Meet: Larry Parker

Who I Am
Hi! My name is Larry Parker, and I am an Air Traffic Controller. I work at the Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF). I live in Melbourne, Florida with my wife, Ginny, of 27 years. We have two sons that we are very proud of. My oldest son, Bryan, is a pilot and flies for ComAir. Our youngest son, Glendon, has one more semester of school and he will have his Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering.

What I Do
When I first began work here at the SLF, my job title was SLF coordinator. When our contract changed, the tile changed with it to Air Traffic Controller. My job is to ensure the safe, orderly and expeditious flow of air and ground traffic. Our volume of traffic at the SLF is not nearly as high as it would be at most regional airports - but it is very unique. The volume can fluctuate quite a bit throughout the year. I recall the recent STS 95 launch when Astronaut John Glenn returned to space. We became very busy during that period!  Typically, prior to launch and landing, we see a dramatic increase in air traffic. Our primary job is to make sure that the runway environment is safe to operate on. When we are conducting shuttle training, launch, and landing operations, we ensure that the airspace is clear and that traffic flow to the facility is safe and orderly. We have a very long (15,000 ft) runway at the SLF and very limited parking for aircraft. Most aircraft that are not participating in shuttle related activities are cleared through our airspace for low approaches (flying over the runway environment without landing). We refer to this as a "Shuttle Tour." We have many guests that pass through our facility. We have astronauts, support crews, Congressional guests and many corporate representatives.

We use many tools to do our job. The primary tool is the radio and receiver. In this environment, the ability to communicate with aircraft and ground support personnel is essential. We also use RADAR to provide radar service (the ability to monitor air traffic range and direction from the airport) to aircraft that enter the restricted area. The orbiter uses an approach system called the Microwave Scanning Beam Landing System (MSBLS). The MSBLS provides the orbiter with elevation, direction and distance for  landing approaches from the northwest (runway 15) or southeast (runway 33). We have a Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN) system, located at mid-field off the east side of the runway, that is used by pilots to execute an instrument landing approach to the runway. We also have a visual system known as the Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI system). The PAPI   utilizes arrays of red and white lights that, when lined up properly by the pilot, will indicate the proper glide slope . A ball/bar light system is used for inner glide slope information on final approach - to inform the pilot whether he is on, above or below the glide slope for an orbiter touchdown point marked on the runway.

My Career Journey
I graduated from Northeast High School in St. Petersburg, Florida in 1969. With a strong interest in flying, I started flight training at St. Petersburg Junior College. I became interested in Air Traffic Control (ATC) while going to college and decided to join the Navy in 1973, with the guarantee of working in the ATC field. While in the Navy, I worked ATC at  Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola as a Tower and Radar Supervisor. This was a very busy facility and a great experience. I also spent two years controlling air traffic on the USS Lexington. The USS Lexington is an aircraft carrier that had a large volume of air traffic. I left the Navy in 1977 and continued my work in ATC in the Ascension Island. While working in the Ascension Islands, I was made aware of an opportunity to work at Kennedy Space Center, and I applied for the job. I actually began working at KSC in June of 1986.

Personal Information
My hobbies consist of racquet ball, fishing, going to the beach and golf. I play golf to relax, but I am not quite sure that is working! Because our sons have established their professional lives, my wife and I are planning to spend our time enjoying our good fortune and blessings. We are considering traveling, enjoying our home-life and the great state of Florida.

Advice
For those of you considering a career in Air Traffic Control, I would recommend visiting an Air Traffic Control Facility in your area. Making this visit will give you a great perspective of what Air Traffic control is all about. The military ATC program worked great for me, and I would recommend it as an option to gain the experience and training that you will need in this field.