A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/1478079
SOUTHERN REGION 20 David Kunzman Memphis Center (ZME) Artur Mularczyk Memphis Center (ZME) On a beautiful day in April, Memphis Center (ZME) member David Kunzman was training Artur Mularczyk on routine traffic. They were working the R65 sector, which comprises of many military operating areas (MOAs), military training aircraft, along with general aviation traffic and commercial traffic. Around 4 p.m., OSHN154, a flight of two single-engine military training aircraft, announced on a MOA frequency that they were exiting the airspace and going to Naval Air Station Meridian (NMM) due to an emergency. These frequencies remain on speaker and are continually monitored by the center controllers. Kunzman and Mularczyk heard the pilot was exiting the airspace and were awaiting OSHN154 to check in with them. At this point, they didn't know the nature of the emergency or the urgency of the situation. When OSHN154 checked in, he stated he was 68 miles off Navy McCain with an emergency. Mularczyk asked what his intentions were and OSHN154 said he was going to Key Field for a precautionary straight-in. Mularczyk cleared the flight for the recovery to Key Field and asked if he needed equipment to stand by and what the nature of his emergency was. OSHN154 replied that he did not require equipment and that he had reduced thrust on his aircraft. Shortly after this exchange, OSHN154 called and told Mularczyk that he didn't know if he was going to make it to Key Field. The pilot immediately began asking about Hesler-Noble Field Airport (LUL), an airport only 23 miles away. OSHN154 recognized that this was a better choice and asked for a vector towards LUL. Next to Mularczyk was Kunzman, his trainer, who pulled up the latitude and longitude, runway configuration, UNICOM frequency, and wind for By Amy Sayers (Fort Lauderdale ATCT, FLL)