Air Cops: A Personal History of Air Traffic Control (Paperback)

by Billy Robbins (Author)
Key Phrases: radar approach control, air traffic control facilities, final controller, Air Force, United States, Atlantic City (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Written by a retired air traffic controller, Air Cops: A Personal History of Air Traffic Control takes a closer look at this adrenaline pumping occupation. Author Billy D. Robbins draws on his experience in this profession to describe navigation systems, past and present.

Robbins started his training as a military control tower operator in the U.S. Air Force in 1950. His first job began during the Korean War at the March Air Force Base in southern California. It was there that he learned the daily activities of running a control tower, not all of them pleasant. Boredom, coupled with spurts of intense stress, created a difficult working environment—one that not everyone could handle.

Robbins, however, thrived on the life of an air traffic controller and continued in the aviation profession for the next forty years. From the tense moments of dealing with airplane hijackers in Florida to the introduction of automated computer systems, Robbins’s research and experience produces a sometimes hilarious, sometimes tragic view of the air traffic control profession.

About the Author
Billy D. Robbins was an air traffic controller for twenty years and programmed air traffic control computers for another twenty years. He taught and authored curricula for teaching both air traffic control and maintenance of the software in air traffic control computers.

Product Details

• Paperback: 100 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse, Inc. (November 7, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595393780
• ISBN-13: 978-0595393787
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #721,555 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Air Cops ATC early years., February 7, 2007

By	Lloyd Trawick "Eltee3" (Fort Worth, Texas) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Interesting book but lacks the in depth knowledge I was seeking. Details are too limited for an industry infant. For instance what and how change came about is hit too lightly. ( Not enough examples). Training details and their effect are stressed too lightly. The problem may be in what I am seeking. I cannot find a book that outlines how long training was, what problems had to be overcome, what adjustments had to be made in implementation, how long does it require to become a competent controller and what kind of individual profile was sought. It is a good start and a glimpse of a tough industry.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Air Cops A Personal History Of Air Traffic Control, September 20, 2008

By	Charles D. Richardson - See all my reviews

Billy Robbins tells it like it was, both in the Air Force and the CAA, the forerunner of the FAA. I to was an Air Traffic Controller under the CAA and FAA. This book brought back many memories, some bad but mostly fond ones. I was glad Billy mentioned the problems of using local times instead of Zulu. I entered the CAA at the New Orleans ARTCC. When we received an estimate from Jacksonville center the time was in eastern and the assistant controller that processed the strips in New Orleans for the controller had to convert to central time. Occasionally someone would forget to convert the time which sometime resulted in two aircraft trying to occupy the same airspace at the same time. After a good dressing down by the controller, you definately didn't make that mistake again. Any young person in or contemplating an aviation career should read this book. They would realize how far the industry has come in a relatively short period. From no radar or radios, just hand written "strips" and an antique rotary dial interphone. I enjoyed the humor, especially the tale of rigging the tower steps to alert the oontrollers if a superior was approachng. How Billy was quick on his toes and turned a possible disclipinary action into a commendation. A pleasant and compelling read.
Charles D. Richardson Author of The Pact and coming soon, Flying Machines

5.0 out of 5 stars Personal Stories in Air Traffic Control History , May 31, 2007

By	Judy Rodman "Power, Path and Performance" (Nashville, TN USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book tells the history of air traffic control through the amazing personal memoirs of veteran controller Billy D. Robbins. Starting with the author's recollection of a plane which crashed in a field near his boyhood home and influenced his career choice, this book opens the door to an occupation filled with unbelievable responsibility and stress mixed with moments of irony, insanity and hilarity. I felt like I was actually there, smelling the flames, laughing at the slang phraseology used by controllers & pilots, sobered by the crash of an airliner, relaxing with hobbies and antics of the off-duty controller. Along with the stories, Mr. Robbins supplies names, dates, places and events that create the timeline from the beginning of air traffic control into the near future, with his predictions of what is to soon come. I would highly recommend this entertaining and educating book for anyone who flies or is interested in flying or controlling those who do.