Kneeling; Mike Flanagan-CPC, Front Row L-R; Joelle Zucali-FLM, Joel Brown-CPC, Johnny Crosby-CPC, Ken Palmer-FacRep, Rob Cannon-CPC, Bert Simpson-ATM, Karl Redinger-CPC, Back Row L-R; Mike Raulerson-FLM, Bob Lucht-CPC, Eric Spaulding-CPC, Boyd Martin-OM, Rick Privette-CPC, Dale Samson-CPC, Carl Reda-FLM, Patrick Sugrue-OM and Kevin Sullivan-FLM

The FAA established a temporary tower January 19-22, 2012 in the 70 year old Hendricks Field Control Tower; which was built for the Army Air Corps and was one of the B-17 training facilities throughout WW II in Sebring, Florida.  The airport is now known as the Sebring Regional Airport (SEF) where the original tower is used twice a year by the FAA.  At the request of the Sebring Regional Airport Authority, the FAA establishes a temporary tower for the U.S. Sport Aviation EXPO in January and again in March for the 12-Hours of Sebring Automobile Race that started back in 1952.  Craig Chandler, Manager of the North Florida District states that the FAA has been supporting the Automobile Races for 30 years and this is the second year for the EXPO.

During the four days of the 2012 Sport Aviation EXPO, the temporary tower safely worked 3,434 operations in just eight hours of work each day.  The tower was open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday through Sunday, January 19-22, 2012.  On Friday and Saturday the SEF EXPO Tower was the busiest tower in the State of Florida, despite only being open eight hours each day.  On Saturday, January 21, 2012 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. the SEF EXPO Tower was the busiest tower in the world.  The tower worked 1,256 operations during the eight hours it was open, which were 288 operations more than the second busiest tower, Chicago’s O’Hare.

This was the first year that a non-radar approach control was set up at nearby Lake Jackson on top of a building in downtown Sebring. With spotters and a control frequency, the controllers and supervisors were able to set up and sequence an organized flow of aircraft to the airport.  This approach control was an integral part of the Tower being able to work this record setting volume of traffic.

This record breaking event and outstanding safety achievement could not have been achieved without the working collaboration of the North Florida District Controllers, Managers from both North and South Florida Districts’, along with the Tampa and Miami Based Technical Operations crew.  The Air Traffic Manager for this event was Bert Simpson from MCO ATCT and the Facility Representative was Ken Palmer from DAB ATCT.  CPCs Mike Flanagan and Johnny Crosby along with FLM Joelle Zucali were from JAX ATCT; CPC Joel Brown and FLM Mike Raulerson were from DAB ATCT; CPCs Karl Redinger and Rick Privette along with FLM Carl Reda were from SFB ATCT; CPC Rob Cannon was from ORL ATCT; CPCs Eric Spaulding, Dale Samson and Bob Lucht were from MCO ATCT; FLM Kevin Sullivan was from PBI ATCT.  Operations Managers Boyd Martin and Patrick Sugrue were from F11 Tracon; Technicians Kerry Rathbone and Vince Carnevale were from the Tampa Technical Support Center and Technicians Tony Gispert and Roger Patterson were out of the Miami Technical Support Center.

This great group of controllers, managers and technicians, working together were able to provide a safe environment for the aviation community to fly into and out of the Sebring Regional Airport.  This helped the Sebring Regional Airport Authority and the Sport Aviation EXPO organizers set operations and attendance records.   More than 16,000 attended this year’s EXPO.  The Sebring Regional Airport, Executive Director, Mike Willingham and Sport Aviation EXPO Director, Jana Filip are optimistic that with good weather they will be able to double the attendance at the 2013 Sebring Sport Aviation EXPO.

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