Ramstein Air Traffic Control Undergoes Renovations Published Feb. 20, 2007 By USAFE News Service RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany -- The air traffic control tower here is getting a facelift to the tune of 300 thousand dollars. The old structures and equipment worked, but were outdated. "It was really designed back in the 1970's" said Master Sgt. Trevor Browning, Assistant Chief controller, "since then the Air Force has made a lot of upgrades...the old tower just couldn't hold that. It wasn't designed electrically for the load. And as we move forward, we're only going to get more equipment, more advancements." In addition to being more hi-tech, the workspace will be more ergonomically sound. "The equipment's going to be more readily accessible...more work center oriented as opposed to more hodge-podge throughout the control tower that we had before...and it just provides a better environment to perform their duties." The air traffic controllers are currently working out of a mobile tower on the flightline. It's essentially a smaller version of the large tower. "[We're] providing the same service we had in the primary tower out of the mobile tower," said Senior Master Sgt. Donald Colbert, chief controller. When controllers deploy, they will use equipment very similar to that in the mobile tower, so the temporary displacement also provides a training opportunity. "We have the ability to take some of our younger controllers that haven't had a chance to deploy...expose them to the equipment...give them a chance to grow into it, so when we send them downrange, we're sending a much better quality controller." The project is currently on schedule and within budget. The control tower staff expects to be fully operational in the new tower by March 1st, 2007.