Member Bob Earl

Sun Lakes Aero Club
Member Profile Form

See Bob’s Portrait Below

Name:	Robert D. Earl
Call Me:	Bob
Spouse:	Kathy
Birth Place:	Seattle, WA
Raised In:	Seattle, WA
Pilot Ratings:	Single Engine/Multi Engine Land, Commercial, Instrument
Planes Previously Owned:	None, but I did own a boat
Planes Currently Owned:	None
Planes Flown:	PAZT, PA28, C182
Military Experience:	USAF, Enlisted 4 years, Air Traffic Control
Rank When Retired:	GM-15 (FAA retired, grade equivalent to USAF Col.)
Professional/Life Work:	Approximately 44 years of air traffic control experience. It includes US Air Force, FAA, and FAA contract air traffic control. Assigned to Air Route Traffic Control Centers and Airport Traffic Control Towers, including those with radar and non-radar approach control facilities. Managed five towers. Retired from the FAA in January 1994, where he was the Assistant Manager of Las Vegas Tower/TRACON (Terminal Radar Control). Following his FAA retirement, he managed Chandler Control Tower, a FAA Contract Tower, from the day it was established (May 17, 1995) until June 28, 2002. Holds a commercial pilot license for single-engine and multi-engine, land aircraft, and an instrument rating. A native of Seattle, Washington.
Interests/Hobbies	Gardening, Travel, Photography

Portrait of a Member

Meet Bob Earl

Airway Pioneer Member
Robert D. "Bob" Earl
Resume’_List| Home Page

It was 1955 that Bob Earl’s air traffic control career began. It all started at Los Angeles Center. He was just a young airman in the United States Air Force who had been assigned a special learning experience with the, then, CAA. His AF/CAA assignment ended after one year; it was the same month of a mid-air collision over the Grand Canyon between a United DC-7c and a TWA Super Connie. Bob continued his Air Force commitment at Taegu Center, Korea and later in a terminal radar control facility at Selfridge AFB RAPCON, Michigan.

In December 1958 Bob returned to LA Center as a FAA employee. However, he developed a case of nepotism by marrying Kathy, another controller’s sister. One or the other was required to leave. Bob opted to relocate to McChord AFB RAPCON, Washington in May 1959. However, a year later, he resigned from the FAA to attend Walla Walla College.

Following a 3-year sabbatical, and after realizing that raising a family while attending college was more difficult than air traffic control, Bob renewed his relationship with the FAA. In September 1963 he was reinstated by the FAA to Seattle Center, a career commitment that lasted until Bob retired from Las Vegas Tower/TRACON in 1994 with 37 years of Federal service.

The renewal of Bob’s journey with the FAA was during a hiring freeze; he was provided no training and no career advancement opportunities at Seattle Center. Finally, attrition impacted the terminal facilities and they became short-staffed. In October 1965 Bob volunteered to relocate to Seattle-Tacoma Tower/TRACON. However, the new position was funded for a just one year. Bob was encouraged to seek a fully funded position elsewhere. In June 1966 Bob opted for a vacancy at Edwards AFB RAPCON, California (now known as Joshua Approach Control).

In August 1967, after one year on the "High Desert", Bob returned to his native Pacific Northwest. It was while at Boeing Tower that he learned to enjoy airport traffic control at a very busy facility. After awhile the lure of radar and money drew him back to SeaTac Tower/TRACON. It was during this tenure that a few of the controllers became sickly; it was the time of the 1970 controller sickout. Then, things began to happen. His journey took him back to Boeing Tower as a supervisor, then as manager at Renton Tower, and from there to a staff position in the Northwest-Mountain Region, Air Traffic Division.

In 1978, Bob was selected to manage Yakima Tower. He relocated across the Cascade Mountains where he enjoyed the dryness of the climate, the sweetness of apples, and the semi-isolation from the Regional Headquarters. In 1980 Mt. St. Helens blew producing a unique set of circumstances for the public, including the flying public. Then, in 1981, the PATCO controller strike affected lives across the country, including the Yakima Valley. All of the striking controllers were summarily fired. After 3 difficult years, rebuilding a work force and working long hours in Yakima, he was selected to manage the Colorado Springs Tower/TRACON.

Three years on the Front Range of Colorado did not woo Bob away from his affection for Pacific Northwest (a Seahawks fan to the end) and he continued to follow career progression. He was selected to be the Assistant Manager of Las Vegas Tower/TRACON where he remained until January 1994 when he retired from Federal service after 37½ years.

But that was NOT the end! In May 1995 Bob became the first manager of the "new start" FAA Contract Tower in Chandler Arizona. "The Little Tower on the Desert" was established by Congressional mandate and it was pre-disposed to fail. Instead, by September 2001 traffic reached a peak level of more than 257,000 total annual operations. Chandler Tower was the busiest contract tower in the nation. Then, 9-11 befell us all, and fewer airplanes flew. Chandler Tower is currently the second busiest Contract Tower in the nation. Williams-Gateway is busier.

On July 13, 1998, after spending 3 years, 2 months, and 4 hours in an Air Guard TSW-7 Mobil Tower, the Chandler Tower controllers moved into a new 8-story permanent structure. The cool interior was decorated with a forest green ambiance. It was affectionately known as "The Emerald Tower". Bob worked to ensure his objectives would be achieved, such as: overcoming many obstacles to reverse the intended closure; obtaining a 40 hour week for all of the controllers; providing recommendations and oversight for the construction of the permanent control tower; obtaining all of the furnishings from Government surplus to make the new tower fully outfitted and comfortable, and negotiating the installation of a second tower position. The promise of a Bright Display radar system was Bob’s last achievement for Chandler Tower. In April 2002 Bob received a letter of promise from Senator John McCain and subsequently an assurance from the FAA that a radar display would be furnished to Chandler Tower. With that promise in hand, Bob re-retired in June 2002 having met all of his objectives.

Bob’s air traffic control assignments were: MTC•*ZLA•TCM•*ZSE•EDW•BFI•SEA•RNT•**ANM•YKM•COS•LAS•CHD. He holds a commercial pilot certificate with ratings in single-engine and multi-engine, land, aircraft and an instrument rating. (*ARTCC•**Regional Headquarters)

The Old and the New Chandler Towers