Friday, September 26, 2014

Time to Spare? Go by Air! (Especially In and Out of Chicago)

There are no IFR flights in and out of Chicago this morning because of a fire in an FAA facility, reportedly Approach Control Chicago Center.

O'Hare is a hub for American and United. Midway is a hub for Southwest.

Expect things to be seriously screwed up for a bit.

UPDATE:

The airspace arround the ARTCC is NOTAM'd:
NOTAM : 4/0256

FDC 4/0256 ZAU IL..AIRSPACE AURORA, IL..TEMPORARY FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS WITHIN AREA DEFINED AS 2 NM RADIUS OF 414701N/0881954W (DUPAGE VOR/DME DPA171006.5) SFC-3999FT LAW ENFORCEMENT INVESTIGATION. PURSUANT TO 14 CFR SECTION 91.137(A)(1) TEMPORARY FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS ARE IN EFFECT. ONLY RELIEF AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS UNDER DIRECTION OF FAA HQ DEN ARE AUTHORIZED IN THE AIRSPACE. FAA HQ DEN TELEPHONE 202-493-5107 IS IN CHARGE OF ON SCENE EMERGENCY RESPONSE ACTIVITY. FAA HQ DEN IS THE FAA COORDINATION FACILITY. 1409261330-1409271330EST
I'd look for a lot of airplanes to drop down to bugsmasher altitudes to stay out of ZAU's airspace.

And apparently, the fire was arson as part of a suicide attempt.
on or about

2 comments:

  1. LRod9/26/2014 10:50 AM

    The CNN link says it was at the ARTCC in Aurora. That's my old stomping grounds. Spent 25 years in the place.

    It also mentions the incident at the TRACON several months ago, which came to mind as I was reading your report.

    LRod
    ZJX, ORD, ZAU retired

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sarah9/26/2014 10:40 PM

    Commercial airtravel... when you've got to be somewhere, in the worst way.

    Too bad about the guy in the basement. Sad. And what a way to make a "statement", but screwing up thousands of people's day.

    ReplyDelete

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