by supervisors not a "check airman".  Depending on who the supervisor is, they may have been at the facility for less time than the trainee they are certifying.