Posted on 09/14/2004 5:39:15 PM PDT by nevergore
According to Laurie Dhue at the bottom of the hour all flights are grounded at LAX due to a "radio problem"...
It's been a while since I left the airline, but as I recall, there are three main points of communications for commercial aircraft:
1. Ground Control
2. Approach and Departure Control
3. FAA Air Traffic Control.
Also from memory there are six major ATC centers, and I believe six backups. If a primary ATC went down, then there would be no way to assign aircraft altitudes and maintain separation away from the TCA's (totally controlled areas) immediately adjacent to the airport.
There was a short story on possible rolling blackouts in California this morning, no idea if there's a connection.
Also, a post on a website for airline dispatchers says the affected facility will not be back up prior to 0400Z, which would be 2300 EST or 2000 PST. Not sure who's on daylight savings time so you'll have to do your own math there.
This will put every major fleet operating in North America out of whack, and will also affect reservations, both from scheduling unknowns and general systems overload in the fleet management computing systems. Delays and cancellations will continue for at least 24 hours after the system is fully operational.
The dispatchers, all of them, are pulling hair and gobbling Maalox by now.
I agree.
600 flights still up there.
What is really going on?
If your really quit, you can hear screams coming from Palmdale Center.
Sigh...I try to start a serious thread regarding a major air traffic control problem affecting traffic nationwide and look what I got...
All the juveniles came out to play....
Well, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em....
"Laurie Dhue has a Fox on her bottom"
NeverGore :^)
I am glad you posted that. I have been outside several times and the skies over western Phoenix are deserted.
Er, quite.......
LOLOLOL.............that was the funniest movie I ever saw along with "My Cousin Vinny"and "Blazing Saddles"........(so I have no taste, what of it?)*~*
'till just about thew time Ivan closes the southeast U.S.
I am not calm......
Reminds me 911. Generally aircraft on approach to LAX are backed up, tail to nose, all the way to the Colorado River. There is nothing up there at this time.
Palmdale Center, still down.
Me either. Hehe.
UPDATE
Two Southwest flights are leaving Burbank to Oakland, but they are using SOCAL controllers (not ZLA Center) to navigate to NoCal.
The radio problem is not solved. I think they are just trying to free up gates at Burbank, which had 9 awaiting departure.
or top
I recommend an adult beverage.
I don't like it.
Its like that Bellagio hotel power outage - how do you convince people to evacuate a huge hotel if you fear a terrorist attack, without telling them that and causing panic - cut the power.
how do you ground all aircraft in the southwest because you fear a terror attack, without telling people that and panicing them - cut the power.
It's a mess Karl. We heard that LAX is getting quite crowded right now.
Naaaaaaaa.........BurbankKarl said some are leaving Burbank...if something really bad was happening, I seriously doubt those planes would fly.
Now. Relax. Breathe in. Out. In. Out.
Now you may go get your drink.
Good idea...have one for me too.
Probably not terrorist related....but you never know....
With the serious concerns that the government has for the economy and the financial health of the airlines, covering up a potential/pending airline terrorist attack threat by grounding airlines due to a technical problem would be a viable short term solution without the consequence of unduly alarming the general public. This would allow time for the government to quietly flush out the terrorist problem and then publically "fix" the technical problem.
Viola! Public confidence remains high and a few grumbles regarding the general incovenience.
NeverGore :^)
Remember the incidents in the recent past concerning LAX, exploding flashlights, mangled and burned luggage, security breach, (they never found that guy)...Northeast Intelligence Network now states that flights all over the country are affected.
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