Airmen hone skills with air traffic control simulator Published Feb. 11, 2016 By Senior Airman Jake Eckhardt 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- Air Force air traffic controllers play a critical role in the safe execution of flying operations at home and aboard. Due to the criticality of their mission, the Air Force has provided controllers with a simulator that enables them to hone their skills in a risk-free environment. Scott's air traffic controllers, assigned to the 375th Operational Support Squadron, utilize a state-of-the-art simulator to practice a variety of scenarios in this electronic environment. "It's easier to simulate a lot of traffic than to wait for live traffic in the tower. It's also less stressful to learn, and we're able to train on a lot of scenarios that we don't always see," said Airman 1st Class Jacob Crabtree, 375th OSS. Before receiving the simulator, air traffic controllers conducted exercises using a map of the local flying area with wooden airplanes to represent the locations of the aircraft. Now trainees can adjust different elements within an exercise, including the number of aircraft or ground vehicles, runway closures, emergency situations and mishaps. "Before, it would take eight people moving airplanes, simulating their spot in the air or on the airfield just to do one simulation, so the simulator really helps out a lot," Crabtree said. Senior Airman Nathaniel Ellis, 375th OSS, said the simulator can also be adjusted to reflect different airfields across the Air Force. If controllers move to another base or deploy, they can use the simulator to become accustomed to that airfield. For example, Ellis is moving to Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, where he'll be supporting F-16 flying operations. "The simulator is helping me get accustomed to the airfield and ops tempo there," he said. Crabtree said they use the simulator to sharpen their skills as much as possible, usually training for an hour or two each day. "This is important," Ellis said. "It's a tool to bridge the gap between live traffic and staying proficient."