During AirVenture, the air traffic control tower on sight is the busiest tower in the world Tonight NBC26 goes behind the scenes explaining how the traffic control hub operates thanks to the help from the most qualified traffic control operators in the country.
With nearly 10-thousand planes visiting Oshkosh this week, it's easy to tout a bit of confidence about being the busiest air traffic control tower in the whole world.
"We see pretty much everything. If it can fly we see it here. They all come and they come from all over the world," says Chuck Howard the Air Traffic Manager at Wittman Regional Airport this week.
Howard and his co-workers for the week came to town from near and far to handle the responsibilities at AirVenture.
"We have guys here from Houston, Texas, Detroit and Chicago and all over the country," adds Howard.
As many as 4-thousand planes will land here a day during AirVenture, that's about double the traffic any airport in the US see's on any given day.
"Our guys are talking to them deciding what runway they're going to go to, depending on where the need is," says Howard.
"To keep the balance of all of the airplanes coming in here, sometimes airplanes landing every 10-15 seconds," adds Dick Knapinski the EAA Spokesman.
"The 60 air traffic controller's that work this event are the best of the best," says Howard.
In fact getting the opportunity to hold this tower down during EAA is one of the highest honors bestowed on these operators.
"This is obviously special. Everybody would like to come in but only a few are lucky enough to, But they certainly are in that group of people that we would consider the best of the best," adds Knapinski.
And for the 1000s of pilots headed to Wittman Regional Airport this week, there's some comfort knowing your working with the best.
