That airport whose letters come from it having been an Orchard at one point - located in the Land of Lincoln - has been mentioned.
In the 1968 novel about a fictionalized version of that airport, ORD, an ATC emergency figures in the plot development (Part 1, section 9, p.82 of the (Dec. 1972) 22nd printing in paperback). The very next section of the novel deals with folks complaining about airport noise, urged on by a lawyer not quite respectable, to say the least.
The point is, some things get flashy publicity, and headlines -- like the lines of travelers snaking through zig-zag cordons waiting to pass through security checkpoints, pictures of which have adorned newspaper front pages lately. Summer travel season, woe is the industry, woe is the system. Last fall, EUROCONTROL held a conference, which I heard about, focused on applying to the industry and the system what VIper told Maverick at Viper's home on the seacoast, on a Sunday morning: "A good pilot is compelled to always evaluate what's happened so he [or she] can apply what [they've] learned." In other words, how to avoid the problems of Summer 2022 when the same season occurs... this year.
Many reports, by sources far more knowledgeable than this SLF/attorney, have pointed to FAA's need to shift Facilities and Equipment funding to operational needs, hence leaving the NOTAMs system to age, mellow, gain seniority... and ultimately break down. (Incidentally, recently I heard someone in the industry refer to Notices to Airmen and Airwomen - and the Earth did not stop turning!) The point is throwing money at these problems as described in the previous news article could be worthwhile. But heading into the summer season, AND with the lingering aftermath of the recent spate of incursions still a cause for high-level concern, is it not time for FAA (and its counterparts, where the same problems exist) to accelerate increased professionalism of all echelons of ATCO cadres? Perhaps it is the case that in the good number of years since President Reagan fired the PATCO controllers when they went out on strike, insufficient attention - and insufficient funding and planning - have been devoted to improving the professionalism of ATCOs . . . . FAA Reauthorization, anyone?
(For those unfamiliar with both Hailey's 1968 novel, Aiport, and the actual Chicago O'Hare International Airport, it long has had a connection to an Illinois Air National Guard KC-135 tanker wing, which type of aircraft features in the ATC emergency in the book. Happy Memorial Day.)
Last edited by WillowRun 6-3; 3rd Jun 2023 at 01:49.