Well, that was new....

[flere-imsaho]

On my drive to work I saw three planes landing at O'Hare simultaneously, which means either a) they got that 3rd runway finished or b) there'll be an exciting story on the evening news tonight.

Air Traffic Controller: there's a job I wouldn't want to have....

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by flere-imsaho

On my drive to work I saw three planes landing at O'Hare simultaneously, which means either a) they got that 3rd runway finished or b) there'll be an exciting story on the evening news tonight.

Air Traffic Controller: there's a job I wouldn't want to have....

3 planes at one time? Sounds like an Air Force One flyover to me.

[flere-imsaho]

That brings up a good point - I wonder if he lands at O'Hare when he comes to Chicago.

[Passacaglia]

Doesn't he live closer to Meigs? Oh wait..

[flere-imsaho]

[flere-imsaho]

Ah, probably O'Hare:

In Chicago, the best bet for an Air Force One landing is O'Hare International Airport. Midway Airport and Gary/Chicago International Airport could also be options, especially if a smaller-than-normal plane is used to transport the president.

During the campaign, Obama almost exclusively used Midway, a location that offered a 20-minute commute to his home in the Hyde Park/Kenwood neighborhood.

But Midway's longest runway is just 6,522 feet, barely long enough for the Boeing 757 that served as his general election campaign plane. The two 747s typically deployed as Air Force One are considerably larger and heavier.

When presidents have visited Chicago in recent years, they have typically landed at O'Hare, which has one runway more than 13,000 feet long.

[DanGarion]

I thought the president was in MV for vacation....

[DaddyTorgo]

he is

[Farrah Whitworth-Rahn]

Originally Posted by flere-imsaho

On my drive to work I saw three planes landing at O'Hare simultaneously, which means either a) they got that 3rd runway finished or b) there'll be an exciting story on the evening news tonight.

Air Traffic Controller: there's a job I wouldn't want to have....

I remember reading something recently about a new runway opening up at O'Hare.

Of course I can't remember what I had for dinner last night, so perhaps my memory is not the most reliable.

[Farrah Whitworth-Rahn]

Dola.... per Wiki

With the opening of new runway 9L/27R in November 2008, there are now 7 primary air carrier runways, arranged tangentially in 3 pairs of parallel sets. The largest is Runway 14R-32L, 13,000' x 200'. Runway 10/28 is now also 13,000' long but is narrower with a width of 150'. Runways 9L, 10, 14L, 14R, 27L, 27R and 28 have Category III ILS (Instrument Landing System), allowing trained aircrews to conduct landings with as little as 600 feet (180 m) of horizontal visibility. All other runway approaches except 4L have full Category I ILS. Due to its location and prevailing winds, runway 4L is seldom used for landings. Therefore, it is equipped with a localizer, the horizontal guidance component of an ILS system, but does not have a glideslope, the vertical component.

Okay so November isn't that recently.

[flere-imsaho]

According to Wikipedia, here's the plan in 4 steps (apparently we're between 2 and 3 right now):

Blue = Existing Runway
Green = New Runway
Orange = Runway Removed

[Farrah Whitworth-Rahn]

Do airports usually have intersecting runways? That seems odd.

[RPI-Fan]

Originally Posted by Farrah Whitworth-Rahn

Do airports usually have intersecting runways? That seems odd.

Not unusual at all.

[Pyser]

my prediction: midway becomes obama international in the next 30 years. maybe sooner.

[PilotMan]

The biggest problem with the new runway at ORD is that is takes forever to taxi to and from it. On the ground O Hare can be very confusing and exceptionally busy, the controllers are unforgiving if you don't get the read-backs correctly, and god forbid if you should go the wrong way. There is actually a section of the ramp called the "Penalty Box."

[DaddyTorgo]

ohhh...now you guys done it. you got the fuckin pilot man here to regulate!!!!

[Farrah Whitworth-Rahn]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

The biggest problem with the new runway at ORD is that is takes forever to taxi to and from it. On the ground O Hare can be very confusing and exceptionally busy, the controllers are unforgiving if you don't get the read-backs correctly, and god forbid if you should go the wrong way. There is actually a section of the ramp called the "Penalty Box."

Is that when you hear about people getting stuck on planes on the runway for five hours?

I generally fly into Midway when I fly to Chicago...mostly because it seems to take less time to get Downtown on the Orange Line. I could do without the bumpy landings though. It always seems like the landings at Midway are bumpy.

[DaddyTorgo]

flying into Midway versus O'Hare is great

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by Farrah Whitworth-Rahn

Is that when you hear about people getting stuck on planes on the runway for five hours?

I generally fly into Midway when I fly to Chicago...mostly because it seems to take less time to get Downtown on the Orange Line. I could do without the bumpy landings though. It always seems like the landings at Midway are bumpy.

To answer your first question. No. Generally in a situation like that you have boarded and left the gate on time and are trying to complete the flight. Weather is usually the most likely culprit and it can be weather at the departure or arrival or somwhere in between. Planes fly common routes to get to large cities and if weather shuts off an arrival or departure then it back up like a closed interstate.

Weather is also dynamic in that it can change quickly and pilots try and take advantage of that by being ready to go if the call is given.

Other delays revolve around diverting. In that case you are need to land at a different airport because you lack the regulation required fuel to wait any longer for your original destination airport. ATC doesn't care how long it takes to get you to your destination they only care that you don't run out of fuel. When you divert, you are safe and sound and put to the back of the line for getting where you want to go.

Landings are rough at Midway because the runways are short. There is no room to screw around with soft landings, get down and get off the runway.

[BillyNYC]

Had forgotten about this. Actually got to RUN on the new runway in September as part of one of the weirdest 5k races in which I've ever taken part: http://www.chicagoevents.com/event.cfm?eid=178

Hard to focus on your pace when planes are taking off directly over your head.

[PilotMan]

Ill be in Chicago tonight. Specifically landing at O'Hare. In fact, that is where I am spending the next couple of nights after seeing JFK. Good chance I'll be landing on the new runway.

[flere-imsaho]

Let us know how it goes, PilotMan!

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

Ill be in Chicago tonight. Specifically landing at O'Hare. In fact, that is where I am spending the next couple of nights after seeing JFK. Good chance I'll be landing on the new runway.

pics plz k thx

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

pics plz k thx

Hefin O'Hare

[Noop]

Originally Posted by BillyNYC

Had forgotten about this. Actually got to RUN on the new runway in September as part of one of the weirdest 5k races in which I've ever taken part: http://www.chicagoevents.com/event.cfm?eid=178

Hard to focus on your pace when planes are taking off directly over your head.

This made me laugh for some reason.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

Which one of those guys is O'Hare?

[PilotMan]

Well, we have had a couple of successful days. We were on time yesterday and 30 min early today. The weather patters are really changing. The last couple of days have really looked a lot more like a winter day than a summer day. That is a big sign of the change of season's.

Tomorrow marks the last day of my 4 day trip, and the 8th in the last 9 days. I am ready to go home. The only problem is that our flight from JFK to O Hare has run late all week. That doesn't bode well for us. I would rather get home at 10 than 12. Cross your fingers.

We have gotten to OHare late enough the last couple nights that we have been landing on the south runway. So no new runway for us, but I don't mind, that taxi back from the north runway is terrible.

Did you know, that new runway on the north side is so far away it has it's own control tower, separate from the rest of the airport?

[flere-imsaho]

Doesn't surprise me. I still double-take at planes coming in to land at that runway since I still don't have an image of the airport extending that far in that direction.

[PilotMan]

Made it to JFK alright this afternoon. ATC delayed us on the ground before we left O Hare, and we took off an hour after out scheduled departure time.

I was worried about the flight back to Chicago, and sure enough, it was delayed by an hour and a half. Hope was in sight though, as a few minutes later, the company canceled the flight and now I am scheduled to fly back to Cincy, and get home a little later than the original schedule.

Looks like quite a few cancellations today. It could be weather, but it just doesn't look that bad.

[finketr]

Originally Posted by Farrah Whitworth-Rahn

Do airports usually have intersecting runways? That seems odd.

Almost all of them have intersecting runways.. avoid the hassles of a nasty crosswind amongst other things.

[RomaGoth]

Just hoping there are no motherfucking snakes on the plane...