Mon, Jun 30, 2003
O'Hare Controllers Cite Dangers Associated With Increased GA
Traffic
The pilot of a 747 on
rollout suddenly spots a single-engine aircraft crossing the runway
in front of him. Jamming the pedals to the floor, he burns out the
jumbo jet's brakes, trying to slow from a landing speed of 160 mph
in time to avoid hitting the small aircraft still on the runway.
The collision is avoided. The jumbo jet goes into the shop for a
brake job.
It's just one of several harrowing miscues at Chicago's O'Hare
Airport -- a facility that has become increasingly overcrowded
since Mayor Richard Daley destroyed the runway at Meigs Field on
April 1. At the same time, Chicago aviation officials moved the
Signature FBO to make room for a terminal expansion. Now, GA
aircraft have to cross two active runways to get to parking.
"The decision to relocate Signature is an accident waiting to
happen, and it will happen," said Craig Burzych, O'Hare president
of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association.
In all, O'Hare controllers report
five mishaps in the past year. Even though there's been a
seven-percent decline in GA traffic at O'Hare since the end of
March, one FAA manager wrote in a June 3 memo something needs to be
done - and fast. Last week, a Cessna taxied onto an active runway
without clearance. Thankfully, there was no traffic on the runway
at the time. Back in May, a controller allowed a corporate jet to
taxi onto the active -- right in the path of a departing Lufthansa
flight. The commercial aircraft crew saved everyone involved by
standing on the brakes and aborting the take-off.
What does the Chicago Department of Aviation have to say about
all this? One spokeswoman said the city simply doesn't see any
problem here.
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