Lemming Tracks: East Coast Air Travel; or, 'Oops'

First, the good news: Nobody got hurt.

Now, the sort-of-good-news: It's really quiet, that time of night, at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

Which may explain why the air traffic controller fell asleep.

Looks like the FAA may be re-evaluating having just one air traffic controller on duty on the late-night shift. About a year ago, the one (1) air traffic controller locked himself out of the control room.

Meanwhile, the fire is out at Miami International Airport.

It's been a big day for east coast air travel.

---

"Air Traffic Controller Is Suspended"
Timothy Williams, Jad Mouawad, with Anahad O,Connor, Julie Creswell contributing, The New York Times (March 24, 2011)

"The Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday suspended the air traffic controller who was on duty just after midnight Wednesday, when two passenger jets landed at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport without clearance or guidance from the control tower. The controller may have been asleep, officials said.

"No one was injured in the incident, which involved two airplanes carrying a total of about 165 people.

" 'The F.A.A. is thoroughly investigating Wednesday's early morning incidents at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport's control tower,' said Randy Babbitt, the agency's administrator. 'While that is taking place, we have suspended the air traffic controller from all operational duties. I am determined to get to the bottom of this situation for the safety of the traveling public.'..."

There's more: mostly about the F.A.A. fellow being outraged; and something's going to be done; and he when he was a pilot he wouldn't have landed that plane, no way, no how.

Also, this isn't the first oopsie at R. R. W. N. A.:

"...According to transcripts of the radio communication between the pilot and a controller at the Potomac center on Wednesday morning, a third aircraft also approached the airport during the incident on Wednesday. 'So you're aware, the tower is apparently not manned,' the controller told the pilot of the third plane, an American Airlines flight. 'We've made a few phone calls; nobody's answering. So, two airplanes went in in the past 10 to 15 minutes, so you can expect to go in to an uncontrolled airport.'

" 'Is there a reason it's not manned?' the American pilot is heard asking.

" 'Well, I'm going to take a guess and say that the controller got locked out,” the Potomac controller responded. 'I've heard of it happening before.'

" 'That's the first time I've heard it,' the pilot said.

" 'Fortunately, it's not very often,” the controller said. 'It happened about a year ago. But I'm not sure that's what happened now, but anyway, there's nobody in the tower.'

" 'Interesting,' said the pilot, apparently exasperated.

"After a few seconds, the Potomac controller reported, 'The tower's back in business.'

" 'That was a close call,' said the pilot, who sounded relieved.

" 'Wasn't it, though?' the Potomac controller replied."

Television news that the Lemming's heard has been careful to point out that Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is pretty quiet after midnight, when this happened. And that it's several miles away from some of the most restricted airspace in the country. Or, looking at it another way, it's only miles away from some of the most restricted airspace in the country.

Still, like The New York Times pointed out, nobody got hurt. That's good news.

Meanwhile, near Miami, Florida:

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"MIA fuel tank fire affecting flights into the evening"
WSVN-TV (March 24, 2011)

"Though the flames at Miami International Airport are no longer raging, the aftermath is still causing major travel troubles.

"Dozens of flights have been canceled following the fire that ignited late Wednesday night. The resulting fueling issues at MIA are expected to have a ripple effect into Thursday evening.

"Thursday morning, the aviation director spoke at the Miami-Dade Commission to explain what caused this fire. 'We think one of the 16 pumps that we have in line,' said Miami-Dade Aviation Director Jose Abreu. 'The problem is the underground infrastructure that connects these pipes was also aversely affected.'

"Abreu said the trigger was electrical in nature. 'I'm an engineer, and I go by the numbers,' he said, 'and based on what I've heard-- cause I was there up until about a few hours ago-- based on what I've heard from both the firefighters and the Miami-Dade Aviation folks, it was a short-circuit.'

"The blaze broke out at 11 p.m. at the airport's fuel farm, an area where fuel is stored for planes. Fire crews, including 110 firefighters, battled the flames into the early morning hours, at around 1 a.m., Thursday...."

More good news: nobody got hurt.

---

It's rough, getting suspended like that air traffic controller did. At this point, the Lemming hasn't a clue why the fellow dozed off. It could be anything from having to work shifts back-to-back, to carbon monoxide in the ventilation system, to putting decaf instead of regular in the thermos.

Whatever the reason - and whatever the F. A. A. decides to do about what they find out - the Lemming is glad that his traveling is of the virtual variety these days.

The Miami International Airport fire? That was one spectacular blaze: and the Lemming is very glad that nobody was hurt.

Sort-of-related posts:

• "TSA vs. Holiday Travelers: Radiation Exposure or 'Pat-Down' "
  (November 15, 2010)
• "Northwest Flight 188 Overshoots MSP - Time to Reconsider Humans on Flight Crews?"
  (October 23, 2009)
• "A Software Glitch, Vintage Computers, and FAA Air Traffic Control"
  (August 30, 2008)
• "Oops: Pilots Overshoot Runway by 359 Miles"
  (June 26, 2008)
• "Our Tax Dollars On Lunch Break?"
  (February 8, 2008)

TSA vs. Holiday Travelers: Radiation Exposure or "Pat-Down"

Pay no attention to the radiation hazard - this is 'for your own good.' Actually, overexposure to X-rays is more of a problem for air crews who have to go through this lunacy every time they re-board a plane.

The Lemming didn't have travel plans for the holidays - and the latest shenanigans from the TSA makes that seem like a good idea. Before getting into today's news, some ideas for how to deal with the "pat down," as the TSA probably wishes people would put it.

Holiday Travel? Drive

This won't be practical for everyone: but overland travel may is an option. The Lemming's son-in-law travels quite a bit for his business: and did the math. Never mind the hassle at each airport. Between airline tickets, motel bills and restaurant eating - he'd save money by buying an RV. Which he did.

Holiday Travel? Webconference

If you're reading this, you're halfway there already. All you need is webcams at both ends, some software, and the willingness to have a 'virtual' visit.

This family's done it already - one of the extended family was in the Middle East and touched base with us via the Internet. Quite satisfactory, actually.

Not that the Lemming is trying to drive the airlines out of business: the TSA's doing a fine job with that already.

Now, What Set the Lemming Off - Again

"TSA: Despite objections, all passengers must be screened"
Travel, CNN (November 15, 2010)

"In response to a video of a California man's dispute with airport security officials, the Transportation Security Administration said Monday it tries to be sensitive to individuals, but everyone getting on a flight must be screened.

"The video, in which software engineer John Tyner refuses an X-ray scan at the San Diego, California, airport, has sparked a debate over screening procedures.

"Tyner told CNN Sunday that he was surprised to see so many people take an interest in his refusal, and the dispute with airport screeners that followed it. But he said he hoped the video will focus attention on what he calls a government invasion of privacy.

" 'Obviously, everybody has their own perspective about their personal screening,' TSA official John Pistole told CNN. 'The question is, how do we best address those issues ... while providing the best possible security?'..."

Equally obviously, it's not all that likely that the TSA is staffed entirely by bureaucratic meddlers and uniformed nitwits with a nipple ring phobia. (I am not making that up. (Another War-on-Terror Blog (March 27, 2008))

The craziest abuses of air travelers don't happen all that often, considering how many folks travel by air in America. Still: Does everybody have to go through this? Maybe so, the way words like "fair" and "equal" are used these days.

The Lemming's said this before, but it bears repeating: I've lost jobs fairly often over the last half-century, for one reason or another. It's not an easy experience. It would be nice if airlines could stay in business. Which may not happen, if the TSA keeps harassing the customers and crews.

This week's craziness reminded the Lemming of this bit of commentary on a really old science fiction magazine cover:

"...The Mizarans live far above their world; never going to earth and always able to enjoy the spectacular views of their world and the great fleets of airships that are their sole means of transportation.

This idyllic form of habitation is so original, so picturesque that it is universally regarded as the stupidest idea ever hit upon. Yes, the view is very pretty, but the price is a major pain in the arse, as popping next door means a three-hour wait at airport security both ways. The average Mizaran has had his person searched so many times that they now travel stark naked and without baggage to save time and aggravation...."
("Mizar," Tales of Future Past, Davidszondy.com, also quoted in Another War-on-Terror Blog (November 14, 2010))

Finally, if this post doesn't seem very "apathetic," the Lemming has discussed the matter of apathy and this blog's name before.

Related posts:

• "John Tyner at San Diego: $10,000 Fine or Groin Grope"
  Another War-on-Terror Blog (November 14, 2010)
• "TSA's Latest Options for Air Travelers: Zap or Grope"
  (November 13, 2010)
• "TSA: Our Tax Dollars at Work; Protecting the Public From Flash Cards"
  Another War-on-Terror Blog (September 12, 2009)
• "Muslim Family Talks Safety, Gets Booted From Flight"
  Another War-on-Terror Blog (January 2, 2009)
• "TSA: Our Tax Dollars at Work; Protecting the Flying Public from Nipple Rings"
  Another War-on-Terror Blog (March 27, 2008)
• "Oakland Airport Apologizes to Detained Marines: as much as can be expected"
  Another War-on-Terror Blog (October 5, 2007)

TSA's Latest Options for Air Travelers: Zap or Grope

"Growing backlash against TSA body scanners, pat-downs"
Phil Gast, Travel, CNN (November 12, 2010)

"A growing pilot and passenger revolt over full-body scans and what many consider intrusive pat-downs couldn't have come at a worse time for the nation's air travel system.

"Thanksgiving, the busiest travel time of the year, is less than two weeks away.

"Grassroots groups are urging travelers to either not fly or to protest by opting out of the full-body scanners and undergo time-consuming pat-downs instead.

"Such concerns prompted a meeting Friday of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano with leaders of travel industry groups...."

Aside from passengers not wanting to give someone the jollies by playing one-sided pat-a-cake, there are health concerns:

Glow-in-the-Dark Pilots?

"...'Pilots should NOT submit to AIT (Advanced Imaging Technology) screening,' wrote Capt. Mike Cleary, president of the U.S. Airline Pilots Association, in a letter to members this week. USAPA represents more than 5,000 US Airways pilots.

" 'Based on currently available medical information, USAPA has determined that frequent exposure to TSA-operated scanner devices may subject pilots to significant health risks,' Cleary wrote...."

The Lemming does not envy anybody working in the TSA and trying to manage a system that seems to be getting invented as it goes along.

There's Common-Sense Security: And There's Moonbat-Crazy Stuff Like This

That said, I've opined about the TSA, security, and common sense in another blog. Before someone has a stroke, let the Lemming point out that, in the Lemming's opinion, the safety of the flying public is one thing - the sort of weirdness I've discussed is something else:

• "TSA: Our Tax Dollars at Work; Protecting the Public From Flash Cards"
  Another War-on-Terror Blog (September 12, 2009)
• "Muslim Family Talks Safety, Gets Booted From Flight"
  Another War-on-Terror Blog (January 2, 2009)
• "TSA: Our Tax Dollars at Work; Protecting the Flying Public from Nipple Rings"
  Another War-on-Terror Blog (March 27, 2008)
• "Oakland Airport Apologizes to Detained Marines: as much as can be expected"
  Another War-on-Terror Blog (October 5, 2007)

Like the fellow said, 'you can't make this stuff up, folks.'

On the other hand, note the dates of those posts: These may be comparatively uncommon incidents.

The CNN article does a pretty good job of covering the latest X-ray-or-grope effort to make America's skies safer. Including this wonderfully-polite statement from the USTA:

"...'While the meeting with Secretary Napolitano was informative, it was not entirely reassuring,' the U.S. Travel Association said in a statement.

" 'We certainly understand the challenges that DHS confronts, but the question remains, "where do we draw the line"? Our country desperately needs a long-term vision for aviation security screening, rather than an endless reaction to yesterday's threat,' the statement said. 'At the same time, fundamental American values must be protected.'..."

Solution to Frequent-Flier Headaches: Don't Fly

The Lemming's son-in-law has to do a lot of traveling for his business. For example, he'll soon be heading to Louisiana to do some filming. We discussed the pros and cons of air, rail, and other options for getting him, his wife, and equipment down there and back.

This evening he rolled into the Lemming's back yard - with an RV he bought.

His equipment fits in the stowage space, there's plenty of room inside for the sort of digital editing equipment he uses, and the couple don't have to eat out when they're on the road.

With what they'll save on restaurants, motels, and air fare - it won't take long for that thing to pay for itself.

How About Web Conferencing?

Not everybody travels enough to justify buying an RV: but the Lemming's guess is that quite a few families will be deciding whether some webcams and a bit of software will solve the problem of how to get the family together over the holidays.

As for the airlines and the TSA? Like I said: the Lemming doesn't envy folks in the TSA who are trying to do their jobs. As for airlines and everyone else who makes a living flying other folks from on place to another? I've been laid off, fired, let go, and lost jobs in a few other ways. I hope that the TSA and the air travel industry work out some way for folks to fly without risking their health - or getting groped.

Iceland, Volcano, Ash, Airline Cancellations: Here We Go Again

"Volcanic ash forces Heathrow, Gatwick to close Monday"
CNN (May 16, 2010)

"London's two major airports were preparing to close late Sunday as a cloud of ash from a volcano in Iceland moved east into England, British air authorities said.

"All flights into and out of Heathrow and Gatwick airports have been canceled for a six-hour period beginning early Monday, airport officials said.

"The affected flights are those scheduled between 1 a.m. (8 p.m. Sunday ET) and 7 a.m. (2 a.m. ET).

"The Monday cancellations were the latest in a round of weekend closures of airports in England and Ireland.

"Birmingham, Norwich Manchester and Liverpool airports were closed on Sunday evening, controllers announced...."


(from CNN, used w/o permission)

Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull, or Eyjafjallajokull, volcano could keep disrupting air travel around the northeastern Atlantic for quite a while:

"...There's no way to know how long the volcano will continue spewing ash into the air, Georgia Tech scientist Josef Dufek told CNN.

" 'It could go on another year,' he said, noting that an eruption lasted that long in 1820...."

Try two years?

"...'The UK's Met Office said Eyjafjallajökull was now releasing ash in 'pulses' rather than a steady plume, but scientists say it is too early to predict how long the eruption would last. The volcano's last major eruption in 1821 lasted for two years....'..."
(Excerpt from CNN in "Eyjafjallajökull Eruption: Two Years, Last Time" (April 17, 2010))

Either way: that's a long time to work airline schedules around ash clouds.

In a way, news about Iceland's volcano is a refreshing change of pace. So far, I haven't read about serious thinkers who feel that the volcano is Big [something]'s fault.

Related posts:

• "Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull, or Eyjafjallajokull, Volcano: Still Erupting & Disrupting"
  (May 10, 2010)
• "How do You Pronounce "Eyjafjallajökull," or "Eyjafjallajokull:" You Know, Iceland's Volcano?"
  (April 24, 2010)
• ""Eyjafjallajökull" or "Eyjafjallajokull:" Either Way, Iceland's Volcano is Making (Seismic) Waves"
  (April 23, 2010)
• "Eyjafjallajökull Eruption: Two Years, Last Time"
  (April 17, 2010)
• "Iceland Volcano Video Footage"
  (April 16, 2010)

Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull, or Eyjafjallajokull, Volcano: Still Erupting & Disrupting

"Spain airports re-open as ash cloud moves on"
Reuters (May 9, 2010)

"Several Spanish airports in northern Spain including Barcelona reopened on Sunday after they were shut on Saturday as a precaution against an abrasive ash cloud from a volcano in Iceland.

"The civil aviation authority said only three airports remained closed, all in the north-western region of Galicia, and that these might open from about 0900 GMT. They were Santiago, La Coruna and Vigo.

"Saturday's closure of 19 airports disrupted travel plans for nearly 40,000 passengers and forced the government to lay on extra transport...."

And, quite likely, messed up (or 'disrupted,' as they'd probably say on the news) flights for much of Europe. It doesn't matter if the air is clear where you're taking off, if the destination is unreachable.

Looks like there'll be more of the same, at least in the short run:

"Warning Of More Ash Cloud Chaos This Week"
Sky News (UK) (May 9, 2010)

"The volcanic ash cloud looks set to cause further travel disruption in the coming days after more than 500 flights were cancelled across Europe over the weekend.

"The latest aerial shutdown saw airports in Ireland, southern France, Switzerland, Italy and Germany closed because of the ash from Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano...."

Related posts:

• "How do You Pronounce "Eyjafjallajökull," or "Eyjafjallajokull:" You Know, Iceland's Volcano?"
  (April 24, 2010)
• ""Eyjafjallajökull" or "Eyjafjallajokull:" Either Way, Iceland's Volcano is Making (Seismic) Waves"
  (April 23, 2010)
• "Eyjafjallajökull Eruption: Two Years, Last Time"
  (April 17, 2010)
• "Iceland Volcano Video Footage"
  (April 16, 2010)

"Eyjafjallajökull" or "Eyjafjallajokull:" Either Way, Iceland's Volcano is Making (Seismic) Waves

I say "Eyjafjallajökull," you say "Eyjafjallajokull:" Either way it's a pretty big eruption. This post is a sort of scrapbook of what's happened recently.

I've noticed that American-English news often turns Eyjafjallajökull into Eyjafjallajokull. My guess is that it's a whole lot easier for folks at the keyboards. Icelandic and English both use a Latin-based alphabet, but we've made regional modifications in the fifteen centuries since imperial Rome went out of business.

Then, some headlines avoid the name entirely:

"European Airlines Press to Get Everyone Home "

AssociatedPress, YouTube (April 22, 2010)
video, 1:22

"European airports sent thousands of planes into the sky Thursday after a week of unprecedented disruptions, with airlines piling on more flights and bigger planes to try to get as many people home as possible. (April 22)"

Need something to worry about? Try this on for size:

"Scientists warn Eyjafjallajokull could trigger the Katla volcano to erupt"
Helium (April 21, 2010)

"While the after effects of the volcano Eyjafjallajokull are slowly beginning to dissipate, scientists warn that there may be more to come in the near future. The concern is not centered around Eyjafjallajokull erupting again now or in the near future, the new concern surrounds Katla volcano. While some consider this concern unwarranted or alarmist, history often has a way of repeating itself, and Eyjafjallajokull and Katla have plenty history...."

Good news: with less ash coming out, European air traffic is getting sorted out.

Not-so-good news: This isn't over yet.

"Iceland Volcano Tremors Stay Strong, Ash Plume Low
ABC News (April 22, 2010)

"Iceland's volcanic eruption was still causing strong tremors on Thursday, though far less ash and smoke was pouring out into the air.

"Huge ash clouds spewed from the volcano last week and led to European air traffic being grounded for days. The smoke and fumes coming from the volcano have much less ash now and the plume has stayed at low levels.

"However, the tremors coming from it are stronger now than when the ash plume was at its highest, at about 9 km (5.6 miles), said meteorological office geophysicist Steinunn Jakobsdottir.

" 'We don't know exactly what this is telling us. This is kind of telling me that it is not stopping yet ... As it looks now it could go on for a while,' she told a news conference...."

Bad news, for Iceland:

"Iceland closes airports for first time due to volcanic ash cloud "
CNN (April 22, 2010)

"Iceland will close two airports on Friday for the first time, a week after ash from an Icelandic volcano forced the shutdown of airspace over much of Europe and stranded thousands of passengers around the world, the Icelandic aviation authority announced Thursday.

"The Keflavik International Airport and Reykjavík International Airport will be closed beginning early Friday morning, the aviation authority said, according to a statement on the Keflavik airport's website.

"Though the ash cloud originated in Iceland, the country's airports have been spared from closure until now. Strong northwest winds had been blowing ash from the volcano, in the south of Iceland, out to sea and over Europe.

" 'Now the winds have died down, and the cloud is lingering around Iceland,' said Chris Almond, a forecaster with Britain's Met Office, the nation's national weather service...."

Really good news: The news is about airline schedules and people fussing about having travel plans being disrupted. We could be reading about cities being abandoned. The Eyjafjallajökull is a pretty big deal: but it's a damp firecracker, compared to some blowouts Earth's had.

Related posts:

• "Eyjafjallajökull Eruption: Two Years, Last Time"
  (April 17, 2010)
• "Iceland Volcano Video Footage"
  (April 16, 2010)

Northwest Flight 188: Distracted by a Laptop?!

"Pilots Say They Were Distracted "
The Wall Street Journal (October 26, 2009)

"The pilots of Northwest Flight 188 on Sunday told federal investigators that they lost track of time and location -- but never went to sleep -- when they failed last week to respond to air-traffic controllers for more than an hour, according to people familiar with the crew's statements.

"During a session with a team from the National Transportation Safety Board, these people said, the cockpit crew recounted the same sequence of events it previously sketched out for airline superiors: They became distracted in conversation while cruising at 37,000 feet Wednesday night, didn't realize how long the plane had lost radio contact and flew more than 100 miles past their destination. Such a scenario is consistent with the brief statements first officer Richard Cole of Salem, Ore., made to reporters earlier in the weekend...."

Good News, The Flight Crew Wasn't Asleep; Bad News, They Weren't Flying the Plane

So far, the flight crew of Flight 188's behavior comes under the heading of 'yagottabekiddin!'

By the way: If you've been running into some articles talking about "Northwest" and others about "Delta" - they're both right, sort of. The pilots were on a Northwest airliner. Northwest is owned by Delta.

In a way, it's nice to know that members of the flight crew were probably awake. But - doing something on a laptop that was so engrossing that they overshot the airport by 150 miles? And didn't respond to air traffic control?!

This is post-9/11, folks.

There were interceptors ready to go up and deal with the nitwits: to get their attention, in this case, since Flight 188 had a worse-than-useless flight crew. If terrorists had taken over flight 188, I'm not sure what action would be taken. Probably something along the lines of what the passengers and crew of Flight 93 were involved in.

I know: it wouldn't be nice to shoot down an airliner with people in it. But it wouldn't be nice to fly an airliner with people in it into a skyscraper with people in it: and that's been done, folks. The real world tends to have big, hard facts in it, some with sharp edges. We can ignore them - but we get hurt when we do.

As for the dudes on the flight deck of Flight 188, I have some sympathy: I work and play on a computer, and sometimes lose track of time. But I don't play Donkey Kong while driving the family's van.

Related post:

• "Northwest Flight 188 Overshoots MSP - Time to Reconsider Humans on Flight Crews?"
  (October 23, 2009)

Northwest Flight 188 Overshoots MSP - Time to Reconsider Humans on Flight Crews?

"Northwest Flight Misses MSP Airport"
MyFOX9.com (October 22, 2009)

"Were you on flight 188? Call us @ 952-946-5767"

"The NTSB is investigating a case of distracted pilots at the controls after a Northwest Airlines flight overshot the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport by about 150 miles.

"According to the National Transportation Safety Board, Northwest Flight 188 from San Diego to Minneapolis lost radio contact with air-traffic controllers around 6:56 p.m. CDT on Wednesday. The Airbus A320, cruising at 37,000 feet, was carrying 144 passengers and five crew, said Delta.

"At 7:58 p.m. CDT, the plane flew over MSP Airport and continued northeast for approximately 150 miles. The MSP air traffic controller reestablished communications with the crew at 8:14 p.m. and said that the crew had become distracted and had overflown MSP, and requested to return to Minneapolis..."

The pilots apparently were discussing airline policy while the autopilot kept the airliner safe - 37,000 feet over the Minneapolis-St. Paul International airport.

I'm heartily grateful that one of the crew stayed focused.

Maybe it's time to start thinking about banning humans from critical decision-making positions: although AI research and development hasn't produced robots capable of matching the best human decision-making. (I'm only half-joking about this: September 8, 2009, April 25, 2009, April 7, 2008, March 3, 2008, October 11, 2007)

123-Foot Cruise Missile Targets American City

This isn't, putting it mildly, the point in history when it's a good idea for an American airliner's crew to aim at a metropolitan area, go on autopilot, and stop responding to traffic control.

The Airbus A320 wasn't designed as a cruise missile, but neither were the airliners that took down New York City's World Trade Center and put a hole in the Pentagon, back in 2001. Even after a flight from Denver, I'd guess that Flight 188 had enough fuel on board to turn the IDS Tower into a torch.

Which helps explain the American military's response:

"...Military fighter jets in two locations were on alert after communication was lost with the NWA plane. Pilots were in the jets on the tarmacs, fueled up and waiting for orders...."

I'm pretty sure the pilots would have tried communicating with those nincompoops in the cockpit, before getting orders to shoot the Airbus down. We've been through something like this before. ("Six Years Ago, Tomorrow: Remembering 9/11," Another War-on-Terror Blog (September 10, 2007), excerpt about Flight 85)

The FOX9 article includes a link to the Flight Track Log at FlightAware.com.

If Flight 188's flight crew decides to defend their right to put the lives of their cabin crew and passengers in danger, things could get interesting. That particular Airbus had an older cockpit voice recorder: one that only retains the last 30 minutes of cockpit chatter. (FOXNews) So the pilots could play dumb.

Dumber.

---

"Apathetic"? I've discussed this earlier today.

A Little Matter of a Software Glitch in American Air Traffic Control, and 600+ Flights

"Airports Return to Normal After More Than 600 Flights Delayed by Apparent Computer Crash"
FOXNews (August 27, 2008)

" Air traffic returned to normal after a problem believed to be a software glitch was fixed, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

"The FAA grounded hundreds of planes Tuesday after an apparent breakdown in the program the agency uses to log flight plans, but the matter was resolved by late evening.

" 'Everything's back to normal,' FAA spokeswoman Diane Spitaliere told FOXNews.com Wednesday. '[The problem] was cleared up late last night.'..."

The bad news: Lots of people were left up in the air, literally, last Tuesday.

More bad news: As of Wednesday, the FAA techs hadn't figured out exactly what went wrong.

Good news: Whatever it was, it looks like we're looking at a software glitch, and not hackers.

Oops: Pilots Overshoot Runway by 359 Miles

"Plane overshoots Mumbai as both pilots go to sleep"
Times of India (June 26, 2008)

"MUMBAI: An Air India Jaipur-Mumbai flight flew well past its destination with both its pilots fatigued and fast asleep in the cockpit. When the pilots were finally woken up by anxious Mumbai air traffic controllers, the plane was about half way to Goa.

"This nap in the sky took place about a fortnight ago on the domestic leg of a Dubai-Jaipur-Mumbai flight — IC 612 — which had about 100 passengers on board. 'The plane took off from Dubai at 1.35am IST and then from Jaipur at 7am. After operating an overnight flight, fatigue levels peak, and so the pilots dozed off after taking off from Jaipur,' said a source...."

"...Every aircraft has its own exclusive code. When the ATC uses this high frequency communication system — which it does very rarely and only when other communication draws a blank — a buzzer sounds in the cockpit. Jolted by the sound of the SELCAL buzzer, the pilots woke up and brought the plane back to Mumbai safely...."

Mumbai aerodrome's general manager said that what we've got here is failure to communicate. (Sound familiar? It should, if you follow American movies.)

I say, thank God for redundant systems. And alert traffic controllers.

More, at "Report: Sleeping Pilots Overshot Airport by 359 Miles" FOXNews (June 26, 2008).

There's Something You Don't See Every Day: An Elevated Airport Runway

"Airport runway on pillars"

In Madeira, Portugal: The photo shows why the architects or designers decided on this unconventional approach.