"Secrets From The Tower"

By ANN Correspondent Aleta Vinas

AirVenture is the place for new product releases in aircraft... and the Experimental Aircraft Association Museum was the location for a new book release.

Secrets from the Tower by Bob Richards is not actually available until July 30 -- but Richards convinced his publisher to let him bring some books to Oshkosh. Richards has been retired from Chicago O’Hare Airport since February of this year after putting in 25 years as an Air Traffic Controller.

He retired on Groundhog Day, joking "I didn’t see my shadow so I retired."

Richards explained how he came to write the book. "I’ve kind of had the idea to write for as long as I can remember. Chapters two through five I pretty much wrote when I was a kid, then I re-edited."

The book has been written throughout Richards career. "Many of the other chapters in the book are pretty much at the same time they were happening."

"The main reason, as I got older was more for my kids so I could give them a sense of what my life was like." Richards had a curiosity about what his parents were like as kids. He also hopes the book will give his kids an idea of "what to do and what not to do." Richards is currently married to his second wife and over the course of the two marriages has five sons and one daughter and two grandsons.

"I’m trying to tell a story along the way, how we ended up where we are at today in the industry. Why John Q. Public can’t get from Point A to Point B without being delayed." Richards points to a half dozen reasons in his book. Richards thinks people might raise an eyebrow at some of the issues. Richards goes into the government and airline relationship. "If they ever got together on these things , things could be a lot better." Richards even offers his Top 10 solutions to the issues.

Richards says "The book is fairly mainstream. What little technical stuff is in there is put in very simple terms so people can understand it."

Richards notes "the Air Traffic Control population is dwindling at a furious rate right now." Richards notes at least three visits from Administrator Blakey, she came into the tower, waved and walked out. Richards wondered why she didn’t even ask the controllers about anything. The new tiered pay scale implemented by the FAA is one of the unpopular topics Richards covers.

It is fitting that Richards debuted his book at Oshkosh; he was a "pink shirt" controller in the OSH Tower for five years. "Coming to Oshkosh part time for the week or so that the air show goes on has been one of my best times as an Air Traffic Controller. You can land three airplanes on the runway at the same time. You certainly can’t do that with United or American." Richards jokes.

"One of the best things is working with the people. You get to work with people from virtually all over the country." The ATC volunteers go through a selection process, not everyone is picked. "Then hopefully they invite you back." Richards says. During the week Oshkosh transforms into the busiest control tower in the world it takes Richards about 20 minutes to get geared up. At O’Hare it takes about 3 hours. In the Oshkosh tower there’s one main controller and three spotters who keep watch to make sure everyone is following the proper instructions.

There is somewhat of a lesson Richards hopes comes across in the book. "In the end the whole book is about how we treat each other."

Richards has a few more Author’s Corner stops before AirVenture ends.

FMI: www.bobrichardsbooks.com