MACA Fly-in: Dover invites local Pilots

by Senior Airman Jared Duhon
436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

5/20/2014 - DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del.  -- Team Dover held its first ever Mid-Air Collision Avoidance Fly-in May 17, 2014, here, which provided the local flying community with important safety information about the base and its airspace.

The purpose of the event was to promote safe air operations and strengthen the relationship with civil aviation pilots who frequently transit in and around DAFB's airspace. The 436th and 512th Airlift Wing safety office provided more than 50 pilots with an airspace communication and safety briefing as well as the opportunity to tour some of the base agencies in which they interact with to lower MACA related incidences.

"The event was an educational one to hopefully get pilots talking to us more," said Capt. Aaron Klang, 436th AW Safety Office flight safety officer. "This year we opened the doors to 25 aircraft, which came from around Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania."

Dave Shaver, one of the pilots invited, has flown around Dover AFB for more than 50 years. Shaver said he was excited to be able to land at Dover AFB and tour the some of the base facilities and its aircraft.

"I've never been able to land at Dover AFB and it feels great," said Shaver. "It is also wonderful being around the young people today and it's amazing they can fly these huge airplanes."

Shaver flew in from northeastern Maryland with two other pilots and is excited to share his new knowledge and experience with his aviation friends who could not attend.

"I look forward to going home and talking with my friends," said Shaver. "They go by Dover all the time on their way to different places up and down the shoreline. I feel they are not really well informed on how busy Dover really is."

Maj. Stephen Baker, 436th Operations Support Squadron airfield manager flight commander, said this tour gave the civilian partners a behind-the-scenes look at Air Force operations; a rare event for most of them.

"It gave us the opportunity to showcase our personnel and facilities to the general aviation community," said Baker. "We were able to show them our airspace and help them understand the rules we follow and the challenges we face in keeping the skies safe."


The agencies that were involved put in a diligent effort hoping that the pilots who attended the MACA event will now have a better understanding on how we operate our airspace as well as the services we can provide them.