Chaos and Near Misses after Computer Failure

[tonyw]

In at least five cases, aircraft passed dangerously close to each other after a computer failure cut off radio contact between pilots and air traffic controllers for hours and forced the grounding of hundreds of flights throughout the country, a union official said Wednesday.

Wow. It has got to suck big time for the controllers, sitting there, seeing that the planes are getting close, and hoping and praying that the TCAS works.

Union official says at least five near misses after computers fail

[flyover]

>>Two flights "were almost near-mid-air collisions," said Hamid Ghaffari<<

I having trouble telling if they were close or not from the comment? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

[tonyw]

Dunna. He's the guy who was quoted, I hope he knows what he's talking about. I really do. Otherwise, it means that the guys who the controllers want as their spokesperson doesn't know what's up and that would be bad.

Of course, it could be one of those situations where he is trying to dumb it down for the general public, who don't know jack about airplanes and ATC.

[SteveC]

The union spokesman has an agenda. The more he spouts gloom, doom, and scary stuff the more money gets allocated for controllers and new equipment.


Flyover's right, too; "almost near-mid-air" is some unique grammar. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[Kristie]

well, if you think about it - isn't it way past time to upgrade most of the ATC machines at most of the airports??? heck, i'd rather put some money there instead of another stinkin school bond! they're so many of those flying around here, it's ridiculous!

[SteveC]

There's nothing wrong with the ATM machines at the airports.










Oops. My bad.

[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[tonyw]

[ QUOTE ]
There's nothing wrong with the ATM machines at the airports.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, not at the airport. At home when you see that they charged you like $5 to withdraw the money! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[Doug Taylor]

So you need to make an ATM withdrawl to PAY for your ATM withdrawl fees. Which, coincidentially, incurs another ATM withdrawl fee.

Aye.

[flyover]

I remember stopping in the watering hole across the street from Kansas City ARTCC 30 years ago after one of their shifts had a backhoe cut all communications. "There I was with two 727's heading straight at each other then, nothing." It was a raucous debrief. Very profitable day for the bar.

[flyover]

[ QUOTE ]
So you need to make an ATM withdrawl to PAY for your ATM withdrawl fees. Which, coincidentially, incurs another ATM withdrawl fee.

Aye.

[/ QUOTE ]

Speaking of ATM "withdrawals". Hilarious footage of two guys stealing an ATM out of a conveience store in Georgia on the news last night. Funnier than Barbershop.

[E_Dawg]

[ QUOTE ]
So you need to make an ATM withdrawl to PAY for your ATM withdrawl fees. Which, coincidentially, incurs another ATM withdrawl fee.

Aye.

[/ QUOTE ]

Argh, I checked my balance on an ATM, which charged me a fee, which means the balance I saw was not the balance I had; then I withdrew some $$$ and was charged for that too, putting be below $0, and getting slammed with a $33 overdraft fee. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img] It cost me 40 bucks to withdraw 40 bucks [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img]

[norskman]

I read somewhere that the Federal Gov't is the world's largest user of vacuum tubes for computers, esp. the FAA & IRS. That would explain a lot!